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Alumni Athlete Spotlight: Christian Litwinowicz '22

| By: Joe Ginley '16, SID

Known for his kindness, Litwinowicz has applied lessons from his time as a Diver and Boler School student in new role as Assistant Controller at JCU

During the summer, John Carroll Athletics is proud to spotlight alumni athletes who have returned recently, making an impact by working at John Carroll University. 

The first piece highlights a Blue Streak who has returned home to work behind the scenes to keep JCU running smoothly.

Our first alumni feature is Christian Litwinowicz '22, who now works as Assistant Controller at JCU following a strong athletic career as a diver and pole vaulter.

Finding a Home

Christian Litwinowicz found his way to University Heights via Parma. The Padua Franciscan grad arrived at John Carroll in the fall of 2018.

An honor roll student at Padua, Litwinowicz was quite a busy student-athlete, participating in soccer, track & field, and swimming. His foundation in business was established early, as evidenced by him winning Padua's Business Department Award.

Litwinowicz initially began his athletic career on the track & field team at John Carroll. A pole vaulter, Litwinowicz enjoyed some strong results, taking first at the Sparky Adams Invitational with a personal record. At the 2019 OAC Championships, he managed a 12th place effort. 

But in his sophomore year, the diving well called to him. 

It all started when Litwinowicz was looking for a room transfer, as his roommate was moving out. As fate would have it, Westin Fishel was also looking for a roommate. 

"We didn't know each other, but we quickly became best friends," says Litwinowicz. "He convinced me to join the swimming & diving team. I can't imagine what my college life would have been like without him."

Litwinowicz followed Fishel to the JCU Swimming & Diving team. While Litwinowicz had swimming experience in high school, he had never tried diving. Even though he joined the team a couple months after practices had begun, Litwinowicz quickly found his footing. 

Into the Deep End

Many newbies join JCU Swimming & Diving to try out diving. For over three decades, John Carroll's legendary diving coach has been turning rookies into veterans.

Lewis Fellinger is the longest current tenured assistant coach at JCU, joining the program as the diving coach for the 1995-96 season. A well-known figure on the national diving circuit, Fellinger lends his time to the divers at JCU, teaching technique while guiding Blue Streaks along their college journey. 

From the start, Fellinger saw something in Litwinowicz. 

"He is one of the nicest people I've ever coached," says Fellinger. "Christian wanted to be part of the team. He had never been on a board but really loved the swimmers, so he was willing to do whatever it took to integrate himself. His motivation wasn't diving, for him it was about loving the culture we were building and doing whatever it took to contribute. For me, I get excited about working with an athlete who wants to learn."

Litwinowicz soon displayed a strong work ethic, often the first to arrive at practice and the last to leave. His eagerness to help the team was apparent to his coach and teammates. 

"He wanted to soak up every bit of knowledge and make up for lost time," says Fellinger. "He didn't want to be an anchor, he wanted to be an asset. He was willing to do anything to be the best he could be. And after 30 years, talent level is secondary to me, I want to spend my time with good people. Christian is definitely a wonderful person, it was my honor to spend that time with him."

Litwinowicz was also struck by Fellinger, in awe of his ability to meet you where you are.

"He's very personable, he went above and beyond the pool deck as a coach," says Litwinowicz. "He would always ask how you were doing in school. And in addition to being a coach, he was a father figure. He truly cares about his athletes."

Over the course of the season, Litwinowicz made plenty of progress, culminating in a strong effort at the 2020 OAC Championships. He notched a sixth-place effort on the 3 Meter board (272.20) and seventh on the 1 Meter board (260.25).
 
Christian Litwinowicz at 2022 OAC Championships
Christian Litwinowicz prepares on the 1M board at the 2022 OAC Championships

Developing into a Blue Streak Winner 

As a junior, Litwinowicz continued his ascent, scoring for JCU as part of a record-breaking team point total at the 2021 OAC Championships. He notched sixth in the 1 Meter and fifth in the 3 Meter. 

His senior year ended with personal records at the OAC Championships in 2022. Litwinowicz tabbed sixth in the 1 Meter (300.60) and fifth in the 3 Meter (336.95). To finish with a pair of personal bests was great, but going home with the team trophy was the best part for the senior. 

"Winning OACs all three years I was on the team was my favorite memory," Litwinowicz recalled. "Especially while learning a sport I had never done before. The team welcomed me with open arms and eased my nerves. I'm grateful for my great teammates." 

Litwinowicz's career at John Carroll ended with a special award. The coaching staff bestowed the team's Blue Streak of the Year Award. This honor is given to a swimmer or diver who embodies the JCU mission, uplifts teammates, and provides hope and support. Litwinowicz calls that his proudest accomplishment as a student-athlete. 

"Christian was always a kind and caring person," says Fellinger. "It is the norm for him. That's the type of person he is 24 hours a day."
 
2022 OAC Men's Swimming & Diving Champs
Christian Litwinowicz (far left) with his teammates at the 2022 Championships

A-Ha Moments

"My professors prepared me well." 

Litwinowicz graduated in May 2022 with his degree in Accounting. His time in the Boler School of Business prepared him well for his first job.

He started at Ruffing Montessori School in Cleveland Heights, starting as Auxiliary Programs Associate. In May 2023, Litwinowicz earned a promotion to Business Office Associate.

Working in a small office, Litwinowicz learned plenty. His work spanned many parts of the school's operations, in areas such as book keeping, payroll process, benefits administration. In other words, as he describes it, "a capture all for an accounting position." It was the perfect experience for a first post-grad job.  

"It was a great gig out of college. I received the opportunity to perform many tasks and get my hands into a lot of different areas of accounting."

Importantly, Litwinowicz felt well-equipped to deal with challenges that arose. His Boler education prepared him well. 

"All of my accounting professors set me up for success," Litwinowicz says. "Even in trying something new in that first job, I knew the fundamentals. Often, I had a-ha moments, and would remember learning about the task in a certain class. It was really full circle"

Returning to Alma Mater

One fateful day, Litwinowicz happened to be on JCU.edu.

In looking at the Careers section, Litwinowicz saw an opening in his field: Assistant Controller. 

Litwinowicz quickly applied for the job, which was a step up on his career ladder. He was invited for an on-campus interview, and still recalls the sweet feeling of being back on campus. An offer was extended and quickly accepted. He began the role in February.  

"It was a no-brainer," says Litwinowicz. "I really enjoyed my time at John Carroll as a student, so it made perfect sense to return here to work. It was very appealing to return home to JCU."

If you didn't study in the Boler School of Business, you might be wondering, 'What does an Assistant Controller do?' 

"Mainly, my job is to handle tax compliance and payroll," Litwinowicz explains. "My team does book keeping. I tie everything together to make it match in the accounting system. I'm a manager in this role, overseeing Accounts Payable and Payroll, with Theresa Bakula and Linnetta Harris on my team.

"My position follows the payroll schedule with two biweekly payrolls for students and monthly payrolls for staff," he continues. "Whenever it's time for payroll processing, I make sure everything balances. I  work with the retirement provider, the bank, and remit taxes. When it's not payroll time, I reconcile accounts."

The business operation is certainly larger at John Carroll than at Ruffing Montessori, which has been fascinating for Litwinowicz. Overall, it has been a fulfilling experience so far.

"I'm very grateful that I walked into a well oiled machine, working with people who have great experience in the field," Litwinowicz says. "It's great to see how the school operates and manages its money and exciting to see all the complex work behind the scenes, especially with how many functions there are in the business office at JCU."

"We're so happy to have him back on campus!"

Litwinowicz reports to Melanie Moss, who has been at John Carroll for nearly a decade. She began at JCU in Christian's position before earning a promotion to University Controller. 

"Melanie is my mentor, it's great to learn from her and lean on her as a resource," notes Litwinowicz. "It's awesome to learn from someone who did my job before. We have very similar learning and work styles, so it has flowed seamlessly so far." 

Moss also very much appreciates having Christian aboard.

"Christian's calm and steady demeanor combined with his outstanding Accounting acumen and work ethic has quickly made him an indispensable member of the Controller's Office," says Moss. "He has taken on a lot of responsibility in a short amount of time since coming back to campus. I know that whatever challenges our office may face, he will be a critical part of the solution. It is an absolute bonus that he has deep ties to the University."

Reconnecting with Blue Streaks has been a blessing for Christian, too. 

Litwinowicz noted key figures in his Carrolll journey, such as Dr. Andy Welki and Dr. Ed Peck, who welcomed him back to campus with open arms. His mentors are glad to see him back at home. 

"Christian has always been a Man of Carroll, so for him to come back to give back time and talents, that speaks the world of who is," says Fellinger. "He is one of those truly special people in life. I'm a better person for having spent lots of time with him."

As for future Blue Streaks looking to follow in his footsteps, dreaming of working at their Alma Mater? Litwinowicz offers some great advice.

"Definitely manage your time well. Focus on getting work done in the classroom, that makes life in your sport a lot easier. You want to be at your best, and you accomplish that by staying balanced and staying on top of your work."
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