In Memoriam - Patricia Wagner

It is with great sorrow that we have learned of the death of Pat Wagner, on June 19, at the age of 82. Pat worked at DePaul from 1962 until her retirement from the Nursing Department in 1993. She continued her service to DePaul by volunteering her time in University Archives. She is survived by her sister, and will be greatly missed by many friends and colleagues at DePaul.

Services will be held at a later date this summer, and will be announced. Our sympathy goes to the family, friends, and colleagues who mourn her passing. May she rest in peace.

Mission and Values, June 28, 2011

On July 25, Nancy Rospenda provided the following information:

A memorial service has been scheduled in honor of Pat Wagner. The service will take place on Thursday, July 28 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Vincent de Paul Church, 1010 West Webster in Lincoln Park.

Pat passed away on June 19. She worked at DePaul from 1962 until her retirement from the Nursing Department in 1993. She continued her service to DePaul by volunteering her time in University Archives.

2011 University Picnic - Retirees are invited

All DES Members are invited to the Annual University Picnic -  We hope to see you there!

Save the Date!
The Office of Mission and Values invites you to join them and your colleagues at DePaul's Chicago-themed University Picnic. Join us for food, drinks and a chance to win awesome raffle prizes including trolley tours, dinner-for-two gift certificates, American Airlines vouchers, spa packages and more. Raffle drawing is at 4:45 p.m. and you must be present to win.

• When: Thursday, June 16, 2011
• Time : 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Location: Lincoln Park Student Center, Room 120

Please RSVP by June 15 by calling 312-362-8253 or emailing specialevents@depaul.edu

This celebration is for full and part-time faculty, staff and DePaul University retirees only. Faculty and staff  MUST present a photo ID to attend this event.

In Memoriam - Hank Rodkin

Hank Rodkin, a recently retired executive-in-residence in the Department of Marketing and a tireless mentor who counseled hundreds of students on their careers, died suddenly May 27 at the age of 75.

Rodkin came to DePaul in 1990 as an adjunct professor after a long career in marketing that included the Tribune Co. and Procter and Gamble Co. and took him to more than 60 countries.

An executive-in-residence since 1995, Rodkin leveraged his international experience by serving as the executive director of the Driehaus Center for International Business for several years.  He also formed the Center for Professional Education.

He developed a class on brand management and was one of the few Commerce professors to develop a Discover Chicago course for incoming freshmen.  Although retired, Rodkin still taught part time.

For the past eight years, Rodkin worked with Zafar Iqbal, associate professor of marketing, on a popular job search seminar that walked students through the process of getting a job.

"Hank had an insatiable desire to use his life experiences to help students make progress in their careers,"  Iqbal says.

Robert O'Keefe, professor of marketing, worked with Rodkin on an award-winning article for the Marketing Management Association. O'Keefe received confirmation that an extended version was to be published in The Marketing Management Journal this fall and shared the news with Rodkin the day before he died.

"He was delighted, and we both looked forward to seeing the issue," O'Keefe says.  "It breaks my heart that he was denied the chance."

Rodkin is survived by his wife, Maggie, children and grandchildren.

Commerce Exchange, DePaul, Summer 2011, Vol. 15, No. 3

Service Awards Luncheon, May 24, 2011

Over 300 members of the DePaul Community were honored at the 23rd Annual Distinguised Service Awards Luncheon held at the Chicago Cultural Center.  A number of retirees attended and enjoyed seeing colleagues, hearing both Fr. Holtschneider remarks and the reflections made by the three speakers -- and sampling the food which was quite good!

Al Erlebacher smiles with Morgan MacIntosh Hodgetts (10 years)

Sr. Jane Gerard listens intently to Fr. Holtschneider's remarks

Jerry Goldman, Nancy Rospenda and the table centerpiece!

Dick Houk gives Nancy Rospenda a big welcome. 
Tom Hojnacki (30 years) looks on

Tom Mockaitis (20 years) shares a conversation with
Al Erlebacher and Sally Chappell

Al catching up with Ellin Kelly

Jack Leahy talking to Joe Kinsella (20 years)
and Bonnie Hirsch, VP for Finance

It was a wonderful event done with style!

Academic Building moves towards completion

The new academic building going up at Belden and Kenmore is nearing completion as can be seen in these photos taken May 24, 2011.

The building is planned to be completed for Winter Quarter, 2012.  The rendering shows how lovely the building and the area will look once completed and with Kenmore Avenue closed between Belden and Fullerton.

 

Click here for additional information on the building from an earlier post.  Also, see photos from last October to see how fast the construction is proceeding.

DES Luncheon, May 20, 2011

DES members enjoyed a wonderful lunch on May 20, 2011 at the Cortelyou Commons.  We were fortunate to have Fr. John Richardson as our guest speaker who shared his remembrances from his over 50 years at DePaul University.  He noted, with the exception of Dick Houk, he had been at DePaul longer than anyone else in the room!  In addition, a representative from Blue Cross/Blue Shield presented information on the current prescription drug program.  We were also pleased to meet Brad Helgeland, the recipient of our third DES Scholarship.

We were delighted to welcome four individuals to the DES Luncheon for the first time: Jim Seri, Education; Milt Shulman, Accounting; Martha Faulhaber, spouse of Robert Faulhaber, Economics; and Fr. Richardson, past president.

More information on the May 20 DES Luncheon can be found in the following posts.

Photos: David Sims and Elaine Beaudoin

Fr. Richardson Shares his Remembrances

The DES members were delighted to hear Fr. Richardson share some of his insights and remembrances of his years at DePaul. He noted DePaul’s history is often spoken of in the context of building acquisitions, student head count, academic offerings, etc., but the true history of DePaul is in its people and their insights, risk-taking and commitment to the institution.

He spoke of  McCormick Seminary and how he had worked very closely with the Seminary administration to encourage them to keep their institution in Lincoln Park. At the time, little did he know that when McCormick Seminary moved to Hyde Park, DePaul would purchase a large portion of their property. He also noted he had very heartily encouraged the city to put the Chicago Public Library in the old Goldblatt building and when that didn't come to pass, he found DePaul looking to purchase the building. He shared the difficulties of navigating with the city, federal government, and the University regarding the acquisition of the building we now call DePaul Center. He told us he has titled his memoirs “The Playful Hand of God” and it has recently been sent to the printer.

In addition, he recounted how much he loved the experience he had while in Kenya absorbing its culture and traditions. Although he was in his 70s when he left for Kenya, he was re-energized by the opportunity to teach young men. He told of writing many of the works from which the seminarians studied.

Fr. Richardson spoke of the work he is doing now assisting with the Capital Campaign and said he is looking forward to the possibility of teaching at DePaul in the fall.

Those in attendance at the May 20 DES Luncheon enjoyed hearing Father so positive and full of life.

Photo: David Sims