Byrne Hall

Byrne Hall
The Academy building was turned over to DePaul University, and renamed Byrne Hall. Bygone DePaul | Special Collections & Archives

Introduction

About the DePaul Emeritus Society

DePaul University values its ongoing connections with its faculty and staff retirees, as it values their past contributions to the university’s mission. The DePaul University Emeritus Society was founded in 2008 with the merger of the Staff Emeritus Society and the Emeritus Professors Association. The Society is sponsored by the University’s Office of Mission and Values.

The purpose of the DePaul Emeritus Society is to provide a means for ongoing connection, communication, and socialization between the university and its emeritus faculty and staff, and between individual retirees whose professional lives were for so many years dedicated to university service.

Photos, events, and information of interest to members of the DePaul Emeritus Society will be posted to this blog. Please take a look, add your comment, offer to be an "author" or just enjoy.

Wednesday, December 16, 2020

In Memoriam - John R. Watts

 


Dr. John Ransford Watts Passes at Age 90 

Former dean of The Theatre School was instrumental in move of Goodman School of Drama to  DePaul University 

CHICAGO — Dr. John Ransford Watts, dean of The Theatre School at DePaul University from  1979 to 1999, died December 14 in Mundelein, IL. He was 90 years old. 

Watts, a teacher, designer, director, and scholar, was recruited as dean and charged with  reestablishing the famed Goodman School of Drama after its move to DePaul University from  the department of drama at the Art Institute of Chicago in 1978. Over the next 20 years, Watts  reshaped The Theatre School at DePaul into one of the premiere conservatory theatre training  programs in the country. 

“Watts’ work to secure the position of the school within DePaul, attract high-quality staff and  faculty, and develop a sophisticated curriculum made top 10 conservatory rankings, our new  facilities, and amazing alumni accomplishments possible,” explained current Theatre School  Dean John Culbert. 

Many of the programs and activities Watts put in place have become traditions at The Theatre  School: regional auditions, annual touring graduate showcases, and discussions with visiting  artists. He also started the Annual Awards for Excellence in the Arts gala in 1989, which has  generated more than $7 million for scholarships to date. In 1988, Watts was instrumental in  orchestrating DePaul’s acquisition of the historic Blackstone Theatre, now known as the Merle  Reskin Theatre, in Chicago’s South Loop. 

Watts maintained a distinguished and productive association with the performing arts,  humanities, and higher education in Massachusetts, California, and Illinois. He earned an  undergraduate degree and a Master of Education degree from Boston College, a Master of Fine  Arts degree from Yale University, and a doctorate from Union Graduate College. He completed  post-graduate work at Harvard, UCLA, and Oxford. For 15 years he served on the faculty of the  School for the Arts at Boston University as Professor of Theatre, and for five years as associate  dean. He was appointed as the founding chairman of the Massachusetts Council on the Arts and  Humanities, serving in that position for four years. 

In 1974, he accepted a one-year guest artist appointment to the faculty of the School of Fine  Arts at California State University, Long Beach, which led to his becoming a tenured professor,  associate dean, and then dean of the school. While in California he helped found and served as  director and vice president of the Public Corporation for the Arts. 

In 2000, John Watts received a lifetime achievement award from the Joseph Jefferson  Committee “for development and support of theatre artists and the Chicago theatre community  during his almost two decades as Dean of the Theatre School/DePaul University.” That same 

year, he also received the Via Sapientiae Award from DePaul University, its highest recognition  for excellent service and accomplishment. 

John and Joyce Watts were recognized in June 2018 in a naming ceremony of the Dr. John R. and  Joyce L. Watts Theatre, a 250-seat thrust theatre located on the first floor of The Theatre  School’s artistic home on the Lincoln Park campus. The Watts’ family also generously endowed a  scholarship supporting students in the playwriting program in 2006.  

“John Watts’ inspired leadership for the first two decades of The Theatre School’s life at DePaul  University built the foundation upon which all that we now do rests,” said John Culbert. “His  legacy will live on through the students, faculty, and staff who would not be here today without  his vision for the school.” 

John is survived by his wife of 45 years, Joyce L. Watts, and his son, David Watts.

Source: Joyce Watts, December 16, 2020


Sunday, December 13, 2020

Book Club December 2

Our discussion of Pachinko  covered several topics, following the saga of a Korean family from the annexation of Korea by Japan in 1910 through 1989. We got a sense of the lives of Koreans under Japanese rule in their own land as well as their place as second class citizens in Japan to this day. The story is that of a struggle for survival, but includes issues of caste, racial prejudice, survival during war, and the role chance has in individual lives. While covering these and other topics, the story centers on Sunja and her extended family and the relationships which both support and destroy individual survival. Sunja and her sister-in-law use their skills as cooks and their limited resources to survive by selling food. Sunja’s secret, the identity of her son Noa, becomes both a resource and a burden. Noa’s suicide centers on his struggle to accept his Korean identity in a Japanese world. The game of pachinko is both a thematic motif evoking chance and hope, as well as a means of employment and survival for Koreans in Japan.  We enjoyed our wide-ranging discussion of Pachinko, and ended before we had managed to cover everything the book brought up.


Our next book will be Caste by Isabel Wilkerson. We will meet via Zoom on Wednesday, February 3. Meeting starts at 11 am. However, the Zoom link will be open at 10:30, to make sure everyone can  establish a good connection.

Please contact Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough if you have any questions.

We enjoy catching up with our former colleagues and enjoy welcoming new members to the group. Zoom meetings have provided a great way for colleagues not in the immediate vicinity of the Lincoln Park Campus to participate. 



 

Saturday, December 12, 2020

In Memoriam - Patricia Mulligan

 


Patricia Mulligan (nee Farrell)--Gone to her final reward on April 19, 2020. Loving daughter of the late Lawrence and Norma Farrell; beloved wife of the late John Patrick for 56 looong and interesting years; always there for us, dear Mom to John (Retired CPD), Karen (Kevin) O'Connell, Larry (the late Michelle Porter) and the late James CPD (Sue); dear mother in law to Virginia Mulligan (RN); Christmas Cookie Making, Easter Egg Coloring Gramma to Katie, John "J.J.", Allie, Sean (Nicole), Kristin, Michael, and Patrick; great grandmother of Connor; sister and best friend of Marian Kulterman and the late Eleanor Swiatly. I love you all now, go and have a great party and be sure to dance on the bar. Arrangements by Cooney Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations to the American Heart Association are appreciated. For information please call 773-588-5850 or visit www.cooneyfuneralhome.com

To write a note of condolences go to: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=patricia-mulligan&pid=196016172&fhid=16217

Source: Chicago Tribune, April 21, 2020

Photo: SES Luncheon, November, 2003

Thursday, October 29, 2020

Book Club October 7

 After Visiting Friends provided many topics for discussion at our October meeting. Several members of the book club especially enjoyed Michael Hainey’s detailed portrait of Chicago in the 1950s and 60s, recalling their own childhood experiences of the city.  Others praised the accounts of newspaper work, both the newsroom itself and the camaraderie of the men who staffed it, noting also that Hainey’s parents met there. Hainey’s training as a news reporter is apparent both in his determined search for the truth about his father’s death and in his direct prose style.  Although some readers faulted the memoir’s style, finding it undistinguished or shapeless, others found it forceful.

As in our reading of other memoirs (such as Educated), we disagreed about the effectiveness and “truth” of some remembered scenes, including Hainey’s imagined recreation of past scenes from others’ hints.  Thinking about memory and the past led the discussion back to Hainey’s intense need to know his father—we considered the appeal of family history in general—and the resolution of Hainey’s search in his realization of his mother’s love and courage.  The narrative arc of the memoir is completed in that final recognition and tribute to Hainey’s mother.


Our next book will be Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. We will meet via Zoom on Wednesday, December 2. Meeting will start at 11 am, however, the Zoom link will be open at 10:30, to make sure everyone can get establish a good connection.

Please contact Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough if you have any questions.

We enjoy catching up with our former colleagues and enjoy welcoming new members to the group. Zoom meetings have provided a great way for colleagues not in the immediate vicinity of the Lincoln Park Campus to participate and renew old acquaintances!

 

Sunday, October 25, 2020

In Memoriam - Dmitry Paperno


It is with sadness we recently learned of the passing of Dmitry Paperno.  May he rest in peace.


Dmitry Paperno, concert pianist, writer, beloved teacher, husband, father, and grandfather died on October 12, 2020 at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Lyudmila; his daughters Anna (Bruce) Radzin and Maria (Boris) Tsipris; and his grandchildren, Alexandra and Samuel Radzin, and Olivia (Jason) Wilson and Eugene Tsipris. Loving caregiver Hatuna helped brighten his last years as well. Our heartfelt thanks to NorthShore Hospice. 

He received his musical training under Alexander Goldenweiser at the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, receiving a Master's Degree with Honors in 1951 and an Aspirant Diploma in 1955. A prize winner at the Fifth International Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1955 and the First International Enescu Competition in Bucharest in 1958, Paperno proceeded to perform extensively throughout Russia and Eastern Europe as well as in England, Cuba, and Belgium (as soloist with the U.S.S.R. State Orchestra at EXPO in Brussels in 1958). He also made numerous recordings for Melodiya, the record label of the Soviet Union. 

In 1967 Mr. Paperno began teaching at the Gnessin Moscow State Institute. After emigrating to the United States in 1976, Paperno continued to concertize widely throughout the U.S. and Western Europe. A Professor at Chicago's DePaul University since 1977 (now Emeritus), Paperno has been on the jury panel for many international piano competitions. He has also given master classes at the Moscow Conservatory as well as in Belgium, Finland, Portugal, and the United States, including classes at Oberlin and the Manhattan School of Music. 

Mr. Paperno is the author of several essays on music and pianism and the books Notes of a Moscow Pianist (Amadeus Press) and Postscriptum. His recordings on Cedille Records include Dmitry Paperno: Uncommon Encores, Paperno Plays Chopin, and Paperno Live. 

Services are private and plans will be announced for a future memorial. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the DePaul University School of Music. Notes of condolence may be sent to 1831 Mission Hills Rd., Apt. 508, Northbrook, IL 60062 For information or to leave condolences, Shalom Memorial Funeral Home, (847) 255-3520 or www.shalom2.com.

Source: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/chicagotribune/obituary.aspx?n=dmitry-paperno&pid=196951424&fhid=4243

Thursday, August 20, 2020

Book Club August 5

We came away from our discussion of The Night Watchman with new awareness of and respect for Native American lives. We noted Louise Erdrich’s ability to capture and convey Native American beliefs and the realities of reservation life—its family bonds, its poverty, the government schools. Her vivid treatment of magic and folklore, and its suggestion that what we might call “superstition” depends a good deal on one’s perspective was reflected as well through the comic illustration of cultural assumptions by Mormon missionaries about what’s real.  Erdrich wove together several story lines in different modes—the Night Watchman’s verbal battle with the U.S. government, Pixie’s surreal experiences in the “nightmare” city as she searches for Vera, the story of Wood Mountain’s boxing and his changing feelings, expertly. But she always kept the central focus on the novel on the actual story of her grandfather and his struggle to maintain Indian lands and identity granted by federal law against the 1953 congressional act that would “terminate” them.



Our next book will be After Visiting Friends  by Chicagoan Michael Hainey. We will meet via Zoom at 11:00 am on Wednesday, October 7. Please contact Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough if you have any questions.

We enjoy catching up with our former colleagues and enjoy welcoming new members to the group. Zoom meetings have provided a great way for colleagues not in the immediate vicinity of the Lincoln Park Campus to participate and renew old acquaintances!







Sunday, June 21, 2020

In Memoriam - Alex Devience




Alex Devience, Jr., 81 of Park Ridge, was born November 18, 1938 in Chicago to the late Alexander and Charlotte (nee Patelski) Devience and passed away June 13, 2020. Alex was the beloved husband of Arlene D. (nee Nelson) for 59 years; loving father of the late Pepper; guardian of Mark Hageli; fond uncle to Linda, Terri, Diane, Patti, Jane, Charlie, Joseph, Alex, Rachel, Steven, and Karen. Alex served in the United States Navy at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. After the Navy, he earned his J.D. degree from Loyola University, Chicago School of Law. Alex not only loved the law but teaching as well which led him to begin teaching business law at DePaul University in 1974. He continued teaching up until four weeks ago. In 1976, a few years after he began teaching, he opened Alex Devience, LTD located in downtown Chicago, IL. His practice would go on to litigate a wide variety of cases including, Alex arguing in front of the United States Supreme Court. To say he has influenced a great number of people is an understatement. Alex loved his family, from his marriage of 59 years to Arlene to his involvement with numerous nephews and nieces, his laugh and playful teasing will be missed. He led by example for all to see. Interment will be at Town Of Maine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers the family asks that a donation be made to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Alex's name.

Source: Online: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/des-plaines-il/alex-devience-9219447

Book Club June 3

We enjoyed our Zoom discussion of The Library Book, which we had to postpone from our scheduled April meeting. Susan Orlean begins with the fire that devastated the Los Angeles Public Library in 1986 and her curiosity about that event, the accused arsonist, and the role of the library and librarians. She uses the event and her skillful writing to weave a multilayered saga. Her story includes the history and development of that library and the role of the librarians who built the collections and the place of the library in the civic life of Los Angeles. She includes her memories of libraries, analysis of the work librarians do, a true crime tale, and anecdotes of books and their users. The session helped restore our sense of connection to our fellow DePaul retirees through this time of social isolation. 



Our next book will be 
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich.  We will meet Wednesday, August 5, through a zoom link to be emailed to all, at our usual time, 11 am.  For further information contact Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough,


We continue to review the titles on our list for consideration for upcoming discussions. Please let Kathryn, Helen, or anyone else in the group, know if you have a favorite book you would like to share with your DES colleagues. As you can tell from the posts, we are interested in a wide range of fiction and non fiction. We enjoy our sessions thoroughly and always have room for more people and more insights.

Thursday, June 4, 2020

In Memoriam - Jack Reisman


Dr. John M. Reisman, Emeritus Professor of Psychology at DePaul, died May 19, three days before his 90th birthday. He received his B.S. at Rutgers and his doctorate at Michigan State. During the Korean War, he served as an officer on the USS Wisconsin. He was predeceased by Margo, his beloved wife of 62 years, and will be sorely missed by his loving children, Hope (Jeffrey) Sheffield, David (Caroline), Carl (Robin), and Andrew (Polina), and by his 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Dr. Reisman published eight psychology books, numerous articles, and two mystery novels. He loved old movies, traveling, good food, and a well-organized routine. His family will miss his wit, prodigious memory, intelligence, and devotion.

Published in Chicago Tribune on May 22, 2020.

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

New Dean, College of Science and Health - Stephanie Dance-Barnes

DePaul University names cancer researcher, higher education leader as dean of the College of Science and Health

Stephanie Dance-Barnes joins DePaul July 1

​​​​​CHICAGO — An expert in cancer biology and leader in higher education will serve as the next dean for ​DePaul University’s College of Science and Health. Interim Provost Salma Ghanem announced April 29 that Stephanie Dance-Barnes will join the DePaul community July 1.

Dance-Barnes currently serves as interim associate provost and dean of the University College of Lifelong Learning at Winston Salem State University in North Carolina, where she also is an associate professor of cell and molecular biology.

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Stephanie Dance-Barnes
Stephanie Dance-Barnes has been named the new dean of DePaul University's College of Science and Health. She'll begin her role on July 1. (Garrett Garms/Winston Salem State University)​ DOWNLOAD
With a background in cancer biology and toxicology, she has received multiple research grants and fellowships for her work to develop improved and targeted cancer therapies. She is the recipient of multiple professional and teaching awards, most recently the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors Award for Excellence in Teaching.

“Dr. Dance-Barnes is a champion for the liberal education approach to learning,” Ghanem said. “She recognizes the importance for students to not only be engaged in dynamic learning experiences, but also the need to be equipped with critical thinking skills that go beyond the classroom. Her extensive administrative and teaching experience combined with her passion for innovative scientific research will be a tremendous benefit for our diverse students at DePaul.”

Originally from the small town of Weeksville, North Carolina, Dance-Barnes first pursued a scientific path at Elizabeth City State University, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology and pre-medicine. She completed a master’s degree in biology at North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. She is the first African American female to receive her doctorate from Wake Forest University School of Medicine in the area of cancer biology and toxicology.

In her current role as interim associate provost and dean, she oversees an academic unit that provides WSSU students with tools they need to succeed, including advising, TRiO student support services, STEM Learning Center, Testing and Assessment Center, as well as the first-year writing program. As a member of the provost’s senior team, she provides administrative leadership, direction and evaluation for all academic activities and faculty affairs at the university. She also has served as an active member of WSSU’s strategic planning leadership team.

Prior to becoming interim associate provost and dean in 2018, Dance-Barnes was co-chair of WSSU’s Department of Biological Sciences. During her tenure, she spearheaded the redesign of the department’s curriculum, introducing new concentrations that include cell biology, microbiology, pre-health professional, biotechnology and neuroscience. She has led a basic cancer research lab at WSSU since 2010, where she has mentored more than 30 student researchers.

“I am devoted to promoting student success,” Dance-Barnes said. “I feel very blessed to work with so many diverse students who go on to graduate and excel in professional and graduate programs.”

Dance-Barnes joined the faculty at WSSU in 2010, after completing her postdoctoral work at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. Her research focuses on characterizing the biodiversity of tumors using genomics, molecular genetics and cell biology. She has worked collaboratively with researchers at Wake Forest University Comprehensive Cancer Center to secure funding from the Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health to support underrepresented undergraduate students in cancer research. She also secured a $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to establish a program for underserved students in third through fifth grade to promote STEM careers.

“As leaders in higher education, it is imperative that we employ efforts to create positive STEM learning environments that empower students with the skills to be competitive in a global arena,” Dance-Barnes said. “One existing barrier is the number of K-12 schools experiencing a shortage of teachers, particularly in science. Developing partnerships between universities and K-12 schools is a major initiative for me.”

Dedicated to student success and inclusive excellence, Dance-Barnes created the Women in Science Program at WSSU in 2011. The program, which provides mentoring and research opportunities for women in STEM, received the 2018 Inspiring Programs in STEM award from Insight into Diversity magazine. Dance-Barnes also received the Inspiring Leaders in STEM award from Insight into Diversity magazine in 2017.

“My core values align with DePaul’s mission,” Dance-Barnes said. “I look forward to working with the faculty and staff in the College of Science and Health to continue to promote DePaul’s growth, development, innovative transformation and successes.”

DePaul’s College of Science and Health is currently led by professor Dorothy Kozlowski, an expert in traumatic brain injury, who has served as interim dean since 2018.

“I am incredibly grateful to Dr. Kozlowski for the dedication she has consistently demonstrated to the university’s mission and CSH students throughout her tenure as interim dean,” Ghanem said. “Her leadership leaves CSH poised for continued success and ready to advance science for the good of public health.”

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Media contact:
Russell Dorn
312-956-2176 mobile

New Dean School of Continuing and Professional Studies, July 1, 2020

DePaul University names Tatum Thomas dean of School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Leader in nontraditional learning to join DePaul July 1

​CHICAGO —​ For more than 15 years, Tatum Thomas has committed herself to preparing adult and nontraditional learners for the next stage in their careers. Effective July 1, she will serve as dean for DePaul University's School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Tatum Thomas
Tatum Thomas will serve as dean for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. DOWNLOAD
Thomas currently serves as senior associate dean of student affairs at Columbia University's School of Professional Studies in New York City. Prior to her current role, she served as the director of academic services at New York University's School of Professional Studies.
“Leading and designing emerging schools of professional studies is an area of expertise for Dr. Thomas," said Interim Provost Salma Ghanem. “Her deep understanding of nontraditional, urban education will strengthen DePaul's longstanding commitment to serve diverse learners. As a collaborative and innovative leader, Dr. Thomas will continue to advance SCPS, further supporting the success of our adult and nontraditional students."
In her current role at Columbia University, Thomas oversees strategic initiatives to increase quality, retention and student outcomes in the School of Professional Studies. A leader in diversity and inclusion, she managed a first-of-its kind Columbia University HBCU Fellowship program. This successful program invites high-achieving undergraduate seniors to pursue master's degrees, enhancing student readiness with a robust mix of support services and career development opportunities.
“Nontraditional education has been a natural part of my being," said Thomas. “I was an inner-city, first-generation student and the product of multiple institutions that cater to non-traditional learners. I completed my bachelor's degree at night, while holding full-time and part-time positions and raising a small child. I know first-hand that affordability, flexibility, practicality and immediate returns on the investment are essential to adult learners."
DePaul officially launched SCPS in 2019. The school builds upon the work of its predecessors, the School for New Learning and the Office of Continuing and Professional Education. Aligned with the university's strategic plan, SCPS offers nontraditional students a range of lifelong learning opportunities, including credit-hour based, market-responsive professional studies degrees and credentials.
“DePaul's SCPS fulfills the mission of higher education," Thomas says. “We create a place of opportunity and deliver an excellent education without disrupting lives. I appreciate the caliber of DePaul's faculty and their highly visible commitment to lifelong learning and scholarship. I'm privileged to serve in this community."
During her tenure at Columbia University, Thomas launched multiple student service units. She opened the School of Professional Studies' first lifelong learning career center to provide resources for degree and non-degree students, in addition to alumni. The success of the pilot launch led to the opening of a second center in San Francisco. Relationships she has fostered with civic and corporate partners include Morgan Stanley, Turner Construction, the Mellon Foundation, Firelight Media and the Harlem YMCA of Greater New York.
“Dr. Thomas embodies the mission, values and professional impact represented by innovative schools of continuing education,” says Dr. Jason Wingard, dean and professor of Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. “She has served as an invaluable partner to me at Columbia - contributing to the preparation of global students for the future of work.”
At NYU's School of Professional Studies, she led key initiatives and programs. Her teams administered graduate degree programs, undergraduate degree programs, and continuing education programs and interacted with accrediting bodies for curriculum administration. As part of this work, she collaborated with department chairs and faculty to manage academic portfolios and launch new programs. Thomas also established a one-stop holistic counseling unit, as well as a judiciary committee to oversee academic integrity at the Division of Programs in Business.
Thomas holds a bachelor's in psychology from Marymount Manhattan College and a master's in higher education administration from Baruch College, City University of New York. She has a doctorate in organizational leadership from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She also earned a certificate of management excellence from the Harvard Business School. She plans to relocate to Chicago in June.
Don Opitz, an alumnus and adult education scholar, has served as interim dean for DePaul's SCPS since July 2018. “Don has led SCPS through a critical time of transition," Ghanem says. “Professional education is a strategic priority for DePaul, and thanks to his expertise, the school will continue on its positive trajectory. I am very grateful for all Don has done for the faculty, staff and students of SCPS."
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Media contact:
Kristin Claes Mathews
kristin.mathews@depaul.edu​
 312-241-9856 (mobile)

Thursday, April 9, 2020

In Memoriam - Susan Thornton


March 12, 1935 - June 11, 2019
Susan M Thornton passed away on June 11, 2019 in Evanston, IL. Cremation provided by Care Memorial Cremation 8230 South Harlem Avenue, Bridgeview IL 60455 and Care Cremation Center 515 Anderson Drive, Romeoville IL 60446. For more information call 866-912-9822 or visit us online at carememorialcremation.com
To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Susan M Thornton, please visit our Tribute Store.

Source: https://www.carememorialcremation.com/obituaries/Susan-M-Thornton?obId=4483970

Sunday, March 15, 2020

In Memoriam - Jerry Mulderig

Jeremy P. ("Jerry") Mulderig of Chicago died peacefully on March 7, 2020, at Amita/Presence St. Joseph Hospital, from complications related to cancer. He was 69.

Mulderig was born in Kingston, PA in 1950, the first child of Gerald A. and Mary F. Mulderig. He graduated second in his class of 1968 from Central Catholic High School in Kingston. At the University of Scranton, he was Editor of The Aquinas, the University student newspaper. In 1972, shortly after his graduation with high honors from the University, he moved to Germany, as a Fulbright Fellow, for advanced study at the University of Cologne. In 1973, he entered the English doctoral program at The Ohio State University, from which he received his Ph.D. in 1978. What followed was a distinguished 40-year career of scholarship and teaching in the areas of rhetoric and writing, 19th century literature and biography, and LGBTQ studies.

Mulderig's college-level teaching career began at Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, in 1978. He taught at Oakland University in 1981-1982, then moved to the Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1982. In 1988, he accepted a position as Associate Professor in the English Department of DePaul University. From 1990 to 1997, he was Chair of DePaul's English Department. In 2004, in recognition of his excellence in teaching he was awarded membership in the prestigious Society of Vincent de Paul Professors, and upon his retirement in 2014, he received the Via Sapientiae, the University's highest honor.

A truly gifted writer, Mulderig was the author of many published academic research papers, and of multiple editions of The Heath Handbook. In the last five years of his life, he published two books with The University of Chicago Press, in each of which he edited and annotated the writings of Samuel Steward. The first of these, Philip Sparrow Tells All, was widely reviewed, including in the New York Times. The second, The Lost Autobiography of Samuel Steward, was launched in April 2018 to high acclaim from both popular and academic reviewers, including a review in the London Review of Books published weeks before his death.

In 2004, Mulderig purchased an apartment in Berlin, and subsequently enjoyed splitting his time nearly equally between his Chicago and Berlin homes.

Family and friends are planning a memorial service to be held in Chicago at some point in the future.

Mulderig is survived by a loving family: his brother Bob Mulderig and sister-in-law Karen Garman, and nephew and niece Patrick Mulderig and Emily Mulderig, all of Washington, DC; and sister Maureen Mulderig and brother-in-law Michael Johnson of State College, PA, and step-niece and -nephew Jennifer Johnson and Bryan Johnson. Equally important, he is survived by a community of hundreds of devoted former students, academic colleagues, and friends throughout the nation and around the world, many of whom have offered testimony to the significant role Jeremy Mulderig played in their lives. His impact on this world was profound, and he is, and will be, dearly missed.

Source: Published in a Chicago Tribune Media Group Publication from Mar. 15 to Mar. 16, 2020

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Jeremy P. (“Jerry”) Mulderig of Chicago died peacefully on March 7, 2020, at Amita/Presence St. Joseph Hospital, from complications related to cancer. He was 69.

Mulderig was born in Kingston, PA, in 1950, the first child of Gerald A. and Mary F. Mulderig. He graduated second in his class of 1968 from Central Catholic High School in Kingston and entered the University of Scranton that fall, ultimately declaring a double major in English and German. He was Editor of The Aquinas, the University student newspaper, and was also a resident assistant in his third and fourth years, perhaps his first role in positively influencing the lives of students.

In 1972, Mulderig was named a Fellow in the Fulbright Program; shortly after his graduation summa cum laude from the University, he moved to Germany for a one-year program of postgraduate study at the University of Cologne. He traveled extensively during the 1972-1973 year, beginning his lifelong appreciation of worldwide cultural diversity. In 1973, he entered the English doctoral program at The Ohio State University, from which he received his Ph.D. in 1978. What followed was a distinguished 40-year career of scholarship and teaching in the areas of rhetoric and writing, 19th-century literature and biography, and LGBTQ literature.

Mulderig’s college-level teaching career began at Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa, in 1978. He quickly earned a reputation as a dedicated teacher and colleague, and thus began to grow what would become a community of devoted students from around the country. He taught at Oakland University in 1981-1982, then moved to the Newcomb College of Tulane University in 1982. He continued his career as a celebrated teacher over the next six years at Newcomb/Tulane, earning accolades from students and academic colleagues alike, while specializing in academic courses in Language, Writing, and Rhetoric, a Program which he was instrumental in designing and implementing in the Department of English. He served as Associate Dean of Newcomb College from 1984 to 1986, overseeing the office that monitored student progress and provided academic advising and assistance to Newcomb students.

In 1988, Mulderig accepted a position as Associate Professor in the English Department of DePaul University, where he would spend a quarter century as a scholar, administrator, and teacher. He served as Director of First-Year Writing (1997-2000; 2004-2005) and Director of the Master of Arts in Writing Program in its first year (1989-90); he was a three-time recipient of NEH Summer Seminar grants. From 1990 to 1997, Mulderig was Chair of DePaul’s English Department.

In the summer of 2000, Mulderig participated in the DePaul Faculty-Staff development tour of Greece and Turkey, which allowed him the opportunity to visit sites associated with his academic focus on classical rhetoric. With his colleague Warren Schultz, he subsequently developed a short-term study-abroad program in Istanbul; he studied Turkish in the summer of 2002 and co-led the study-abroad program in 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2012.

Among many honors, Mulderig received an Excellence in Teaching award in 2000 and served as the keynote speaker at that year’s Honors Convocation. In 2004, in recognition of his scholarship and teaching, he was named to the prestigious Society of Vincent de Paul Professors, in the first cohort to earn that distinction; and upon his retirement in 2014, he was awarded the University’s highest honor, the Via Sapientiae, recognizing his many contributions in teaching, program development, and University service.

A truly gifted writer, Mulderig was the author of many published academic research papers and of multiple editions of The Heath Handbook. In the last five years of his life, he published two books with The University of Chicago Press, editing and annotating the writings of Samuel Steward. The first of these, Philip Sparrow Tells All, was widely reviewed, including in the New York Times. The second, The Lost Autobiography of Samuel Steward, was launched in April 2018 to high acclaim from both popular and academic reviewers, including a review in the London Review of Books published weeks before his death.

In 2003, Mulderig returned to Germany for the first time since his 1972-73 academic residency, and he was awed by the dramatic changes in the nation—and especially in its restored capital, Berlin—over the previous thirty years. He established a second home in Berlin in 2004 and subsequently enjoyed splitting his time nearly equally between Chicago and Berlin, and between his communities of friends in Germany and the United States. Even after his cancer diagnosis in late 2017, he traveled extensively, visiting friends and family while exploring new places and enjoying the comfort of favorite familiar ones, including three trips to his Berlin residence.

A lover of history and an architecture enthusiast, Mulderig served for twenty-five years as a docent with the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and he offered lectures on elements of the city’s architectural history on many occasions throughout those years.

Mulderig is survived by a loving family: his brother Bob Mulderig and sister-in-law Karen Garman, and nephew and niece Patrick and Emily Mulderig, all of Washington, DC; and sister Maureen Mulderig and brother-in-law Michael Johnson of State College, PA, and step-niece and -nephew Jennifer and Bryan Johnson. Equally important, he is survived by a community of hundreds of devoted former students, academic colleagues, and friends throughout the nation and around the world, many of whom have offered testimony to the significant role Jeremy Mulderig played in their lives. His impact on this world was profound; and he is, and will be, dearly missed.

Family and friends are planning a memorial service to be held in Chicago later this year. Gifts in Mulderig’s memory may be made to the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation, the Michael J. Fox Foundation, or DePaul University.

Text and photo source: Jerry Mulderig's siblings; information forwarded by Helen Marlborough in email March 16, 2020

Friday, March 13, 2020

April 1 Book Club

Meeting cancelled

April 30, 2020 DES Spring Luncheon Cancelled

Good morning,

I hope this email finds you well. As we’ve all seen on the news, COVID-19 is greatly impacting our daily lives and the world around us. In the interest of the health and safety of our community, DePaul has taken proactive steps to limit the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus. These actions include immediate steps to encourage social distancing—a practice that is encouraged by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We are taking critical steps to reduce the number of gatherings and the density of people on campus. Out of an abundance of care for our communities, the decision has been made to cancel the DePaul Emeritus Society Spring Luncheon on April 30. We appreciate your understanding as we continue to adjust to these uncertain times. Please continue to take care of yourselves and those around you.

Please share any questions you may have with us at: specialevents@depaul.edu or at 312.362.8253. We will continue to share news impacting the DePaul Emeritus Society via email, the blog (http://desretirees.blogspot.com/) and the DES Facebook group ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/117870507250/ ).

All the best,
Melissa Grady

Thursday, March 12, 2020

In Memoriam - Hans Schieser


It is with great sadness that we learned that one of our former professors, Dr. Hans A. Schieser passed away on the 4th of March, 2020. He was a full professor at DePaul University teaching Philosophy of Education and Theoretical Foundations of Education for 22 years until his retirement on August 1st, 1991. He then moved back to his hometown in southern Germany and was still very active at many academies and colleges in Germany and Russia for another 20 years. He was survived by his wife Margret Schieser, his two children, Elisabeth Hiller and Peter Schieser, and his five grandchildren. Dr. Schieser was always proud to have taught at DePaul and was a great admirer of St. Vincent DePaul. He was firmly embedded in the Catholic faith and had a strong desire to do good works. He sincerely wanted to leave the world a better place than when he entered it, and he genuinely loved being a teacher, always trying to be a force of good for his students.

Holy Mass and the funeral were held yesterday in Ulm Germany where Dr. Schieser had moved right after retiring from DePaul at St. Michael zu den Wengen. His son, Peter Schieser, has notified us that if anyone would like to send condolences you may direct them to either his mother at:



Mrs. Margret Schieser
Veilchenweg 9
89134 Bermaringen
Germany

Or, if you would prefer to send an email, Peter has offered to print them off and give them to his mother as well. His email is pschieser@gmail.com.

It is always with great sorrow that we learn of the passing of one of our own, but we can also celebrate the life of Dr. Schieser and all of his gifts to this world as well. He will be missed, but his contributions to academia, education, and future generations will always live on.

May he rest in peace.

Source: Mission and Ministry email, March 12, 2020
Photo source: DePaul University Archives, March 12, 2020; photo date unknown

Tuesday, March 3, 2020

In Memoriam - Carol Goodman Jackson



It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of Carol Goodman Jackson, retired Operations Manager for the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences. Carol passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 23rd surrounded by her family.

Carol graced DePaul University with over 38 years of leadership and service. During this time, she epitomized what it meant to be a dedicated, productive, and highly respected member of the University community.  Her work in LAS was critical to the success of numerous initiatives that improved the lives of DePaul students, faculty and staff including the inaugural drive to convert the university's student files to paperless, for which she received recognition. She was renowned for her problem solving skills as well as her creative initiatives that streamlined management and record-keeping processes. An exemplary personnel manager, Carol was involved in the hiring and training of hundreds of DePaul staff and student employees, many of whom would go on to serve the University at higher levels. 


A bold and passionate advocate for equality and Civil Rights, Carol was one of the founding members of the DePaul University Black Leadership Coalition (DPUBLC) in 1996, and lent her considerable talents and energy to promoting and supporting DePaul's faculty and students of African descent.  Sensing a critical void in the experience of DePaul's Black students, Carol was the visionary and founding organizer of the annual Students of African Descent Graduation Celebration in 1998 and served as either chair or committee member for every single graduation celebration that followed up to her retirement from DePaul in June of 2018.  DPUBLC recognized her tireless and creative dedication and commitment by granting her the 2012 Sankofa Award and then the 2018 Legacy Award, DPUBLC's highest honor.


By the time of her retirement, DePaul University had also recognized Carol's extraordinary contributions with numerous awards including the Via Sapientiae, the University's highest honor, the Spirit of DePaul for 2015-2016, and the DePaul Women's Network (DWN) Woman of Substance and the Woman of Spirit and Action awards.


It was a blessing to call Carol by the name "friend." Her presence was always accompanied by her merry, generous laugh that was deeply contagious. Creatively talented and endowed with a clever wit, she was the mojo behind numerous family and friends' celebrations, and was constantly giving of herself to add light and happiness to their lives.


 Most of all, to know Carol was to understand her deep, abundant love for her family and her powerful Christian faith.  She was married to the love of her life, George Jackson Jr., for 31 years until his death separated them temporarily in 2011, and she was endlessly proud of her wonderful son, Eric, and her four beautiful grandchildren, Jali, George, Luis, and Jacquelyn, and her two beloved goddaughters, Evelyn and Lori.  She is survived by them, as well as her loving family of devoted siblings, Ira, Cleo, Arillas, Lillie, Jimmie and Alice, whom she adored.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a college fund for Carol's youngest grandchildren, Jali and George: gf.me/u/xphb6v


A Celebration of Life in honor of Carol will be held at DePaul University's Cortelyou Commons on the Lincoln Park campus at 2324 N Fremont St, Chicago, IL 60614, on Saturday, March 14, 2020, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm; service will begin at 11:00 am.


Our condolences go to Carol's family and loved ones.  May she rest in peace.



Source: Mission and Ministry email, March 4, 2020

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It is with sadness we learned of the death of Carol Goodman Jackson, retired operations manager of the College of  Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Carol, who lived in Chicago, died on February 23, 2020 at the age of 64.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, March 14, at the LPC Cortelyou Commons, from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Everyone is invited.

Memories may be posted on the Tribute Wall of In Touch Funeral and Cremation Services.
https://www.intouchfuneralandcremation.com/obituary/Carol-Goodman-Jackson

May she rest in peace.

Information Source: Laz Rice, email March 3, 2020.
Photo Source: DPU Distinguished Service Awards, 2015


Sunday, February 23, 2020

Book Club February 5

The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai gave us much to discuss and consider. She covered so much in her story of Chicago during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980's and it's effect decades later, that we could only touch the surface of the ideas she seamlessly wove into her narrative. Of course, her careful depiction and description of the streets and communities of our city stirred recollections we all had; her details of the impact of the illness itself on individuals and the wider community of lives and the arts; and her well realized variety of characters provided topics for our conversation. We admired her skill in bringing together so many threads, and her ability to highlight the importance of art as well as trauma in defining the effects of the disease. We decided that she had been able to draw together the push and pull of love and pain, without excluding humor, in this work.



Our next book will be 
The Library Book by Susan Orlean. You can read a review here.  We  meet Wednesday, April 1 in Richardson Library, Room 207.  Please note that we no longer meet in Room 115, but will schedule in other rooms from now on.  We gather at 11, with discussion from 11:30 to 12:30, so please bring your brown bag lunch!  For further information contact Kathryn DeGraff or Helen Marlborough.

We continue to review the titles on our list for consideration for upcoming discussions. Please let Kathryn, Helen, or anyone else in the group, know if you have a favorite book you would like to share with your DES colleagues. As you can tell from the posts, we are interested in a wide range of fiction and non fiction. We enjoy our sessions thoroughly and always have room for more people and more insights.

Friday, February 21, 2020

In Memoriam - Dawn McKesey

It is with sadness that we have learned of the death on February 6 of Dawn G. McKesey, who was The Theatre School's Draper/Cutter, Costumiere, and Assistant Costume Shop Manager for 35 years until her retirement in 2014. She quietly but firmly shared her exquisite professional skills with generations of students and greatly enjoyed watching them grow and mature over the four years from their time as freshman until graduation.

Funerals services will take place Saturday, February 22, 2020 at 1pm at Cooney Funeral Home, 3918 W. Irving Park in Chicago, with interment to follow at Maryhill Cemetery, 8600 N. Milwaukee in Niles.  Viewing is this evening, Friday, February 21 from 3pm-8pm also at Cooney.
Our condolences go to Dawn's family.  May she rest in peace.


Source: Mission and Ministry email, February 21, 2020
Photo source: Janet Messmer

Thursday, February 13, 2020

In Memoriam - Robert O'Keefe

Bob with daughter
It is with sadness that we have learned of the death of Professor Emeritus Robert O'Keefe, a marketing faculty member at DePaul for 40 years until his retirement in 2015, who passed away on Feb. 11.

Dr. O'Keefe taught principles of marketing to generations of business students during his four decades at DePaul. He served as an associate dean and director of DePaul's graduate business school, spearheading the development of the school's weekend and full-time MBA programs. Numerous university committees throughout DePaul also benefited from his active participation.

Dr. O'Keefe was a highly regarded teacher and a prolific researcher who mentored and collaborated with junior faculty members on publications. He won university and business college teaching excellence awards, and, in 2014, the university recognized his scholarly achievements by presenting him with a Spirit of Inquiry Award. Upon his retirement in 2015, DePaul gave O'Keefe its highest honor, the Via Sapientiae Award, to recognize his many contributions to the university

Visitation will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17, followed by a prayer service at 12:30 p.m. at M.J. Seurth Funeral Home, 6754 Northwest Highway in Chicago. For more information and to share memories, please visit https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/robert-o'keefe-obituary?pid=195397632

Our condolences go to the O'Keefe family and all those who worked closely with Dr. O'Keefe during his many years at DePaul.  May he rest in peace.


Source: Mission and Ministry email, February 13, 2020
Photo source: Legacy.com, accessed February 13, 2020
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Robert D. O'Keefe PhD , 84, of Park Ridge. Passed away February 11, 2020. Beloved husband of Barbara, nee DeRosa. Loving father of Alison Therese (Paul Jackson) Wechman and Billy (Chrystal) O'Keefe. Proud Oompa of Alexis and Clara; GrandBob to Hayden and Addison. Dear son of the late Alice, nee Moese and the late William O'Keefe. Robert was a brother, uncle, mentor and cherished friend to many. An accomplished Professor Emeritus of Marketing at DePaul University, Chicago, Robert was revered by students and fellow colleagues.

A Memorial Visitation will take place Monday, February 17, 2020 at the M J Suerth Funeral Home, 6754 N. Northwest Hwy., Chicago from 10:30 AM until time of Memorial Service at 12:30 PM. Interment will be private. Memorials may be made in Robert's name to PAWS Chicago at mypawschicago.org. For further information 773-631-1240 or www.suerth.com.

Published in a Chicago Tribune Media Group Publication on Feb. 14, 2020
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Bob O'Keefe as many of the members of the DES remember him.


Source: DePaul Archives, 1980 DePaul Yearbook.