Marquette University
Alumni National Awards
Celebrate
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Celebrate Marquette’s extraordinary alumni, parents and friends who embody the university’s mission pillars of excellence, faith, leadership and service.
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On behalf of the Marquette University Alumni Association National Board of Directors, I am pleased to present to you the 2021 Alumni National Award recipients. Marquette University is honored to recognize and celebrate distinguished award recipients from every college and professional school, all of whom represent the true spirit and mission of Marquette. Their stories are inspirational and remind us how Marquette transforms students who go on to make a difference in our world. I encourage you to read the recipients’ complete stories at marquette.edu/awards and look for ways you can honor them. I hope you feel the same pride and inspiration I do when I learn more about each and every one of our Alumni National Award recipients. The time has come for us to celebrate you! We are Marquette! Monica Oliver, Sp ’81 President Marquette University Alumni Association National Board of Directors
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ALL-UNIVERSITY AWARD RECIPIENTS
ALUMNI OF THE YEAR AWARD Terry Hall Jackson, Nurs ’87 and Darren R. Jackson, Bus Ad ’86 St. Paul, Minn., and Milwaukee, Wis. Terry and Darren took very different paths to Marquette. She was a fourth-generation legacy, while he was a first-generation college student. But when Terry administered the Eucharist to Darren at a Gesu Sunday Mass, he knew she was the girl for him. They have been partners ever since and, today, dedicate themselves to giving back, leading initiatives to support their alma mater and enabling quality education for limited income students. When they married in 1988, Terry was a nurse at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and Darren was embarking on a career in the retail industry with Nordstrom and Best Buy Inc. As Darren advanced through his career, capping it off with eight years as CEO of Advance Auto Parts, Terry focused on raising their three children. Retired in 2016, Darren and Terry now focus full time on philanthropic endeavors. The Jacksons have supported their alma mater with an abundance of time, talent and treasure. Darren served 12 years on the Board of Trustees, including three years as chair, and the couple were instrumental in the launch of the President’s Advisory Council as founding co-chairs. Their unparalleled dedication to the College of Nursing ranges from establishing the All-In Marquette Nursing Scholarship for limited income students, to Terry chairing the college’s campaign committee, to financial assistance that supports Nursing leadership with strategic planning. “Darren and I think there is no other college on campus that better epitomizes the Jesuit values of cura personalis and educating men and women for and with others. The pandemic has revealed a desperate need for more qualified, caring nurses as well as a lack of diversity in the nursing profession. Marquette’s College of Nursing is ready to meet those needs with a future expansion that’s expected to graduate 5,000 highly trained nurses in the next decade, including 1,000 from diverse backgrounds. The college truly is making a difference,” says Terry. Inspired by their work with the Cristo Rey high school network and the Minneapolisbased Wallin Educational Partners, Terry and Darren founded and now prioritize All-In Milwaukee. Through financial aid, advising, networking and career-readiness support, All-In Milwaukee’s ultimate goal is to help their students complete college, build careers and transform Milwaukee. Darren still marvels at the “enormous impact” Marquette has had on generations of Terry’s family, his own life and the lives of his children. He’s humbled to receive an alumni award. Terry agrees, adding, “We are grateful and blessed for all Marquette gave us.”
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SERVICE AWARD Craig R. Kasten, Bus Ad ’75 Mequon, Wis. When his first venture achieved some “nice success,” entrepreneur Craig Kasten was excited. Finally, he could become a financial supporter of Marquette University men’s basketball. It was one among many of his service and philanthropic endeavors, making a positive impact locally and globally. “For me,” he says, “living the Marquette mission means finding a way to say, ‘Yes, I can help with that.’” Craig’s love of Marquette basketball took hold as a boy, when he would follow games on his radio from his home in West Allis, Wisconsin. Eventually, his parents chose to send Craig here -- the first in his family to go to college. They had lived without a car for a time and presented him with a familiar bus pass and route map, he says, “so I could figure out how to get to campus.” Craig says his parents could pay scarcely more than a year’s tuition, so he took a night clerk job at a downtown Ramada Inn. He applied an “entrepreneurial mindset” of using available resources wisely, using the hotel’s electric typewriter to write papers during his shifts. Meanwhile, Marquette men’s basketball was enjoying a heyday. “It was right in the middle of their greatest era ever,” Craig says, “and I was there!” He’s been there for the team ever since, throughout a successful career starting and growing several businesses, including the one he runs today: SKYGEN USA, a health benefits technology innovator. He and his wife, Wendy, have supported countless student-athletes through the Blue & Gold Scholarship Fund, and Craig was a lead donor for the Al McGuire Center. Craig realized a long-held goal as a philanthropist when he founded the SKYGEN International Foundation in 2017. Inspired by a family trip to Tanzania where he witnessed extreme poverty and lack of access to health care, he sought a way to involve the foundation. Partnering with a Tanzanian church and global eyeglasses manufacturer and distributor Essilor, the foundation built a program to bring cost-effective vision care to thousands of citizens, leveraging emerging technology. The operation employs Tanzanian optometrists and provides all equipment needed to run mobile diagnostic clinics. To date, 167,000 people have been screened and 31,100 pairs of free glasses provided — and those numbers grow each day. Craig and Wendy’s generosity also visibly impacts the Milwaukee community, including a partnership with the Journey House, the Nicole Ellis Scholarship Fund Golf Outing and the United Healthcare Children’s Fund. “I am very grateful, honored and proud,” Craig says of receiving the All-University Service Award. “Recognizing an individual for service is really a celebration of service by all alumni.” 3
ALL-UNIVERSITY AWARD RECIPIENTS
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Harvey J. Anderson II,
Eng ’84
Piedmont, Calif. A self-described “wild child” growing up in Washington, D.C., Harvey Anderson says his time at Marquette changed his life’s trajectory, providing what he calls “a platform to develop the confidence to excel and contribute.” He has done just that with his successful career in tech-industry law and with his commitment to mentor and connect students who seek to do the same. Harvey came to Marquette as a student in the Educational Opportunity Program, which supports low-income and first-generation college students to attend and graduate from the university. Then-EOP Director Dr. Arnold Mitchem, Grad ’81, Hon Deg ’04, Sande Robinson and Dr. Howard Fuller, Grad ‘85, each took Harvey under their wings and provided support in their own unique ways. “Dr. Fuller established a floor of performance and discipline, introducing me to the talented 10th of which I was not a part at that time,” said Harvey. “Sande helped me survive with job opportunities, emotional support, and care. Mitch showed me the possibility and promise.” Eight years later, after working in engineering and then public policy roles, Harvey earned his law degree from the University of San Francisco. He has since provided in-house legal counsel for several of Silicon Valley’s most influential companies, including Netscape, AVG, Mozilla and now Hewlett-Packard, where he serves as chief legal officer and corporate secretary. He served on the Federal Communications Commission’s open internet advisory committee and was instrumental in advancing “Do Not Track” online privacy legislation. While he loves solving complex problems at the intersection of law, technology, business and public policy, Harvey also relishes the human development aspects of his career, including coaching teams and watching employees grow, outperform and reach their full potential. Outside of work, personal and professional mentoring is one way Harvey lives out the Marquette mission. He arranged and funded a “Digital Discovery” tour in Silicon Valley for EOP and Upward Bound students, taking them to top tech companies like Google, Facebook and Dropbox and helping them to broker professional connections. He has been a valuable contributor to Marquette’s “Silicon Valley Experience,” hosting and mentoring students who travel west to explore careers in the tech industry. Harvey also is a dedicated Marquette Mentor. Recently, Harvey was selected for a fellowship with the American Leadership Forum, joining a diverse cohort of regional professionals committed to cultivating leadership skills and working collaboratively to create an equitable and thriving Silicon Valley.
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SPIRIT OF MARQUETTE AWARD Jill E. Rauh, Comm ’02 and Ajmel A. Quereshi, Arts ’03 Takoma Park, Md. Jill, a devout Catholic, and Ajmel, a Muslim, met through a student group devoted to justice issues. They soon discovered their similarities — including a shared commitment to advancing social justice, civil rights and a more equitable society — greatly outweighed their differences. Jill chose Marquette for its Jesuit values and majored in theology and communication. Ajmel is from a family with deep ties to the university. His father, Dr. Mohammed Quereshi, who immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan in 1953 and later helped to establish the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, taught statistics in Marquette’s Department of Psychology from 1964 to 2003. Though their post-Marquette paths didn’t always run parallel as they pursued service missions, vocational opportunities and advanced degrees (Jill’s in international affairs and theology; Ajmel’s in law), the couple married in 2008 and eventually settled in Takoma Park, Maryland. Each day, they head to jobs that, to them, feel more like callings. Jill has devoted her energy and career to social justice. Her first year out of college, she served an impoverished community in Ecuador as part of a Catholic service organization. She is now the director of education and outreach for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development. “I love my work,” she says, “because it allows me to contribute to something I care deeply about: helping Catholics live out their baptismal call to be people on mission, encountering God and neighbor, and working together to create the conditions where every person can thrive and his or her dignity can be respected.” Outside of work, Jill also leads the children’s liturgy at St. Camillus Multicultural Parish and serves on the board of Pastoral Migratoria, a national initiative for immigrant-led parish social ministry. Ajmel experienced Milwaukee’s challenges with segregation and economic disparity growing up on the city’s Near West Side and attending the city’s public schools. This cemented his commitment to “working as hard as I can to destroy structures that perpetuate discrimination in our society,” which he has done for nearly two decades as a public interest attorney. Serving as senior counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Ajmel’s work ranges from fighting for fair housing policies to combating discriminatory deportation policies. He also is a professor and director of the Civil Rights Clinic at Howard University School of Law, a board member of the ACLU of Maryland and on the board of the nonprofit FAIR Girls, which cares for human trafficking survivors. For Jill and Ajmel, advancing justice by tackling systematic inequity -- and inspiring others to do the same — is a way of life. “We must move beyond just encouraging service,” Ajmel says, “to demanding acts of justice.” 5
ALL-UNIVERSITY AWARD RECIPIENTS
FRIEND OF THE UNIVERSITY AWARD Gene and Ruth Posner Foundation Milwaukee, Wis. From his days as a law student, Gene Posner, Law ’36, embraced the concept of pro bono publico — “for the public good.” Today, the Gene and Ruth Posner Foundation continues to profoundly influence the Law School’s pro bono activities, enabling students to make a difference for people on society’s margins. Gene established the Posner Foundation with his wife, Ruth, in 1963. “They loved Milwaukee and felt that this was the perfect vehicle to show their appreciation in perpetuity by supporting organizations that improve residents’ quality of life, education and health,” says the couple’s grandson, Josh Gimbel, president of the Posner Foundation and an attorney at Milwaukee-based Gimbel, Reilly, Guerin & Brown. Gene initiated support for Marquette Law School in 1988. His desire to help the Law School expand the reach of its pro bono work was realized in 2005, the same year he passed away at age 90. That year, the Law School established its Office of Public Service. Since then, the Posner Foundation has generously supported the growth and development of the Law School’s pro bono and public service work. Hundreds of law students have served low-income people through free assistance at Marquette Volunteer Legal Clinic locations throughout the city and via the Mobile Legal Clinic. To date, working with volunteer lawyers, Marquette law students have assisted more than 100,000 clients and have provided more than $10 million worth of free legal services. In 2008, Josh helped design a collaboration with Marquette Law School, the Milwaukee Bar Association and the Milwaukee County Clerk of Courts. Together, the partners founded the Milwaukee Justice Center, with a dual mission to assist self-represented individuals in civil matters and expand law students’ participation in and understanding of access-to-justice issues. 2008 also saw the creation of the Law School’s annual Posner Exchange, an event that has helped advance Gene’s desire to elevate students’ affinity for pro bono work. This annual celebration at the Law School includes a conversation with a national figure in public service law and is accompanied by a student induction ceremony into the Law School’s Pro Bono Society. According to Joseph D. Kearney, dean of the Law School, Gene recognized that when one practices law, there comes with it a responsibility to contribute to the larger society. “Together with his colleagues at the Posner Foundation, Josh has more than honored the memory of his grandfather, Gene. He has helped make Marquette Law School’s pro bono work something that makes a difference in people’s lives every day,” Kearney says.
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KLINGLER COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD Dr. Troy A. Alexander, Grad ’00 Federalsburg, Md.
Dr. Troy A. Alexander
As a Marquette graduate student, Troy made a discovery about DNA measurement techniques that was so notable, it was featured in scientific publications — something many researchers only dream about.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Dr. Jennifer King Rice, Arts ’90, and Dr. James W. Rice, Arts ’90 Annapolis, Md.
Dr. James W. Rice Dr. Jennifer King Rice
As the dean of the College of Education at the University of Maryland, Jennifer enjoys teaching future educators. Jim works as a pediatrician in Annapolis and serves on the board of an integrated health network. Jennifer and Jim may work in different industries, but their career goals are the same: improving the future for today’s youth.
A PERSON FOR OTHERS AWARD Dr. Terrence J. Rynne, Grad ’06 Winnetka, Ill.
Dr. Terrence J. Rynne
Terry always has been impressed by how Marquette students embody the phrase “persons for others,” and he says receiving an award with that title is humbling and uplifting. Yet as the founder of the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking, Terry is the reason so many students have pursued a life of service to others.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Sara Elizabeth Dill, Arts ’02, Law ’05 Washington, D.C.
Sara Elizabeth Dill
Sara addresses the world’s most pressing issues on a daily basis. A partner at Anethum Global, she’s helped asylum seekers receive status, defended individuals accused of war crimes, and developed policies for national and international justice systems. Through it all, her motivation remains the same: cura personalis.
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ASSOCIATION OF MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY WOMEN
MARY NEVILLE BIELEFELD AWARD Rachel K. Monaco-Wilcox, Arts ’99, Law ’04 Richfield, Wis.
Rachel K. Monaco-Wilcox
As Founder of the LOTUS Legal Clinic, Rachel created an organization to change the world one person at a time. Now, through an advisory role for the National Crime Victim’s Law Institute, her insights on providing comprehensive legal services, advocacy and creative survivor empowerment can reach survivors of sexual violence and trafficking across the country to help them experience a true sense of justice.
NORA FINNIGAN WERRA FACULTY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Dr. Theresa W. Tobin, Arts ’97 Whitefish Bay, Wis.
Dr. Theresa W. Tobin
Theresa wears many hats at Marquette: associate professor, associate dean, mentor, just to name a few. Theresa is also co-founder and current director of Marquette’s Education Preparedness Program (EPP) and is doing revolutionary work that offers educational and career-building services to current and formerly incarcerated individuals.
IGNATIAN LEADERSHIP AWARD Natalie B. Roh, Health Sciences student Neenah, Wis.
Natalie B. Roh
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At a young age, Natalie was already leading a life for others and displayed this by forgoing birthday gifts and instead raising money to provide water to communities in Rwanda. While at Marquette, she strengthened her passion for public health through her work with Global Medical Brigades and Midnight Run and is poised to go forth and set the world on fire.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD Michael J. Roffler, Bus Ad ’93 San Francisco, Calif.
Michael J. Roffler
For Mike, Marquette’s mission has shaped his life, encouraging him not only to be a successful finance and accounting professional, but also to lead with purpose, helping others live a healthier lifestyle and giving back to future generations of students.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Derek L. Tyus, Bus Ad ’91 Wauwatosa, Wis. Derek chose Marquette to stay close to home, and his Marquette experience helped him to deepen his roots and grow as a servant leader in the greater Milwaukee community. Derek L. Tyus
ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD Shari Cummings Noonan, Bus Ad ’96 New York, N.Y.
Shari Cummings Noonan
Shari is the CEO of Rialto Markets, a blockchain financial services startup she co-founded with her husband in 2016. She credits her team with the company’s success, acknowledging that “the combination of flexibility, focus and collaboration is so powerful.”
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Sarah Willems Somers, Bus Ad ’02 Lake Forest, Ill.
Sarah Willems Somers
Sarah chose Marquette for the opportunities to grow both academically and spiritually while gaining a global perspective. Using her experiences as a springboard, she realized her lifelong dream of entrepreneurship.
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J. WILLIAM AND MARY DIEDERICH COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD Jane A. Svinicki, Jour ’77 Milwaukee, Wis.
Jane A. Svinicki
A friend of Jane’s once challenged her to ask herself the same question every day: “What have I done to make the world better?” That had an impact on Jane and, since then, she has dedicated her life and career to improving the world by serving others.
BYLINE AWARD Charles P. Pierce, Jour ’75 Newtonville, Mass. Charlie is innately curious. That curiosity has led him to write award-winning works of journalism for some of the country’s largest publications. Charles P. Pierce
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Denise Perry Cade, Jour ’84 Wheaton, Ill.
Denise Perry Cade
Denise has climbed the ranks of several major organizations throughout her 30-year career. Now, she’s paying it forward, using her experience to improve the careers and lives of others, particularly women and people of color.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Jessica Thunberg Smith, Comm ’03 Chicago, Ill.
Jessica Thunberg Smith
Jessica has been with Jascula Terman Strategic Communications for 17 years, starting as an intern and working up to her current position as senior vice president of business strategies. What keeps her there is that her work allows her to achieve her definition of success: leaving the world better than she found it.
JAMES T. TIEDGE MEMORIAL AWARD David A. Amoroso, Jour ’86, Grad ’91 Wauwatosa, Wis. Dave has worked in public relations for nearly 35 years — the majority of his career spent at the same agency — and he finds as much joy in his craft today as he did when he was a student. David A. Amoroso
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SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA IN DENTISTRY AWARD Monica Dwyer Hebl, D.D.S., Dent ’85 Wauwatosa, Wis.
Monica Dwyer Hebl, D.D.S.
Monica equates success with the core Marquette value of cura personalis, caring for the whole person. Working in private practice in Milwaukee provides Monica the daily opportunity to care for people from all walks of life while also maintaining a practice that supports the Burleigh Dental family of employees.
OUTSTANDING DENTAL SERVICE AWARD Tammy M. Boudry, D.D.S., H Sci ’99, Dent ’06 Fond du Lac, Wis.
Tammy M. Boudry, D.D.S.
As the class speaker at her School of Dentistry graduation ceremony, Tammy encouraged her classmates to give back: “Marquette has given us the skills to make a difference. Let’s go out there and save the world one tooth at a time.” Tammy has taken her own advice and built upon it — by caring for patients in need in her community and around the world.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Wendy AuClair Clark, D.D.S., M.S., Dent ’07 Chapel Hill, N.C.
Wendy AuClair Clark, D.D.S.
Wendy recently transitioned to teaching dental students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, enabling her to inspire future dentists in the same way her Marquette professors did. They encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone to Be The Difference.
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COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Dr. Adanna J. Johnson, Grad ’01, ’05 Takoma Park, Md.
Dr. Adanna J. Johnson
As the associate vice president for student equity and inclusion at Georgetown University, Adanna works as a servant leader to break down barriers. Although the work is difficult, when Adanna is able to open doors to higher education to people who have historically been denied access or give voice to someone who has previously been unheard, she knows she is doing the work she has been called to do.
COUNSELOR EDUCATION AND COUNSELING PSYCHOLOGY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Kristen C. Vareka, Grad ’08 Wauwatosa, Wis.
Kristen C. Vareka
Kristen describes her role as a therapist as helping people identify what is and isn’t working in their lives — be it a coping strategy, a relationship or their substance use.
EDUCATIONAL POLICY AND LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Bryan S. Corcoran, Arts ’97 Milwaukee, Wis.
Bryan S. Corcoran
Middle school can be a time most people would like to forget — it’s generally recognized as a time of awkwardness, puberty and growth spurts — but Bryan has dedicated himself to middle school students for more than 23 years as a sixth grade teacher in the Milwaukee Public Schools.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Dana Bellich Hirchak, Arts ’09 Chicago, Ill.
Dana Bellich Hirchak
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Dana has dedicated the past 10 years of her career as a servant leader at the Sonia Shankman Orthogenic School in Chicago helping some of the most vulnerable students in Illinois and throughout the country — those struggling with severe mental health challenges.
OPUS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD Brian P. Byrne, Eng ’65 Brookfield, Wis. Sitting at his kitchen table in 1979, acting as a salesman, engineer, project manager and field superintendent, Brian could not have imagined the success he would have. Brian P. Byrne
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Anthony J. Binsfeld, Eng ’74 La Crosse, Wis.
Anthony J. Binsfeld
Tony believes that success is a process, not an event. “It is the satisfaction derived from a long and continuous crescendo of small wins,” he says. For Tony, those wins have been adding up over a long and successful career running his family business.
ENTREPRENEURIAL AWARD Paul M. Stillmank, Eng ’85 Milwaukee, Wis. Paul’s lifelong dream was to be a founder and CEO of a company. When he launched 7Summits in 2009, little did he know that in just 10 years the company would grow beyond his wildest dreams. Paul M. Stillmank
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Aleisha Palaniuk Jaeger, Eng ’03 Winfield, Ill.
Aleisha Palaniuk Jaeger
Aleisha still remembers her first visit to Marquette. “It immediately felt like home. My dad will tell you from that day on, there was no negotiating on where I was going to go,” she says. That decision shaped her life.
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COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD William J. Wenninger, PT ’80 Greenfield, Wis. If he could choose anyone in history as his dinner guest, Bill would select Abraham Lincoln. “His insight on leadership through very difficult times would be fascinating to discuss,” he says. William J. Wenninger
SERVICE AWARD Mary Power Nachreiner, PT ’79 Sauk City, Wis.
Mary Power Nachreiner
Twenty years ago, a family tragedy changed Mary’s career path and opened her eyes to the importance of organ donation. Today, as Community Outreach Coordinator at University of Wisconsin Organ and Tissue Donation, she is dedicating her life to educating the public about the importance of registering as a donor and offering hope to those awaiting a transplant.
YOUNG ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Dr. Jasmine Y. Zapata, H Sci ’09 Fitchburg, Wis.
Dr. Jasmine Y. Zapata
Jasmine wears a lot of hats — physician, researcher, author, youth empowerment specialist, motivational speaker and singer — and she loves them all. It all keeps her busy, but she wouldn’t change any of it.
FRIEND OF THE COLLEGE AWARD Billie Ann Kubly Milwaukee, Wis.
Billie Ann Kubly
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Billie’s mantra always has been “make a difference, even if only for one person.” That lesson was brought to her doorstep in 2003 when her youngest son died from the disease of depression. Soon after, she and her husband launched the Charles E. Kubly Foundation to make a difference for those affected by depression and suicide.
LAW SCHOOL
ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Deborah McKeithan-Gebhardt, Law ’87 Whitefish Bay, Wis. As CEO and president of Tamarack Petroleum Company Inc., Deb works with and leads her team to negotiate, close and implement good deals. She pursues excellence in everything she does. Deborah McKeithanGebhardt
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD James T. Murray, Jr., Law ’74 Milwaukee, Wis.
James T. Murray, Jr.
Jim enjoys the competition of litigation, and it shows. Over his nearly 40-year career, the native of Racine, Wisconsin, has tried more than 150 cases to verdict, including ones involving claims of commercial fraud and bad faith.
HOWARD B. EISENBERG SERVICE AWARD Raphael F. Ramos, Law ’08 Milwaukee, Wis.
Raphael F. Ramos
Helping strangers during their lowest moments is Raphael’s job, and it’s an example of his personal commitment to serving others. As the director of Legal Action of Wisconsin’s Eviction Defense Project, Raphael works with individuals on the verge of eviction who are unable to obtain legal representation.
CHARLES W. MENTKOWSKI SPORTS LAW ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Sarah A. Padove, Law ’12 Hoboken, N.J.
Sarah A. Padove
Sarah started playing softball when she was 7 years old and later competed at a collegiate level. Now, as Major League Baseball’s senior coordinator for baseball and softball development, she channels her passion into giving kids around the world the same opportunity to play ball.
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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY DEPARTMENT OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Hon. Patrice A. Baker, Bus Ad ’88, Law ’91 Wauwatosa, Wis.
Hon. Patrice A. Baker
Few Law School students play varsity basketball as part of their Marquette experience. As a former member of the women’s basketball team and a Law School graduate, Patrice hopes she can change that trend.
YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD Creighton J. Macy, Arts ’04, Law ’08 Washington, D.C. Of the many lessons Creighton learned from playing collegiate tennis at Marquette, one continues to guide his professional and personal actions: how to be a team player while also being a leader. Creighton J. Macy
FRIENDS OF MARQUETTE ATHLETICS AWARD Beth M. Pavletich and Joseph A. Pavletich, Jr., D.D.S., Dent ’87 Brookfield, Wis.
Beth M. Pavletich and Joseph A. Pavletich, Jr., D.D.S.
Beth and Joe have been long and proud supporters of Marquette Athletics and its student-athletes. In fact, their combined fandom has spanned more than four decades.
M CLUB HY POPUCH MEMORIAL SERVICE AWARD James A. Nasiopulos Cedarburg, Wis. Jim dedicated nearly his entire career to Marquette Athletics, and his contributions will impact student-athletes, staff and fans for years to come. James A. Nasiopulos
ROBERT L. AND WILLIAM P. McCAHILL AWARD
Allisa R. Barber
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Allisa R. Barber,
Markus A. Howard,
H Sci ’20 Cedarburg, Wis.
Comm ’20 Chandler, Ariz.
The most decorated player in Marquette women’s volleyball history, Allie graduated as the program’s all-time kills leader with 1,871 kills.
Markus Howard is the all-time leading scorer in Marquette men’s basketball history with 2,761 points and a two-time All-America selection.
Markus A. Howard
COLLEGE OF NURSING
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNA OF THE YEAR AWARD Marita MacKinnon Schifalacqua, Nurs ’73, Grad ’95 Henderson, Nev., and St. Francis, Wis.
Marita MacKinnon Schifalacqua
In every aspect of her life, Marita prioritizes the well-being of others. “My Marquette experience taught me that the environmental culture of support and excellence needs to be created at home, at work and in the community,” she says.
PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Dr. Marjorie Clowry Dobratz, Nurs ’69, Grad ’72 Lakewood, Wash. Marjorie had one goal for her professional life: teach and mentor nursing students. Looking back on her career, she knows her Marquette experience helped her achieve that goal. Dr. Marjorie Clowry Dobratz
YOUNG ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR AWARD Dr. Christian Villanueva, Nurs ’15 Chicago, Ill.
Dr. Christian Villanueva
As a nursing student, Christian fostered his passion for service and justice. Now he’s putting that passion into practice by caring for his patients, helping those with a rare genetic disorder known as PKU, and exploring ideas to improve health care on a national scale.
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MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PEDRO ARRUPE AWARD Evelia Guerrero, Nursing student Burlington, Wis.
Evelia Guerrero
Evelia is a senior from Burlington, Wisconsin. She is the first in her family to attend college and is part of Marquette’s Burke Scholars Program and the Educational Opportunity Program. Evelia currently serves as president of Marquette University Student Government (MUSG) — the first-ever Latina to hold the role. Under her leadership, MUSG is focused on creating a more just and equitable campus for all students through several initiatives around racial justice, mental health and community engagement. Following graduation, Evelia plans to serve as a pediatric or neonatal intensive care nurse in the Milwaukee area.
LES ASPIN CENTER FOR GOVERNMENT
PUBLIC SERVICE AWARD Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem, Grad ’81, Hon Deg ’04 Chevy Chase, Md.
Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem
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Dr. Arnold Mitchem has been a powerful voice for low-income, first-generation students and individuals with disabilities for his entire career. He is now president emeritus for the Council for Opportunity in Education (COE). Thanks to his decades of leadership and service, federally funded TRIO programs like Marquette’s Educational Opportunity Program have expanded by nearly 400 percent and now serve more than 872,000 students at 1,200 colleges and universities.
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT
Monica Oliver, Sp ’81 Ocala, Fla. VICE PRESIDENT/PRESIDENT-ELECT
William Krueger, Eng ’87 Brentwood, Tenn. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT
Sandip Minhas, Eng ’89 San Diego, Calif. MUAA NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Luis Hernandez, Jr., Comm ’00* Chicago, Ill. Aleisha Jaeger, Eng ’03 Winfield, Ill. Darren Jefferson II, Arts & Sciences student Milwaukee, Wis. Lee Ann Jorgenson, Comm ’95* Minneapolis, Minn. Robert Leung, H Sci ’04 San Francisco, Calif.
April Ariola, Comm ’92, Grad ’93 Chandler, Ariz.
Paul Manghera, Bus Ad ’82 Tinley Park, Ill.
Clare Bingham, Nursing student Elmhurst, Ill.
Patricia McGowan, Arts ’84, Law ’89 Milwaukee, Wis.
Nicholas Brescia, Arts ’06 Oak Park, Ill.
Mary Lou Neugent, Arts ’73 Des Moines, Iowa
Laura Carley, Bus Ad ’07 Leawood, Kan.
Thomas Schwendler, Jour ’80 Glenville, N.Y.
Marissa Delgado, Comm ’00* Chicago, Ill.
Ann Marie Wick, Bus Ad ’92* Milwaukee, Wis.
Marilynn Gardner, Jour ’88 Chicago, Ill. Ronald Giordan, Comm ’96* Madison, Wis.
Marquette University Alumni Association purpose: Develop a passionate community of Marquette alumni in support of the university and each other through the guiding principles of continuous learning, inclusivity of all people, finding God in all things, valuing lifetime alumni relationships, and, of course, excellence, faith, leadership and service.
* denotes Alumni Association Awards Committee member
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ALUMNUS/A OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS
Henry F. Millmann, Arts 1887
1945
Charles W. Miller, Bus Ad ’48
1985
Frank Bruce, Jr., Arts ’35
1946
Donald J. Mertz, Eng ’47
1986
Harry S. Johnston, Arts 1895
1947
T. Michael Bolger, Arts ’61
1987
Rev. Peter Brooks, S.J., Arts ’21
1948
Edward A. Brennan, Bus Ad ’55
1988
George T. Hegner, M.D., Med 1909
1949
Stephen N. Graff, Bus Ad ’56
1989
William L. Coffey, Arts 1897
1950
Louis J. Rutigliano, Eng ’60, Grad ’65
1990
Anna Millman Fritz, Grad ’51
1951
James H. Keyes, Bus Ad ’62
1991
Victor McCormick, Law ’22
1952
Donald J. Schuenke, Arts ’50, Law ’58
1992
Ronald H. Miller, D.D.S., Dent ’22
1953
William R. Laidig, Eng ’49
1993
Hon. Michael Sheridan, Law ’26
1954
Hon. Janine P. Geske, Law ’75
1994
Francis D. Murphy, M.D., Med ’21, Hon Deg ’61
1956
John A. Fiorenza, Arts ’53, Law ’56
1995
Hon. James R. Durfee, Law ’26
1957
Joseph F. Gloudeman, Eng ’58
1996
Laurence J. Conway, Arts 1899
1958
Andrew J. Fleckenstein, Eng ’54
1997
Max J. Fox, M.D., Med ’23
1959
William R. Burleigh, Jour ’57
1998
Sylvester H. Dretzka, Pharm 1914
1960
David A. Straz, Jr., Bus Ad ’65
1999
Joseph D. Bonness, Eng ’22
1961
Daniel A. Cotter, Bus Ad ’67
2000
George B. Hunt, Eng ’23
1962
Wayne R. Sanders, Grad ’72
2001
Richard W. Mahony, Bus Ad ’22
1963
Richard J. Boyle, Eng ’57
2002
Edward R. Annis, M.D., Med ’38
1964
John F. Bergstrom, Bus Ad ’67
2003
Hon. Francis Swietlik, Sr., Law 1914
1965
Daniel J. Fuss, Bus Ad ’55, Grad ’66
2004
Jeremiah L. O’Sullivan, Jour 1914
1966
John J. Stollenwerk, Sp ’62, Grad ’66
2005
Joseph M. King, M.D., Med ’21
1967
J. William Diederich, Jour ’51
2006
Emil E. Kostner, Bus Ad ’27
1968
Robert L. Kemp, Bus Ad ’54
2007
Gerald A. Rauenhorst, Eng ’51
1969 1970
Raymond A. Eckstein, Law ’49, and Kathryn A. Eckstein, Sp ’49
2008
Steven E. Keane, Law ’37 Everett J. Moen, Bus Ad ’32
1971
Joseph J. Zilber, Bus Ad ’39, Law ’41
2009
Patrick E. Haggerty, Eng ’36, Hon Deg ’60
1972
Mary Ellen Bolger Stanek, Arts ’78
2010
J. Victor Loewi, Jour ’19
1973
Dr. Arnold L. Mitchem, Grad ’81, Hon Deg ’04
2011
Daniel H. Gehl, D.D.S., Dent ’35
1974
Glenn “Doc” A. Rivers, Arts ’85
2012
Rev. Edward J. O’Donnell, S.J., Arts ’31
1975
Donald W. Layden, Jr., Arts ’79, Law ’82
2013
Edward G. Gerbic, Jour ’31
1976
Rhona E. Vogel, Bus Ad ’76
2014
Derward S. Lepley, Jr., M.D., Med ’49
1977
Donald J. Herdrich, Eng ’66, Grad ’68
2015
Edward J. Gerrits, Eng ’25
1978
2016
Hon. Clement J. Zablocki, Sp ’36
1979
Margaret Conway Sibbernsen, Eng ’72, and Richard D. Sibbernsen, Arts ’71
Paul Noelke, Arts ’36, Law ’38
1980
Harold A. Schwartz, Jour ’35
1981
Frank W. Norris, Bus Ad ’43, Grad ’50
1982
Leo F. Rehm, Eng ’38
1983
Robert P. Harland, Sr., Eng ’32, Law ’35
1984
Dr. Henry K.H. Kwan, Arts ’71
2017
Karen Kane Swoboda, Eng ’90, and Charles M. Swoboda, Eng ’89
2018
James C. Sartori, Bus Ad ’77
2019
Terry Hall Jackson, Nurs ’87, and Darren R. Jackson, Bus Ad ’86
2021
Nomination materials and criteria for Alumni National Awards are available at marquette.edu/awards or by contacting the Alumni Association at 800.344.7544.
2021 ALUMNUS/A OF THE YEAR AWARD RECIPIENTS
BE THEIR BRIDGE
TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE. As financial concerns from the pandemic hit home for so many, your gift to Marquette’s Bridge to the Future Fund will help students continue their Marquette education. Make an immediate difference today at timetorise.marquette.edu/give or call 800.344.7544.
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To nominate an alumnus/a for exemplary dedication to the mission of Marquette University, please visit marquette.edu/awards. #MUAlumniAwards
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Alumni National Awards
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