The Franciscan Service Award

by Jen Wingerter ’13

The Franciscan Service Award is given to alumni who have made significant contributions to their community, state, and nation through professional service, public service, and or civic activities. The honoree offers inspiration and encouragement as role models for principled leadership and a wholehearted commitment to serving others.

Quincy University is pleased to announce this year's award recipients, Dan ’63 and Pam (Wozniak) ’65 Sherman.

“Dan ’63 and Pam (Wozniak) ’65 Sherman are perfect examples of young individuals who come from outside the Quincy area to enroll as students at Quincy University and stay in the community after graduation to spend their entire careers here helping make it a better place,” said Paul Brown ’65, the 2019 recipient of the Franciscan Service Award. “They offer inspiration and encouragement to other alums as role models for their wholehearted commitment to serving others. I am proud to be a fellow QU alum and their friend.”

Planting their Roots into the Community

Dan and Pam had planned to move back to their hometown of Chicago after Pam’s graduation. They were married in 1964, and Dan accepted a position teaching music at Quincy Jr. High School (QJHS) while Pam finished her studies. During those two years living in the Quincy community, they fell in love with the slower pace of small-town life, and QJHS offered Dan a promotion as the school's choral director. As Dan and Pam planted their roots into the community, they tried to uphold the Franciscan values of service and kindness and pay it forward in how they lived their lives.

“We realized early in our life that it was the Franciscan tradition of service and excellence in all endeavors that provided us with a strong backbone for our lives,” said Dan and Pam.

Dan and Pam have supported and loved education, the arts, and social programs for their entire married lives. These have been integral priorities for them as young students, professionals, and in retirement. They became particularly aware of the significance of a good education as the foundation of a happy, successful life when they attended Quincy College in the 60s. Because of that, their support of the Quincy Catholic Elementary Schools Foundation, the Quincy Public Schools Foundation, Quincy Notre Dame High School, and QU is very important to them.

“We could see the influence of the strong faculty on young people and the significant attention placed on developing well-rounded adults who had open minds and exuded kindness,” said Dan and Pam. We also realize how important it is that young people grow from a strong foundation to excel in higher education.”

Supporting the Arts and Giving Back

Throughout their 57-year marriage, they have been teachers, performers, and art enthusiasts. For more than 50 years, Dan served as choral director at Quincy Senior High School and as director of the Parochial Music Organization for 45 years. Pam taught instrumental music in the parochial schools for nine years before beginning a 26-tenure in public relations at QU. They are former members of the Quincy Symphony Chorus and Quincy Community Theatre. Dan continues to perform with the Quincy Park Band.

“We realize how important the arts are in the development of well-rounded students and adults, and how much happiness the arts create in people,” said Dan and Pam.

They also support the ongoing endeavors of Quanda, Transitions, and Chaddock, among others.

“Living with mental illness in our family has shed light on the wonderful work that Quincy groups are doing to help with mental and behavioral illness,” said Dan and Pam.

“Giving back to the community is important because the community has enriched our lives in so many ways,” said the Shermans. “It is only fitting to give back at least part of what we have been given. We offer as much financial and moral support to as many community organizations as we can.”