Roosevelt University - RU in the Community

RU in the Community - October 2006

Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan (at the podium) and Mayor Daley led the applause for Roosevelt University President Chuck Middleton at a press conference on Oct. 31 at Social Justice High School. At the press conference, Mayor Daley announced that Roosevelt is offering a free four-year education to all Social Justice High School freshmen and sophomores who meet Roosevelt’s admission requirements. Mayor Daley said, “Chicago Public Schools is working very hard to raise the bar and prepare students for college. Now it’s time for colleges and universities to step up and provide the right opportunities for our students. We’re very happy that Roosevelt has answered the call in a big way.”

Social Justice High School freshmen and sophomores pose with President Chuck Middleton prior to a press conference at their school on Oct. 31. The students are eligible to attend Roosevelt for free under a new scholarship program announced at the press conference.

After the press conference, President Middleton (second from right) met with Mayor Daley, Rito Martinez, principal of Social Justice High School, and 22nd Ward Alderman Ricardo Munoz.

Prior to the 14th annual Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Distinguished Lecture on Oct. 26, speaker Luis Alberto Cordero (third from left) posed with President Chuck Middleton, Juan Salas Araya, consul general of Costa Rica, trustee Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Rung, associate professor of history, and Lynn Weiner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Luis Alberto Cordero, executive director of the Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Progress, gave a scholarly presentation on human rights and immigration in Latin American at Roosevelt University’s annual Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Distinguished Lecture.

Roosevelt University President Chuck Middleton visits with scholarship students Linda Baker and Nestor Avila at Roosevelt University’s annual Torchlight Gala held at Ridgemoor Country Club in Chicago on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Books autographed by Sylvester Stallone, Lauren Bacall, Barack Obama and other authors were part of a silent auction at the Torchlight Gala which raises money for student scholarships. Ted and Barbara Lannon examine some of the auction items.

The 10th anniversary of the Albert A. Robin Campus in Schaumburg was celebrated at Saturday’s Torchlight Gala. Among the 200 people who attended the event were Michael Durnil (left), campus executive officer from 2001 until 2003, Antonia Potenza, current vice president and dean of the campus, and Frank Cassell, executive officer of the campus from 1991 until 1997.

Alumna Darlene Clark Hine (right), a history professor at Northwestern University, speaks on the importance of preserving oral histories at a panel discussion in Roosevelt University’s Murray-Green Library on October 19. Next to her is Betty Balanoff, professor emerita of history at Roosevelt, who in the 1970s interviewed working-class Chicagoans and labor leaders and recorded their memories. About 125 people attended the program titled “The Importance of a Useable Past: Social History, Working Class Voices and Struggles for Justice.” Other speakers were Christopher Reed, professor emeritus of history and African American Studies and alumna Sue Levine, professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Lynn Weiner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was the moderator. Balanoff’s interviews are online at http://www2.roosevelt.edu/library/oralhistory/oralhistory.htm
Photo by Mary Beth Riedner.

Roosevelt University President Chuck Middleton (left) introduces Anthony Pasquinelli at the at the fifth annual gala dinner for Roosevelt University’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate held October 12 at the Four Seasons Hotel. At the dinner, Mr. Pasquinelli, a University trustee, received a Lifetime Industry Leadership Award and announced that he made a $2 million gift to Roosevelt to establish the Pasquinelli Family Foundation Distinguished Chair in Real Estate.

Judy Shepard, front row center, poses with members of Roosevelt University’s RU Proud organization at a reception following her lecture in the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University on October 16. More than 600 people attended Mrs. Shepard’s talk on tolerance, the need to vote and her son’s murder in 1998. On the far left is James Gandre, dean of the Chicago College of Performing Arts and interim dean of the College of Education and on the far right is Roosevelt President Chuck Middleton.

Li Sha, associate professor of economics at Shenyang University in China, talked about her experiences at Roosevelt University and gave her impressions of Chicago and the United States during a farewell presentation at the University on October 11. Sha and three other Shenyang professors, Hong Sun, Ling Han and Jinzhao Wang, spent the past six months at Roosevelt gaining insights into the way American higher education operates.

At opening night on October 5, Mike Ensdorf, associate professor of communications and associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, talks about the award-winning photos by Kathy Richland Pick that are on display in Roosevelt University’s Gage Gallery, 18 S. Michigan Avenue through December 1. With him are board members of the Illinois State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts which is sponsoring the exhibit.

More than 30 people attended the annual luncheon for retired Roosevelt University faculty members, which was held October 4 at the Greek Islands restaurant. Among those in attendance were (from left) President Emeritus Rolf Weil, Dominic Martia, former vice president for Student Services who now lives in Florida, and Herbert Slutsky, professor emeritus of public administration. Photo courtesy of Fred Turner, professor emeritus of chemistry.

Terry Rosch (right), associate professor of Education and oversight manager of the GEAR UP program, welcomes State Representative Esther Golar (D, 4th District) to Roosevelt University on Friday for a meeting of elementary school principals involved in the federal GEAR UP program. Also at the table are (from left) Eileen Mitchell (back to camera) from AT&T, State Representative Cynthia Soto (D, 6th District) and Miguel Alba from AT&T.

Administrators from Point Park University visited Roosevelt University on Tuesday to learn how Roosevelt is implementing its strategic plan. Point Park, a private, liberal arts university with 3,200 students, is located in downtown Pittsburgh. Pictured from left are Denise Bransford, chief of staff at Roosevelt; Derek Shouba, assistant provost for summer session and special programs at Roosevelt; Sue Oatey, vice president for student affairs and dean of students at Point Park; Michaelita Quinn, vice president for enrollment management at Point Park; James Gandre, dean of Roosevelt’s Chicago College of Performing Arts and interim dean of the College of Education; Richard Helldobler, associate provost at California University of Pennsylvania; and Alexandra Gregory, interim vice president for academic affairs at Point Park.