Reflections
Members of the 25-Year Club share their advice, memories, and inspiration with the University of Chicago community.
It has been my faith in God that has sustained me through these twenty-five years, along with the help of my colleagues. –Deborah Jean Bates
Take pride in helping solve the problems of faculty, students, and administrators. –Richard C. Ford
As an employee of the University of Chicago for more than twenty-six years now, it remains a singular honor to work for, and on behalf of, its faculties and students. –Andrew S. Hannah
The individuals I’ve met and worked with throughout the University provided my twenty-five year memorable experience here. –Mary J. Whalen
Keep the mission of the University first in our minds, and remember that our employees are our most valuable resource and the only way we have of accomplishing that mission. –Carol A. Kasper
Over the years, I’ve been blessed with great bosses, wonderful co-workers, and interesting/challenging work. I am grateful for the opportunities sent my way. –Catherine Kosto
Twenty-five years ago when I came to the University of Chicago, I was simply looking to change jobs at that time and stay in academia. Since that time, besides just securing a job with the University, I’ve secured so much more. I’ve met wonderful lifelong friends… became acquainted with various faculty members and staff. These are memories that will last a lifetime. –Deborah Mason
My inspiration is and has always been the students. I have seen students grow up and on to college, and many of them return to Lab and remember me. This is the gift of my work, to be part of these children's lives. –Grace Morgan
One of the many things, besides the good company, that has kept me going all these twenty-five years—thirty-eight total at Chicago—has been my memory of being a child of five or six, driving down the Midway on the way to the beach in the back seat of my parents' '49 Ford, and seeing what seemed to be a fantastic world of towers and gargoyles, something out of one of my books of fairy tales. I asked my father what I was seeing, and he said that it was the University of Chicago, the best university that exists—I didn't doubt him, and I have never found a reason since to doubt him. –Theodore A. O'Neill
Devotion, loyalty, and hard work. –Silvio Stepancic
It has been my pleasure to have served with a staff of talented and dedicated individuals who have worked tirelessly continuing to improve the services we provide for College students. I have also been fortunate to have been given a free hand in developing programming that has enhanced the quality of student life at the University of Chicago. –Jean S. Treese
“You have not lived until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” I came across this saying by John Bunyan years ago, and I truly stand by this. Servicing patients with serious illness has been a very fulfilling and rewarding experience for me.–Teresa Geralyn Barry
It has been my faith in God that has sustained me through these twenty-five years, along with the help of my colleagues.–Deborah Jean Bates
One of the greatest lessons in life today is to learn to take people at their best, not their worst … the beautiful, not the ugly… and the bright, not the dark.–Elizabeth W. Boyd
God granted me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.–Reinhold Niebuhr
I brought it to me to teach me.–Renee A. DuPree
My wife, Beverly, has been a constant inspiration to me during these years. She is my hero.–John Forbes
Patience is a virtue. Hard Work always pays, so work hard and enjoy your work. –Sunila Goel
Special thanks to Barbara Hanrahan, who told me scholarly publishing would be just as fun as a graduate school.–Margaret Hivnor-Labarbera
Work to live …not the other way around; try to be helpful, adaptable, and optimistic. –Margaret Pasley Jaffey
“You can’t always get what you want You can’t always get what you want You can’t always get what you want But if you try sometimes, well you might just find You get what you need.”–Mick Jagger and Keith Richards –Carolyn Schiller Johnson
Lord, help me to hold out.–Sharlene Johnson
Words spoken to me by my grandmother …It is a wonderful way to live your life when you are fortunate, as I have been, to have the opportunity to earn a living doing what you love to do every day. I am fortunate to have been given the opportunity to experience firsthand what she meant, and I definitely concur. –Barbara P. Kass
“The men who think of superannuation at sixty are those whose lives have been idle, not they who have really buckled themselves to work. It is my opinion that nothing seasons the mind for endurance like hard work. Port wine should perhaps be added.”–Anthony Trollope (1815-82) –Judith A. Lawrence
First and foremost, I’d like to give thanks to God for allowing me to wake up every morning and then for protecting me along my journeys to make for twenty-five years of service. Thank you. –Joseph Mack
Watching my mother throughout the years and a relationship with God have given me the strength to endure.–Cheryl Norman
I feel blessed to have dedicated twenty-five and a half years to the University of Chicago, and I would like to continue to work in a professional job that is interesting, mentally stimulating, and enjoyable.–Jeanette Reed
Time and people change, but the road goes on forever.–Larry Rudman
In general, I’ve tried to appreciate my present and to have confidence in my future. As for my job itself, I’ve enjoyed the work and I’ve been grateful for the relationships I’ve had with my colleagues over the years … I’ve always known that I could count on their support and affection. –Vincent Louis Scamurra
The individuals I’ve met and worked with throughout the University provided my twenty-five year memorable experience here.–Mary J. Whalen