Vincent and Rose Cinquina Endowed Scholarship

The Vincent and Rose Cinquina Endowed Scholarship contributes to the education of law students and encourages future lawyers to make an impact on the world.

Vincent A. Cinquina was born and raised in Chicago. Before joining the military, he chose to attend DePaul University for law school. During this time, Vincent also demonstrated his athletic skills as part of DePaul’s football team. In July of 1935, Vincent was one of 76 DePaul graduates to pass the Bar Exam. When he joined the military, Vincent put his DePaul law degree to good use. He served in the Army working in the JAG office. Vincent was the legal advisor of Procurement Affairs at the Army’s European headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. He also served his country in World War II, manning the amphibious military tanks for water tactics in Normandy. While on the front lines, Vincent had a close call and was badly injured. He was taken to a hospital in France to recuperate before retiring from the Army with the rank of Colonel.

Rose D. Cinquina was born and raised in Reading, Pennsylvania. She earned a degree in Library Science and worked as a librarian. After Rose and Vincent, married they traveled the world because of Vincent’s Army Service. As such, Rose’s librarian career was spent in the United States, as well as overseas. Once Vincent retired from the Army, they moved to Arlington, Virginia. Rose began to work at the Pentagon for the Department of Defense (DOD). She was a travel coordinator and planned international tours for individuals visiting other countries. During her tenure at the DOD Rose was awarded for her excellence in service throughout her career.

Rose continued to dedicate her time to helping military families and her community after she retired. She volunteered her time at organizations such as Meals on Wheels and was described as a kind and giving person by many.

After Vincent passed away, Rose established a scholarship at DePaul Law in honor of her late husband. In 2012 Rose also passed away. Vincent and Rose Cinquina rest in peace together at Arlington National Cemetery.

 

 

Helen M. Cirese Endowed Scholarship

Helen Cirese was one of the leading jurists in Illinois. In addition to her practice, which included both civil and criminal law, she served from 1946 to 1961 as justice of the peace in Oak Park, IL.

Miss Cirese entered the legal profession at a time when few women were lawyers, and throughout her career was aware of her role as a woman. She broke down barriers to women by holding a number of important offices and worked for the advancement of other women. Miss Cirese’s work on the status and legal rights of women helped lead to an Illinois State constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote.

Miss Helen Mathilde Cirese was born on Dec. 1, 1899 to an Italian immigrant family in Marion, Ind. While she was a child, the family moved to Oak Park, Ill. She graduated from Oak Park River Forest High School and enrolled in the legal curriculum at DePaul University in Chicago. While at DePaul, she served as an associate editor of the DePaul MINERVAL, was vice president of her class, and gave the salutatory address at her graduation in 1920. She became the youngest women to pass the Illinois Bar exam, 10 months before her 21st birthday. The following month, she opened a law practice on LaSalle Street in Chicago, handing both civil and criminal cases.

Although the majority of her cases dealt with civil law, Miss Cirese established a reputation as a criminal lawyer after successfully defending a woman accused of murder in 1926. In the late 1920s, she participated in a divorce clinic which pioneered recommending marital counseling for broken marriages. In 1930, she joined her brother Charles in a partnership (Cirese and Cirese), and in 1943 her brother Eugene joined the firm.

In 1945, Miss Cirese was elected justice of the peace and police magistrate in Oak Park, Ill., one of few to hold both positions at that time. She was re-elected in 1949, 1953 and 1957.

Miss Cirese became active in legal organizations early in her career. By 1930, she was elected president of the Women’s Bars Association of Illinois after having held several other offices in that organization. In the 1930s, she became the first woman to chair committees for the Chicago Bar Association, chairing the Committee for the Poor Prisoners in 1935 and the Criminal Law Committee in 1937. She was elected president of the National Association of Women Lawyers (NAWL) in 1939. Miss Cirese continued active involvement in the NAWL, editing the journal in 1942 and serving as its representative at the American Bar Associations Council of Delegates in 1944-45. In 1949, she was elected president of the West Suburban Bar Association, its first woman president. Her other legal affiliations included the Illinois, Chicago, American and Inter-American Bar associations, The Justinian Society of Advocates and Kappa Beta Pi legal sorority.

While active in legal organizations, Miss Cirese participated in a number of non-legal associations. During World War II, she participated in a speaker’s bureau and was a member of Citizens Defense Corps coordinating fund raising drives. At the same time, she managed to serve as president of the West Area Business and Professional Club during the period of 1941-44. She was also a member of the Illinois Club of Catholic Women, the Pilot Club and various athletic clubs. Her interest in immigrants led to her active participation in the Immigrants Protective League.

Miss Helen Cirese was engaged in the practice of law until the age of 82. She died on Oct. 10, 1983.

 

 

Rita L. Code Endowed Scholarship

Nancy Jane Sears earned three degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, including the first Ph.D. in Clothing and Textiles (1969) to be awarded by the University. She held academic positions at East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, and Meredith College. She did graduate study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Fordham University, where she earned an M.B.A. with honors and received the Senator and Mrs. Sam Nunn Award for Excellence in Business Ethics. Following her academic career, Nancy joined Burlington Industries, Inc., where she held various positions in human resources, sales and marketing in New York City, Chicago, and Greensboro, North Carolina before joining Brookhurst, Inc. as Vice President, National Accounts.

Nancy has contributed her resources and business acumen for the benefit of society through service to church, through the Stephen Ministry program, educational institutions, coop board, and non-profit organizations. Her philanthropic efforts include the establishment of seven scholarship/fellowship funds at five different universities.

She and her husband, Robert S. Murch, reside in Stamford, Connecticut.

Nancy is currently a Realtor for William Raveis Real Estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she earned President’s Club recognition in 2013 and 2017. She has served as a Stephen Minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, continuously from 2003 to the present.

Dr. Sears establishes this endowed scholarship in honor of her dear friend Rita L. Code, in recognition of Rita Code’s imagination, perseverance, and generous heart, which has added luster to Chicago. Throughout her adult life, Rita Code has excelled as an entrepreneur, business owner, employer, investor, concerned citizen and devoted mother.

Impact

The Rita L. Code Endowed Scholarship provides recognition and financial assistance to students enrolled in the College of Law who are in good academic standing and have financial need.

Scholarships

• Rita L. Code Endowed Scholarship

 

The College of Law Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship

The College of Law Class of 1962 Endowed Scholarship provides recognition and financial assistance to third-year students enrolled in the DePaul University College of Law who are in good academic standing, have financial need, and participate in activities that contribute to advancing the law school experience for themselves and their fellow classmates. Such activities can include, but are not limited to, working on College of Law journals and publications, participating in student organizations, and clerking for state and federal judges.

Graduating members of the law class of 1962 wanted to invest in the future success of DePaul law students. This scholarship provides encouragement and a source of financial stability for third-year law students to complete their education.

The Law Class of 1962 established this scholarship because they were deeply grateful to the College of Law for their education. They wanted to ensure others had that same opportunity to receive a quality law education, while stressing the importance of giving back.

 

 

Martin B. Friend Endowed Scholarship

The Martin B. Friend Endowed Scholarship Fund honors the legacy of the attorney and DePaul Law School graduate Martin B. Friend (JD ’52). The scholarship was created by his family in 2021 upon Friend’s passing, at age 93.
Friend, who was a personal injury lawyer into his 80s, was considered a pillar of the Chicago legal community. A member of the Jewish War Veterans organization, he was active in Jewish causes and institutions such as the United Jewish Appeal as well as Anshe Emet Synagogue (in Lakeview) and Temple Beth-El (in Highland Park). Along with his loving wife of 69 years, Ellen Jane Simons Friend, who predeceased him by four months, he was deeply committed to Women’s American ORT.

Martin Friend was born in Chicago on January 19, 1928, the son of a furniture store owner, Sam, and homemaker, Sadie. After graduating from Chicago’s Senn High School, he joined the Navy and was stationed in Guam for his military service, which began just after the end of World War II. With the help of the G.I. Bill, he was able to attend DePaul University, where he received an undergraduate degree before going on to DePaul Law. He was senior partner at several law firms through the decades, including Friend and Steponate as well as Friend, Levinson & Turner.

Known to everyone as Marty, he was the ultimate optimist, whose wide eyes, bright smile, and gleaming bald pate lit up every room he entered. A consummate family man, he was known for his unflagging sense of humor, generosity, buoyant spirit, and interpersonal dynamism, which manifest itself in his ability to strike up a conversation with any stranger who crossed his path. (Each year, he sent out 5,000 holiday cards to clients, relatives, and friends.)

A social animal with an incredibly wide circle of intimates, he was beloved for his boundless enthusiasm, gregarious manner, and joie de vivre. A tennis player, he established the tennis program at Elm’s Swim and Tennis Club, in Highland Park. A golfer, he was a long-standing member of Bryn Mawr Country Club, in Lincolnwood, and the Country Club at DC Ranch, in Scottsdale, Arizona.

A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, Marty, as a teenager, attended the 1945 World Series at Wrigley Field. And in 2016, even though his declining mobility forbade him from going to a game that year, he was thrilled to look out the window of his Lake Shore Drive apartment and admire the lights of the ballpark as the Cleveland Indians fell to the Cubs—en route to the Northsiders’ first World Championship since 1908. Upon his passing, Marty was laid to rest in a burial vault with two emblems etched onto its surface: a Jewish star and a Chicago Cubs logo.

—David Friend and Richard Friend, sons of Martin B. Friend

 

 

Lee Shaffron Johnson Endowed Scholarship

In 1985, Jerome “Jerry” Johnson (JD ’35) established the Lee Shaffron Johnson Endowed Scholarship in honor of his wife for their 50th wedding anniversary. That year was also the 50th anniversary of Jerry’s graduation from DePaul’s College of Law, and Lee Shaffron Johnson had spent many evenings waiting for her future husband in the DePaul law library.

Johnson’s law career, which spanned eight decades, almost never happened. The Great Depression hit while he was a student in the College of Law, and Johnson thought he would have to drop out to save his father the tuition cost. When he informed the dean of the College of Law, William F. Clarke, of his intention, Dean Clarke allowed Jerry to finish his law degree on a dean’s scholarship. The generous gifts Johnson and his wife would make to the College of Law more than made up for his tuition bills. His scholarship has helped generations of DePaul law students facing similar struggles.

Following his graduation in 1935, Johnson had his own general practice in Chicago for several years. But he took a break from his practice from 1942 to 1945 to serve in the Navy during World War II. While serving the country, Johnson was stationed in the Philippines and Australia and earned the rank of lieutenant junior grade. After the war, he moved his family to Rockland County, N.Y., where he opened a practice focused on real estate law. He continued this practice for the rest of his career.

Even in his 90s, Johnson remained dedicated to practicing law. When he moved into an assisted-living facility, he had a room there for an office and a secretary. “People joked, ’He’ll practice law until the day he dies,’" his son, Ron, said. They were right. Real estate documents prepared by Johnson were signed in his office the day before he died.

In recognition of his long and prestigious career, DePaul’s College of Law conferred an honorary degree to Johnson posthumously in 2008.

 

 

William R. Kucera Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Health Law

William R. Kucera (JD’68) made his mark in health care law in its infancy when there were not many regulations in place. AS a tribute to Kucera’s trailblazing career, and in honor of their shared belief in education, Kucera’s wife Barbara established The William R. Kucera Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Health Law at DePaul University. Kucera liked to say, “a lawyer’s job is to solve problems, not make problems.” What better way to honor Kucera than to help support the education of future lawyers in health care law.

When he began practicing, Kucera started out in corporate law before transitioning to the specialty of health care law. At that time health law was still in its developing stages, and there were many legal questions about medical law that needed to be addressed. Kucera was soon tapped to help revise nonprofit bylaws for hospitals. He practiced law for 20 years at two firms in Chicago – Hinshaw & Culbertson and Katten, Muchin & Zavis. After leaving Hinshaw & Culbertson, Kucera became a senior partner at Katten, Muchin, & Zavis where he established the health care law department and served as chairman.

As health care law became more prominent, so did Kucera’s reputation as a pioneer and specialist in this field. Kucera significantly contributed to the growth of health care law and invested his time in educating future lawyers. He represented hospital medical staff, worked on bond issues and expansions for hospitals, was an adjunct professor at the University of Illinois School of Public Health, and lectured on public policy in health care law at the University of Chicago. Not only did Kucera publish many articles on healthcare law, but he also spoke at several symposiums on the matter as well. He was on the board of directors at the Illinois Association of Hospital Attorneys, and he was an active member of the American Academy of Hospital Attorneys and the National Health Lawyers Association. Kucera helped establish the charters for the American Academy of Orthopedics Mercy Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and Chicago Botanic Garden.

Before he made his mark in the health law field, Kucera was one of seven children raised in Brookfield, Illinois. During his primary years of education, he attended a Jesuit boarding school followed by Fenwick High school. He then went to Marquette University where he met his college sweetheart and future wife Barbara Kucera. After graduating from Marquette, Kucera decided to go to law school. Because of family roots in Chicago, and the prestige of DePaul’s name, Kucera made the choice to attend the university for his legal studies. He graduated cum laude from DePaul with his law degree in 1968, which began his legal journey and career. In 1989, Kucera passed away leaving a void in the field of healthcare law.

Honorable Helen F. McGillicuddy Endowed Scholarship

Helen F. McGillicuddy was both a CPA and an attorney. She was an accounting faculty member at Northwestern University and a practicing CPA with the firm, David Himmelblau & Co. Helen was a silver medal CPA winner, having the second highest grade on the CPA exam in the late 1940s. In 1949, she was one of only six female DePaul University law graduates. She served as president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois from 1960 to 1961, was a Circuit Court of Cook County Judge from 1962 until 1976, when she was the first female elected to the Illinois Appellate Court. She retired from the Illinois Appellate Court in 1986 and died in 1990.

Her sister, Joan M. McGillicuddy, was an administrative executive for various agencies of the U.S. government. As part of Joan’s estate planning, she established the Honorable Helen F. McGillicuddy Endowed Scholarship in memory of her beloved sister.

Joseph Ament serves as attorney for the estate of the Honorable Helen F. McGillicuddy and as executor of the estate of Joan M. McGillicuddy. When Ament was a young CPA, Judge McGillicuddy was his mentor in public accounting and he worked under her direction in various audits in Chicago and Detroit. She was his inspiration for continuing his education after he received his MBA to proceed to law school. The two were friends from the time he was in his early 20s until her death.

Emily Foley Mutz Endowed Family Law Summer Service Award

Emily Foley Mutz embodied in so very many ways the essence of what the Schiller DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center is all about. Emily was a wonderful, beautiful woman whose love of family and strong commitment to serving children and other women was truly inspiring. Emily brought to DePaul University’s family law program her enthusiasm, intelligence, years of family experience, irreverent sense of humor and an extraordinarily warm heart.

In the short time Emily was a student at the DePaul College of Law, she became a leader and role model for so many of her fellow family law students. Emily was deeply committed to the center’s work and was excited about the opportunity to help children and women in need.

Emily inspired all who knew her. The DePaul family law students who knew Emily suggested that the very best way to remember her passion for serving families was through a Family Law Summer Service Award in Emily’s name. Emily’s children—Sarah, Becky, Tom, Andy, Coley, Will and Nora — kicked off the initial donation to fund the Emily Foley Mutz Endowed Family Law Summer Service Award.

Since Emily’s death in 2003, many others who are in interested in assisting underserved children and families, as well as those who want to do something to cherish Emily’s memory, have joined with her children and family to contribute to this important service award fund in Emily’s name.

 

Mary G. Oppenheim Endowed Scholarship

Mary G. Oppenheim (JD’ 34) created the Mary G. Oppenheim Endowed Scholarship to support future lawyers with their education.

In the early 1930s, Oppenheim was one of only four women who graduated from DePaul University’s law school and passed the bar exam. During her time at DePaul, she was very active socially and academically. Not only was Oppenheim a member of the Delta Omicron Delta sorority, but she also participated in various roles in Moot Court trials.

After completing her law degree, Oppenheim also went on to earn a degree in education from DePaul. She was a woman of many talents, practicing law and teaching high school courses like commercial and business law. Oppenheim was one of the first women to work in the Immigration and Naturalization offices in Chicago, and she also gained experience working in the General Accounting Office.

Eventually, Oppenheim decided to step away from practicing law in the government sector and entered private practice. She joined Korshak, Kracoff, Kong & Sugano, LLP, where she thrived. Later along with her friend and partner, Oppenheim started a successful real estate and commercial practice. As they established their practice and built their clientele, Oppenheim also taught law classes at Nicholas Senn High School.

Over the years, Oppenheim was proud to watch DePaul develop and expand. She had many happy memories and wonderful experiences while attending DePaul’s law school. Oppenheim practiced law until the age of 97.
In 2013, at the age of 100, Oppenheim passed away. In addition to her rich legal and teaching careers, she was married for 48 years. While the couple did not have children of their own, they were adored by their many nieces and nephews.

 

The Honorable Lawrence X. Pusateri Endowed Fellowship in Public Interest Law

In the fall of 2005, Lawrence Pusateri passed away due to complications from colon cancer. After his death, his wife, Eve, was searching for a way in which to honor his memory and, after meeting with then Dean Glen Weissenberger, Professor Leonard Cavise and Kevin Fortwendel of DePaul University’s Office of Development, concluded that a DePaul Law School Fellowship would be the best way to accomplish this aim.

Larry, who had devoted much of his legal career to public service, had always been proud of his undergraduate and law degrees from, and his association with, DePaul. By establishing a fellowship in public interest law, Eve realized that she would create a fitting memorial but, more importantly, would establish an ongoing way in which to support those DePaul law students who share his values.

The entire Pusateri family is honored to have been able to create the Honorable Lawrence X. Pusateri Fellowship. In its first several years, they have been blessed with a remarkably impressive group of DePaul law students who have been recipients of the fellowship. They look forward to assisting such students for many more years to come.

About Lawrence X. Pusateri

After receiving his undergraduate degree from DePaul, Lawrence X. Pusateri graduated from the DePaul University College of Law in 1953. He served as Editor-in-chief of the DePaul Law Review, graduated first in his class and was the first recipient in the history of the law school to be awarded his degree summa cum laude. After graduation, he served in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate Corps in Bamberg, Germany and, upon returning home, served as Assistant State’s Attorney of Cook County (1957-59).

Lawrence then entered private practice and served two terms in the Illinois State Legislature (1964-1968). In 1968, he served as Chairman of the Defense of Prisoners Committee of the Chicago Bar Association at the time of the Martin Luther King riots. Following this, Gov. Richard B. Ogilvie appointed him Chairman of the State of Illinois Pardon and Parole Board, Chief of Legal Services for the Illinois Department of Corrections, and Commissioner of the Illinois Liquor Control Board. From 1972 to1976, Lawrence served as a Special Assistant Attorney General of Illinois and subsequently served for two years as Justice of the Illinois Appellate Court, First District (1977-78). Lawrence completed his legal career as a capital partner with the firm of Peterson and Ross.

Active in charitable organizations, a regular lecturer and author of many articles on various aspects of the law, Lawrence also was a member of the American, Illinois, and Chicago Bar Associations, serving as President of the Illinois State Bar Association (1975-76). Lawrence was the recipient of numerous honors and awards, notable among which was the Distinguished Alumni Award (1999) from the DePaul College of Law.

 

 

Mary and Vincent G. Rinn Endowed Scholarship

In 1977, Vincent G. Rinn (JD ’31) and his wife Mary created a scholarship fund to provide support for law students. The Vincent G. Rinn Law Library at DePaul University recognizes its namesake’s positive impact on the College of Law, as well as the law profession. Both the scholarship and library are intended to aid law students throughout their education.

Rinn was born and raised in the suburbs north of Chicago. He attended law school at DePaul in the late 1920’s and was an accomplished student. He was in the top 7% of his law class, received several awards and participated in many extracurricular activities.

During his time at the university, Rinn was the President of Pi Gamma Mu, DePaul’s honorary fraternity chapter, a member of the Illinois Chapter of the National Social Science Honor Society, and an officer in Delta Theta Phi – Clerk of Exchequer. Rinn was also an active member on the Student Activity Council. He served as, a representative for the Department of Law his freshman year, and as a representative for the Department of Commerce his sophomore year. Additionally, Rinn was elected as Treasurer of his pre- legal class. He was described as having an edge over the rest of the student body.

In his junior year, Rinn was awarded the Honor Key by Lambda Gamma Phi Legal Fraternity. This award was given annually to members of the junior class ranking highest in scholarship, leadership and promise of future usefulness. Rinn was the fourth person to receive this coveted key. He was also a member of Delta Theta Phi Fraternity, president of Phi Gamma Mu Honorary Fraternity and won seven annual awards for excellence in scholarship.

After graduating in 1931, Rinn remained an active alum at DePaul. When he was not pursing his trial and estate practice career, he served on many boards and committees at DePaul and professionally. He was chairman of the personal injury practice committee, an assistant chairman of the Loop section for the DePaul Development Program, and a member of the taxation committee, legal aid committee, lectures & discussion committee, unemployment compensation committee, admissions committee, legal education committee, and unauthorized practice committee. Furthermore, Rinn was a member of the Illinois State Bar Association, American Bar Association, and the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Chicago.

Besides being an active alum and professional member of various committees, Vincent had several major clients such as Northern Trust Bank/O’Hare, Northern Trust Company Chicago, NBD Park Ridge Bank, NBD Trust Company, and the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.

Rinn, joined by his two brothers who were also DePaul law graduates as well, opened the Owens, Owens, and Rinn Ltd. law practice.

One third of the lawyers were DePaul graduates. The law firm was dedicated to supporting DePaul as much as possible.

 

 

Alice C. and Stephen B. Rudolph Endowed Award

Steve Rudolph spent nearly 20 years producing industrial training films and videos before enrolling at the College of Law. For him, it was a “dream deferred,” as he’d considered law school right after college but needed to get a job and earn a living. As he began to wind down his successful first career, Steve re-visited the idea of enrolling in law school with encouragement and strong support from his wife, Alice. He was accepted at all five of the schools to which he applied, and he decided on DePaul, even though it was one of only two that did not offer him a scholarship.

“From our first visit, Alice and I could feel a difference between DePaul and the others,” Steve reflected. The students, faculty, and staff members that they met “seemed more concerned for our well-being. You could tell that people at DePaul cared about one another; it was palpable, almost like a texture. I felt at home here right away. None of the other schools felt that way.”

Steve’s positive impressions were borne out. His law school experience, while challenging, rewarded him with many new friendships, positive experiences, and a productive second career at a large legal publishing firm. While there, he co-founded a scholarly journal, Issues in Aviation Law and Policy. And he never forgot DePaul Law, joining the Alumni Board after graduation and eventually becoming the board’s president. Later, he served and chaired a committee on the Dean’s Advisory Council. He received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Leadership award in 2004 and the College of Law’s Outstanding Service to DePaul award in 2006.

After retiring from the publishing firm, Steve became executive director of the College of Law’s International Aviation Law Institute, where he coordinates the institute’s many activities and initiatives worldwide, and still serves as managing editor of Issues in Aviation Law and Policy. And, according to Steve, he and Alice still sense the same caring spirit and “texture” that won their hearts on their very first visit to DePaul.

 

 

Yvonne S. Sor Memorial Endowed Scholarship

This scholarship is named in honor of my dear wife, Yvonne. The photo was taken on her birthday, May 21, 2010. I believe the student recipient of this scholarship should know who she was and why this scholarship is such an essential part of her lasting legacy.

Yvonne was born into a loving Jewish family of strong values, spirituality, and heritage in Bucharest, Romania, on May 21, 1953. She was raised in an educated, upper-class household that valued education, kindness, and compassion for others and imbued in her a strong-willed determination to achieve and overcome. Yvonne was recognized as uniquely gifted and very bright from a very early age.

She emigrated with her mother from Romania soon after her father passed away. After receiving political asylum in Italy, they arrived in the U.S. in 1966 when Yvonne was 13 years old.

Before emigrating, Yvonne had graduated from high school in Romania in an academically accelerated program. Upon resettling in Chicago, she enrolled in Mundelein College on a full scholarship, graduating in 1970 at the top of her class with a double major: a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and a Bachelor of Science degree in physics. She was 17 years old. She spoke six languages, including French, Romanian, English, Italian, Russian and Spanish. She also knew Yiddish and read German.

As a student at Mundelein, she worked at various jobs on campus and off to help support her mother and herself. After graduation, she lectured in physics at her alma mater from 1971 to 1973.

Her talent in the natural sciences prompted her to enroll in the graduate engineering program at McCormick School of Engineering at Northwestern University, where she became one of its first female graduates with a Master of Science degree in biomedical engineering in 1972. She was just 19 years old. Her thesis is entitled: “Epidemiological Study on the Effects of Mercury and Lead Upon Congenital Malformations of the Nervous System, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Deficiency, and Fetal Death Rates.”

In 1973 she accepted a job as a technical researcher for Rust-Oleum, a paint company in the Chicago area. Rising through the ranks, she became Group Leader in 1976 and then Manager of Technical Information System at Rust-Oleum from 1977 to 1983. She was in charge of the company’s computer systems that ran most company operations. As one of the few women working in the paint industry, she had been subjected to sex discrimination and decided to attend law school at night to help her advance in the executive ranks of private industry.

She entered DePaul University College of Law in 1979 at a time when few women attended law school. Working full time during the day and attending law classes at night, she excelled in her law studies, finishing near the top of her law class and earning a Juris Doctor degree in 1983.

Ever since her days at Mundelein College, Yvonne reveled in academia, enjoyed her classes, and especially enjoyed teaching. She accepted a Teaching Fellowship position at DePaul College of Law in 1983 and remained an instructor there until 1985. As a law student and law school instructor, she published various law review articles in law journals from universities across the country and articles in other professional publications. It was at DePaul College of Law in 1984 when I first met Yvonne and accepted a Teaching Fellowship position alongside her.

In 1985 Yvonne entered private law practice and litigated patents and other intellectual property cases for a well-known intellectual property law firm in Chicago. Over subsequent years her practice focused on technology law and management consulting, first as a corporate vice president in charge of strategic planning for a technology consulting venture and later in her own firm providing management and legal consulting services to women-owned technology ventures. Yvonne was a firm believer in women’s empowerment, advocating for and supporting women’s leadership roles in the natural science and technology fields.

She never lost her love for teaching. And in subsequent years, from 1985 until her passing, she continued to teach classes to computer students on cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and technology at DePaul University in what is now known as the College of Computing and Digital Media. Yvonne passed away on January 27, 2020.

She assumed many roles in her professional life and attained notable achievements in private industry, her law practice, consulting work, and academia, all with grace and humility. Notwithstanding her professional accomplishments and recognitions, she treated everyone whom she met with kindness and respect, regardless of their station in life. That was just who she always was.

In her personal life, she was a woman of great warmth and kindness, full of compassion, and someone who freely shared her wisdom, intelligence, and love with others. Yvonne was very charitable with her time, talent and treasure. I believe this is rooted in her deep Judaic spirituality and the Jewish religious tradition of Tikkun Olam, which states that our responsibility is to fix a broken world. Her charity work focused principally on supporting organizations dedicated to finding cures for health-related issues or helping the disadvantaged and marginalized—those in need and the vulnerable—especially school children and newly arrived immigrants— as she once was. Her pet cause was hunger, and she supported the work of food banks because she firmly believed that no one in our great country should needlessly suffer hunger amidst abundance.

With her father’s passing, she understood the very fragility and sacredness of life at an early age. Therefore, she vowed to always live life to the fullest and, most importantly, on her terms. She loved to travel and cook and was a lover of the arts. She understood and appreciated the spirituality and majesty that underlies all of nature. To her, nature was a reflection of God’s love for us. She had an indomitable spirit to live a life full of zest, greeting each day with her unique brand of warmth and humor that was firmly rooted in her playful sarcasm.

Her intellect and natural curiosity fed her need to explore all that life offers, making life itself such an adventure. Her wish would be for you never to lose your zest or appreciation for life and to approach each day as one that can provide you with an opportunity to enrich your life and someone else’s. And for you to do this with a deep sense of humility, wonder, grace, spirituality, and charity in your heart. To always believe in yourself and your ability to achieve your dreams. In this way, you will know what is important in life and what isn’t—what is worth your time and what isn’t. And above all, she would want you to take any opportunity to express your gratitude for what you received by simply paying it forward so that someone else may also achieve their dreams.

—Daniel N. Janich

Impact

The Yvonne S. Sor Memorial Endowed Scholarship assists a deserving student of the College of Law who wishes to pursue a law career practicing in the field of intellectual property law (IP Law) upon admission to the state bar, who is in good academic standing and has financial need.

Scholarships

• Yvonne Sor Memorial Endowed Scholarship

William H. Stanley Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law

William Henry Stanley was born in Kidderminster, England, on Feb. 27, 1880. He was working as a crewmember on a cruise ship of the Hamburg American Line in the early 1900s, when he met a “Mr. Wrigley” during a voyage. Stanley so impressed Wrigley that he brought him to Chicago and gave him a position at the William Wrigley Jr. Co. Eventually, he rose to the position of vice president of finance and director of Wrigley Co.

Stanley’s doctor was Francis X. O’Malley, brother of former DePaul University President the Rev. Comerford J. O’Malley. Dr. O’Malley introduced the Stanley’s to Father O’Malley, and a friendship ensued. When Stanley was in his late 60s, he mentioned to Father O’Malley that he always had a lifelong ambition of obtaining a law degree. Father O’Malley suggested night school and Stanley enrolled at DePaul in 1950.

After a successful first year, Stanley retired from Wrigley Co. and enrolled as a day student. Stanley received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the College of Law in 1954. There is no indication that he ever attempted the bar examination or practiced law; his education at DePaul appears to have been for personal satisfaction, rather than for professional reasons.

Stanley showed his appreciation to the university by becoming a major donor. He died on Dec. 2, 1959, and his estate established the William H. Stanley Memorial Endowed Scholarship and the William H. Stanley Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law.

 

 

Harry W. Tong Memorial Endowed Scholarship

Harry Tong’s (JD ’72) story was one highlighted by steadfast perseverance, a strong belief in the power of education and a commitment to service. Born in Guangzhou, China, Harry’s family immigrated to the United States when he was a young boy, settling in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. Coming from an economically disadvantaged community and dropping out of high school, Harry faced a crossroads at an early age.

At this critical juncture, Harry came to the realization that only through education could he build a better life. Harry returned and finished high school. From there, he attended Roosevelt University, where he completed not only his bachelor’s degree, but his master’s degree as well. In 1968, Harry enrolled at DePaul University’s College of Law. Like many of his peers who came to DePaul as first-generation law students, Harry saw a law degree as an opportunity to break barriers and advance his community.

After graduating from the College of Law, Harry moved to California and became an entrepreneur. He founded Tong Associates, Tong Accountancy Corp. and the Up To Date CPA Review Course. In addition to his business ventures, he worked as a licensed CPA, attorney, real estate broker and college professor. For all his professional success, Harry’s true passion and calling was public service.

Embracing DePaul’s Vincentian spirit of service, Harry was a pillar of his community. He served many years with the Woodside Terrace A.M. Kiwanis Club, receiving the organization’s Distinguished Service Award in 2005. He was the founding president and board of directors’ member of the Organization of Chinese Americans San Mateo Chapter. Furthermore, he served San Mateo as the city’s Human Relations Commissioner. Throughout his decades of community service, Harry worked with youth and the elderly, participated in civic and professional organizations, championed Asian American causes and promoted the American right to vote.

Following Harry’s passing, his wife (Mary) and family established the Harry W. Tong Memorial Endowed Scholarship to support College of Law students who demonstrate high financial need. As Mary states, “I am grateful DePaul is giving me this opportunity to carry on Harry’s legacy. As he always said, ‘Giving changes lives.’” Like Harry, the scholarship recipients are students who seek a DePaul Law education to better themselves and their families.

Harry Tong never forgot where he came from and what it felt like to have very little. He made it his life’s mission to work hard and help those who are less fortunate. Today, Harry’s legacy of service and advancement through education lives on at the College of Law, as the Harry W. Tong Memorial Endowed Scholarship generously supports DePaul Law’s next generation of community leaders and advocates.

This article originally appeared in DePaul University Relations’ Blue Demon Line.