1950s

Ira Berkow (ND, ’59) has written another book, It Happens Every Spring, featuring 50 years of some of baseball’s most memorable moments. This Pulitzer Prize-winner and former New York Times columnist shares anecdotes, memories and moments capturing the comedy and drama of America’s favorite pastime.

1960s

Richard Wills (BS, ’65) taught high school math for three years. He then accepted a systems engineering position with IBM. Starting in Chicago and later in Santa Fe, New Mexico and Los Angeles, he worked with customers designing and installing computer systems. From Los Angeles he moved to Dallas, where he developed computer-based instructional programs. Currently he is doing freelance editing and enjoys tutoring students in math at a local community college.

1970s

Roberta “Bobbie” L. Raymond, (BA, ’70) has written several children’s books. Her first book, Amy and the Amaryllis, is sold out. She is proud to release a new book titled, Three Sea Tales. “Roosevelt gave me a lot of confidence to pursue many interests,” Raymond said of her academic experience.

1980s

Tom Benz (MPA, ’86) recently won the Serena McDonald Kennedy Fiction Award for a collection of short stories; he has a forthcoming book published by Snake Nation Press in the fall.

1990s

Frank Martinez (BS, ’92) is the president and CEO of La Unica Realty Advisors LLC, which acquires single-family homes and multi-family buildings, and renovates them for sale and rental. He also currently serves as an executive board member for the Leukemia Research Foundation and is an advisory board member for Roosevelt’s Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate.

2000s

Jeri Bingham (BA, ’97; MA, ’03) was recently promoted to the position of vice president, marketing and enrollment management for Resurrection University, College of Nursing & College of Allied Health in Chicago, after working three years as the director of marketing and communications. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in higher education leadership from National Louis University.

Kathie Kane-Willis (BA, ’01; MA, ’06) is the director of policy and advocacy at the Chicago Urban League, which she joined in November 2016.

Ricardo Trachtman (BA, ’02) is a principal and consulting actuary at Milliman in Chicago. His modeling experience includes economic capital analysis, stochastic modelings, and traditional deterministic pricing and financial modeling. Trachtman is a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries, and was recently elected chair of the Predictive Analytics and Futurism Section of the Society of Actuaries.

Stephanie Schmitz Bechteler (BA, ’04) is vice president and executive director of the Research and Policy Center at the Chicago Urban League. She has been with the League for four years and served as executive director for one year.

Dr. Matthew Amidon (BS, ’09) completed his pediatric residency at Advocate Children’s Hospital and matched into a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.

Alex Hernandez (BA, ’09) published “Muslim, Latina, and attacked from all sides” in the March 16, 2017 issue of the Chicago Reader. Hernandez was recently hired as the assistant editor of In These Times, a Chicago-based independent, nonprofit magazine dedicated to advancing democracy and economic justice.

2010s

Anthony Conte (BA, ’12) recently received his master’s degree in education and now teaches middle school social studies at Detroit Public Safety Academy.

Pawel Fosciak (BS, ’13) has worked for ING Bank in Poland for four years. His responsibilities include cooperating with other organizational units of the bank to complete complex client offers and ensure their efficient operation, as well as supporting corporate clients’ advisors in the sale of banking products and services.

Angela Jones (BA, ’13) received a Minority Fellowship Program award from the American Psychological Association. Jones is completing her master’s degree in clinical psychology counseling practice at Roosevelt.

Manuel Talavera III (BA, ’13) received a master’s in public administration from the University of Illinois Springfield in 2015. Since then, he has worked for the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, helping make college more accessible and affordable to students by providing free college and career planning. Since June, he has assumed the role of regional manager for Illinois GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), which provides college planning services to middle school-age students.

Evan F. Moore (BA, ’14) recently accepted the position of associate editor at Sigma Chi Magazine.

James Romney (BFA, ’14) will make his Broadway debut in the premiere of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. The CCPA graduate has also appeared in Theo Ubique’s Fly By Night. 

Jake Cashman (MBA, ’16) started as a digital marketing specialist at Praxair, a Fortune 300 global atmospheric gas company. His responsibilities include managing sales leads and developing plans for search engine optimization, email marketing and Google Analytics in the USIG food-marketing sector.

David Gomez (BS, ’16) was accepted into the doctoral program at the Illinois College of Optometry. Gomez is a first-generation college student and will be the first in his family to obtain an advanced degree.

Yasmeen Lipprand (BA, ’17) has accepted a full-time position as an account coordinator with RPM Advertising, after completing her internship with the Auditorium Theatre. She is grateful to Roosevelt for its support in working on her resume and providing career development resources.

Rachel Ornstein (BA, ’17) was accepted into the coordinated nutrition master’s program at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Kornelia Skowron (BS, ’17) was accepted into the medical chemistry PhD program at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy, with full funding.

Diala Suwwan (BA, ’17) has started her career as a first-grade teacher at Al Huda Academy. She will earn her master’s in teaching English to speakers of other languages through Concordia University’s online program.