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Rosalyn Kliot (BA Art, ’68) is an award-winning published artist and writer. After earning a graduate degree in counseling education from Portland State University, she worked as a vocational rehabilitation counselor and forensic expert witness at federal hearings. She has led an adventurous life: hang gliding, sliding down falls in Hawaii, running the rapids in Oregon, downhill skiiing, windsurfing and surfing.

Now retired, Rosalyn is an active volunteer in various social justice venues as a speaker on genocide, hate, bigotry, prejudice and anti-Semitism for over 25 years.

Dr. Jerry Field (BSBA ’54, MBA ’72) is the former director of a Chicago veteran organization and a manufacturing consultant. After receiving his MBA, he earned a doctorate in education and taught at the Illinois Institute of Technology. For his service, he was awarded a Republic of South Korea Presidential Unit Citation.

Thelma Munson Walker (BA English, ’76) has headed communications departments for Hull House, the Chicago Hearing Society and the Girl Scouts of Chicago. She also worked in media relations with multimillion-dollar companies before establishing her own PR consulting service, Munson Walker Communications.

Peter Jermihov (BM Music Theory, ’77) was nominated for a Grammy Award in Best Choral Performance.

Norbert Piotrowski (MBA ’84) has retired from AT&T. He lives in Arlington Heights, Ill.

Enrique Gracia (BGS ’85) recently retired after 15 years as an IT professional with the South Florida Water Management District. The government agency is responsible for flood control and environmental restoration in 16 counties.

Karen Nicolas (BA Marketing Communications, ’93) has had a successful legal and compliance career with Sony Music Entertainment and Capital Research and Management Company. She started a family in 2003 and looks forward to reconnecting with Roosevelt alumni in the Los Angeles area.

Donna Hughes (MGS ’95) is a high school art instructor and an adjunct professor of fine art. As an active Illinois Education Association member, she has assisted with educational policies, social issues and civil rights organizations related to social justice.

Carolyn Jones (BA ’00, MBA ’02) serves as a senior policy advisor on the youth policy team for the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor. In this role, she provides expert policy and program analysis and recommendations in support of competitive employment for youth and young adults with disabilities.

Timothy Lore (BA Art History, ’04) served as commander of American Legion Post 414, where he has been a member for 21 years. He is now retired.

With five fellow artists, Edwin Vega (MM Voice Performance ’04, PED Opera ’06) won a Grammy for Best Opera Recording.

Josephine (Guzman) Moreno (BA Psychology, ’06) works for the City of Chicago Convention and Visitors Bureau, Choose Chicago, as a sales support specialist.

Photo Credit: Photo by Laura Brown of Laura Brown Photography. Reprinted from 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas with permission by MSI Press, LLC.

Julie Gentile (BA Journalism, ’07) is an award-winning author, blogger, yoga teacher, wellness speaker and mom. In February 2019, she published the book 108 Yoga and Self-Care Practices for Busy Mamas with MSI Press.

After graduation, Tiffany Potts-Daniels (MA Clinical Psychology, ’07) went on to complete her PhD in psychology. She is married and has three children.

Velvetta Young (BA Political Science, ’07) hosts Breakfast4CEOs, a personal development and networking event in the south suburbs. She also educates the community through workshops on wills and identity theft.

Since graduation, Derrick Purvis (MA Education, ’08) has taught at Dunbar Vocational Career Academy and Oak Park River Forest High School. He has been married for 12 years and has two children, ages seven and nine.

Latina Tate (BPS Psychology, ’09) is a special education teacher in the behavior unit with the Ector County Independent School District. She earned an MBA and is now completing principal certification. She recently welcomed a “very handsome and extremely happy” grandson who is now six months old.

Willie Mae Jackson (MA Clinical Psychology, ’09) published her debut fictional thriller, Make It Right, in early May.

Julie Egeland (BA History, ’10) is the director of nursing at Norwood Crossing, a skilled nursing facility on the northwest side of Chicago. In 2019, she married Alex Hernandez (BA History and Journalism, ’09).

In Phoenix, Ariz., Gia Warren (BSBA ’10) is an area manager at Amazon, where she oversees a team of 25 associates. She is responsible for training, providing feedback and leading change “at internet speed” to improve Amazon’s overall business.

Darryl Lockett (MBA ’11) works in compliance in higher education.

Nick and Rikki (Valle) Schullo

Nick and Rikki (Valle) Schullo met at Roosevelt University, where they shared a class together. On September 28, 2018, Nick faked a car issue that led them to the Schaumburg Campus entrance. When Rikki got out of the car, she found him on one knee. Nick proposed, and Rikki said yes! The two were married on August 23, 2019.

Rikki (BA Special Education, ’11) is currently an eighth grade special education teacher for Elmwood Park School District 401, and plans to begin a master’s program in the fall. Nick (BA History and Political Science, ’10) is a territory manager at W.E. Carlson.

Julia Skulemowski (MA Elementary Education, ’13) relocated to the Boston area to serve as director of a Bright Horizons childcare center.

Chris Olsen (BA ’13, MA ’16) is a middle school civic engagement specialist for Chicago Public Schools. He develops hands-on curricula that empower students to actively participate in democracy early on.

At the University of Chicago Urban Labs, Nicole Wilson (BSBA ’15) works as a data management associate on programs to reduce crime and improve education in all neighborhoods of Chicago.

As a freelance musician, Heidi Joosten (MM Composition, ’16) has worked with The Who and up-and-coming Broadway composers. She performs across the country and internationally, with several new musicals in production in the next year.

Peter Piatkowski (MFA ’17) works in alumni relations at a private girls’ school in London.

Ariel Robinson (BA English Literature, ’18) works at the Chicago History Museum as a research center page. She is also pursuing an MA in Library and Information Studies.

Alexander Fruin (BMA, ’19) has stepped into Detroit’s nonprofit scene as an associate director for CCS Fundraising, a global fundraising consulting and management firm. Alex’s portfolio includes leading nonprofit institutions, which he partners with to develop and execute comprehensive, mission-based fundraising strategies.