In 2021, These 11 Alumni Stepped Up for Their Communities

A warm bowl of étouffée after a 24-hour shift. A new job at the Sam’s Club e-fulfillment center, months after the first store closed. A pickup game of basketball before the school bell rings.

With determination and vision, Roosevelt alumni have made their mark on their communities through the trials of the pandemic. This year, after much anticipation, the University celebrated a group of 11 outstanding alumni with an in-person gathering on campus.

Sheila Chalmers-Currin

MS ’98

Roosevelt University Distinguished Alumni Award

Chalmers-Currin (MS ’98), the mayor of the Village of Matteson, was elected in 2017 after a lifelong commitment to public service.

“There are so many things that I love about Roosevelt University,” she said. “The faculty, though, is truly the best.”

Chalmers-Currin was the first African American woman to be president of the Illinois Fire and Police Commission. Chalmers-Currin served as village trustee of Matteson for eight years before becoming mayor.

She said, “I’ve been given an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others, whether it’s bringing in more economic development or having lunch with a group of senior citizens, being that voice for the voiceless is what public servants do.”

Bradley Kirouac

BBA ’16

RMUI Distinguished Alumni Award

At Robert Morris University, Kirouac appreciated “the ability to connect with your peers and gain a larger network to advance our community’s mission,” he said.

After graduating with his business degree, he cohosted Parklandia, an iHeart Radio show about selling everything and hitting the road in an RV with his husband and dog. Kirouac traveled for 2 1/2 years, then landed at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma, where he supports children and their families as area director.

“I make my mark by diving deep into communities to find ways to bridge gaps due to systemic circumstances,” he said.

Melissa Bean

BA ’02

Alumna of Influence

Melissa Bean is president and CEO of Mesirow Wealth Management. In keeping with Mesirow’s long history of growing client wealth, Bean focuses on developing and strengthening client and community relationships.

Bean was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Illinois’ Eighth District from 2005 to 2011. She was known in Congress, the White House and the business community as a go-to nonpartisan leader for practical policy solutions.

“The diversity in the ranks of Roosevelt’s leadership, professors and curriculum options, as well as the student body, enriched my classroom experience,” she said. “That expanded worldview, combined with piqued intellectual curiosity across a broader spectrum, has helped me in my career.”

Evelyn Shelton

MPA ’99

Social Justice Award

Shelton is a chef and owner of the eponymous Evelyn’s Food Love on Chicago’s South Side. She and her culinary creations have been featured on ABC 7’s Windy City Live, The Black Foodies and in the Chicago Sun-Times.

During the pandemic, Shelton’s restaurant fed the Provident Hospital Emergency Department staff for six weeks. She also hires employees and trains interns in the Washington Park community through the Chicago Food Depository and the Inspiration Corporation culinary programs.

Rebecca Moss

BA ’16

Young Professional Award

Moss played for the Roosevelt women’s basketball team that made two national tournament appearances. Today, she chairs the special education department at Thornton Fractional North High School.

“My favorite thing about Roosevelt is the lifelong connections,” she said. “The godmother of my two-month-old daughter is someone that I met at Roosevelt.”

Before having her child, Moss sponsored the equity and leadership club in her Calumet City school district. As a teacher in a school with many Black and Latinx students, she wants her students to have equitable access to resources.

Poonam Rahman

Future Alumni Award

And a sneak peek at the future — current psychology student Poonam Rahman won the Future Alumni Award.

Rahman has already founded two nonprofits that provide free resources to underprivileged communities. She hopes to combat gender inequality, promote access to mental health and provide resources to students in underprivileged communities.

“My favorite things about Roosevelt University are the professors and the small class sizes,” she said. “I’m striving to make an impact in the field of mental health and STEM.”

Patricia Pates Eaton

BM ’60

College 2021 Dean’s Awards

Patricia Pates Eaton (BM ’60) is a community organizer, teacher and professional musician. She has performed with organizations including the Metropolitan Opera Association, the New York Philharmonic the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre and too many more to name.

Eaton conducted award-winning choirs in Chicago and New York City. Today she produces a monthly neighborhood concert series, Three on 3 Music, that brings live music to Mount Morris and Central Harlem in New York.

“My favorite thing about Roosevelt is the people that I met there,” she said. “I have friends that are friends for life. The teachers were very encouraging and nurtured our talents.”

Phyllis Cavallone Jurek

MA ’99

College 2021 Dean’s Awards

Phyllis Cavallone Jurek (MA ’99) is the executive director for Ladder Up, a nonprofit that provides free tax assistance and financial education to low-income communities.

Previously, she served as the chief of academics for the Office of Catholic Schools for the Archdiocese of Chicago. During her 14-year tenure as principal at St. Therese Chinese Catholic School, she transformed the school into an international model of academic excellence.

“My favorite thing about Roosevelt is its history of courage, acceptance and commitment to social justice,” she said. “I make my mark by letting people know I see all of who they are, including their gifts and what makes them special.”

Dr. Jo-Ann Jose

BA ’08

College 2021 Dean’s Awards

Dr. Jo-Ann Jose (BA ’08) is a board-certified infectious disease physician at St. Louis University. She’s a clinician with expertise in human immunodeficiency virus infection.

“The encouragement of me as a person, developing my humanistic side as well as my scientific side, was just unparalleled at Roosevelt,” she said. “I’ve kept those connections, and that’s been really valuable to me.”

Jose also directs the outpatient clinic and the antimicrobial stewardship program and helps lead the fellowship training program.

“I’m serving as a physician, an educator and a patient advocate during two simultaneous epidemics: the COVID-19 epidemic, as everyone knows, but also my life’s work with the HIV epidemic,” she said. “I’m privileged to be part of that.”

Daniel Schuette

BSBA ’05

College 2021 Dean’s Awards

Daniel Schuette (BSBA ’05) is a senior vice president at PNC Bank. He provides public, private, for-profit and institutional firms with access to treasury management platforms.

Schuette has served on the Heller College of Business advisory board for a decade and has chaired the board and mentored students in the past.

Antú Segal

MA ’12, PsyD ’15

College 2021 Dean’s Awards

Antú Segal (MA ’12, PsyD ’15) is an early-career psychologist and board-certified in clinical health psychology. She works at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit in the Transplant Institute, facilitating pre-surgical psychological evaluations for liver recipients and living kidney donors.

She also volunteers as the president of the Michigan Psychological Association, mentoring early career psychologists who are interested in leadership opportunities.

“I made wonderful lasting relationships with my mentors and my graduate school friends,” she said. “You never forget your grad school buddies who helped you along the way.”