Jaymie and Harry Simmon

Jaymie and Harry Simmon share a deep commitment to the mission of NIU. In keeping with the Vision 2020 aspirations of NIU to broaden undergraduate research, they are providing scholarships to support the Research Rookies program. Their hope is that the
scholarships will support students in this innovative program, and will
enhance their educational experiences. Harry Simmon (BA in Speech 1969) was a Theatre major at NIU, where he was chosen
the Outstanding Senior in 1969. He went on to become CEO of Stranco, Inc., a manufacturer of equipment for the water and wastewater industry. He is now a consultant. He is an active volunteer in his community, serving as Vice Chair of the Board of Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee. He is a championship sailor, having won the 2011 Cruising Division of the Chicago to Mackinac Race. Jaymie Strand Simmon (BS in Ed in Speech, 1970) was also a Theatre major at NIU. She was chosen Outstanding Senior in 1970. She was owner of SimmComm, Inc., a company that specialized in corporate communications and video production. She also was producer and host of the Emmy nominated weekly program, Kankakee Valley Prime Time. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the NIU Foundation Board of Directors.
Harry and Jaymie met while students at NIU. Their Huskie roots go deep. Jaymie’s grandmother, Jessie Nash Strand, attended NIU in 1915. Her brother and several cousins are Huskies. The Simmons’ son, Grant, was named Outstanding Senior in the Theatre Department in 2000, and their daughter-in-law, Nicole, graduated from NIU in 2001.