Our Donors

Herb Eldean

Herb Eldean

Herb Eldean is an entrepreneur who graduated from NIU’s College of Business. He established this fund in order to encourage future business professionals and allow them to experience the same quality education that he did.

Herbert and Millie Asbury

Herbert and Millie Asbury

Jim Asbury was a graduate student in the School of Art, majoring in Time Arts as well as teaching sections of Intro to Video Art. He had undergraduate majors in Art and Art History, also from NIU. Although Jim’s primary focus in his graduate studies was video/video...

Howard and Evelyn Lanan

Howard and Evelyn Lanan

Howard Lanan (1914 ? 2009) was born in Kingston, Illinois, his wife Evelyn (1913-2011) was born in Esmond, Illinois. Howard attended a rural school and graduated from Sycamore High School in 1932. Evelyn also attended rural schools in DeKalb County and graduated...

Howard V. Youngmeyer

Howard V. Youngmeyer

Howard Victor Youngmeyer, was born November 20, 1918, at Altona, Nebraska (near Wayne), son of Frank Lawrence Youngmeyer and Effie Christena Myer. Howard’s mother died of tuberculosis when he was only ten years old. Howard married Mabel Marie Fischer Youngmeyer, on...

Inez Nelson

Inez Nelson

Inez H. Nelson, born on October 15, 1906 in DeKalb, IL, and is the daughter of Alfred and Ingred Johansan Nelson. She graduated from DeKalb High School in 1923 and earned a B.A. degree from the University of Chicago on June 11, 1940. She attended NIU in 1958 to 1959....

Isabelle Duminy-Kovarik

Isabelle Duminy-Kovarik

This scholarship fund is established in memory of Isabelle Duminy-Kovarik’s parents, who instilled in her a great regard and high value for education. Isabelle Duminy-Kovarik graduated from NIU with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry in 1980 and a Master of...

Jack and Beth Marchewka

Jack and Beth Marchewka

Jack and Beth Marchewka are from Buffalo, New York. They met at the YMCA in Orchard Park, New York. Beth received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Genesso. Jack received his undergraduate degree from SUNY Buffalo, an M.B.A. from Syracuse University, and a Ph.D....

Jack and Doris Simich

Jack and Doris Simich

Jack and Doris Simich along with Joanne (Simich) Moody, Glenn Moody, Desa (Simich) Henn and Marshall Henn wish to establish this scholarship as Simich family members who are truly grateful for the education they received at NIU.

Jack and Eleanor Olson

Jack and Eleanor Olson

Professor Olson joined the art education faculty at NIU in 1968 along with a number of other new faculty members in the growing art program under the direction of department head, Jack Arends. Professor Olson had been director of art for the West Orange Public...

Jack and Margaret Arends

Jack and Margaret Arends

The official name of the Visual Arts Building at NIU is Jack Arends Hall. Arends was once the head of the art department and was instrumental in establishing Northern Illinois University’s Art Department as one of the largest in the nation. Prior to his death in...

James and Karen Hayman

James and Karen Hayman

James Hayman, senior vice president of CFC Insurance Services, specializes in structuring layered property programs for large real estate, hospitality, and retail operations. He and his wife Karen are both 1972 graduates of Northern Illinois University. James has...

James and Martha Lamb

James and Martha Lamb

Born in Chicago, Jim Lamb graduated from Lane Tech high school where he focused on architecture and football. He arrived at NIU in 1948. His experience and success while at NIU was inspired by teachers and mentors, including, Don Berger, John Twombly, Carl Proehl,...

James and Melissa Deutsch

James and Melissa Deutsch

Jim Deutsch is a 1996 Operations Management and Information Systems graduate of NIU. He was recruited by a small consulting company through the NIU placement office. Shorty after working there, he started his own consulting company that he sold to the Hackett Group...

James and Moke Chee Wolter

James and Moke Chee Wolter

A native of Malaysia, Moke Chee Wolter has a degree in education from Brinsford Lodge at Birmingham University in England. She was teaching art, history, and geography at the time that she met Jim, who was a Peace Corps volunteer. They were married, and their two...

James and Sue Mellard

James and Sue Mellard

James Mellard arrived at NIU in 1967 and stayed until his retirement in 2000. During that time, he served the Department of English and the University in multiple capacities, most notable as department chair from 1978 to 1984; acting dean of the College of Liberal...

James D. Eaton and Michael H. Miner

James D. Eaton and Michael H. Miner

The donors established this fund to honor the lives of Dr. Durward Eaton and Professor Wallace Miner and to honor research and teaching in the field of physics.

James M. Banovetz

James M. Banovetz

David and Catherine Arnold established this fund in honor of Professor Emeritus James M. Banovetz. In the donor’s words, “This gift has been made to honor Professor Emeritus James M. Banovetz is recognition for his work over three decades in developing the NIU...

James P. and Mary Clare Sczepaniak

James P. and Mary Clare Sczepaniak

James (Jim) P. Sczepaniak was a 1964 graduate from Northern Illinois University?s Department of History. After earning his degree, he served in the U.S. Army. He spent his 33-year career in education inspiring students as a social studies teacher at Lockport Township...

James P. Bates

James P. Bates

James P. (Jim) Bates (1944-1973) was a devoted and accomplished artist. Most of his art was in the acrylic medium. During the three years preceding his untimely death, he was quite prolific, producing 17 large paintings (roughly 3 feet by 4 feet) along with many...

James. S. Lamb, family and friends of Dolores (Lorry) Lamb

James. S. Lamb, family and friends of Dolores (Lorry) Lamb

This fund is a tribute to Dolores (Lorry) Lamb’s memory. She was the wife of James Lamb, a 1951 and 1953 graduate of NIU and a former member of the NIU Alumni Board of Directors. While Jim attended graduate school, Lorry worked at the university, became involved in...

Jan Bach

Jan Bach

Dr. Jan Bach, DMA, taught music theory and composition courses at Northern Illinois University from 1966 until his retirement in 2004. In 1982, he was awarded a Presidential Research Professorship grant. He was Northern Illinois University’s nominee for the National...

Jan Half

Jan Half

Jan received her Master’s in Career and Adult Education from Northern Illinois University (1980) after having received her Bachelor of Science in Education from Northwestern University (1975). Jan began her 40-year career as a middle school teacher with Leland...

Janis Priede

Janis Priede

Janis Pride died on January 12, 1987 while working as a research associate at NIU. He joined the university as a programmer in computing services. In 1977, he began working in the office of Institutional Research and was responsible for conducting research on many...

Jaymie and Harry Simmon

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...

Jeff A. Spencer

Jeff A. Spencer

Jeff A. Spencer, CPA, is an investment advisor representative, the managing member of Innsbruck Financial Consultants LLC, and president of The Spencer Group, Inc. (the parent company). Jeff, a Vietnam veteran, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accountancy from...

Jennifer Loukissas

Jennifer Loukissas

Sonya Brotman Conway was a 25 year veteran professor in NIU’s Department of Biological Sciences. She was well known for her passion for teaching and students.Sonya earned her Ph.D. in physiology and anatomy from the University of California at Berkeley in 1977. As a...

Jere Tulk

Jere Tulk

Jere Tulk was a formidable force in the world of dance. Her career spanned more than 50 years as a performer, choreographer, and dance educator. She was a ballerina, a renowned modern dancer, and even performed with the Ringling Brothers circus riding elephants and...

Jerrold H. Zar

Jerrold H. Zar

Jerrold H. Zar received a B.S. degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry, from Northern Illinois University and completed the secondary-school teacher certification program there. He then attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he received...

Jerrold H. Zar, to honor Max Zar

Jerrold H. Zar, to honor Max Zar

Jerrold H. Zar established this scholarship to honor his father, Max Zar, who was a civil engineer from 1942 to 1979 with Sargent & Lundy, a Chicago-based firm specializing in electric power-plant engineering. By the time of his retirement, Mr. Zar was a partner in...

Jim and Kathy Hendricks

Jim and Kathy Hendricks

Jim Hendricks earned his undergraduate degree in accountancy from NIU, an MBA from Indiana University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. He received teaching awards at all academic levels during his 32-year teaching tenure at NIU as well as several...