Graduation Year(s): 1970
Major(s)/Degree(s): BS in Education
Email: richperkins66@gmail.com
Phone Number: 847-894-3425
Social Media Usernames: Richard Perkins

This is my 59th year of teaching mathematics.

I began teaching at the high school level in the fall of 1967 at Elk Grove High School. In the fall of 1971, I began teaching mathematics at Rolling Meadows High School. I retired from teaching in fall of 2000. However, after retiring, I started AP Calculus program at Vernon Hills High School and continued teaching at Vernon Hills High School and Libertyville High School on a part-time basis through 2006.

At all 3 schools, namely Elk Grove, Rolling Meadows and Vernon Hills High Schools, I started a swimming program and was the first Varsity Swimming Coach. I also was responsible for swimming being recognized as a conference sport in the Mid Suburban League and hosted the first Mid Suburban League Conference Meet at Elk Grove High School during the 1970-71 school year.

I was nominated for the Golden Apple Award and was invited to attend a conference at Illinois Institute of Technology entitled Conversations with Distinguished Educators. I was instrumental in developing the 2 year algebra sequence at the high school level. In fact that was the subject of my master's thesis.

However, my 4 best contributions to education are considered to be my 4 children. They are each teachers in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. There is one biology teacher, one special education teacher, and 2 mathematics teachers.

My wife of 53 years has supported me throughout my education and has served as a secretary at high school in the northwest suburbs of Chicago for over 25 years.

I have continued to teach as an adjunct faculty member to the present time at both Harper Community College and Elgin Community College.

Graduation Year: 1974, B.A.
Major: Speech Communication-Radio & TV, Journalism-News Broadcasting
Residence Hall: Stevenson South, Apartment on Kimberly on Greek Row
Email: Steve@SteveAKlein.com

My Journey Since NIU:
Moved from Chicago to Hastings NE, south central Nebraska (population 20,000 - a culture shock), then to the middle of Kansas, Salina on the Dallas TX. Been here for46 years.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Meeting Elton John & George Carlin backstage

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
All of the students from Steven South 8th floor -

New business or property changes come first to the commission for review/approval

Graduation Year: 1973
Major: Journalism
Residence Hall: Stevenson South Tower; Phi Kappa Sigma; College Square apartments
Email: teledavid@aol.com

My Journey Since NIU:
Retired in 2025 and a Golden Huskie, I credit the instructors and friends in my circle at NIU as the two best outside reasons I enjoyed a five decade career in public relations and digital marketing. My added role as professional advisor and guest speaker within the journalism/communications departments of the CLAS reinforced that belief.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
I had great satisfaction witnessing how the student body came together peacefully following the Kent State tragedy and the spring 1970 anti-war demonstrations on campus.

Who was your most memorable contact at NIU?:
The late Dr. Albert Walker was a teacher, close contact, and my inspirational go-to mentor who helped steer my entry into the field of public relations. My career spanned 52 years.

Graduation Year: 1973
Email: Ghollist1@gmail.com

My Journey Since NIU:
After graduating went to work as an Assistant Product Manager at a privately held company in Sycamore, IDEAL INDUSTRIES INC. Retired after 41 years with the company in 2015. Held various, Marleting, Sales, Management and General Management positions. Travelled the world for business. As I typically had an NIU hat or shirt on during my off days when traveling, I met so many people who called out "Go Huskies!". Made me proud to be a Huskie! My wife got her Masters in Speech Pathology from NIU, and we have two grown sons, one of whom got his undergraduate degree along with his wife from NIU.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Hope to reconnect with some fellow golfers

Graduation Year: 1974, B.S.Ed.
Major: Industrial Education
Residence Hall: Commuted from Aurora, my home town, first 2 years, rented a house in Sycamore the last year.
Email: tl-erekson@wiu.edu

My Journey Since NIU:
Earned my grad degrees at the U of Illnois, started my 45 year career in higher ed at NIU in 1977. I left NIU in 1984 to pursue administrative positions, eventlually serving as a dept chair for 12 years and a college dean for 22 years.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Homecoming floats sponsored by the Industry & Technology Dept always took 1st place honors.

Graduation Year: 1974
Major: Art Education
Residence Hall: A house on John Street.
Email: susanzanis@yahoo.com

My Journey Since NIU:
I am very grateful for my experience and wonderful education I received at NIU. I was blessed in using my art education degree right after school. I taught for 5 years, then took a break to have a family of five children who my husband and I decided to homeschool. Of course art was an important subject. Four of our five children attended collage, two graduated with honors and one of those earned her Doctorate in Social work and has has her own business. At present I am a substitute teacher and this is my 16th year. I have two grandchildren who love school as well as excel at it. I hole to spend more time with them and travel hopefully to Hawaii. I have enjoyed several long term art positions at middle and elementary level. I love helping students love learning.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
The art building, weaving and jewelry class.

Graduation Year(s):1966
Major(s)/Degree(s): BS - Business
Residence Hall: West Neptune, Lincoln Hall, off campus
Email: choochoo2020@aol.com
Phone Number: 7089874083

My Journey Since NIU: Worked, got married and had a family, now have 8 grandchildren and 1 great-grandson, Have been retired for 20 years; now living in Florida

My Favorite NIU Memory: Adapting to a totally new experience

Most memorable contact at NIU: Phyllis, Karen, Kathy

Graduation Year: 1975, B.S.Ed., 1982, M.S.Ed.

Major: Special Education Blind and Visually Impaired, Educational Administration

Residence Hall: Douglas Hall

My Journey Since NIU: 36 years teaching children with visual impairments and Deafblind in Wisconsin and Illinois.

My Favorite NIU Memory: Being in the second Little Sister class of Alpha Phi Omega service organization

Graduation Year: 1974, B.S.
Major: Journalism
Residence Hall: Neptune Hall

My Journey Since NIU:
My degree did prepare me for my career, most of which was spent in advertising. We have two sons and three grandsons. Sorry I didn't take up kayaking sooner.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Being blown across campus with my art portfolio on the way to class. Also, any time at the pond/lagoon. Also, getting a chance to peek through the telescope and astronomy class.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Can't make the reunion, sorry!

I'm 90-years old and I still write a monthly newsletter for banks and credit unions. My novel, The Shakespeare Conspiracy" has been made into a play that's had Off-Broadway and multi-major-city productions.

Formerly executive assistant Secretary of State (Illinois) and vice-president of the United Bank chain.

Graduation Year: 1972; B.S.
Major: Journalism; Speech Minor - TV Production
Residence Hall: Freshman/Sophomore Yr. - Grant South / Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity House (230 Augusta) / Cardinelli Apartments.
Email: robertped@hotmail.com

My Journey Since NIU:
After Graduation I worked for WBBM-TV as a writer/producer, then worked at AT&T's management training center writing and producing audio visual training materials. That's was my Journalism career. I had various career changes after that, including working for an outplacement firm and establishing my own consulting firm.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Shooting photographs of students for University Relations that were then sent to the students home town. Interviewing President Rhoten Smith for a TV Production Speech Class.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Would love to see former room-mate Richard Vyborny / 1973 Alumni

William F. Tate IV took office as the 22nd president of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, on July 1, 2025. Prior to joining Rutgers, he served as president of Louisiana State University (LSU) and held faculty and senior leadership roles at the University of South Carolina, Washington University in St. Louis, Texas Christian University, and the University of Wisconsin?Madison.

As chief executive officer of the LSU system and its flagship campus, Dr. Tate oversaw a major public research university serving more than 60,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students and 3,000 full-time faculty, with an estimated economic impact exceeding $6 billion. In recognition of his record-setting tenure, he received a U.S. Congressional Commendation and formal resolutions from the Louisiana Senate and House of Representatives. He also held faculty appointments in sociology, psychiatry and behavioral medicine, epidemiology, and public health.

Previously, Dr. Tate served as executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of South Carolina and as a department chair, dean of the graduate school, and vice provost for graduate education at Washington University in St. Louis. He also held distinguished professorships at both institutions. Earlier in his career, he held the William L. and Betty F. Adams Chair at Texas Christian University and served as a tenured faculty member at the University of Wisconsin?Madison.

Dr. Tate is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the National Academy of Education. He is also a fellow of the American Educational Research Association and the recipient of numerous scholarly honors recognizing his contributions to social policy and mathematics education.
He completed postdoctoral training in social policy at the University of Wisconsin?Madison as an Anna Julia Cooper Postdoctoral Fellow and later at the Washington University School of Medicine, where he earned a master?s degree in psychiatric epidemiology.

Dr. Tate earned a Ph.D. in mathematics education with a cognate in human development from the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was a Patricia Roberts Harris Fellow. He also holds a master?s degree in mathematical sciences education from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor?s degree in economics with a minor in mathematical sciences from Northern Illinois University.

Graduation Year(s): 1974, 1976
Major(s)/Degree(s): BA Psychology, BA Business Administration
Residence Hall: Stevenson North, PSE house, Suburban Estates
Email: jcm0805@gmail.com
Phone Number: 9492872311

My Journey Since NIU:
Retired, living in Newport Beach Ca

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Fraternity parties that I can remember. Summer of 1976.

Who was your most memorable contact at NIU?
My friends I made while living in the PSE frat house

Graduation Year: 1974
Major: Speech Communications: Radio-TV-Film
Residence Hall: My dorm days were in Grant North, from where I moved to Suburban Estates and later to James Court.
Email: jscottalan@comcast.net

My Journey Since NIU:
After graduation, I anchored and reported for affiliates of ABC, NBC, CBS and PBS, covering historic events like the Butler-Robideau AIM Trial, to documenting the tragedy at Love Canal. Eventually, I left broadcasting and became a 24/7 single dad, somehow finding time to crank out a novel and pursue occasional voiceover work.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Key moments included a serious session with the college catalog at the end of sophomore year that spun me straight into the world of Radio-TV-Film. This led to auditioning for a TV-8 co-anchor gig and making the cut, another key moment. Great fun along the way.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
I?m looking forward to seeing anyone who makes it to the reunion. Unfortunately, I?ve fallen out of touch with most of my classmates except for a small handful who won?t be at the reunion.

Graduation Year: 1973
Major: Meteorology
Email: mbgarfield@aol.com

My Journey Since NIU:
Plans to be a TV weatherman ended when I lost a job to Tom Skilling. Found a great career in the EAP industry that shaped my family and lifepath.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Cheerleading trip to Madison Square Garden for basketball game.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
I would like to see Dave Dion. I am very close with Lou Schoenburg.

My current mission is to help eliminate the alarming number of medical errors due to the unavailability of the patient's historical health records to their doctors at the time of diagnosis and treatment resulting in the following:
- ~371,000+ /yr1 Unnecessary Deaths
- ~424,000+ /yr1 Unnecessary Permanent Disabilities
- ~$600B+ /yr Unnecessary Insurance Claims

Bart Carlson is the Founder/CEO of Azuba Corporation (formerly Napersoft), a company providing a Communications Platform for health insurance companies to create, distribute and archive 100s of millions of EOBs, statements, letters and other health related documents distributed to approximately 260,000,000 Patients, Providers and more. The Communications Platform communicates in 86 different languages to help bridge the language communications divide in the USA where 26.2% of our population do not speak, read, or write in English as their primary language.

In 2011, Bart was asked to serve on the HHS Blue Button Committee where he led the effort to initially get the national "Rule" changed in the Office of Civil Rights to empower patients with access to their digital health records. In addition, he worked on getting the Cures Act passed in 1986 that secured the right for patients to access their digital health records going forward.

Since then, Bart and his team have been developing and testing a national cloud-based secure Health Platform that enables patients with "One Click" per Year" to automatically:

- Retrieve their health records from all their health providers;
- Store and maintain all their updated health records in a centralized longitudinal lifetime health record;
- Keep all their health providers systems automatically up to date; and
- Enable patients and their family members/caregivers with secure real-time access to all their health records via any approved 3rd party mobile health app.

Experience:

- Chairman of NewsWire One, a news distribution company;
- Co-Founder/VP of Group 1 Software, a public zip/carrier route code software company;
- Founder/CEO of National Systems Laboratories, a consumer database marketing software company; and
- Various management/technology positions at Deloitte, College of DuPage, Waubonsee College, Northern Illinois Corporation, Sundstrand; Burroughs, Xerox and IBM.

Software Industry Service:

- ITAA: Chairman of Bod with 25,000+ member companies; and
- ITA: Co-Founder and Member of Executive Committee.

Healthcare Industry Service:

- HHS: Member of the Blue Button Committee;
- HIMSS: Member of Interoperability & HIE Committee and previously served on the Health Story Project, Standards Advisory & Technical Guidance for Interoperability Work Groups;
- Carequality: Member of Implementers, Connected Agreement, Implementation Guide, Implementers, Push Notifications Policy, and Push Notifications Technical Work Groups;
- DirectTrust: Member of both Patients and Payers Work Groups; and
- HL7: Member of Da Vinci Work Groups including Clinical Data Exchange, Data Exchange for Quality Measures, Document Templates and Payer Rules, Payer Data Exchange and Prior Authorization Support WGs.

Bart earned a BS Business Administration from Northern Illinois University where he also serves on the College of Business Advisory Board.

Graduation Year: 1974
Major: Journalism
Email: shelleyrepstein@yahoo.com

My Journey Since NIU:
After graduating in 1974 I went to work for the Peoria Journal Star. During a 33 year career I covered government and politics, interviewing mayors, governors and presidents to be. After retiring I worked as a VP/Communications at Bradley University until retiring in 2013.

My Favorite Memory at NIU:
Days and nights at the Star. Learning a profession and making lifelong friends.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Rick Rock 74. Scott Stevens 75 and 77. Gary Benson 73. Bob McLeese 73.

Graduation Year(s): 1973, 1976
Major(s)/Degree(s): Physical Education. BSEd, MSEd
Residence Hall: Stevenson South and Grant South as Advisor
Email: michael_baar@hotmail.com
Phone Number: 815/440-4048

My Journey Since NIU:
Worked for Housing Department, met my wife and had 3 sons. Worked in sales and as Special Education Teacher

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Hall of Fame with the 1972 Baseball Team

Graduation Year: 1972
Major: Philosophy
Residence Hall: Grant South

My Journey Since NIU:
I have had quite the journey through life. Since Philosophy wasn't practical I became a Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist. This enabled me to move to San Diego. CA and become an Administrator, Clinical Systems Engineer and a Project Manager.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Seeing Elton John in concert at the Field House with my younger brother.

Who I?d Like to See at the Reunion:
Greg Zachwieja. I have not stayed in touch with any classmates.

My career started after I obtained my master's at NIU in 1977, specializing in community college education and teaching psychology. My first teaching job was at Northeastern Illiinois University in 1979, got my first teaching/research job in 1982 at a private research foundation in Durham, NC, gained candidacy in history of science at Duke in 1990, a PhD in psychology at University of Edinburgh in Scotland in 2006, spent 10 years at the University of Edinburgh, and 10 years doing research at survey and history of psychology at University of Virginia, ran a small online graduate school (Atlantic University in Virginia Beach) for nearly 3 years. And NIU kicked off this life that I'm still living.

Graduation year: 1973
Major: Marketing
Residence Hall: Douglas
Email: m.sawicki.ga@gmail.com

My journey since NIU: N/A
My favorite NIU memory: N/A
Who I would like to see at the reunion: N/A

Graduation Year(s):1971
Major(s)/Degree(s): Management/BS
Residence Hall: I lived for three years in Stevenson South and one year in Suburban Estates.
Email: mmenefee49@msn.com
Phone Number: 765-418-7577

My Journey Since NIU:
I am a Christian, have been married since 1973, have four children and six grandchildren, and have an MS and PhD from Purdue University. I am currently retired as an emeritus professor from Purdue University and the University of North Carolina.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
I was one of the first residents of Stevenson South dorm. I was floor president for two years, got the dorm scholarship three times, was selected for three national honor societies, and graduated with honors. I gave my senior presentation in 1971, came back for day on campus giving three invited lectures, and did a virtual lecture to the Belief Ethics program in 2021.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
I stay in touch with my two roommates from Suburban Estates. The two Steves both still live in northern Illinois.

Graduation Year: 1975, B.S.
Major: Biological Sciences
Residence Hall: Farewell Hall, Douglas Hall

My Journey Since NIU: I got a degree and a wife in grad school, then embarked on a fun-filled adventure in pharmaceutical research. I helped to develop/design 2 FDA approved drugs.

Who was your most memorable contact at NIU?: Dr. John L.A. Mitchell, my undergrad research advisor who helped me go on to grad school and get my Ph.D.

Graduation Year: 1974, B.S.
Major: Journalism-Broadcast Sequence
Email: Kathconver1@att.net

My Journey Since NIU:
I retired from Bradley University as the Senior Director of Public Relations. I currently serve as the President of the Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation.

Graduation Year: 1973
Major: Journalism/Speech Communications
Residence Hall: Grant North, University Heights, College Square
Email: marklamb@ameritech.net

My Journey Since NIU:
I married by girlfriend from Senior Year. We're coming up on 50 years of wedded bliss. Our two kids are doing well. We have 3 grandchildren who reside in Austin, Texas. I'm still working and plan to never retire.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Concerts, riots, protests, working my NIU media jobs.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Would love to see old Norther and TV-8 News vets. And old Grant North dorm mates.

Graduation Year(s): 1972
Major(s)/Degree(s): Production Management
Residence Hall: Grant North
Email: tdruf@yahoo.com

My Favorite NIU Memory: Campus Activity and Intramural Sports

Graduation Year: 1974, B.S. in Education
Email: superjecki@aol.com

My Journey Since NIU:
Most of my career ended up being at a hospital in Cardiac Rehabilitation. I used my teaching degree to educate patients about diet, exercise and risk factors for heart disease.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
During my junior block for education our professor encouraged us to think outside the box when planning field trips. We went to the South Water Market in Chicago and Starved Rock in January. Both were great experiences.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
I have stayed in contact with sorority sisters since graduation. It will be nice to spend the Homecoming weekend with them.

Graduation year: 1970, B.S.
Major: Economics
Residence Hall: Grant North
Email: mikef87@aol.com

My Journey Since NIU:
I worked in insurance, then got a CPA. Ended my career at Walgreens.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
I met my wife.

Why was your most memorable contact at NIU?:
Coach Novak. Inspirational, kind, and a good friend.

Graduation Year: 1970, B.S.
Major: Journalism
Residence Hall: Gilbert (1966-67) and Lincoln (1967-70) halls
Email: mkorcek@niu.edu

My Journey Since NIU:
Coming to NIU was one of the best decisions of my life.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Working in Intercollegiate Athletics with great student-athletes, coaches, and administrators.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Student-athletes, fellow journalism majors or Northern Star types.

Graduation Year: 1974, B.S.
Major: Accountancy
Residence Hall: Lincoln, Alpha Omicron Pi House
Email: ndlaures@yahoo.com

Graduation Year: 1974, BSN Education General Science
Residence Hall: Gilbert Hall
Email: d23shearer@aol.com

My Journey Since NIU:
I taught two years of high school chemistry and physics after earning my degree in education, but was not prepared for the interference of parents and administration. So I left to purchase and operate a hardware store.

My Favorite NIU Memory:
Learning glass blowing and shooting rockets out of my dorm window.

Who I Would Like to See at the Reunion:
Clyde Leigh.