The Via Sapientiae Award is the highest award that DePaul can bestow upon a member of the university community. It recognizes both faculty and staff members who have made distinctive and extraordinary contributions to the university throughout their professional lives. Recipients must have contributed a minimum of 10 years of service to the university. Nominations are made at the time of retirement, or posthumously.
This award is conferred at the annual Distinguished Service Awards (DSA) luncheon in May.
Deans and Vice Presidents may submit nominations for eligible faculty and staff from their units at any time during the academic year, but only after the retirement decision has been confirmed by Human Resources. The deadline for nominations is April 15. Nominations submitted after the deadline will be reviewed and, if approved, the award will be bestowed at the DSA luncheon the following year, unless special circumstances warrant a more immediate, ad-hoc presentation as requested by the respective Dean or Vice President.
Nomination letters should describe the “distinctive and extraordinary contributions” of the faculty or staff member.
Nomination letters are submitted to the Office of the President for consideration.
If approved, the honoree will be notified by the Office of the President. The nominator will also receive notice.
Deans and Vice Presidents can submit posthumous nominations upon the passing of an eligible employee. If approved by the president, University Marketing and Communication (UMC) will work with the nominator to provide a quick turnaround if the award is to be presented at an imminent wake, funeral or memorial service. If the family wishes, the award can be conferred at the next DSA luncheon.
Past Recipients
Larry Bennett |
Political Science |
Darsie Bowden |
Writing, Rhetoric & Discourse |
Judy Bundra |
School of Music |
Helmut Epp |
CDM |
Gwyn Friend |
Enrollment Management |
Nancy Hil |
College of Business |
Donna Max |
Office of the Provost |
Patricia Monaghan |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies (Posthumous) |
Brian Spittle |
Enrollment Management |
Nina Diamond |
Marketing (Academic) |
Animesh Ghoshal |
Economics |
Martin Kalin |
CDM |
James Masken |
Posthumous |
Robert O'Keefe |
Marketing (Academic) |
Margaret Oppenheimer |
Economics |
Thomas Paetsch |
Information Services |
Barbara Speicher |
Communication |
J. Marshall Ash |
Mathmatical Sciences |
David Barnum |
Political Science |
Miriam Ben-Yosef |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies |
Marion Blackmon |
LAS |
Judith Bramble |
Science and Health |
John Bridges |
Theatre School |
Karen Budd |
Psychology |
Grace Budrys |
Sociology |
Patrick Callahan |
Political Science |
William Calzaretta |
LAS |
Linda Camras |
Psychology |
Susanne Cannon |
Business |
Leonard Cavise |
Law |
Edwin Cohen |
Accounting |
Jonathan Cohen |
Mathmatical Sciences |
Sheldon Cotler |
Psychology |
Susanne Dumbleton |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies |
Katheryn Dutenhaver |
Law |
Susanna Epp |
Mathmatical Sciences |
Sue Epps |
Office of the Dean |
William Fahrenbach |
English |
Ali Fatemi |
Finance |
Anastasia Gonzalez |
Theatre School |
Mechthild Hart |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies |
Hugh Ingrasci |
English |
James Krokar |
History |
Joan Lakebrink |
Education |
Wayne Lewis |
Law |
Howard Lindsey |
LAS |
Margaret Mazik |
Advancement |
Michael Mezey |
Political Science |
Janet Messmer |
Theatre School |
Jeremy Mulderig |
English |
Rev. J. Patrick Murphy, C.M. |
Public Service |
Jill O’Brien |
Communication |
Mary Lou O’Brien |
Student Affiars |
David Pellauer |
Philosophy |
Richard Ryan |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies |
Deborah Schmidt-Rogers |
Residential Education |
Craig Sirles |
English |
Andrew Suozzo |
Modern Languages |
Donna Washington |
Human Resources |
Rafaela Weffer |
Academic Affiars |
Christine Werdrick |
School of Nursing |
Midge Wilson |
Women's and Gender Studies |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2012 are:
Helen Marlborough |
English |
John Roberts |
Law |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2011 are:
Linda Morrissett |
Library Services |
Michael Murray |
Law |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2010 are:
John Milton |
Physics Department |
Effat Moussa |
Mathematics Department |
Margaret Power |
University Library |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2009 are:
M. Cherif Bassiouni |
College of Law |
Kristine Garrigan |
English Department |
Peter Pereira |
School of Education |
Carol Wren |
School of Education |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2008 are:
Bob Acker |
University Library |
Rosemary Bannan |
Sociology Department |
Donald DeRoche |
School of Music |
Betsy Hamilton |
Theatre School |
Sr. Frances Ryan, D.C. |
School of Education |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2007 are:
Anthony Behof |
Physics Department |
David Justice |
Lifelong Learning and Suburban Campuses |
Philip Kemp |
Marketing Department |
Marilyn Woitel |
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2006 are:
Fred Arditti |
College of Commerce |
Ashok Batavia |
College of Commerce |
Doris Brown |
Teaching & Learning Resources |
Thomas Gunty |
College of Commerce |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2005 are:
Enrique Arias |
School of Continuing and Professional Studies |
Paul Camenisch |
Religious Studies Department |
Jerry Goldman |
Mathematics Department |
John Kordek |
Associate Vice President for External Relations |
John Leahy |
Religious Studies Department |
Sara Melford |
Chemistry Department |
Gerald Paetsch |
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences |
Gemma Welsch |
College of Commerce |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2004 are:
Tom Murphy |
Environmental Science Department |
Roger Jones |
Mathematics Department |
Mark Zinger |
School of Music |
The recipients of the Via Sapientiae Award for 2003 are:
George Flynn |
School of Music |
Jeanne LaDuke |
Mathematics Department |
Nancy Rospenda |
Psychology Department |
John Schoulz |
Director of Financial Aid |