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We established the Graham Circle as a meaningful way to recognize our most inspired and committed donors, a group that has grown to more than 190 households.

These individuals and families step forward to show how deeply they care about the future of the liberal arts, participating in a culture of philanthropy that deepens the bonds between students, instructors, staff, and alumni. 

When you join the Graham Circle, you make a real impact by extending rigorous and rewarding liberal education to learners who otherwise would not have access. You send a signal to the world that skills in areas like critical thinking, research, and communication truly matter. Finally, you become part of a community with meaningful connections, gaining opportunities to attend exclusive events and participate actively in the intellectual life of the school.

Join the Graham Circle

Graham Circle Membership Levels

Member ($1,000)

By becoming a member of the Graham Circle, you can uplift the lives of learners, inspire others to give generously, and enjoy the following benefits:

  • An invitation to an annual gathering to celebrate Graham’s mission
  • Invitations to other select Graham programs and events
  • Ongoing opportunities to engage with the Graham dean, faculty, instructors, and staff
  • Recognition in the Graham Circle honor rolls and an opportunity to share your personal experience to inspire others

Patron ($2,500)

Graham Circle Patrons enjoy all Member-level benefits plus:

  • Membership in the Chicago Society, including recognition in the University honor roll, complimentary admissions to Harper Lectures, exclusive invitations to University-wide events, and special access to University programs and publications
  • An invitation to a special annual gathering to acknowledge, celebrate, and connect the Graham School’s vital supporters

Sustainer ($5,000)

Graham Circle Sustainers enjoy all the benefits of Patrons plus: 

  • Exclusive opportunities for engagement with special academic programming, faculty, instructors, and the dean. 

Benefactor ($10,000+)

Graham Circle Benefactors enjoy all the benefits of Sustainers plus: 

  • Personalized updates on how your philanthropy is advancing our mission.
Kevin Russell

Over time I have come to appreciate how fortunate I am to have ready access to the highest-quality liberal arts courses under the leadership of the Graham School at the University of Chicago. I happily invest in the Graham School with the expectation that it will grow and prosper for the benefit of other interested lifelong students.

Kevin Russell CER’16 (Basic Program)

Support to Graham as part of the circle is important because what Graham is bringing to the city and the nation is so important. As a new member of the Graham Circle, I very much look forward to being in a community of lifelong learners, having the opportunity to meet and converse with professors. I love the programs that have been offered.

Dia Weil MLA’24

Jennifer Lind

By joining the circle, we take this diverse group of learners that are now throughout the world, and we make it into a smaller group of, frankly, friends where we learn from each other, where we challenge each other, where we debate these big issues with each other. And we learn from that. We take away in our personal and professional lives. We essentially grow together.

Jennifer Lind MLA’22 – Graham School instructor

Honor Roll

The Graham School is honored to recognize the members of the Graham Circle.

These members strengthen Graham’s offerings and open our doors to a broader community through their generosity and support. (Note: Select Circle members have asked to remain anonymous and are therefore not listed below.)

* Notates Circle Charter Member, individuals who gave during the formation of the Circle.

Impact Report

View the Graham School Impact Report for a listing of Graham Circle contributors from the past year and to learn more about the powerful role of philanthropy in expanding access, supporting instructors, and strengthening programs.

View the report >

Circle Member $1,000

  • Susan Aaron and Lawrence B. Aaron, HD’57, EX’60 
  • Katherine Abbott, MBA’77, CER’22 (Basic Program) and Jerry Szatan, MBA’84* 
  • Beverlee Anderson, CER’23 (Basic Program)*
  • David Bates 
  • Kathleen Beavis and Bruce Beavis 
  • Kathy Berger and Louis Schorsch, CER’21 (Basic Program) 
  • Beth Anne Bockes, MLA’24 
  • Mary Jo Boldingh, CER’22 (Basic Program) and Edwin Boldingh*
  • Bonnie Blevins, CER’23 (Basic Program)*
  • Frank and Kate Brodlo 
  • James Broenen, MBA’99 
  • Elaine Bucklo, CER’24 (Basic Program) 
  • John Callahan, MLA’02* 
  • Gay-Young Cho, AM’87 and Christopher Chiu 
  • Derek Cottier, CER’21 (Basic Program) 
  • Kathleen Cox, JD’79, LSI’24 
  • Mary Coyne, MPP’87, JD’91, CER’22 (Basic Program) and Bill Kolasky* 
  • Michael Cusick, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • Joan Dutton, AB’66 and William Dutton 
  • Kenneth East, AM’70, PhD’91 and Timothy Thurlow, AM’77, PhD’84, JD’86, CER’22 (Basic Program) 
  • Jeanne Ettelson, JD’83 
  • Elizabeth Ann Evans 
  • Julie Fisher, in memory of Lilla Lissimore Wheeler 
  • Karen Frank and James S. Frank 
  • Elizabeth Frumkin, AM’92, JD’95, CER’24 (Basic Program) and Peter J. Frumkin, PhD’97 
  • Patricia Larkin Gerber, CER’12 (Basic Program) and Gregory Gerber 
  • Steven Gevinson, AM’75, MAT’78, PhD’90, CER’11 (Basic Program) 
  • Motoko Goto, CER’97 (Basic Program) 
  • Berta Graciano 
  • Edward Gramling, CER’25 (Basic Program)  
  • Thomas Haslett, CER’14 (Basic Program) and Louise Haslett 
  • Claire Heideman 
  • Bill Higgins, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • Patty Hulseman-Abrams 
  • Daniel Hutter, CER’24 (Basic Program) 
  • Alexandra Inzer, CER’22 (Basic Program)* 
  • Jeff and Marian Jacobson 
  • Kathryn Gibbons Johnson, CER’19 (Basic Program) and Bruce Johnson* 
  • Frederick Jolly, MLA’11 
  • Walter Kurczewski, CER’10 (Basic Program) 
  • Scott and Tyana Kurtz 
  • Mary Lou Lager, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • Ka Yee C. Lee and Thuong G. van Ha 
  • Averill Leviton 
  • Donald A. Lindstrom, CER’12 (Basic Program) 
  • April Allen Ljung, CER’23 (Basic Program) and Michael Ljung 
  • Karen Loseff Lothan, CER’23 (Basic Program) and Avram Lothan 
  • Susan O’Brien Lyons, MLA’14, AM’21, CER’08, CER’10 and Douglas Lyons 
  • George Mann, CER’17 (Basic Program) and Roberta Mann* 
  • Sarah Marino 
  • Kathleen McCreary, CER’20 (Basic Program)* 
  • Josephine McEntee, CER’24 (Basic Program)  
  • Laura and Robert McGonigle
  • Julie Ryan McGue 
  • William J. McNally, CER’04 (Basic Program)*
  • John McWatters, MLA’22, LSI’24  
  • Ernst D. Melchior, CER’97 (Basic Program), MLA’09 
  • Marla Mendelson, MD and Stephen Wolff, MBA’86 
  • Harvey R. Mitchell III, SB’83 
  • Lori Mitchell, CER’97 (Basic Program)* 
  • Tom Norton, CER’19 (Basic Program) 
  • Theodore Olson
  • Joanne Oyer, CER’18 (Editing) 
  • Thomas Pawlik and Ava Cohn
  • Lawrence Pelka, CER’21 (Basic Program)* 
  • George W. Perez, CER’24 (Basic Program
  • Janice Ann Perrino, MLA’16*  
  • Ernest Pitt, MLA’25 and Patricia Pitt* 
  • Elizabeth Plotnick, CER’91 (Basic Program) and Harvey Plotnick, AB’63 
  • John W. Prange, MBA’81 and Sue L. Prange* 
  • Barbara Quilty, MBA’77, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • John W. Read, MLA’22 
  • Herman Thomas Reepmeyer, AM’77, MBA’78 and Karen Reepmeyer 
  • Larry Rodgers, LSI’25 
  • John Paul Rollert, AM’09, PhD’17
  • William Roth, MLA’23 
  • Alyssa Roulo, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • James Runnion, CER’21 (Basic Program) 
  • Catherine Sanders, CER’25 (Basic Program) 
  • John Schaal, CER’10 (Basic Program) 
  • Carole Schecter, CER’18 (Basic Program) 
  • David M. Schiffman and Judith Feigon Schiffman 
  • Sheri Schneider and Reinhard Schneider, CER’17 (Basic Program)* 
  • Casie Schuller   
  • Laurence Shiff, CER’02 (Basic Program), CER’10 (Asian Classics) and Janet Shiff*
  • Audra Sjaardema 
  • Janet Carl Smith 
  • Thomas Smith, CER’19 (Basic Program) and Irene K. Smith 
  • Lisbeth Stiffel*
  • Gary Strange, CER’21 (Basic Program) 
  • David Straus, AB’65 and Sabrina Wolfe, AB’81, AM’84
  • Sarah Tellefson, CER’21 (Basic Program) 
  • Bill and Barbara Vernon 
  • Rick and Judy Wallace 
  • Deborah Watrach, CER’16 (Basic Program) 
  • Dia S. Weil, MLA’24 
  • Lyman Welch, CER’96 (Basic Program) 
  • Carrie Wenzel, CER’16 (Integrated Marketing) 
  • W. Matthew White 
  • Constance and Hugh Williams 
  • Linda Woloshin 
  • Chuck Zumbrun, CER’25 (Basic Program) 

Circle Patron $2,500

  • Barbara Ann Andrews, AM’98, CER’91 (Basic Program)* 
  • Sanford Baim 
  • Mary Jo Basler, CER’24 (Basic Program)*
  • Steve Benjamin, CER’22 (Basic Program) and Carin Gendell* 
  • Melanie Berg, AB’70 and Thomas Berg, AB’72* 
  • Darwin Broenen 
  • Charles Caldwell, CER’24 (Basic Program) 
  • Karen Case, MBA’86 and James Case
  • Timothy Chrapkiewicz, CER’16 (Basic Program) and Debra Chrapkiewicz 
  • Kelli Cohen 
  • David Collins 
  • Duane M. DesParte, LSI’25 and John C. Schneider, MBA’86 
  • Wendy DuBoe, LSI’24 and Leon Heller 
  • Philip Fowler, CER’18 (Basic Program) 
  • James Franczek, JD’71, LSI’25 and Deborah Franczek, JD’72, CER’85 (Basic Program) 
  • William Greenfield and Barbara R Greenfield, CER’10 (Basic Program) 
  • Thomas C. Heagy, AB’68, MBA’70, CER’11 (Basic Program) and Linda H. Heagy, MBA’86, CER’11 (Basic Program)* 
  • Louise Hillegass, AM’87, CER’10 
  • Craig Hunegs 
  • David Mark, MBA’90, MLA’25, and Carol Mark* 
  • Sheryl Markman, CER’14 and Michael Markman, CER’11
  • Christopher Noon, MBA’72, LSI’24 and Barbara Noon* 
  • Martin John Perry, MBA’79 and Barbara Williams 
  • Mary Russell 
  • Louise Smith, MLA’10 
  • Elizabeth Sonnenschein 
  • Denise Stewart and George Engeln 
  • Mark Stratman 
  • Nancy Van Grinsven, CER’10, CER’12 (Basic Program) 
  • James White, CER’04 (Basic Program) 

Circle Sustainer $5,000

  • Scott Anderson, CER’22 (Basic Program) and Laura Anderson, CER’22 (Basic Program)*
  • Deborah Bennett, LSI’25
  • Katharine L. Bensen, AB’80 and C. Richard Johnson, JD’65*
  • Gail Bumgarner, CER’23 (Basic Program)
  • Lutgart Calcote, CER’24 (Basic Program)
  • Rita Huang Carroll AB ’97, LSI ’25 and John C. Carroll AB ’96
  • Elizabeth Chandler, AM’72 and James Kenneth Chandler, AM’72, PhD’78
  • Julie Conway, CER’21 (Basic Program)*
  • Michelle Cooper and Edwin Riley Cooper, SM’97
  • Sylvia Fergus, CER’03 (Basic Program)
  • Constance Filling, AM’78, CER’25 (Basic Program) and Robert Donald Hevey Jr., MBA’78
  • Michelle Fowler, CER’22 (Basic Program)
  • Martin J. Friedman, CER’20 (Basic Program) and Peggy L. Casey-Friedman
  • John Gibbons and Susan Gibbons, CER’20 (Basic Program)
  • Sam Gordon and Patty Gerstenblith
  • Steven Handler, JD’71 and Janet Koran
  • George Hardin, CER’05 (Basic Program)*
  • Omer Imtiaz, MLA’19
  • Jeffrey Jaworski, CER’24 (Basic Program)
  • Kartik Jayaram, MBA’00, CER’09
  • Patricia D. Klowden, AB’67 and Michael L. Klowden, AB’67*
  • Linda Levin, MLA’12 and Robert Levin
  • John Massura
  • Erin Elizabeth McInerney, MBA’81*
  • Tom Mitchell, MLA’12 and Rosemarie Mitchell, MLA’12*
  • Elizabeth A. Raymond and Paul Hybel
  • Brian Renaud
  • Gerald Ritter, CER’91 (Basic Program), MLA’96
  • Catherine Rudolph, CER’01 (Basic Program), CER’10 (Asian Classics)
  • Robert Prado Scales, MLA’12, AM’18 and Mary Keefe, CER’23 (Basic Program)
  • Gary Shapiro, CER’19 (Basic Program) and Enid Shapiro*
  • Louanne Smolin, Ed.D., CER’24 (Basic Program)
  • Maureen Talbot, CER’22 (Basic Program)*
  • Charles Taylor, CER’22 (Basic Program)
  • Rishad Tobaccowala, MBA’82 and Rekha Tobaccowala
  • Betty Vandenbosch
  • Michael P. Walsh, LSI’25 and Elizabeth R. Foster, MBA’94
  • Alec Wang, CER’24 (Basic Program)
  • Barbara Weisenburger, CER’20 (Basic Program)*
  • Laura Werner and Michael Werner
  • Ronald Whiteford II, MLA’16*
  • Melisa Wilson
  • Evonne Yonover, MLA’16 and John YonoverGeri Yonover, AB’64 and Ronald Yonover

Circle Benefactor $10,000

  • Dianne Blanco, CER’22 (Basic Program)
  • Matthew Brooks, LSI’25 and Deborah Brooks
  • Brian Cameron, JD’91
  • David Conder, CER’12 (Basic Program)*
  • Alice Davison, LSI’25
  • Maria Diserio, AB’82 and Stephen Blewitt, AB’82, CER’24
  • Janet Foutty, LSI’25
  • Leon B. Greenfield, JD’89 and Mirian Nemetz
  • John Hass, LSI’24 and Mary Frances Budig
  • Brae Korin, AM’77, CER’21 (Basic Program) and Norman S. Ryan*
  • Susan Nedza Lastres, MLA’19 and Oswaldo Lastres*
  • Roberta Lee, CER’22 (Basic Program)*
  • Jennifer Lind, MLA’22 and Sean Ryan
  • Jessie MacDonald, CER’00 (Basic Program) and Douglas MacDonald
  • Susan Padula, CER’07 (Basic Program) and Richard Padula
  • Sheila Penrose, CER’10 (Asian Classics)
  • Terrence Ransford, LSI’25
  • Ellen Ryske, CER’07 (Basic Program), CER’11 (Asian Classics)*
  • James Sulzer, CER’09 (Basic Program)
  • Ross Sweeny, CER’83 (Basic Program)*
  • Mark Tresnowski, MLA’15 and Rita Tresnowski
  • David Yamada CER’24 (Basic Program), in memory of Jeffery Yamada

Circle Life Members

Lifetime Giving of $100K+ to Graham

  • Brian Burrows, CER’10 (Basic Program)
  • Debra Cantrell, CER’10 (Basic Program) and Keith Cantrell*
  • Geoffrey M. Curtis, LSI’24 and Emily E. Sammon
  • Patrick O’Meara
  • Don Phillips, AM’86, CER’17 (Basic Program) and Anne Phillips*
  • Kevin A. Russell, CER’16 (Basic Program)*
  • Hope R. Sheffield, CER’08 (Basic Program) and Jeffrey T. Sheffield, AB’76*
  • Barbara Stewart and Peter Bowe*
  • Virginia C. Tobiason, CER’02 (Basic Program)*
  • Gregory Wendt, AB’83 and Lisa Wendt

Giving Stories

Read More Stories
Katia Article Image
Articles

Katia Mitova’s Enduring Legacy in the Basic Program

Graham School students, led by Kevin Russell, recognize the extraordinary contributions of Basic Program instructor Katia Mitova by establishing an endowed instructorship in her honor.

Read Now

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If you have questions about giving or would like to learn more about the Circle, contact Advancement Team at givetograham@uchicago.edu.

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