Featured Volunteers

Deborah Lewis Norton ’70 shows her support for Northwestern as an active member of the University’s international community. She and her husband, Jim Norton ’70, serve on the International Campaign Committee (ICC), working to increase awareness of the global impact of We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern.

Candy Deemer ’76, ’77 MS has been a Northwestern University volunteer for over a decade, holding leadership positions in the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) and the Council of One Hundred (C100). She gives back to the University because of the inspiration and passion she finds in the Northwestern community.

Northwestern University Trustee Dan Jones ’61 and Susan Stoner Jones ’63 (’91 P) have volunteered their time for Northwestern for more than 20 years. Dan, former president of the Northwestern Alumni Association, and Susan, co-chair of her 55th Reunion this year, have always been passionate about engaging alumni across the globe.

Volunteer John Saaty ’90 enjoys engaging with alumni on behalf of his alma mater as co-chair of the Northwestern University Leadership Circle (NULC) Washington, DC, Regional Board and a member of the Washington, DC, Regional Campaign Committee (RCC). From his outreach efforts to showing his Purple Pride in our nation’s capital, he is committed to We Will. The Campaign for Northwestern and does his part to represent and support the University.

Northwestern University Trustee Ben Slivka ’82, ’85 MS, ’12 P shows his loyalty to Northwestern in many ways, from co-chairing his class reunions to helping shape the student experience as a member of the Student Affairs Campaign Committee.

Richard Turner ’62 beams with purple pride when passersby shout “Go Cats!” upon seeing him in his Northwestern baseball cap, whether in Chicago, Arizona, New York, Florida, or anywhere else he travels.

Peter Grossman ’84—who graduated from the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences with a degree in history—likes to show his support for Northwestern in diverse and meaningful ways, from serving on the Class of 1984’s 25th Reunion committee to hosting a student as part of Northwestern’s NEXT Externship Program.

Steve McKee ’03 has served on two NULC boards, which gives him a broad perspective on the importance of leadership giving and the role of alumni volunteers. “Northwestern has a great need for alumni to step up and convey to our friends and colleagues how much the University benefits from our continued support,” McKee says.

Lawrence “Larry” Michel ’84, ’88 MBA is more than a participation volunteer—he’s a “participation champion” whose job it is to lead the efforts of his regional participation committee in Boston to increase the number of Northwestern University supporters and NU Loyal members.

Jane ’84 MBA and Esko Korhonen ’83 MBA met while students at the Kellogg School of Management. Jane, a partner at Brown Advisory, and Esko, a founder and managing partner of Federal Capital Partners, are both involved with the Northwestern University Leadership Circle Washington, DC Regional Board.

Jody Goldstein ’88 is a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications.

The first time Jennifer Cain ’05 visited Northwestern was when her sister, Brijetta Hall Waller ’94, graduated from the School of Communication. Jennifer encountered a warm and welcoming spirit from everybody she met on campus, which eventually led her to take a Northwestern direction of her own.

An active member of the Northwestern community of Los Angeles, Tom Webster has served in many volunteer roles to support the University and We Will.

A proud Northwestern alumnus, Josh Wasserman ’11 bleeds purple. After earning a computer engineering degree from the McCormick School of Engineering, Josh went to work for Goldman Sachs & Company where he is currently a vice president.

Carrie Byrns Vill ’78 is an alumna of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

Active Northwestern volunteer Eric Lev ’98 is a graduate of the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics.

Philip Lane earned a bachelor’s in economics and master’s degree in management from Northwestern University. An independent investment manager at Culebra Properties LLC, he plays an active role in a number of organizations in addition to Northwestern, serving on the boards of The Nature Conservancy, the Colorado Golf Association, and the United States Olympics Museum.

“We Will” is a commitment to the future of the University. I feel very strongly that Northwestern is a top-tier institution. 

The “We Will” Campaign, to me, is our chance to help ensure that the University continues to build on its many strengths, including many areas I am personally passionate about: scholarship, research, and undergraduate education.

Alan Abrahamson is an award-winning sportswriter, best-selling author, and in-demand television analyst. An alumnus of the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, Alan volunteers his time as a member of the Northwestern University Leadership Circle’s Los Angeles Regional Board, Los Angeles Regional Campaign Committee, and Parents’ Fund Committee. He is also co-chair of his class’s 35th reunion and previously served as president of the Northwestern Alumni Association’s NU Club of Los Angeles.

I volunteer because I find the other volunteers to be such interesting people. It is an honor and pleasure to serve alongside some of the best and brightest minds in Northern California!

The “We Will” Campaign kicks off an exciting new phase for Northwestern, and President Schapiro’s enthusiasm is infectious. In an increasingly partisan, fragmented, and unstable world, Northwestern is uniquely positioned to lead by developing solutions to critical problems, conducting research to underpin national and international policies, and educating and empowering tomorrow's leaders. That to me is what “We Will” is all about.

I think “We Will” means we’re committed to achieving our goals to maintain and improve our position as a preeminent university in the United States and internationally. It means we will continue to fund undergraduate research, invest in new departments, and provide fellowships and scholarships so we can attract the brightest students to Northwestern. And it means we will create more ways to connect with alumni and to keep them engaged with life on campus.