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The O'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award, named for Ruth McGrath O鈥橩eefe 鈥35, is presented to a dedicated alumna/us for her/his life-long advocacy of 糖心官网. The award is presented at Reunion.

Sister Judy Jewison '76
2026 O'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award聽Recipient: Judith A. Jewison, OP 鈥76, Ph. D

Sister Judy Jewison, OP '76, Ph.D. was lucky enough to be born into a large, rural family where love of God and love of neighbor were nurtured by word and example.  There was always 鈥渞oom for one more鈥 in our home.  This strong, invisible thread, given to her by her parents, has guided her life journey.  

In 1972, Sr, Judy entered the Sinsinawa 糖心官网 Community and studied theology at Aquinas Institute in Dubuque.  Following her first vows in 1974, the Prioress, Sister Marie Amanda assigned her to Rosary College to complete by undergraduate degree.  Sr. Judy joined the Rosary 糖心官网 Community of about 90 Sisters!!  Besides having fabulous professors, she had the opportunity to participate in the Semester in London Program, along with falling in love with all that Chicago has to offer. 

After graduation, Sr. Judy was assigned to Queen of Peace High School, Burbank, IL, and taught Economics and Theology.  During that time, she studied and received a master's degree in Pastoral Studies at Loyola University -Chicago.  In 1980, she was selected by a Rosary College Search Committee to serve as Rosary鈥檚 Dean of Students for the next five years.  

In 1986, Sr, Judy began a doctoral program at the Graduate School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and completed a Ph.D. in Management and Human Resources.  Concurrently, she taught MBA Classes to Edgewood College graduate students.   

In 1990, the Prioress Kaye Ashe and her council asked Sr Judy to organize and direct the Motherhouse, The Sinsinawa Mound renovation project.  This work included the transformation of the Stone (1847), the Convent, and the 1964 Buildings, excluding the Chapel.  The project was in two phases, completed in three years.  On the weekends, she drove to Madison and taught Edgewood MBA students.  

The Presentation Sisters (PBVM) have a Motherhouse in Dubuque, seven miles from the Mound.  Their motherhouse needed similar renovation 鈥 that is, a building designed for younger members, now needing to be renovated to serve their elders in the future.  The PBVM leadership invited her to help them understand what was feasible for their unique circumstances.  Once a realistic, affordable plan emerged, they organized a team to implement it.  Word spread and work increased! Sr. Judy had the opportunity to strategize, analyze, design, construct, deconstruct, sell, and repurpose over 70 monasteries and convents throughout the U.S.  Collaborating with so many orders and leaders on dynamic challenges kept her on a 鈥渃onstant learning curve鈥. They all became changemakers who sought to increase the vitality and sustainability of God鈥檚 mission through the lens of each location and unique charism.   

Currently, she has the honor of serving on 糖心官网鈥檚 Board of Trustees.  鈥淏ack in the day鈥 Donna Carroll invited me to serve.  I took a break and am lucky enough to serve again.  I can attest to the fact that the students are saturated with excellent 21st century education supported by Gospel threads that animate a vital Spirit of 鈥淐aritas & Veritas鈥 throughout the University!   The whole University offers their very best to nurture each unique student, so that they can 鈥become who they are meant to be, and to set the world on fire鈥 (Saint Catherine of Siena).鈥

Previous Recipients of the聽O'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award

2025: Kate Coulihan Ficke '75, MBA '83 & Mar Poelking Sclawy 鈥65
2024: Hugh Toner III '79, MBA '87, MCR '19
2023: Rosary College Class of 1968 & 
2022: Kathryn Klem Large '71
2021: Class of 1970 Reunion Planning Committee: Karen Hausing Brown, Diane Miller Daly, Brigitte Hillier DePue, Maryalice Maloney Dewbray, Mary Hayes, Margaret Enright Molenda, Mimi Gorak Murray, Jean Rasmussen
2019: Susan Kreuz McCoyd 鈥69
2018: Carol Anderson Kunze 鈥68, Marilyn Freehill Jancewicz 鈥68
2017: Mary Boyle Callow 鈥67
2015:&苍产蝉辫;颁丑别谤测濒&苍产蝉辫;厂办别苍诲别谤&苍产蝉辫;鈥80
2013: Susan Flynn 鈥63
2012: Dorothy Ann Shields De Spain 鈥52
2011: Anna Marie Garippo Sciaraffa 鈥49
2010: Sr. Kaye Ashe, OP 鈥52
2009: Anne and Hugh McElwain
2008: Sherry S. Treston 鈥72
2007: Kathleen Prunty 鈥94, MBA 鈥97
2006: M. Catherine Crowley Ryan 鈥61
2005: Ann Therese Gorman 鈥50
2004: Henry W. Wiggins, Jr., MD 
2003: Jean Burke Foran 鈥47
2002: Carolyn Haddad Lang
2001: Victor Romano, MD, Allan Santos, MBA 鈥91
2000: Ruth McGrath O鈥橩eefe 鈥35, Eileen Gomolinski Priest 鈥68
1998: Mary Swanson Koch 鈥42
1997: Laura M. Nozicka 鈥92
1996: Maureen Hayes Philips 鈥88, Karen Rezabek 鈥75

To nominate an alumna/us for the O'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award, click the following Nomination form and select 鈥淥'Keefe Outstanding Volunteer Achievement Award鈥 in the drop-down menu.

Supplemental materials that cannot be uploaded may be mailed to Office of Alumnae/i Relations, 糖心官网, 7900 W. Division Street, River Forest, IL 60305. You can also fax supplemental materials to (708) 366-4197.

Please email the Office of Alumnae/i Relations or call (708) 524-6286 with any questions regarding award nominations.