GOP's Lincoln Series gives women a crash course in public service

Make no mistake, Donna Rozycki has political dreams and aspirations.

Maybe she'll run for a spot on the Bloomingdale Township board. Maybe she'll pursue a seat on the DuPage County Board in 2012.

But here's the thing, and Rozycki will be the first to admit it: there's a lot to learn before you put your name on the ballot in a partisan election and very few places to go for training in the political intricacies of public speaking, ethics and dealing with the media.

Which is why the longtime Bloomingdale resident, who now lives in Roselle, was thrilled when she was selected to participate in the Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series, and even more excited Thursday when she was feted along with nine others at the graduation ceremonies.

The program is designed to recruit Republican women and give them the tools to be active in the political arena by preparing them to run for elected office, seek government or political appointments, or support others hoping to do the same.

It's a nine-month crash course that's been offered to only a handful of GOP women each year since it was created in the mid-1990s.

Past graduates have won elections, served as delegates to state and national conventions, and served in the Bush administration.

"The experience I gained ... could not be easily duplicated," Rozycki said. "I learned about every level of government with a hands-on approach."

Rozycki, who works as a legislative aide to state Sen. Carole Pankau, was one of 10 women chosen statewide from a hefty stack of applicants for this year's program. It began in January and ended Thursday with a ceremony at Bloomingdale Golf Club that attracted many area GOP leaders, including keynote speaker Judy Baar Topinka.

It's been a hectic nine months for all the honorees. They traveled to the state capitol and to Washington, D.C. They sat on the floor of the state Senate and got the chance to shadow legislators. They met with Illinois congressmen and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Each had their own mentor; Rozycki's, not surprisingly, was Pankau.

Rozycki said she still marvels at how hard Pankau and others work.

"It's amazing how much they do and what they give," she said.

Pam Fenner, a Carol Stream village trustee who serves as president of the Lincoln group, said Rozycki's experience as a legislative aide puts her in "the perfect position" to take advantage of the training she's received.

"She's found we have opportunities out there," Fenner said. "She's learned the skills to get involved."

That's important, Fenner said, because the number of women in public service has declined over the past two decades.

Twenty years ago, women were eager to be part of a new political wave. Now, she said, "women know they can do it so it's not such a big deal."

For her part, Rozycki says she's eager to get started.

"Here's what I love the most ... the passion and the love I have is for DuPage County," she said. "My goal and my love is the people at home."

If she had any doubts about pursuing her political dreams, they were erased by spending time with her fellow graduates.

"It's one of the most bonded, humorous, determined and organized groups," she said. "They don't put limits on themselves."