Dunham Fund establishes scholarship to honor Waubonsee administrator
In honor of a career of public service in higher education, the Aurora-based Dunham Fund of Advisors has established the $50,000 Dr. Bill and Mary Marzano Endowed Scholarship with the Waubonsee Community College Foundation.
William Marzano, Assistant Vice President of Transfer and Developmental Education, has worked at Waubonsee for 15 years and retires this month.
The scholarship will first be available to students in the 2017-2018 academic year. It will be for new or returning education majors with a preference for students who are interested in pursuing a career in post-secondary education.
Bob Vaughan, executive director of the Dunham Fund, said he and his colleagues were introduced to Marzano in February 2007, when they embarked with Waubonsee on the first Dunham Fund grant, for the Dunham Early College Academy.
"It became very apparent to us that students always came first to (Marzano) and he was a strong advocate for their success," Vaughan said. "When we heard he was retiring, we felt that this was a good way to pay tribute to that."
The scholarship was a surprise to Marzano, who learned about it during a presentation at his retirement reception this month.
"I was completely surprised and amazed at the announcement," Marzano said. "Of course, I can only humbly accept this honor in appreciation of all the wonderful colleagues who supported me in what I tried to contribute. Also, my wife, Mary, and I are overjoyed to know that Waubonsee students will benefit from this scholarship in years to come."
Vaughan said this was a good way for the Dunham Fund to pay it forward to Marzano, because he "has always been great for the entire community and most importantly to us, the students."
The Dunham Fund was established by John C. Dunham in 1996 and awards grants to organizations that encourage innovation and collaboration in educational and community development programs and projects to effect positive change in the Aurora area.
Marzano has worked at Waubonsee since 2000, holding various positions, including as associate dean for continuing and professional education; dean for communications, humanities and fine arts; assistant vice president of community development; and dean for social sciences, education and world languages. He has also served as an adjunct faculty member in the Business and Career Technologies Division since 2006.
Marzano began his career in higher education in 1973, serving as a psychology instructor at Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, before heading into the private sector from 1985-2000 to help manage the family printing company Solar Communications in Naperville.
Marzano holds a doctor of education in post-secondary curriculum and instruction from Illinois State University; a master of arts in educational psychology from the University of Illinois; a bachelor of arts in psychology from Northern Illinois University; and an associate in arts and science from Morton College.