A celebration of 75 years of Roosevelt University
Founding Faculty Member, Sociologist | 1946–62
Rose Hum Lee was born in 1904, when Chinese immigrants like her parents were not legally allowed to own property, vote or become citizens. she joined the faculty at Roosevelt and, in 1956, she became the first Chinese American and the first woman to head a sociology department in the United States. Lee described Roosevelt as a school created to “impart the truth to all regardless of race, color or creed.”
Founder of the Jazz Showcase | 1947–57
Roosevelt Graduation on 12/13/13. Photos by Nathan Mandell.
The live music sessions that Joe Segal hosted as a Roosevelt student became the Jazz Showcase, the oldest jazz club in Chicago.
After serving in World War II, Joe Segal came to Roosevelt and took over the jazz club. Through his connections in the Chicago music scene, he brought in popular local and touring artists like Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker. Today the Showcase continues to present music seven days a week — including performances from CCPA jazz students.
Roosevelt Trustee | Years at Roosevelt: 1958–82
Beatrice Spachner and the Auditorium Theatre Council fundraised over $2 million to restore and renovate the historic theatre. The venue had not functioned since 1941, only briefly serving as a servicemen’s center during World War II.
With the help of Chicago architect Harry Weese, the Auditorium Theatre reopened on Halloween in 1967 with New York City Ballet’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Spachner believed that the Auditorium Theatre would bring people together and build community.
Professor, University President, Honorary Trustee | Years at Roosevelt: 1946–2010
In 1936, Rolf Weil arrived in Chicago as a refugee from Nazi Germany. Weil understood the struggles that came with pursuing an education and identified with Roosevelt’s social justice mission. He worked hard to make sure Roosevelt University was affordable for all students.
Weil helped plan and create the Heller College of Business, serving as the dean and later as the president of Roosevelt University from 1964 to 1988. He led the construction of the Herman Crown Center, which was the University’s first residence hall and student union, and the creation of the Albert A. Robin Campus in Arlington Heights.
Student Organization | Formed 1967
Roosevelt students formed the Black Student Association at the height of the Civil Rights Movement. In 1969, the group held class disruptions to teach black studies and staged a 150 student sit-in at the president’s office to demand a black studies program. The BSA invited leaders like Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Haki R. Madhubuti, an author and publisher at Third World Press, to speak on campus.
Commercial Real Estate Broker | BS Business, ’67
Born in a displaced persons camp after World War II, Goldie Wolfe Miller graduated from Roosevelt University as class president and valedictorian. At a time when the commercial real estate industry was dominated by men, she ran the largest woman-owned commercial brokerage in the United States with almost $3 billion in transactions.
In 2007, Wolfe Miller created the Goldie B. Wolfe Miller Women Leaders in Real Estate Initiative at Roosevelt University. The program supports young women in commercial real estate and now extends to graduate students across the Midwest. Wolfe Miller was inducted into the Chicago Association of Realtors Hall of Fame in 2011 and received an honorary Roosevelt doctorate in 2015.
Founding Member of Chicago | Years at Roosevelt: 1965–67
Robert Lamm is a veteran composer, vocalist, keyboard player and producer. He credits his exposure to classical music and composition to his time as a Roosevelt student.
In 1967, Lamm helped found the band Rock with Horns, later known as Chicago. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. Today the band continues to perform at venues across the country.
Jazz Composer and Performer | Philosophy and Music Composition, ’63
Anthony Braxton is one of the most influential artists in improvisational jazz. As a teacher and musician, Braxton has released over 100 albums and has earned a global reputation for his remarkable skills.
Braxton was recognized as a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, awarded the MacArthur ‘Genius’ Grant, and continues to play music and support young musicians.
In 1967, Roosevelt established the Bachelor of General Studies degree to make higher education more accessible to adult learners. Instead of counting credits, the bachelor’s program used College Board tests so students could apply their professional experience toward completing their degree.
This non-traditional adult degree program was the first of its kind in the area and became the fastest-growing Roosevelt program at the time. Distinguished alumni that hold a Bachelor of General Studies include:
Jazz Musicians | Years at Roosevelt: 1964–66
Corky Siegel and Jim Schwall met at Roosevelt in 1964. Although the students were in jazz band together, they did not officially meet until a chance encounter in an elevator, when Siegel asked Schwall if he played the blues. Siegel recalls that moment as finding his musical soulmate.
The pair quickly formed the Siegel-Schwall Band, which became one of Chicago’s most loved blues groups. Siegel played the harmonica and the saxophone while Schwall played the guitar, and both did vocals. Siegel was inducted in the Blues Hall of Fame in 2018.