Susan Markgraf, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2021
Item
Susan Johnson Markgraf, 1983 (WLA, Mundelein College1983 Class Photograph)
Interview Transcript
Title
Susan Markgraf, Interview with Melissa Newman, 2021
Summary
Susan Johnson Markgraf was a public relations and journalism major and graduated from Mundelein in 1983. She had a publication in the Student Magazine Review, worked as an administrative assistant to Vera Hastings in the Chemistry department, operated an elevator in the Skyscraper, and lived in Coffey Hall for three years. She talks about how she greatly respected and was influenced by her professors, especially Betty Prevender, her journalism professor. They gave her the confidence in realizing that she could do anything! Sue also fonding remembers studying on the rocks by the lakeshore, going to Hamilton’s for burgers and pizza with her friends, the engagement ceremonies held in Coffey Hall, and the bond she created with her floormates. Sue asserts that her time at Mundelein significantly prepared her for her professional life in public relations and media marketing. There are lessons and memories from Mundelein that she still utilizes in her professional career to this day.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Content Note: These collections may include language or descriptions of events that may be upsetting to some users.
Date Created
December 7, 2021
Biography
Susan Renee Johnson Markgraf was born and raised in Joliet, Illinois. She liked the close-knit experience she had in high school, so she wanted to attend a college that had a smaller student body. Mundelein was a great choice because it had that smaller community feeling she was looking for and was an all-female school.
Sue was a public relations and journalism major, but she worked as an administrative assistant to Vera Hastings in the Chemistry department. She also operated one of the elevators in the Skyscraper. Sue developed a great community and bond with her fellow Coffey Hall residents and is grateful to the nuns who always wanted to get the best out of their students. At Mundelein, Sue got the confidence to do anything.
After Sue was married between her junior and senior year, her Mundelein experience changed a bit. She was not able to see her friends as often as she was living with her husband off campus, but she says she expected and accepted that. She used her senior year to study hard. A principle Sue believes in is to do well for yourself so that you are able to help others. She felt she was able to do that because of her time at Mundelein. Sue has also had a fulfilling and successful career after graduating that she attributes to the education she received at Mundelein and God’s guiding hand.
Sue was a public relations and journalism major, but she worked as an administrative assistant to Vera Hastings in the Chemistry department. She also operated one of the elevators in the Skyscraper. Sue developed a great community and bond with her fellow Coffey Hall residents and is grateful to the nuns who always wanted to get the best out of their students. At Mundelein, Sue got the confidence to do anything.
After Sue was married between her junior and senior year, her Mundelein experience changed a bit. She was not able to see her friends as often as she was living with her husband off campus, but she says she expected and accepted that. She used her senior year to study hard. A principle Sue believes in is to do well for yourself so that you are able to help others. She felt she was able to do that because of her time at Mundelein. Sue has also had a fulfilling and successful career after graduating that she attributes to the education she received at Mundelein and God’s guiding hand.
Interviewer Biography
Melissa Newman was a graduate student in the Public History program at Loyola University Chicago and a graduate assistant at the Women and Leadership Archives 2020-2022.
Time Log
Session One
0-5 Minutes: Markgraf educational and family background, her choice of Mundelein, her major, and influential faculty at Mundelein.
5-10 Minutes: Markgraf reflects on starting at Mundelein, classes she took, guest instructors, and her favorite study spots.
10-15 Minutes: Candlelighting ceremonies at Mundelein, socializing at Mundelein, Markgraf’s life in Coffey Hall and roommates.
15-20 Minutes: Dating at Mundelein, friendships, Markgraf’s motivation for success, technology while Markgraf was at Mundelein.
20-25 Minutes: Markgraf’s Candlelighting ceremony, married life, life after graduation.
25-31:58 Minutes: Markgraf reflects on the influence of people she met at Mundelein, social activities and time management, the Mundelein Tea Room.
Session Two
0-5 Minutes: The Mundelein Tea Room, respect for faculty, Markgraf’s post-graduate job with Public Relations at Mundelein College, student job in the science department with Elvira Hastings.
5-10 Minutes: Student job as an elevator operator, Sister Jean, and Markgraf’s first Eucharist.
10-15 Minutes: Writing for the student newspaper, confidence Markgraf gained at Mundelein, work with Public Communications Incorporated, jobs with Lerner Newspapers, Dairy Council Wisconsin, Dairy Foods, Dairy Filed Magazine, and FleishmanHillard Communications.
15-20 Minutes: Work with the Chicago Botanical Garden, Markgraf’s company, Greenmark.
20-23:44 Minutes: Markgraf’s children and experience with parenthood, alumnae who have passed and honoring their legacy
0-5 Minutes: Markgraf educational and family background, her choice of Mundelein, her major, and influential faculty at Mundelein.
5-10 Minutes: Markgraf reflects on starting at Mundelein, classes she took, guest instructors, and her favorite study spots.
10-15 Minutes: Candlelighting ceremonies at Mundelein, socializing at Mundelein, Markgraf’s life in Coffey Hall and roommates.
15-20 Minutes: Dating at Mundelein, friendships, Markgraf’s motivation for success, technology while Markgraf was at Mundelein.
20-25 Minutes: Markgraf’s Candlelighting ceremony, married life, life after graduation.
25-31:58 Minutes: Markgraf reflects on the influence of people she met at Mundelein, social activities and time management, the Mundelein Tea Room.
Session Two
0-5 Minutes: The Mundelein Tea Room, respect for faculty, Markgraf’s post-graduate job with Public Relations at Mundelein College, student job in the science department with Elvira Hastings.
5-10 Minutes: Student job as an elevator operator, Sister Jean, and Markgraf’s first Eucharist.
10-15 Minutes: Writing for the student newspaper, confidence Markgraf gained at Mundelein, work with Public Communications Incorporated, jobs with Lerner Newspapers, Dairy Council Wisconsin, Dairy Foods, Dairy Filed Magazine, and FleishmanHillard Communications.
15-20 Minutes: Work with the Chicago Botanical Garden, Markgraf’s company, Greenmark.
20-23:44 Minutes: Markgraf’s children and experience with parenthood, alumnae who have passed and honoring their legacy
Index
KEY:
SM S1 = Susan Markgraf Interview Session One (S1)
SM S2 = Susan Markgraf Interview Session Two (S2)
INDEX:
All My Children (Television Program), SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20
Ameritech, SM S2 10-15
Berman, Renee, SM S2 0-5,
Chicago, IL., SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 10-15, SM S2 15-20
Chicago Botanical Garden, SM S2 15-20
Cook County, IL., SM S2 0-5,
Dairy Council Wisconsin, SM S2 10-15,
Dairy Foods, SM S2 10-15,
Dairy Field Magazine, SM S2 10-15,
FleishmanHillard Communications, SM S2 140-15,
Girl Scouts, SM S1 20-25
Greenmark, SM S2 15-20
Greysch-Ball, JoEllen, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 20-23:44
Hamilton's- A Chicago Bar-Grill, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5,
Hastings, Elvira, SM S2 0-5,
Joliet, IL, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 20-25, SM S2 0-5,
Joliet East High School, SM S1 0-5
Jolly Green Giant, SM S1 25-31:58,
Lake Michigan, SM S1 5-10
Lerner Newspapers, SM S2 10-15,
Loyola University Chicago, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 15-20, SM S2 5-10,
Lurie Garden, SM S2 15-20
MeToo Movement, SM S1 0-5
Millenium Park, SM S2 15-20
Mundelein College, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5, SM S2 5-10, SM S2 10-15, SM S2 15-20, SM S2 20-23:44
Mundelein College Candlelighting Ceremony, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25
Mundelein College Coffey Hall, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58,
Mundelein College Skyscraper Building, SM S2 5-10,
Mundelein College Tea Room, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5,
Mundelein, IL, SM S1 0-5
Palatine, IL., SM S1 0-5
Prevender, Betty, SM S1 0-5
Public Communications Incorporated, SM S2 10-15,
Rogers Park, Chicago, IL., SM S1 20-25, SM S2 10-15,
Sister Jean (Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM), SM S1 0-5, SM S2 5-10,
Sheridan Road, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58,
Touhy Ave., SM S1 20-25
University of Chicago, SM S1 15-20
WGN News, SM S2 15-20
Will County, IL., SM S1 0-5
SM S1 = Susan Markgraf Interview Session One (S1)
SM S2 = Susan Markgraf Interview Session Two (S2)
INDEX:
All My Children (Television Program), SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20
Ameritech, SM S2 10-15
Berman, Renee, SM S2 0-5,
Chicago, IL., SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 10-15, SM S2 15-20
Chicago Botanical Garden, SM S2 15-20
Cook County, IL., SM S2 0-5,
Dairy Council Wisconsin, SM S2 10-15,
Dairy Foods, SM S2 10-15,
Dairy Field Magazine, SM S2 10-15,
FleishmanHillard Communications, SM S2 140-15,
Girl Scouts, SM S1 20-25
Greenmark, SM S2 15-20
Greysch-Ball, JoEllen, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 20-23:44
Hamilton's- A Chicago Bar-Grill, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5,
Hastings, Elvira, SM S2 0-5,
Joliet, IL, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 20-25, SM S2 0-5,
Joliet East High School, SM S1 0-5
Jolly Green Giant, SM S1 25-31:58,
Lake Michigan, SM S1 5-10
Lerner Newspapers, SM S2 10-15,
Loyola University Chicago, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 15-20, SM S2 5-10,
Lurie Garden, SM S2 15-20
MeToo Movement, SM S1 0-5
Millenium Park, SM S2 15-20
Mundelein College, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5, SM S2 5-10, SM S2 10-15, SM S2 15-20, SM S2 20-23:44
Mundelein College Candlelighting Ceremony, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25
Mundelein College Coffey Hall, SM S1 0-5, SM S1 5-10, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 15-20, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58,
Mundelein College Skyscraper Building, SM S2 5-10,
Mundelein College Tea Room, SM S1 25-31:58, SM S2 0-5,
Mundelein, IL, SM S1 0-5
Palatine, IL., SM S1 0-5
Prevender, Betty, SM S1 0-5
Public Communications Incorporated, SM S2 10-15,
Rogers Park, Chicago, IL., SM S1 20-25, SM S2 10-15,
Sister Jean (Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM), SM S1 0-5, SM S2 5-10,
Sheridan Road, SM S1 10-15, SM S1 20-25, SM S1 25-31:58,
Touhy Ave., SM S1 20-25
University of Chicago, SM S1 15-20
WGN News, SM S2 15-20
Will County, IL., SM S1 0-5
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