Alumni News
College Honors Alumni with Merit Award
Dr. William F. Fraccaro ’70 is an influential educator with a long list of honors to his credit. Linda J. Schiff ‘90 has served in leadership roles throughout the banking industry and beyond. And the Rev. Don Stahlhut ’66 has helped hundreds of low and moderate income families gain the skills they need to empower themselves.
In recognition of their accomplishments, Elmhurst College will honor these three distinguished graduates with the Alumni Merit Award at a Homecoming Breakfast on Saturday, October 10, 2009. The breakfast begins at 9:00 a.m. in the Frick Center, and all alumni and friends of the College are welcome.
Established in 1962, the Alumni Merit Award recognizes alumni who have attained outstanding achievement in their community, country, church, or educational endeavor. Award recipients are chosen by the Alumni Association based on nominations by alumni. Over the years, more than 130 graduates have won the award. For more information or to RSVP for the Homecoming Breakfast, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations. Or read on to learn more about this year’s award winners.
Dr. William F. Fraccaro ’70
An influential educator with specialties in math, science, and assessment, Dr. William F. Fraccaro has worked across the nation in a variety of educational roles.
Dr. Fraccaro spent 34 years as a classroom teacher, earning a wide array of accolades. He was awarded Illinois Master Teacher Status in 1984 and was a semifinalist for the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching for Illinois in 1993. In 1994 he was recognized as an exceptional teacher by the Illinois Science Teachers Association, and in 1996 Fermilab nominated him to the National Honor Roll of Teachers of the Association of Science and Technology Centers.
Outside the classroom, Dr. Fraccaro headed the Illinois State Board of Education Science Learning Standards Division for two years, and worked on developing and revising Illinois Science Learning Standards for more than 15 years. He has been influential in writing and evaluating science and mathematics test questions for local, state, and national assessment tests.
In addition, Dr. Fraccaro has served as an adjunct faculty member for Aurora University, Elmhurst College, and the College of DuPage. Since retiring in 2004, he has worked as an educational consultant specializing in science, math, assessment, and best practices in elementary and middle school education.
Dr. Fraccaro has been actively involved with Elmhurst for many years as a guest lecturer, member and vice president of Elmhurst’s Alumni Association Cabinet, member of the presidential search input committee, and member of the Elmhurst College President’s Society.
Dr. Fraccaro holds a master of science degree from the National College of Education and a doctorate of education from Vanderbilt University.
Bill and his wife, Joyce (Ferlazzo) ’70, live in Bolingbrook, Illinois.
Linda J. (Baltscheit-Klaas) Schiff ’90
A leader in the banking industry and beyond, Linda J. Schiff has provided financial services and leadership for institutions across the Chicago area.
Ms. Schiff began her career at NBD Bank, American National, First Chicago, and Bank One before being recruited by Barrington Bank & Trust to start a new division. At Barrington Bank, she founded COMMUNITY ADVANTAGE, which provides customized financial services to community associations. The division quickly established a leadership position in the market with an enviable return on assets and profitability. Ms. Schiff retired in 2008.
Ms. Schiff has served in many leadership roles, including president-elect and treasurer of the Community Association National Research Foundation and national trustee of the Community Associations Institute (CAI). She also founded and served as chair of the National Banking Committee for CAI. She has been published and quoted in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Common Interest, Common Ground, and Illinois Law Handbook.
Ms. Schiff has earned certification as a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) and a Certified Treasury Professional (CTP) designation as provided by the Association of Financial Professionals.
An active volunteer, Ms. Schiff devotes her time to Immanuel Lutheran Church as well as a variety of school activities. Her continuing involvement with Elmhurst College includes serving as an adjunct professor (1999-2001) and a guest speaker for the Alumni Association’s GOLD group, and working to promote mentoring, professional development, and networking.
Ms. Schiff and her husband, Howard, have two sons and live in Elmhurst.
Rev. Don A. Stahlhut ’66
A minister in the United Church of Christ, the Rev. Don Stahlhut has helped hundreds of underprivileged families and flood victims to gain skills and empower themselves.
The son of a UCC minister, Rev. Stahlhut was ordained into ministry after graduating from Eden Seminary. He began his career as associate pastor of St. John’s UCC in Allentown, Pennsylvania.
After a disastrous flood in 1972, Rev. Stahlhut moved to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Jane (Leabhard) ’67, and two children, and began to hone his skills as a community organizer while Director of VOICE (Vehicle for Interactions among Citizens for Equality). For just over 10 years, using religious congregations as the base, he empowered residents from five cities in northeast Pennsylvania as he built upon the experiences gained organizing flood victims of one of our country’s greatest natural disasters.
When a position opened up in San Francisco, Rev. Stahlhut and his family moved to the Bay Area, where he continued to train lower-income people to take direct action to resolve problems. He eventually became director of the San Francisco Organizing Project (SFOP), an alliance of 25 religious congregations and labor unions.
Rev. Stahlhut also served as director of another faith-based community organization, the Contra Costa County affiliate of People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO).
At PICO, Rev. Stahlhut successfully built an organization of 25 religious congregations in 12 cities across the county. He worked with hundreds of underprivileged families to build skills, gain power, and make improvements related to housing, delinquency prevention, health care, immigration, education, and disaster recovery, just to name a few.
In “retirement,” Rev. Stahlhut works part time for PICO and serves as chair of the Ministry of Outreach, Mission and Service of First Congregational Church of Berkeley. He and his family have lived in Oakland, California, since 1988.
