Northern Illinois University
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

NIU Is Where the Heart Is

For more than four decades, Northern Illinois University has influenced the lives of John and Anne Siepka Landgraf.

It was not only the backdrop for the educational foundation that set the stage for long, impactful careers. It is a place full of memories, the place where a friendship evolved into marriage. And it is where their service and commitment pays it forward for current students.

The James P. and Mary Clare Sczepaniak Memorial Fund

A generous $323,000 planned gift by a longtime educator and NIU alumnus will have a significant impact to students and faculty in the Department of History for years to come.

James Sczepaniak earned his master’s degree in history in 1964. He taught social studies at Lockport Township High School Dist. #205 and Valley View School Dist. #365-U (Romeoville High School) for 33 years. 

The James P. and Mary Clare Sczepaniak Memorial Fund enables the department to provide scholarships and engaged learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as departmental and faculty support for research, conference and travel. 

Couple transforms love into opportunities for students

The legacy of two emeriti professors – and their affection for Northern Illinois University – will live on in the form of scholarships for students majoring in the humanities. The Doederleins’ $100,000 commitment to students is deeply personal – NIU students remind them of how they came of age and their own journeys to get an education and make a better life.