GIFTS WITH IMPACT

Elizabeth English

Alumna Establishes Two Anthropology Student Awards to Remember Longtime Friend

Back in 1995, Elizabeth English was an LAS student majoring in Anthropology. Education was always important to her family which has a combined career history of 92 years devoted to education in the public and private sectors. In fact, her father, Professor Robert English, was a member and chairman of the Illinois State Board of Higher Education for several years. He was instrumental in approving the start of the doctoral program for the UIC Anthropology Department while Elizabeth was a student.

Elizabeth remembers her UIC days fondly thanks to her friendship with fellow Anthropology classmate, Joshua Terry.

"Josh was an outstanding individual. He was smart, funny, and would always lend a hand with a smile on his face," Elizabeth said. "Josh was passionate about education and archaeology. He maintained a very high grade point average in all subjects and through our friendly competition for grades kept me on the same track." Joshua participated in two dig sessions with Professor Brian Bauer in Bolivia during his time at UIC. Some of his fondest memories were of those digs.

Joshua Terry

Elizabeth received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1995 and her Master of Science in Anthropology in 1996. After graduation, career paths spirited both Joshua and Elizabeth away from Anthropology. She went to work for her family’s business, PMA Financial Network, Inc., a firm that specializes in asset management for school districts, colleges, and municipalities, where she holds the title of Associate Vice President of Trading and Operations.

But though their career paths diverted, Elizabeth and Joshua continued to pursue Anthropology as a hobby. And so it was particularly devastating for Elizabeth in June 2007 when Joshua was killed in a car accident. With a nod to their shared passion for education and anthropology, Elizabeth decided to honor Joshua’s memory—and the values of her family—by establishing the Joshua J. Terry Scholarship in Anthropology and the Joshua J. Terry Graduate Award.

The Joshua J. Terry Scholarship awards funding to full-time undergraduate Anthropology students in their junior or senior year. The Joshua J. Terry Graduate Award provides funding to full-time graduate students in their second year of study in Anthropology.

"My hope is that the recipients of these awards will find their experience at UIC to be as positive and enriching as Josh and I did and that the awards will help them achieve their dream of a career in Anthropology," Elizabeth said.

John Hicks accepts the first Joshua J. Terry
Graduate Award in Anthropology at the
2008 LAS Recognition Dinner.

The Joshua J. Terry Graduate Award was presented for the first time to John Hicks, a graduate student who is pursuing a master of arts degree in Anthropology with a concentration in archaeology and geographic information systems. Hicks earned his bachelor of arts degree cum laude in Anthropology at Ohio University Honors Tutorial College in 2007 where he earned certificates in environmental studies and geographic information systems. During his time at UIC, Hicks has worked as a teaching assistant for Anthropology classes in geography and human evolution. His research interests include new world archaeology and cultural ecology. Hicks expressed his gratitude as the first recipient of the Joshua J. Terry Graduate Award.

"I would like to thank Elizabeth English," Hicks said. "A former graduate student herself, she empathizes with the mental and financial challenges of advanced study. Her generosity and willingness to help others pursue higher education are inspiring and greatly appreciated. This award provides me with the financial means to continue my professional development."

Hicks also recognized that scholarship isn’t just about financial backing. It’s about making a difference in the lives of others, and about leaving a legacy to benefit others.

"It is important to recognize the namesake of this award, Joshua J. Terry. Terry was an alumnus of UIC and friend of Ms. English; they had taken many classes together. I have spoken to friends and faculty who remember him as a gregarious, diligent and enthusiastic person who had little difficulty coping with primitive living conditions in the field—where running water was a luxury—and connected easily with locals in spite of the language barriers. This award is a tribute to his legacy of amiability and perseverance, and I am honored to be its first recipient."