It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Strum on March 11, 2025. Mary was a member of the Department’s Office Staff for nearly 20 years, from 2001 to 2019. She served as the graduate program coordinator, assisting eight directors of graduate studies through those years.
Graduate students during those years may remember Mary as their first department contact, as she accepted and managed hundreds of incoming MA and PhD applications. She would also have been their last contact, as she certified degrees before sending them to the Graduate College. This would include reading over a hundred dissertations and certifying nearly 240 MA graduates.
Some may also remember her presence at the annual NCA Convention. She would often travel with a department banner and promotional materials to assist with graduate student recruitment and help put on the department reception. Throughout those years, attending those events, she was always happy to see our alumni and hear of their successes. She rarely forgot a face or a name. Mary’s responsibilities and commitment to the department were recognized in 2014 with a Chancellor’s Distinguished Staff Award, the campus’s highest honor for civil service employees.
Mary had a strong work ethic and loyalty to the department, as demonstrated by the years she remained with us. She leaves behind her husband of 42 years and four children.
After retiring in 2019, Mary was able to do some traveling and spend time with her five grandchildren, the “apples of her eye.” She will be missed, and her contributions and years in the Department of Speech Communication, now Communication, will not soon be forgotten.
Editor's note: Mary Strum's obituary is available online.