Marilyn Wolff John

Marilyn and Dick both worked for the UW-Extension prior to UW-Milwaukee forming and worked for the University from its grand opening in 1956 until they both retired in 1986. Marilyn was born in Chicago, IL, and was a first-generation college student, receiving her BS in 1956 and MS in 1962 in Engineering Graphics from Illinois Institute of Technology. She was the first female graduate from the Engineering Graphics program. She came to Milwaukee to teach in the newly established University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee College of Engineering & Applied Science where she taught mechanical engineering courses from 1956-1986. Marilyn’s professional career and this scholarship continue that work of making engineering careers more possible and affordable for future generations of engineering students, particularly those who share her vision for gender equity in the profession.

Dick was a Milwaukee native, who grew up just steps away from the UW-Milwaukee campus. After high school, he served for two years in the Army (Air Force) decoding messages between the Japanese. After his military service, he moved to Madison, WI, where he earned his BBA in Accounting from UW-Madison in 1947. He moved to Milwaukee shortly after and earned his MBA in Accounting in 1957 from what was then called the Division of Commerce, now the Lubar School of Business at UW-Milwaukee. He was the third individual to receive his MBA from the program. After graduating, he became a Professor of Accounting at UW-Milwaukee teaching undergraduate and graduate students from 1958 to1986.

Marilyn and Dick met at the Downtown Luncheon Club on campus, were married in 1959, and raised three daughters in addition to Dick’s son from his previous marriage. All three daughters attended the UWM Campus Elementary School, and all four children went on to earn undergraduate degrees at UW-Madison.

Marilyn and Dick have led lives closely intertwined with UWM and the surrounding community. Marilyn was a founding member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) local chapter, served on the Board of Directors for the local Girl Scout Council, is part of Shorewood Women’s Club, and is active in her church as a Deacon and Elder. Dick was Chairman of the Wisconsin Institute of CPAs, treasurer for the Wisconsin Mental Health Association, treasurer for the UWM Guild for Learning and Retirement, on the finance committee for the local Girl Scout Council and was also very involved with their church. As lifelong learners, they traveled the world seeing over 87 countries, often taking their children with them. They were charter members of the Shorewood Historical Society and were leaders with the UWM Guild for Learning and Retirement, the pre-cursor to the UWM Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Marilyn’s philosophy and advice to scholarship recipients are, “Learn something new every day,” and “Work hard and take advantage of every opportunity, as you don’t know where knowledge will lead you.”