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Paul and Mary Jo Arndt reside in Lombard, Illinois. In 1959, they established Lombard Veterinary Hospital, one of the largest single-family-owned small animal medical centers in Illinois. Paul, a graduate of the McMurry Training School, was the fourth generation of his family raised in DeKalb. Mary Jo, a graduate of NIU, taught fourth and fifth grades in Villa Park and Urbana. Her student teaching experience was at McMurry, under the supervision of Bertha Bellis, who had been Paul's eighth grade teacher. Though Mary Jo gave up her teaching career to be Paul's business partner and hospital administrator, she has always been a strong advocate for education.
Their mothers, Georgia E. Larsen and Helen Arndt, and two aunts were early Huskies, all graduates of Northern's two-year education program. Paul was raised in the Arndt Home, now the location of the Women's Resource Center at the corner of Normal Road and Lincoln Highway. Both Paul and Mary Jo have deep family and personal ties to DeKalb and to NIU.
Northern provided Paul a solid foundation in pre-med and acceptance into the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. For Mary Jo, besides offering a top-notch education, Northern provided supportive and mentoring faculty and administrators. Paul and Mary Jo reflect fondly on their long-time relationship with the late Bertha Bellis. Both Ruth Haddock, dean of women, and Pat Brauel, associate dean of women, were tremendous mentors to Mary Jo during her years at Northern and in later years provided encouragement to her involvement in the world of politics, especially in her advocacy of a "seat at the table" for women and minorities.
Mary Jo had the wonderful opportunity of holding leadership positions at Northern. Her fondest college memory is of living in "The Barn" at Williston Hall as a freshman, connecting with women who have been her life-long friends. She was elected president of Williston Hall, and also was elected president of the Associated Women Students.
It is the Arndt's fondest hope that the Barsema Alumni and Visitors Center will provide the opportunity for graduates, young and old, to reflect on their wonderful university experiences; to think back on their classmates and instructors; and to reconnect to those with whom they have lost touch through the years.
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Barsema Alumni and
Visitors Center
231 N. Annie Glidden Rd.
DeKalb, IL 60115
815.753.1534
815.753.0278 (fax)
Located on the campus of
Northern Illinois University |
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