Courtesy of Barry McNamara, Monmouth College
In addition to inducting a new member into its Hall of Achievement – trailblazing research scientist Julia Briggerman O’Hara ’62 – Monmouth College will recognize three other alumni and one family at its Alumni Impact Awards on Homecoming weekend.
The ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 17 in Mellinger Commons on the lower level of the Center for Science and Business and is free and open to the public.
Payson Wild ’67 – Distinguished Alumnus Award
Payson Wild’s varied professional career reflects the best of the liberal arts education he received at Monmouth. It has spanned the fields of education, philanthropy and transportation planning.
In the latter area with North Shoreline Inc., Wild has initiated a new freight rail container concept in cooperation with Northwestern University. The concept simplifies container transfers between rail cars and trucks. Previously, he served as director of planned giving at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure, he established the first formal planned giving program for any orchestra in the U.S. and provided direction for the CSO’s $30 million endowment campaign that resulted in $32 million in commitments.
Wild is a founder and 2015 recipient of the Heintzelman Service Award from the Chicago Council on Planned Giving. An enthusiastic sailor, he also is commodore of the Evanston Sail & Paddle Association.
Wild has served on the boards of the Monmouth College Alumni Association – lending his expertise in development to his alma mater – the Evanston Community Foundation and the Evanston Historical Society. On the Northwestern University Alumni Association, he served as president of the School of Education and Social Policy Board. He also is a member of the Board of Visitors for the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration & Research in Astrophysics at Northwestern.
Additionally, Wild and his wife, Linda, have hosted numerous social gatherings that enabled them to maintain contact with their friends, keeping alive the memory of their experience at Monmouth.
Mariela Shaker ’15 – Distinguished Young Alumnus
One of the college’s most accomplished graduates of the past 10 years is this year’s Distinguished Young Alumnus.
A Syrian refugee, Mariela Shaker thrived as a music student at Monmouth, where her primary instructors were the late David Suda and his wife, Carolyn.
The uber-talented violinist and motivational keynote speaker has gone on to perform and speak at numerous high-profile venues across the nation, including the United Nations, the White House, the Lincoln Center, the Aspen Ideas Festival, Harvard University, MIT, Yale University, Northwestern University and The Brookings Institute.
President Barack Obama presented Shaker a Champion of Change for World Refugees honor, and she’s also received the Points of Light Award, the Inspirational Woman International honor and the Anne Frank Promisekeeper Award, given to individuals who dedicate themselves to human rights advocacy.
Shaker prides herself on her mission – to use her music to build bridges, to promote peace and to raise awareness for the plight of Syrian people. A high-profile supporter of the United Nations Refugee Agency, Shaker is the founder and director of Highams Park Music Academy in London, one of the United Kingdom’s finest music schools for violin and piano. She strives to inspire her students to express themselves freely and to find their own unique voice as performing artists.
Shortly after graduating from Monmouth, she returned to campus briefly to serve as a violin instructor, and she also served as concertmaster for the Monmouth College Chamber Orchestra.
Jerri Picha ’75 – Distinguished Service Award
An alumna credited with exemplifying the values of Monmouth College through sustained service, visionary philanthropy and unwavering commitment to student success is this year’s recipient.
Jerri Picha’s sustained service includes a 10-year stint on the college’s Alumni Board, but she was a steadfast supporter and advocate for Monmouth long before that service.
Recently, her philanthropy led to the creation of the Tartan Terrace, a vibrant new outdoor space on the south side of Hewes Library. Inspired by her own formative experiences as an English major, Picha funded the terrace to provide future generations with similar opportunities for meaningful connection and learning. Her desire to see the gift in action reflects a hands-on approach to giving and a commitment to making a tangible difference in students’ lives.
She’s also been a passionate ambassador for the college, actively encouraging others to join and thrive within the Monmouth community. A notable example of her impact is her mentorship of Grace Cornelius, a neighbor she encouraged to attend Monmouth. A 2024 graduate, Cornelius was an outstanding student and artist during her four years on campus.
Picha has also taken an active role throughout the years on the Class of 1975 reunion committee, reaching out to classmates and encouraging their attendance at events and philanthropy in support of the college’s mission. Her efforts have helped sustain class spirit and strengthen the bonds between alumni and Monmouth College, reflecting her dedication to community building and lifelong engagement.
The Smith Family – Family of the Year
A family with ties to some of Monmouth College’s largest successes is receiving this year’s award. Mary Uhler Smith was a 1941 graduate and her two sons, Sherm and Greg, followed her to campus from nearby Burlington, Iowa – where Mary was a teacher, primarily of music – graduating in 1972 and 1975, respectively. All three were active in Greek life, with Mary joining Pi Beta Phi, one of two national women’s fraternities founded at Monmouth.
Mary, who died in 2019, came to Monmouth on a scholarship and passed on her pride in her alma mater to her sons. Her Monmouth experience also propelled her to pursue an advanced degree that benefitted her and her students.
An environmental engineer and president and CEO of the Chambers Group, Sherm served on Monmouth’s Board of Trustees, where he championed the $42 million Center for Science and Business, which opened in 2013. Nearly a decade later, he and his wife, Diane, made the gift that pushed Monmouth’s Light This Candle Campaign past its ambitious $75 million goal. He passed away in 2023.
Greg also had a stint in environmental consulting before working 37 years in healthcare executive management. He was a co-founder of two technology companies and served as chairman of the board for both.
“Looking back, one thing is clear,” said Greg. “Monmouth was central in grounding us with the gift of a clear direction for life, the confidence and tools to pursue that direction, and an understanding of our need to always give back to the communities we are part of.”
