Mardell B. Koop Schumacher ’54

When Mardell B. Koop Schumacher ’54 completes her current term on a K-8 school board in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, she will be 80 and have served 25 years. She frequently visits the district’s 14 schools and serves on various committees. Why does she do it? The former teacher says she loves children and “it keeps you young to have a purpose in life.” She’s also energized by seeing success, such as a recent federal Blue Ribbon Award for one of the schools that serves many impoverished students. She attends the national convention every year, driving with her husband and visiting Cornell roommates Patricia Riley Irwin ’54 and Lois Fear Brossart ’55 along the way.