Young Alumna of the Year Award

REBECCA SIMON, GRAD '02

Milwaukee

Rebecca Simon’s recipe for success is simple: be a good human being. “I listen to, laugh with, and care for those around me just as I hope they would do for and with me,” she says.

As vice president of program services for Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Rebecca provides care for those around her through programming for mental health and addictions treatment, homeless prevention, and community development. 

When she pursued her graduate degree at Marquette, she had a checklist: Learn, get a degree and start a new career. But something changed for her during that time. “What I didn’t realize was how much I would be challenged to learn about myself in the process,” she says. “Learning came through the service learning experiences, introspective class assignments and an incredible Marquette peer group.”

What she considered a challenge at the time was something she has turned into a flourishing career: “My work offers me the opportunity to work within such groups, creatively solving problems to make a difference in the lives of others.” 

And she does do by living Marquette’s mission of excellence, faith, leadership and service in a variety of ways. “I work for a Christian organization, so I work to do my best in all things, to care for others and, when possible, empower others to care for themselves,” she says.

Fun facts about Rebecca:
Hometown: Mequon, Wis.
Favorite book: Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
Someone alive or dead she’d like to have dinner with: Cesar Milan
In grade school, Rebecca wanted to be a dolphin and whale trainer.
Most influential person/people in her life: Her maternal grandfather