Alumnae Under the Spotlight

Dr. Barb Kolp-Jurss , ‘88
Dr. Kolp-Jurss a pediatrician with Aurora Advanced Healthcare began her career as a dietician at County Hospital following graduation in 1988. She really liked intensive care nutrition, but needed a new challenge – why not medical school? So she left her hometown of Milwaukee for Mercer University in Macon, GA. But it was family that brought her back here for her residency.

“Dr. Barb” as her patients like to call her loves treating kids because although they do get sick quickly they also get better quickly. She finds that even babies, when sick, can still “talk” to her.

Dr. Barb is an advocate of her education at Mount Mary: she loved the encouragement to be all you could be.

“Being at Mount Mary really helps gain self-confidence. In fact I left Mount Mary feeling completely prepared not only for dietetics, but for life. Liberal arts education makes you a total person. I took modern dance all four years at Mount Mary as a dietetics and chemistry major. I thought dance was important, my liberal arts education helped me be whole and complete – every class I took.”

Dr. Barb can recall with ease her favorite faculty member – the one who really left their mark: Sister Michaela, organic chemistry. “What a neat lady.”

Dr. Kolp-Juss practices at the Good Hope Clinic and lives with her husband in Mequon.

Marie O’Brien, '08
Marie graduated from Mount Mary College in May of 2008 with a major in Business and Professional Communications. She began work on an MBA from Mount Mary College in 2009.

Marie O' Brien is President and CEO of Enterforce, Inc. a woman-owned workforce management consulting and solutions provider that plans, implements and manages best-in-class procurement processes for contingent workers, consultants, intern/co-ops, independent contractors, and direct hires.

Enterforce currently services a number of Fortune 1000 clients enterprise-wide including their operations throughout the U.S. Marie recently received the 2010 Entrepreneurial Woman of the Year - WBE Success Award from the Women's Business Development Center, during their 24th Annual Entrepreneurial Woman's Conference on September 22nd at McCormick Place in Chicago, IL. The WBE Success Award is given to a Woman Business Enterprise (WBE) for achieving significant business growth, as well as for noteworthy success in leveraging the WBE status to secure new business. The Award also recognizes Marie's outstanding contributions to the community, especially her dedication to seeing other women business owners achieve similar success. Marie is the first WBE from Wisconsin to be honored.

Marie believes that life-long learning is essential in the world we live in today. Mount Mary College with its dedicated faculty, collaborative learning environment, and emphasis on critical thinking, has helped to enhance her personal and professional development.

Corry Jo Biddle, ‘04
Corry Jo Biddle, ‘04 has been the Executive Director of FUEL Milwaukee since February of 2010, however she started with FUEL as a marketing director in January of 2008. She is responsible for marketing communications, public relations and the development of programs to benefit the talent network's membership base of more than 6,000 professionals. Formerly the executive director of America's Black Holocaust Museum, she offers a unique perspective on the relationship between diversity, economic development and professional networking.

"Mount Mary College was the second school I attended to pursue my bachelor's degree. I'd previously attended Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and like most high school graduates at the time, I felt like I had to flee to some exciting, unknown city to get a true college experience.

In my Junior year I decided to transfer to Mount Mary College and to my surprise, all of the excitement I was looking for was right at home in Milwaukee. "

"I loved all of my professors (especially the Sisters) and I felt like I was learning just as much about myself in each class as I was about the subjects. The curriculum was me, and each day I participated in class, attended a student government meeting, or helped out in the financial aid office, I knew I was getting closer to knowing what I was passionate about and using it to make a difference in the world."

The class sizes, academic rigor, and family atmosphere made me feel so at home. I felt like Mount Mary was always right there - under my nose and I'm so glad I didn't overlook it. The entire experience was wonderful!

Corry Jo graduated from Mount Mary College with degrees in business administration and professional writing. She currently sits Mount Mary College’s on the “Under 40” advisory group to the President.