The University of Illinois Springfield recognized five outstanding individuals for their exceptional generosity, leadership and support of the university during the annual Celebration of Philanthropy on April 30, 2025.
Mary Mitchell Beaumont receives award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership
Mary Mitchell Beaumont received the 2025 William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership. The award honors individuals outside the university who actively support and promote private giving to the University of Illinois.
Beaumont, a dedicated community leader and UIS alumna, has supported numerous campus priorities including the Illinois Innocence Project, Brookens Library, the Stars Food Pantry and the Student Union. She is a founding member of the UIS Visionary Giving Circle and currently serves on the Center for Lincoln Studies Community Advisory Board. Beaumont also endowed the Beaumont Lincoln Legacy Lecture and supports a scholarship through the American Association of University Women (AAUW) Springfield Branch in her name.
Her wide-ranging volunteer and professional work includes roles with Planned Parenthood, the Dana-Thomas House Foundation and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. She earned her master’s degree in communication from UIS (formerly Sangamon State University), where she was class marshal.
The award is named after William E. Winter, CEO emeritus of the 7-Up company and member of the University of Illinois Foundation Board of Directors, who headed the volunteer component of the University’s first major campaign in the 1980s. In 1990, the Foundation established the William E. Winter Award for Outstanding Advocate Leadership in his honor.
Betty Marcy honored as Philanthropist of the Year
Catherine “Betty” Marcy was named Philanthropist of the Year for her decades of service to UIS and the Springfield community. A graduate of Sangamon State University with a degree in accounting, Marcy has served on the boards of several nonprofit organizations and volunteered with local schools, hospitals and senior services.
Marcy has established four $40,000 scholarships at UIS—three for education and one for accounting. Her commitment to service has earned her numerous awards, including the University of Illinois Alumni Humanitarian Award and the Heart and Soul Award from RSVP.
Bryan Rives recognized as Faculty/Staff Philanthropist of the Year
Bryan Rives, director of the UIS Performing Arts Center, was named Faculty/Staff Philanthropist of the Year. A consistent supporter of UIS, Rives has contributed to more than 30 different funds across campus. Earlier this year, he partnered with the Office of Advancement to establish the Bryan Rives Arts-for-All Endowment, which will help make world-class performances accessible to individuals facing financial hardship.
Rives also played a key leadership role in a collaborative campaign to support local arts organizations during the COVID-19 pandemic, choosing not to include his organization in the fundraising effort to spotlight the broader arts community’s needs.
Sam Dunklau and Rebecca Anzel named Young Philanthropists of the Year
Sam Dunklau and Rebecca Anzel were jointly named Young Philanthropists of the Year. The married couple established a scholarship fund in memory of the late photojournalist Lee Milner, who played a meaningful role in both of their careers and lives.
Dunklau, a UIS alumnus, began his journalism career at WUIS and went on to report from state capitols in Illinois and Pennsylvania. Anzel earned her master’s degree in Public Affairs Reporting from UIS in 2018 and has worked for the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin and Capitol News Illinois. Both credit Milner’s mentorship and generosity for inspiring their commitment to giving back.