Alumni Stories
Elmhurst University alumni go on to exciting careers as attorneys, teachers, writers, entrepreneurs and much more. Here are some of their stories.
If you’re an Elmhurst alumna/us, we invite you to share your story with us!
Featured Bluejays
![Elmhurst University alumnus Marvin Carr is pictured in his Oklahoma State University white coat.](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/alumni-stories-marvin-carr-792x528.jpg)
Paving the Way for More Minority Representation in Medicine
Marvin Carr ’15 is on the path to becoming an orthopedic surgeon.
![Elmhurst University alumna Paula Banno '13 has used her education to advance in the senior care industry.](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/alumni-stories-paula-banno-thumb-792x528.jpeg)
Helping Senior Citizens Thrive Through a Pandemic
Paula Banno ’13 brings leadership and joy to senior living.
!["Succession" and "Veep" actor David Rasche is shown on the set of his film "Father Figurine."](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/alumni-david-rasche-still-2019.jpg)
An Actor’s Journey
Succession and Veep star David Rasche ’66 reflects on his unlikely path from Elmhurst to Second City to an acclaimed acting career.
![A portrait photo of Elmhurst University alumnus Jonathan Shaw, class of ’74, a film and television editor best known for his work on the original "Twin Peaks."](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/alumni-jonathan-shaw-2019.jpg)
Finding His Creative Spark
Twin Peaks editor Jonathan Shaw ’74 credits Elmhurst with giving him confidence as an artist.
![Elmhurst University alumnus Keith Reed stands next to the 1970 Dodge Monaco he used to commute to school every day as a student.](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/alumni-keith-reed-dodge.jpg)
Classic Car is a Driver of Fond Elmhurst Memories
Keith Reed ’74 kept his education in gear with the help of his father’s 1970 Dodge Monaco.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/jacqueline-jones-elmhurst-college-campus-thumb.jpg)
A Quest for Lifelong Learning
Jacqueline Jones ’06 has found an encore career in fitness, and is now exploring ways to teach biomechanics online.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/gallery-karrie-pece2.jpg)
Parlaying Compassion into a Career
A lifelong advocate for people with disabilities, Karrie Pece ’06 channeled her compassion into a career, working for a firm that employs adults with autism.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/gallery-kaiser-aslam.jpg)
Blazing a Trail
As Rutgers University’s first full-time Muslim chaplain, Kaiser Aslam ’12 counsels students and works across campus to increase understanding about Islam and the Muslim community.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/gallery-joey-carrillo.jpg)
A Successful Philosophy
Joey Carrillo ’13 discovered that his philosophy classes at Elmhurst were “a great stepping stone” for the rigors of law school.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/2018-06-05-as-meghan-thumb.jpg)
Launch of a Writing Career
Meghan O’Toole ’17 won LitMag’s Virginia Woolf Award for Short Fiction. Her winning story grew out of an independent study course she took with English professor Janice Tuck Lively.
![](https://www.elmhurst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/BeckieHayes_792x528.jpg)
The Way of the Entrepreneur
Beckie Hayes, MBA ’12 had been successful managing someone else’s business. But Elmhurst gave her the tools, the knowledge and the confidence to follow her passion.