Armstrong, Chance to receive honorary degrees at Spring Commencement

Mildred “Mickey” Frances (McCoy) Armstrong and Marjorie “Marj” (Westwood) Chance will be recognized with a Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa during the Spring 2011 Commencement ceremony May 14. The university bestows the honorary degrees upon notable and accomplished members of the extended Newman community based on exemplary dedication to one of the university’s four Core Values: Catholic Identity, Culture of Service, Academic Excellence, and Global Perspective.

Mickey Armstrong

Armstrong will be honored for the Core Value of Culture of Service. Armstrong earned a bachelor’s degree from Wichita University (now Wichita State University), and after college worked at McCormick-Armstrong Co. Inc., with her husband, Pete, also a WU graduate and chairman and principal owner of the company. Pete passed away in 2009. In addition to the couple’s strong support of WSU, Mickey has been a generous donor to Newman University over the years, and gave substantial gifts to support the creation of both O’Shaughnessy Hall and the Dugan Library and Campus Center. She also created two scholarships, The E.W. “Pete” Armstrong Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship and The E.W. “Pete” Armstrong Endowed Memorial Fine Arts Scholarship Fund at Newman. In the Wichita community, she has worked with the Junior League, the Women’s Campaign for United Way and the Wichita Art Museum, and was active in the Women’s Symphony. She is a supporter of Wichita Grand Opera and WSU’s Ulrich Art Museum, and has been a board member of Music Theatre of Wichita and the Wichita Historical Museum. She has also been active in church groups, and is a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Wichita.

Marj Chance

Chance will be recognized for the Core Value of Academic Excellence. After graduating from the St. Francis School of Nursing in Wichita as a registered nurse, she married Harold Chance, who would later found the successful amusement ride company Chance Manufacturing Co., Inc. She spent most of her working career with the company, and served on several boards in Wichita. She was the first lay woman to serve on the Kansas Newman College Board of Directors for three terms (1977-80, 1980-83, and 1983-86). She was also a member of the Lay Advisory Board of St. Francis Hospital. When the nursing program at St. Francis needed a collegiate home, Chance played a key role in connecting St. Francis with Newman and establishing the nursing program at the university. From that beginning in 1979 has evolved a strong and vibrant School of Nursing and Allied Health, which includes the university’s most sought-after programs. She has also been a longtime supporter of Newman through sponsorship of the annual Jet Open Charity Golf Tournament for many years, and contributions to the Beyond the Renaissance 2000 and Dugan Library and Campus Center campaigns. She and her husband also created a scholarship fund for the children of Chance Manufacturing employees. In 2010, after 63 years of marriage, her husband Harold passed away. She is a longtime member of St. Francis of Assisi Church.

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Courtesy photos