Patricia Ryan Michalski (Class of June 1950)
When Patricia Ryan
left Taft, she entered a traditional role of housewife and mother. Later, however, she returned to school to continue
her education, graduating from
Patricia and husband,
Harry Michalski, had three children, but chose to
adopt three biracial babies. The couple also
became active in the Christian Family Movement, participated in Mission
Vacations with Native American communities, and over the years hosted several
hundred international students. Pat
believed it important that her extended family had connections with their
diverse cultural heritages. She developed
a list of ethnic organizational contacts in the
A former manager of
Chicagoland sales development for Parker House
Sausage Co., Pat was later hired as assistant press secretary by the late
Chicago Mayor Harold Washington. Her specialty
was with ethnic and community newspapers, so she continued in the press office
for Mayor Eugene Sawyer and Mayor Richard M. Daley. Hired by Secretary of State Jim Edgar, she
served as his Assistant for Ethnic Affairs and Ethnic Media when he became
governor, and remain in that position through Gov.
George Ryan’s term. She now is an
assistant to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.
Patricia has been
recognized with more than 65 awards and honors.