Dr. De Jong, Professor at University of Cincinnati, has taught for 36 years. She holds a B. S. degree from Miami University in Oxford OH, a M. S. from Pennsylvania State University and a Doctorate from the University of Cincinnati. She has been a member of InSEA for over 17 years, a InSEA Vice President, InSEA Treasurer, and Chair of this same committee that now honors her. Dr. De Jong created the idea of “sponsored” InSEA Memberships for art educators in countries without “hard” currency and the program continues today.  Mary won several awards for her hard work: EDWIN ZIEGFELD AWARD given by USSEA; USSEA Service Award (2009) for leadership of the. Silent Auctions, and former Secretary & PRESIDENT OF NAEA WOMEN’S CAUCUS and her InSEA 2002 Herbert Read Award.
I met Maryl when I was a young professor at Cleveland State University, my first higher education job. I was all alone and met Maryl at the OAEA State Conference. She was so friendly and inviting, I soon felt more at home, even though she lived 4 hours away in Cincinnati. That year my research paper was accepted by InSEA, but I couldn’t afford to go to the conference in Brazil, so Maryl offered to present my research paper. Then I wrote to her that I owed her one—Well, she appointed me Chair of the USSEA Ziegfeld Awards with all its political pressures. After 3 years of torture from various candidates vying for the award, somehow we survived. So I learned a great deal from how to overlook such pressures and keep optimistic!

One of the funniest remembrances of Maryl was the letters with all the stickers & glitter in them. My husband loved the pocket calendars. I was in London with Rachel Mason reminiscing about them and how all the glitter would fall out onto the floor. Then I went to Turkey and missed the letters and started to look for them. The traces of her black cats and stardust will new leave me.  Maryl was just so much fun!

On a personal level, we honor De Jong as the epitome of a GOOD WILL AMBASSADOR because she is always so positive, energetic, happy, and generous to all, especially new InSEA members. Maryl can always find you a place to sleep in if you don’t mind sharing and switching beds and rooms because of the of “coming and going” of female art educators. I guarantee that you won’t get much sleep, but who cares, you get introduced and indoctrinated to the “sacred lore” that involves InSEA’s rites of passage. These humble activities are the most meaningful things that any InSEA member can do to promote InSEA. I challenge you to follow her generosity of spirit and resources and in doing so you honor her leadership.