Patricia Koll

Dr. Patricia J. Koll was born in Milwaukee, WI. Always the good student, Patricia was valedictorian of her Milwaukee Custer High School graduating class before beginning her college career at UW Madison where a requirement to pass a university swimming test nearly prevented her graduation, despite her membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Patricia received a master’s degree from UW Oshkosh in social studies education and a doctorate in educational administration and supervision from Marquette University.

Patricia joined the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in 1968. She worked at UW Oshkosh for 31 years serving as a professor of education, associate dean, coordinator of continuing education and outreach in the College of Education and Human Services, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Graduate School and Research. She served as co-director of a five-year teacher education program project and the administrative liaison for the NCA reaccreditation project. She also spearheaded the graduate certificate program in gerontological studies.

Through her work in the classroom and in administrative service, Dr. Koll helped provide a quality education to thousands of UW Oshkosh students. Her commitment and exemplary performance in teaching, research, and scholarship have been recognized with the UW Oshkosh Distinguished Teaching Award and the John McNaughton Rosebush Award. Dr. Koll retired from UW Oshkosh in 1999.

Despite her busy university responsibilities, Patricia always found time to provide service to the community. She described herself as the ‘self-appointed bag lady’ for dozens of newly diagnosed cancer patients. She would go to their homes to share her bag of books, tapes, videos, etc. as well as a listening ear to encourage survivorship. She passed away in 2003.

Dr. Koll established the Patricia J. Koll Scholarship in 2002 to support College of Education & Human Services students who demonstrate high academic achievement and leadership experience.