Susan "Suzy" Bacon, coordinator of student academic
programs for the Krieger School of Arts
and Sciences for the past six years, died on Sept. 11
after a prolonged battle with cancer. She was 47.
Friends and colleagues remember Bacon as a passionate
champion of Johns Hopkins students, a dedicated and
selfless employee and a warm soul whose bright, infectious
smile lit up any room she was in.
Her dedication, in fact, knew no bounds, according to
Steven David, special assistant to the dean and professor
of political science.
For the past five years, Bacon had coordinated the
Woodrow Wilson Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program,
working closely with the fellows as they progressed in
their research. Founded in 1999, the program allows
students in the School of Arts and Sciences to delve into
unconstrained research during their undergraduate
experience, mentored by distinguished Johns Hopkins
faculty.
David, who runs the Wilson program, said that a
research project of this scale can be a daunting task and
that Bacon was a caring and invaluable resource for the
young fellows.
"With Suzy, they had someone who they could go to and
just unburden themselves — in addition to the more
mechanical aspects of her job, helping them with budgets,
finding mentors. She was simply amazing," David said. "She
really got to know virtually all the students, and she was
there for them, both academically and also to lend a
sympathetic ear if they had concerns about one thing or
another. She was a kind of surrogate mother or aunt to the
fellows, and she would push them a little if they were not
on track, or reassure them if they were nervous about where
they were going."
David said that the lion's share of credit for the
success of the Woodrow Wilsons goes to Bacon. To honor her
commitment to the program, the Office of the Dean recently
created the Suzy Bacon Fellow of the Woodrow Wilson
Undergraduate Research Program. David said that the honor
will be bestowed annually on someone who manifests the
qualities of commitment, caring and scholarship that Bacon
embodied. On Sept. 8, Alexandra C. Sowa was presented with
the inaugural honor.
"Suzy knew about this award before she died, and that
was important to all of us, too. We did not want to do this
after she was gone," he said. "We wanted to reward her
contribution to the program. She was there every day, from
day one, and I take some consolation that she died doing
what she loved doing. I still can't believe that she is
gone."
A lover of old movies and of unique pins, which she
wore every day, Bacon was known as a devotee of the I Love
Lucy show, after whose main star she named her beloved
cat.
A 1980 graduate of Vassar College, Bacon came to Johns
Hopkins in 1991 to work in the Development Office. Her
first job was assistant to the major gifts officer, and she
was later promoted to alumni projects coordinator. Bacon
earned a masters of liberal arts from JHU in May 2003. In
2002, she received the Dunn Family Award in recognition of
her extraordinary commitment and service to undergraduate
students.
Friends describe her as an extremely likeable,
outgoing person who was always willing to help others.
David said she had a unique "rosy optimistic vision of
life."
Bacon is survived by her parents, John Foster and
Phoebe Edward Bacon; sisters Phoebe, Laurie and Deborah; a
brother, Thomas; and three nephews and a niece. A memorial
gathering for Bacon will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday,
Oct. 23, in the Meyerhoff Auditorium of the Park School. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be directed in Ms. Bacon's
name to Maryland Food Bank, 241 N. Franklintown Rd.,
Baltimore, MD 21234 or Center for Poverty Solutions, 2521
N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218.
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