Pat McCarthy
Patricia Joyce (Haladyna Hnilo) McCarthy was born in Chicago Illinois and attended Eastern Illinois University and The University of Arizona majoring in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing. At one point she thought Education was the better route to take in her college degree only to not finish her last year in order to continue her job career in Renewable Natural Resources and then Women's Studies. Her children Deborah Lynn Brooks Laura Ann O'Hara and Michael Bruce Hnilo were all graduates of The University of Arizona and this she considered to be one of her greatest goals in life. Pat's love of working with students, board members, serving on committees to improve the status and benefits of University staff members serving on United Way committees Social & Behavioral Science committees and The UA Beta Group for many years brought her great satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. One of Pat's early goals in the Women's Studies Department was to help launch a fund-raising project for the Department to raise $1000000 through the Women's Plaza of Honor to benefit students in the department and students in Women in Science and Engineering. The many mentoring programs that she was involved in to encourage young females to enter the fields of Mathematics Science Engineering and Computer Technology gave young students incentives to enter these fields with the assistance of local mentors and funding opportunities to achieve their goals. Pat was also awarded the highest University award to staff The Staff Award of Excellence not only once but twice in her eighteen-year career with the University of Arizona. Mrs. McCarthy is now happily retired and spends her time with her husband Joe between her residence in Green Valley and their mountain home in Overgaard Arizona. She has also accomplished her long-term goal of being GramPat to nine grandchildren four of them locals. In addition to her new business endeavor of designing and selling warm glass fusion pieces lapidary jewelry and silversmithing Pat also enjoys international traveling and working in her English Garden in the mountains. As she has stated "Life is really good". ------ The Women's Studies Department bade a fond farewell to Pat Hnilo (McCarthy) on her retirement in March 2005. She worked for the UA for eighteen years starting as an administrative assistant in Renewable Natural Resources in 1987. She worked there for eight years and over the years was promoted to administrative associate program coordinator and finally program coordinator senior for the last ten years. Pat was involved with the UA Women's Commission; the College of Agriculture Staff Advisory Council; The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Retreat Committee; and the UA Beta Group as past president vice president conference director and programs director. She was also appointed by President Likins to the UA Ombudsman program. Pat's tireless attention to detail and her great sense of fun are enormously missed by the Women's Studies Department!