Rita L. Code

Rita L. Code Endowed Scholarship

Nancy Jane Sears earned three degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, including the first Ph.D. in Clothing and Textiles (1969) to be awarded by the University. She held academic positions at East Carolina University, North Carolina State University, and Meredith College. She did graduate study at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Duke University, and Fordham University, where she earned an M.B.A. with honors and received the Senator and Mrs. Sam Nunn Award for Excellence in Business Ethics. Following her academic career, Nancy joined Burlington Industries, Inc., where she held various positions in human resources, sales and marketing in New York City, Chicago, and Greensboro, North Carolina before joining Brookhurst, Inc. as Vice President, National Accounts.

Nancy has contributed her resources and business acumen for the benefit of society through service to church, through the Stephen Ministry program, educational institutions, coop board, and non-profit organizations. Her philanthropic efforts include the establishment of seven scholarship/fellowship funds at five different universities.

She and her husband, Robert S. Murch, reside in Stamford, Connecticut.

Nancy is currently a Realtor for William Raveis Real Estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, where she earned President’s Club recognition in 2013 and 2017. She has served as a Stephen Minister at the First Presbyterian Church in Greenwich, continuously from 2003 to the present.

Dr. Sears establishes this endowed scholarship in honor of her dear friend Rita L. Code, in recognition of Rita Code’s imagination, perseverance, and generous heart, which has added luster to Chicago. Throughout her adult life, Rita Code has excelled as an entrepreneur, business owner, employer, investor, concerned citizen and devoted mother.