Mrs. Doris Rottschalk received her Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from SIUC in 1969. While a student, she worked for R. Paul Hibbs, who was in charge of weekly university convocations. She later worked in the speech communication department for professors Marion Kleinau and Dorothy Higgenbotham. She joined the SIU Alumni Association Board of Directors in 1991 and was its president from 1998-1999. She currently serves on the SIU Foundation Board of Directors. She has also served on the (then) College of Communications and Fine Arts Alumni Society Board, the Light the Pulliam Tower Development Committee, and the SIU Development Strategic Development Planning Task Force.

After graduating SIU, Mrs. Rottschalk taught English and speech at Pinckneyville High School for three years. She then returned to teach at her alma mater, DuQuoin High School, where she has also served as newspaper sponsor and directed drama productions. She is active in her community, serving on the tourism commission, park board, library board, PTA, Sacred Heart School Board, and in church organizations. She has also been a member of The Occupants of the Empty House, a southern Illinois society of admirers of Sherlock Holmes.

Mrs. Rottschalk's husband, Richard, is an SIUC alumnus (1969 Bachelor of Science graduate in Design), as is their daughter, Jane Cohlmeyer (1990 in Speech Communication). Another daughter, Julie Rottschalk, has studied social work at SIU and their son, John Rottschalk, graduated from the SIU Dental School in Alton.