A memorial service for sociology and Kellogg Prof. Joan Zielinski will be held at 4 p.m. Jan. 30 at Alice Millar Chapel, according to a University news release published Wednesday.

Zielinski passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack Dec. 13. She served as executive director of the New Jersey Lottery and as a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School before coming to Northwestern. At NU, she taught for the Harvey Kapnick Business Institutions Program and was a key player in introducing a three-course series of Marketing Management, Consumer Behavior and Marketing Ideology for students in the program.

Zielinski was a favorite among students, nominated multiple times for Associated Student Government’s Faculty Honor Roll and chosen by seniors to give the annual “Last Lecture” at the Cubby Bear in Chicago in 2009.  According to BIP Assistant Director Lucy Millman, Zielinski also led teams of students to New York the past two years for the finals of the L’Oreal Brandstorm Competition, where participants pitch a product for consumers under different scenarios.

According to the release, she is survived by her husband, Dr. Peter A. Alsberg, and their two daughters, Marisa and Sasha.

— Jillian Sandler