Mark Wukas

Mark Wukas has spent his life in Chicago working as professional asker of questions as both a teacher and writer–and sometimes both at the same time.

A native South Sider and graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary South, Wukas credits his high school job–two years as an Andy Frain usher–with giving him a knowledge of the city and its neighborhoods that helped him on the streets as a young reporter.

After receiving his B.A. and M.A. in English from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and spending two happy years at The Daily Illini, he returned to his high school alma mater to teach English before embarking on a 20-year career in journalism and professional writing. His stops included The Palos Regional, City News Bureau, United Press International, Radio Free Europe, and he spent several years being “Special to the Tribune.” To supplement his meager pay as a writer, Wukas returned to teaching literature and composition as an adjunct professor at the College of St. Francis in Joliet, Columbia College and Roosevelt University.

Wukas left public relations to return to the classroom, and after a year teaching world history and senior writing at Fasman Yeshiva in Skokie, Ill., he landed a job teaching English at New Trier Township High School in Winnetka, Ill., where he spent 19 years teaching English and coaching cross country and track and field before retiring in 2021.

Wukas lives in either Uptown or Edgewater, depending upon where realtors draw the line, and spends his time writing the stories he never had time to tell while teaching and coaching.