College news

• Sixteen residents received degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during December commencement exercises. Graduates include Broadview resident Kira Howard; Brookfield resident Jennifer Brencic; Hillside resident Equawn Elerby; Indian Head Park residents Ryan Brummet and Maria Durso; La Grange residents Courey Gruszawskas, Matthew Lammers and Andrew Lukanich; North Riverside resident Hilary Spala; Riverside residents Joseph Holecek, Jessica Jurkovic and Mallori Kelley; Western Springs residents Jennifer Hill, Margaret Spinato and Martin Stroka; and Willow Springs resident Michael Gordon.

• Michael Tagliere of Western Springs was named to the winter-quarter and spring-quarter dean’s lists at DePaul University, Chicago. He also received honors from the Honorary Board of Regents and the Board of Directors of The National Society of Collegiate Scholars for his scholarship, leadership and service.

• Five Riverside residents were named Indiana University Founders Day honorees for the 2006-07 academic year. To receive academic honors a student must earn a minimum 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Students include Michael Sellers MacDonald, Megan McGuane, Elissa Mikol, I. Denise Reyes and Lauren Zsigray.

• Pamela Duda of Brookfield received a bachelor of science degree in biomedical engineering with honors from Milwaukee School of Engineering, Wis., during spring commencement ceremonies. Honor graduates have earned a cumulative grade-point average between 3.20 and 3.69.

• Alyssa Preston of Burr Ridge received a juris doctor degree from New York Law School during May commencement exercises.

• Annie Rinaldi of La Grange was named to the spring-semester dean’s list at Bradley University, Peoria.

• Broadview resident Joshua Biesboer; Westchester resident Kenneth Cook; and Willow Springs resident Amanda Wierema received degrees from Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, during spring commencement ceremonies.

• Diane Meyer of Western Springs was awarded a Presidential Scholarship from Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, for the 2007-08 academic year. The scholarship is awarded on the basis of the student’s academic and leadership achievement and ranges from $7,000 to $12,000.

• Jeremy Goodsitt of La Grange was named to the spring-quarter dean’s list at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Terre Haute, Ind. To qualify for the dean’s list, a student must attain a minimum 3.3 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

• Ashley Lubenkov of La Grange received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and French from Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C. during spring commencement ceremonies. She was a Wake Forest Scholarship student for four years.

• Nicole Lapwing of Brookfield received the Caitlin AL-Sakhira Scholarship from Elmhurst College for the 2006-07 academic year. The scholarship is awarded for full-time female music majors at the college. Lapwing was a February 2007 graduate with a major in music education and cum laude honors. She was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa national leadership honor society and Pi Gamma Mu social studies honor society.

• Forty-six residents received degrees from Illinois State University, Normal, during spring commencement exercises. Graduates include Berkeley resident Leah Schwebke; Broadview residents, Lisa Reichmann and Moises Tovar; Brookfield residents Michael Kaczorowski, Kristen Manak and Patrick McNulty; Burr Ridge resident, Michael Donahue; Countryside residents Scott Sawa, Kathryn Moss and Robert Todhunter; Hillside resident, Brandon Cotton; Indian Head Park residents Jeannine Stupka, Michael Callan, Steven Mierop and Andrew Welebir; La Grange residents Joseph Boland, Maureen Brazee, Zack Heydorn, Michael McDonald and Jennifer Tlusty; La Grange Highlands resident Kelly Streit; La Grange Park residents, Gregory Dabkey, Conor Daly, Melanie Grzesik, Julia Kill, Ashley Mahn and Meghan Petersen; Lyons residents Matthew Czarnowski and Jennifer Mangiantini; North Riverside residents Conor Ellis and Michelle Materazzo; Riverside resident Morgan Zaviska; Westchester residents Jamie Doucet, Elizabeth Jekli, Cynthia Klaczynski, Robert Lyons and Maureen McGinnis; Western Springs residents Hannah McCarthy, Kelly Miller, Samantha Miller, Andrew O’Connell, Ashley Rylander and Nicholas Spinato; and Willow Springs residents Michelle Kendzora, Michael Valdez and Mike Welchko.

• Melissa Lugo of Westchester received a graduate leadership award from Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, during spring honors ceremonies. Leadership awards are presented to students whose participation and leadership in student organizations enhances the quality of campus life.

• Vicki Rolewicz of Brookfield was named to the spring semester dean’s list in the nursing program at St. Xavier University, Chicago, with a straight A 4.0 grade-point average.

• Four residents received degrees from the University of Dayton, Ohio, during spring commencement exercises. Graduates include Brookfield resident Jason Capone; and Western Springs residents Catherine Brody, Kelly Mulhern and Justin Polacek.

• Eight residents were named to the spring semester honor’s list at Dominican University, River Forest. To qualify for the honor’s list, a student must achieve a minimum 3.5 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale. Students include Brookfield resident Jennifer Sukacz; La Grange residents Caitlyn Kamm and Stefanie Piatkiewicz; Lyons resident Karen Wagner; North Riverside resident Julian Betancourt; Riverside resident Svetlana Caro; and Westchester residents Lisanne Scannicchio and Megan Wasz.

• Leila Stehlik-Barry of Brookfield was named to the spring-quarter dean’s list at Northwestern University, Evanston. Students named to the dean’s list have attained a minimum 3.70 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale.

• Melissa Harman of Riverside received a bachelor of arts degree in communication with cum laude honors from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas, during May commencement ceremonies.

• Heather Rolewicz of Brookfield was named to the spring semester dean’s list at Loyola University, Chicago.

• Four residents received bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison during May commencement ceremonies. Graduates include Brookfield residents Nora Antene and Christina King; Westchester resident Deborah Perticara; and Western Springs resident Carly Klein.

• Griffin Baum of Burr Ridge received a bachelor of science degree from Emory University, Atlanta, Ga., during spring commencement exercises.

• Ten residents received degrees from Roosevelt University, Chicago, during May commencement ceremonies. Graduates include Brookfield residents James Baum and Lauren Patton; Burr Ridge resident Maggie Webb; Indian Head Park resident Barbara Wood; Lyons residents Kimberly Devlin and  Barbara Tuttle; North Riverside resident Marva Williams; Riverside resident Anna Vaca; and Westchester residents Aimee Mercer and Julie Liotine.

• Bianca Manola of La Grange Park received a bachelor of science degree in culinary arts from Johnson and Wales University, Providence, R.I., during spring commencement exercises.

• Meagan Brown of Riverside has enrolled at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for the 2007-08 academic year. She is a June graduate of Fenwick High School, Oak Park.

School news

• The new Walther Lutheran Academy of Forest Park will open for the first time on Monday, Aug. 27. The school is located at 305 Circle Ave. and will provide classes for ages 3 through eighth grade, along with extracurricular activities and extended care. The academy will operate under the Walther Lutheran Association, which is the parent organization of Walther Lutheran High School in Melrose Park. For more information, call (708) 344-0404.

• EA Sports named Coach Dave Power of Fenwick High School, Oak Park, National Coach of the Year recognizing his achievement in leading the girl’s basketball team to the Class 2A Illinois State Championship. EA Sports is an interactive sports software brand that sponsors the All-American program honoring the nation’s top high school players.