Achievements

• Local residents were among 40 Aurora University students honored by the Internal Revenue Service for preparing income tax forms free for the public. In a fifth annual Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, sponsored by the IRS, AU business students prepared a record 423 federal returns for Chicago-area residents. Student tax preparers recovered $367,423 in refunds for taxpayers, including a $10,900 rebate to a Sugar Grove resident. Rosie Robinson, senior tax specialist from the IRS Chicago office, presented recognition certificates and letters of appreciation in a ceremony at Dunham Hall. Students honored were David Petschke and Wej Schwocha of Batavia and Latasha Yates of St. Charles.

• More than 1,700 undergraduate students enrolled in Western Illinois University were named to the 2007 Spring Dean's List. To receive this award, a student must earn at least a 3.6 grade point average on a scale of 4.0 in 12 credit hours of graded courses; pass-fail hours are not counted. Students from Batavia include Christin Alterie, Adam Clifford, Barbara Cordes, Jennifer Fricke, Glennon Johnston, Jacob Johnston, Katie Krahenbuhl, Jacob Miller, Karen Nilles, Justin Ochoa, Alison Schuler, David Siedal, David Sobeck, John Varga and Kirsten Vining. Students from Geneva include Tony Felbab, Andrew Johnson, Gregory Johnson, Jeffrey Johnson, Danylo Jurkiw, Donald Lafreniere, Megan Mills, Mollie Mills, Amanda Nelson, Abbie Poynor, Christopher Reading and Ryan Repp. Students from St. Charles include Lindsey Keller, Garrett Ryan, Candice Tyler, Jason Warren, Elizabeth Atkinson, Kara Blanchard, Christina Brown, Mallory Enders, Julia Grano, Marie Kubala, Brett Sprengel, Danielle Thielking, Alex Vervynck and Zac Young.

• Jillian Urbelis of Geneva was named to the Spring Dean's List 2007 at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She was also selected to participate in the national leadership conferences of both Deloitte & Touche and PricewaterhouseCoopers to be held this summer in Scottsdale, Ariz., and Chicago, respectively. Urbelis is a sophomore in the College of Business and a graduate of Geneva High School.

• The Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy has invited 231 Illinois students to enroll this fall as members of its sophomore class, the Class of 2010. Area students selected from Batavia include Amy Allen, Judith Hooymans, Max McKittrick, Liana Nicklaus, Daniel Olache and Elizabeth Richardson. Students from St. Charles are Pruthvi Kothari and Richard Arriviello.

• Jori Paschedag of St. Charles has been named to the Dean’s List at Bethel University, St. Paul, Minn., for the 2007 spring semester. Jori is the daughter of Dennis and Carol Paschedag of Cumming, Ga.

• Northern Illinois University has awarded certificates of academic excellence for the spring 2007 semester. Students from St. Charles who have earned a certificate are Sara Arafat and Adam Fain.

• Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., has announced the spring 2007 Dean’s List. Students from Geneva named on the Dean’s List include Elizabeth Cleave and Stephen Tusken.

Graduates

• Elmhurst College has announced the 2007 graduating class. More than 600 students were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held May 27. Commencement was held outdoors on the College Mall. Students from Batavia include Ervin DeCastro and Jamie Rowe, summa cum laude. Students from Geneva include Colin Thompson and Bridget Treccia. Students from St. Charles include Valerie Bonato, summa cum laude, Kelly Giffin and Jason Woods.