***PRESS RELEASE***
Springfield, Il– The top students representing Illinois’ colleges and universities will be honored by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois during the annual Student Laureate Convocation at 11 a.m. Saturday, November 11 at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield.
This is the 43rd year The Lincoln Academy has celebrated students’ excellence in Illinois.
Governor Bruce Rauner, the President of the Lincoln Academy, and First Lady Diana Rauner will present each student with a certificate of merit, a Lincoln medallion, and a $1,000 check from The Lincoln Academy.
The annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate Ceremony recognizes excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by seniors from each of the state’s four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities, and one student from the community colleges in Illinois.
Student Laureates are selected by their individual schools. Those to be honored as Student Laureates on November 11 include:
Institution, Student, and Hometown
- Augustana College, Abigail M. Wieland, Rock Island, IL
- Aurora University, Tia Lucia Carr, Oswego, IL
- Benedictine University, Rachel Elaine Warren, Roselle, IL
- Blackburn College, Noah B. Daum, Carrollton, IL
- Bradley University, Kelsey A. Vogt, Barrington, IL
- Chicago State University, Kristen Leiani Gardner, Calumet City, IL
- Columbia College Chicago, William Ojeda, Harwood Heights, IL
- Concordia University Chicago, Joseph David Reineke, Antigo, WI
- DePaul University, Ivana Rihter, Ladera Ranch, CA
- Dominican University, Renee Hogan, Chicago, IL
- East-West University, Kisha Renea Johnson, Chicago, IL
- Eastern Illinois University, Bailey A. Martin-Giacalone, Belleville, IL
- Elmhurst College, Monica Cecilia Mazurek, Mt. Prospect, IL
- Eureka College, Rachel Smith, Washington, IL
- Governors State University, Justin D. Smith, Chicago Heights, IL
- Greenville College, Mandy Renee Pennington, Louisville, KY
- Illinois College, Christian Flores, Addison, IL
- Illinois Institute of Technology, Allan Huang, Chicago, IL
- Illinois State University, Wesley Barnes Ward, Normal, IL
- Illinois Wesleyan University, Brock Michael Taylor, Mattoon, IL
- Judson University, Andrew James Kennedy, Gilberts, IL
- Knox College, Mara Peters Lane, Eau Claire, WI
- Lake Forest College, Jakobi Y. McClellan, Homewood, IL
- Lewis University, William Z. Riley, Chicago, IL
- Lincoln College, Ashlyn N. Carroll, Lincoln, IL
- Loyola University Chicago, Ugochukwu Okere, Chicago, IL
- MacMurray College, Courtney Jane Pearson, Pearl, IL
- McKendree University, Himani N. Patel, Eldoret, Kenya
- Millikin University, Justin Alan DeBo, Normal, IL
- Monmouth College, Diana J. Rubi, Peoria, IL
- National Louis University, Jeremy Kwitschau, Batavia, IL
- North Central College, Connor R. McGury, Naperville, IL
- North Park University, Jomarie A.O. Perlas, Hoffman Estates, IL
- Northeastern Illinois University, Cesar Bustos, Chicago, IL
- Northern Illinois University, Rachel Elizabeth Jacob, Long Grove, IL
- Olivet Nazarene University, Charles R. Deloach III, Chicago Heights, IL
- Principia College, Robert Butler, Scottsdale, AZ
- Quincy University, Alyssa M. Vitale, Naperville, IL
- Robert Morris University, Cameron Douglas Harron, Ontario, Canada
- Rockford University, Malcolm Engelbrecht, Loves Park, IL
- Roosevelt University, Christian James Brian, Mattawan, MI
- Saint Xavier University, Esraa M. Aburass, Bridgeview, IL
- School of the Art Inst. Of Chicago, Freddie Lambright III, Concord, CA
- SIU Carbondale, Kara N. Starkweather, Rochester, IL
- SIU Edwardsville, Keelah Washington, Chicago, IL
- The University of Chicago, Pranav Puri, Moline, IL
- Trinity Christian College, Roberto Josiah Rosario, Bolingbrook, IL
- Trinity International University, Margaret Patricia Kirst, Galena, IL
- University of IL at Chicago, Mariel Rancel, Oak Lawn, IL
- University of IL Springfield, Regina Bolin, Kansas City, MO
- Univ. of IL at Urbana-Champaign, Thomas J. Dowling, Chicago, IL
- University of St. Francis, Irma V. Sandoval Vizcaino, Chicago, IL
- VanderCook College of Music, Daniel Joseph Mulligan, Shorewood, IL
- Western Illinois University, Jillian R. Escobar, Hanover Park, IL
- Wheaton College, Tryphena N. Tandriarto, Arcadia, CA
- Oakton Community College, Andrew Tieng, Niles, IL
In addition to honoring the state’s Student Laureates, Illinois is unique in the United States in selecting present or former citizens who have made outstanding contributions toward the progress and betterment of humanity to be honored as Laureates of the Lincoln Academy and receive the “Order of Lincoln” from the Governor, a process that has been in place since 1964.
Proceeds from the spring Laureate Convocation are used to support the Student Laureate program each fall.
Press Release courtesy Lincoln Academy
