University News: Crystal Lake and Cary Students Noted for Exemplary Peformance

The following students were recognized for achievements and outstanding performance at colleges and universities. 

Steven Mondloch, of Cary, performs with Augustana's Handel Oratorio Society

ROCK ISLAND- Augustana College's Handel Oratorio Society recently presented its new take on a Quad-Cities Christmas tradition, A Christmas Messiah.

Steven Mondloch, of Cary, performed in the show.

The Handel Oratorio Society began performing choral and orchestral works in 1881, after Olaf Olsson, Augustana professor of theology who later served as president, visited London and saw a performance of Handel's Messiah. 

Founded in 1860, Augustana College is a selective four-year residential college of the liberal arts and sciences.

Daniel Fuglestad, of Cary, Performs in Wheaton College Christmas Festival

WHEATON- Wheaton College student Daniel Fuglestad recently performed in "Before the Marvel," the 2013 Christmas Festival presented by the Wheaton College Conservatory of Music.

Fuglestad, a senior from Cary, performed with the Men's Glee Club. Fuglestad sang tenor.

To view the 2013 Wheaton College Christmas Festival, along with Christmas Festivals from previous years, visit bit.ly/wcchristmasfest13. The festival will also air on many Moody Radio Network stations.

Wheaton College is a coeducational Christian liberal arts college noted for its rigorous academics, integration of faith and learning, and consistent ranking among the top liberal arts colleges in the country.

Local Students Serve as Augustana Ambassadors

ROCK ISLAND- Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill., has a team of 116 student admissions ambassadors who help the Office of Admissions recruit new students. The 2013-14 admissions ambassadors team includes:

Brittany Hallman, of Lakewood, a sophomore majoring in communication sciences and disorders.

Kelly Olson, of Crystal Lake, a senior majoring in elementary education.

Rachel Resek, of Crystal Lake, a junior majoring in psychology and business administration-marketing.

Rebecca Strandberg, of Crystal Lake, a sophomore majoring in pre-elementary education and music performance-piano.

Augustana admissions ambassadors are very involved in campus interactions with prospective students, sharing their experiences and introducing prospective students to life on a residential liberal arts campus. The ambassadors give campus tours, escort students and families to appointments and take leading roles on campus visit days.

Students apply and interview for these positions. The competitive application process lasts several months and begins during spring term.

Stephanie Giardina Inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

BATON ROUGE, LA - The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi is pleased to announce that Stephanie Giardina of Crystal Lake was recently initiated into Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines. 

Giardina is pursuing a degree in business information systems at Oklahoma State University.

Giardina is among approximately 32,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors, having at least 72 semester hours, are eligible for membership. 

Founded in 1897 at the University of Maine and headquartered in Baton Rouge, La., Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline honor society. The Society has chapters on more than 300 college and university campuses in North America and the Philippines. 

Margaret Gomberg appointed to SUFAC at UW-Whitewater

WHITEWATER, Wisc.- Margaret Gomberg, a junior elementary education major from Crystal Lake, has been named to the 2013 Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee (SUFAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

SUFAC has the authority to allocate certain tuition funds to student organizations and activities. The committee includes members appointed by each college dean, along with representatives chosen from the Residence Hall Association and Whitewater Student Government.

Students on the committee have been mentored in other UW-Whitewater organizations and departments, such as Residence Life and Career and Leadership Development. This level of experience speaks to UW-Whitewater's commitment to student leadership and personal ownership.

Nicole Daniel, of Cary, Inducted into Alpha Chi Honor Society

SEARCY, Arkansas- Cary resident Nicole Daniel, an English major at Harding University, was inducted into the University's Alpha Chi Honor Society on Nov. 17.

The society recognizes the academic excellence of college students nationwide. To be selected for induction, students must be in the top 10 percent of their class. Alpha Chi encourages high standards and acknowledges the scholarship of these students.

Harding is the largest private university in Arkansas with 6,295 students. 

William Woods University Student Kara Butler, of CL, Volunteers

FULTON, Missouri - The 14 students in the advanced nutrition class at William Woods University took a trip to the Fulton Food Bank at SERVE recently for a service-learning project. The students unloaded trucks of food, stocked shelves and helped detail the food bank trucks while they were there.

Kara Butler, of Crystal Lake, was one of the 14 students.

Kelly Koch Awarded International Scholarship from UW-Whitewater

WHITEWATER, Wisc.- In the era of globalization, future educators need to prepare themselves for the diverse teaching environment ahead. The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater College of Education and Professional Studies recognizes this, and has awarded scholarships for students to travel and teach abroad.

Kelly Koch, a senior special education major from Cary, has been awarded an international scholarship.

The scholarships are open to any student with the intention to study abroad. The programs vary by location and are supervised by faculty throughout the entire preparation phase.

Koch will travel to Sweden for the spring 2014 semester.

Anna Ivarson Named Michigan Tech Leading Scholar Finalist

HOUGHTON, Mich. - Michigan Technological University's Leading Scholar Award is a competitive scholarship that is offered to incoming resident and non-resident students with exemplary leadership attributes and outstanding scholarly achievement. 

This year, there were 43 finalists for the on-campus program held December 8-9. All are high school seniors.

Among the finalists invited to campus was Anna Ivarson from Cary-Grove High School.

"The Leading Scholar Award competition is a way to assess talents and skills not otherwise captured in applications," said Ali Carter, Michigan Tech's director of admissions. "These best and brightest students will be the future leaders on campus and in their communities."