Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park announced on Jan. 29 that its new principal, effective July 1, will be Therese Uphues Hawkins, a 1979 graduate of the school who has worked there as a teacher and administrator from more than 20 years.
Hawkins succeeds Deborah Tracy, who will become the institution’s president at the end of the 2017-18 school year.
“It is a natural transition for Therese to move into the role of principal,” Tracy said in a press release. “As an alum of our school and collaborative leader, Therese is committed to the mission of Nazareth Academy, our students, families and alumni.”
Hawkins presently serves as Nazareth’s director of curriculum and instruction. Other roles she’s held include director of student activities, assistant dean of students and chair of the history department, a subject she has taught since 2001.
Hawkins, a Westchester resident and mother of three Nazareth Academy graduates, has a bachelor’s degree in history from Northern Illinois University and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from Concordia University.
Appointed
Ellen Ambuehl in January was appointed executive director of the LaGrange Area Department of Special Education and will begin the job on July 1. Ambuehl current serves as assistant executive director of the agency, a special education cooperative serving 15 school districts in Cook and DuPage counties.
Totally on board
The Frederick Law Olmsted Society kicked off its 50th anniversary celebration on Jan. 19 with the Riverside organization’s annual meeting, during which its officers and directors were elected for 2018.
The new officers are Cathy Maloney, president; Theresa Pelletier, vice president; Janice O’Flaherty, secretary; and Thomas Guardi, treasurer.
Dan and Olivia Murphy were newly elected to the board of directors, along with Joanne Rogers. Returning board members include Kim and Rob Dixon, Sander Kaplan, Linda and Rick LaBelle and Sandie and Jim Petrzilka.
The Brookfield Chamber of Commerce has announced its officers and directors for 2018. Taking on the role of president is Steven Langworthy of Edward Jones & Company, while Brian Sharenow (FMG Events) was named first vice president and Clara D’Onofrio (Ms. Clara’s Mini Musicians) was named second vice president. Amy Weinert of First National Bank of Brookfield was named secretary.
Directors include Betty LeClere, Phil Richard, Tim Gannon, Doug Fiala, Mary Vasquez, Will Knippenberg, Charles Hitzeman, Monika Fogarty and Maria Verduzco.
On campus
Nicholas Beltran, of Riverside, graduated cum laude in December 2017 from Ithaca (New York) College with a Bachelor of Science degree in outdoor adventure leadership.
Graduating during the Dec. 16-17 commencement ceremonies at Northern Illinois University were more than 1,400 students, including North Riverside resident Jessica Walinski, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing.
Andrew Malikowski, of Brookfield, received bachelor’s degrees in accounting and finance during the winter commencement ceremonies at the University of Iowa in December 2017.
Brookfield resident Katherine Andrulis has been named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Wittenburg College in Springfield, Ohio for maintaining a semester grade-point average of at least 3.5 on a 4-point scale.
University of Iowa has announced the following students made the 2017 fall semester dean’s list: Brookfield residents Alyse Malikowski and Aija Smajlovic, North Riverside resident Manuel Sida and Riverside residents Rachel Heuel and Anna Milleker.
Among those named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at the University of Dayton for attaining a minimum semester GPA of 3.5 were Brookfield residents Mayra Baeza, Gina Crisanti, Hunter Soumar and Collin Sventy and Riverside residents Bridget Carey, Molly Gates, Emily Michul and Stephanie Rodriguez.
Riverside residents Nicole LaBelle and Evan Jones have been named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, for ranking in the top 20 percent of undergraduates within their academic divisions.
Brookfield resident Evan St. Paul, North Riverside resident Camila Davila and Riverside residents Moira Dunn and DiAngelo Gonzalez were named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Augustana College in Rock Island for attaining a semester GPA of at least 3.5.
Andres Garcia (nursing), of North Riverside, and Austin Sundstrom (history), of Riverside, were named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Northern Illinois University.
Knox College in Galesburg has announced that Brookfield residents Katherine Alaks and Meaghan Dorsey have been named to the school’s 2017 fall term dean’s list.
Michael Gruber, of Riverside, was named to Trine University’s (Angola, Indiana) 2017 fall semester dean’s list. The design engineering technology major earned a semester GPA of at least 3.5.
Julia Boge, of Riverside, was named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, for earning a semester GPA of at least 3.6.
Marquette University in Milwaukee announced last month that Riverside resident Gavin Kunish had been named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list in the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences for achieving a GPA of at least 3.7 for the semester.
Bridget Halvey, of North Riverside, was named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Carthage College in Kenosha for attaining a GPA of at least 3.5 for the semester.
The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater announced that Riverside resident Benjamin Bernasek was named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list for attaining a semester GPA of at least 3.4.
Erin Engstrom, of Brookfield has been named to the 2017 fall semester dean’s list at Ripon (Wisconsin) College for achieving at semester GPA of at least 3.4. She is the daughter of James and Joan Engstrom.
Riverside resident Haven Clark has been named to the dean’s list for the 2017 fall semester at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, by attaining a GPA of at least 3.5 for the term.
Several local residents have been named to the first semester honor rolls at Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, including the following:
A Honor Roll: Brookfield residents Gwenyth Acosta, Grace Acosta, Leilani Dodson, Jeremy Kolasa, David Sullivan and Archer Wagner and Riverside residents Isabella Brick, Matthew Ivansek, Carlie Merola and Elizabeth Pilarz.
B Honor Roll: Brookfield residents Gunnar Hendrix and Braden Schneider and Riverside residents Michael Almeida, Dominic Mendoza and Justin Rokicki.
Brookfield resident Adam Strzelczyk was one of more than 25 members of the Lyons Township High School Business Professionals of America Club to place at the BPA regional competition in January. Strzelczyk, a junior, placed third in the banking and finance category and fourth in fundamental accounting.
