OP_0606

14 | June 6, 2019 | the orland Park Prairie school
OPPrairie.com
School News
Providence Catholic High
School
Orland Park resident
delivers address as
valedictorian
Providence Catholic
High School recently concluded
its 100th anniversary
year by celebrating the
Class of 2019 graduation
at the Rialto Square Theatre
in Joliet.
Members of the class
crossed the Rialto Theatre
stage to receive their
PCHS diploma from the
Rev. John Merkelis.
During the ceremony,
Valedictorian Allison
Brankin, of Orland Park
addressed classmates during
the event.
Bradley University
Students from Orland Park
earn spots on dean’s list
More than 1,700 students
were named to the
spring 2019 dean’s list at
Bradley University.
The following Orland
Park students made the
list: Amanda Devos (mechanical
engineering),
Lauren Germino (FCS
dietetics), Lauren Hetzler
(nursing), Rebecca Zaragoza
(nursing), Kaitlyn
Markey (nursing) and
John Markey (computer
science).
To be eligible for the
dean’s list, a student must
achieve a minimum 3.5
grade point average for the
semester on a 4.0 scale.
Illinois Wesleyan University
Orland Park trio among
those named to dean’s list
The following Orland
Park students were among
those named to the dean’s
list for the spring semester
of the 2018-2019 academic
year at Illinois Wesleyan
University: Grainne
Kelly, David O’Neil and
Emilija Stankute.
The dean’s list includes
668 students from 23 states
and 15 countries. To be on
the dean’s list, a student
must have a grade-point
average of 3.50 or better
during the semester, based
on 4.0 for straight As.
Lewis University
Orland Parker earns
degree, accolades
Alyssa Melone, of Orland
Park, recently graduated
from Lewis University.
Melone graduated with
honors with a Bachelor
of Science degree from
the College of Nursing
and Health Professionals.
Melone earned the college’s
Senior Departmental
Award, demonstrating
Academic Excellence
throughout the program.
Melone finished first in her
graduating class in May
2019.
Olivet Nazarene University
Dean’s list includes Oralnd
Park resident
Jeffrey Sneideraitis, of
Orland Park, was named
to the dean’s list at Olivet
Nazarene University during
the recently completed
spring 2019 semester.
To qualify for inclusion
on the dean’s list, a student
must have been enrolled
as a full-time undergraduate
student and must have
attained a semester grade
point average of 3.50 or
higher on a 4.00 grading
scale.
St. Ambrose University
Two from Orland Park
graduate
St. Ambrose University
recently held its spring
commencement ceremony.
Among the graduates
were Orland Parkers Allison
Drechny (summa cum
laude-psychology) and
Reilly Scanlon (human
performance and fitnesspsychology).
University of Alabama
Orland Park student
selected for scholars
program
Ines Martinand, of
Orland Park, has been
selected as a member of
the incoming class in the
Randall Research Scholars
Program in The University
of Alabama Honors College.
Forty-one incoming
freshmen were selected to
participate in this nationally-recognized
undergraduate
research program. The
Randall Research Scholars
Program gives outstanding
students majoring in
any field the opportunity
to work one-on-one with
leading research faculty to
complete a research project
in their major field of
study.
University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign
Student from Orland
Park earns biomedical
engineering degree
Daniel Capua, of Orland
Park, recently received
his degree in biomedical
engineering from
the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign.
University of South Carolina
Orland Parker is Fulbright
alternate
For the 18th consecutive
year, the University
of South Carolina will be
represented abroad next
year by Fulbright US Student
grantees conducting
research, studying and
serving as English teaching
assistants.
An addition to them is
alternate Krystal Rampalli,
a graduate of Sandburg
High School in Orland
Park. She is a doctoral
student and UofSC ASPH
Arnold Fellow, studying
health promotion, education
and behavior. She was
named an alternate for a
grant to Botswana and
plans to pursue a career
as a researcher in global
health nutrition.
The Fulbright Program
is the flagship international
educational exchange
program sponsored by the
U.S. government and is
designed to increase mutual
understanding between
the people of the United
States and the people of
other countries. The primary
source of funding for
the Fulbright Program is
an annual appropriation by
the United States Congress
to the U.S. Department of
State’s Bureau of Educational
and Cultural Affairs.
Participating governments
and host institutions, corporations
and foundations
in foreign countries and
in the United States also
provide direct and indirect
support.
Western Illinois University
Five from Orland Park
earn spots on dean’s list
A total of 1,249 undergraduate
students enrolled
at Western Illinois University
were named to the
2019 spring dean’s list.
To receive this award,
an undergraduate student
must earn at least a 3.6
grade point average on a
scale of 4.0, which equals
an A in a minimum of 12
credit hours of graded
courses; pass-fail hours are
not counted (e.g. student
teaching, internships).
Mark Pedzimaz (senior),
Alison Marie Santillo
(senior), Elizabeth
Christine Santillo (senior),
Mary K. Sherman
(sophomore) and Brett
Brian Kobel (junior),
all of Orland Park, were
among the dean’s list honorees.
Western Michigan University
Orland Park named to
dean’s list
Annie Targosz, of Orland
Park, recently was
named to the dean’s list for
the fall 2019 semester in
Western Michigan Univesrity’s
College of Aviation,
where she studies aviation
flight science.
Western New England
University
Student from Orland Park
earns place on dean’s list
The Orland Park Prairie’s
Standout Student
Sponsored by Marquette Bank
Dea Leku, Prairie
second-grader
Dea Leku was chosen as
The Orland Park Prairie’s
Standout Student because
of his academic accomplishments.
What is one essential you
must have when studying?
Quiet room.
What do you like to do
when not in school or
studying?
I like to draw, write, or
watch TV.
What is your dream job?
Being a doctor.
What is one thing people
don’t know about you?
I’m a fast typer.
Whom do you look up to
and why?
My parents.
What is your favorite class
and why?
Art, because I love
drawing and painting.
Matthew J O’Dea, of
Orland Park, has been
named to the dean’s list
at Western New England
University for the fall semester
2018. O’Dea is
working toward a Bachelor
of Arts in psychology.
Students are named to
the dean’s list for achieving
a semester grade point
average of 3.30 or higher.
photo submitted
What’s one thing that
stands out about your
school?
My school is special,
and I feel good when I’m
there.
What extracurricular do
you wish your school had?
Gymnastics class.
If you could change on
thing about school, what
would it be?
Have more art.
What’s your best memory
from school?
Giving flowers to my
first-grade teacher on the
last day of school.
Standout Student is a weekly
feature for The Orland Park
Prairie. Nominations come
from Orland Park area
schools.