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USF News

Homecoming 2023 Set for September 29-October 1

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) has announced its plans for Homecoming 2023 with events that will take place on Friday, September 29 through Sunday, October 1. With a variety of events on the schedule, there is something for all alumni and friends of USF to enjoy.

This year’s events include the annual Homecoming Tailgate & Football Game (versus Saint Xavier University); Alumni Reunions; USF History in Photos; Campus Tour; Alumni Memorial Mass; Distinguished Alumni Dinner; and more.

Aindrea Hogan, USF Director of Advancement, is looking forward to welcoming members of the Saint Family back to campus.

“This time of year is so special. We have welcomed a new group of freshmen Saints to campus this fall and Homecoming is the perfect opportunity for members of our community to gather and celebrate what it means to be a Saint! This campus is ever-evolving and we welcome our alumni and the entire Joliet community to join us for USF’s Homecoming on September 29 through October 1,” Hogan said.

Visit stfrancis.edu/alumni/hcrw for more information on all Homecoming events, to register for a specific event, and for information on lodging and directions to campus. Alumni are asked to note the event reservation cutoff date of September 20, 2023.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact the University Advancement Office either by email at alumni@stfrancis.edu or by phone at 877-811-ALUM (2586).

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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University of St. Francis Introduces New Directors in Performing Arts 

Joliet, Ill. – With the start of the fall 2023 semester underway, the University of St. Francis (USF) welcomes three new leaders for its performing arts areas of choral, band and orchestral activities.

“The College of Arts and Sciences’ mission includes educating the whole person and integrating the liberal arts with cutting-edge career skills. I’m really excited we have three new music ensemble directors whose experience and expertise supports our college mission and contributes to the cultivation of Joliet’s artistic community with what promises to be a showcase of tremendous musical talents,” said Elizabeth McDermott, Ph.D., dean of the USF College of Arts and Sciences.

Youngham Lee

Youngham Lee is the new director of choral activities at USF. Lee, who is also the Artistic Director of the Chicago Christian Chorale in Chicago and the Music Director of Northfield Presbyterian Church in Wheeling, will direct the Claritas Master Chorale, which is a university-community choir that rehearses in the USF choir room and performs at university-sponsored events, including the annual Christmas at the Motherhouse concert.

“I am very happy and excited to be directing the Claritas Master Chorale. Since I started my musical journey with majoring in music composition, I have had experience directing various choirs, including children’s choirs, church choirs, community choirs, as well as university-level choirs. In particular, during my master’s program, I conducted treble choir, male choir, and the school’s flagship choir. Also, I have been an artistic director of a community choir for a long time, which is why I believe my diverse choir experiences make me well-suited to lead the university-community choir, the Claritas Master Chorale, and why I find it even more exciting. The most common phrase I use during rehearsals is “listen to each other, listen to your neighbor.” I believe that in order to listen to each other’s voices, we need to lower our own voices and be humble. It is in that way that a choir can produce one voice. My goal is to lead a choir that creates one voice, and furthermore, I hope to create one harmony with everyone who encounters the music of the Claritas Master Chorale,” Lee said.

USF invites community members to audition for our Claritas Master Chorale. Contact the College of Arts and Sciences at 815-740-3819 or emcdermott@stfrancis.edu for more information or to arrange an audition.

John Donovan is the new director of the USF pep band and is looking forward to bringing musical energy to USF athletic contests and special events.

“I am thrilled and humbled to join the USF family, and I’m excited to embark on this musical journey as part of that family. With a background of working with a wide variety of bands and drum corps for the last twenty-five years, I’m thrilled to bring fresh energy to the USF Pep Band and look forward to focusing on growth of both size and quality for the program, as well as exploring additional performance opportunities for the ensemble,” Donovan said.

The USF pep band will perform at USF home football games this fall, including the homecoming tailgate party and game on Saturday, September 30, at Joliet Memorial Stadium.

Sean Paul Mills

photo credit: Amanda Kishel of Kishel Photography

Sean Paul Mills is the new director of orchestral activities at USF, and will also serve as the artistic director and conductor of the Joliet Symphony Orchestra.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to serve in the dual roles as Director of Orchestral Activities at USF and as Artistic Director & Conductor of the Joliet Symphony Orchestra (JSO). Working with a campus-community ensemble such as the JSO takes me back to my roots as a 12-year-old cellist who joined a similar orchestra in northern California. That orchestra was the first of many in which I was privileged to either participate as a cellist or serve as artistic director and conductor. Throughout my career, I have found ensembles such as the JSO to be vibrant, engaging, and vigorous, and I am both humbled and honored to be a part of the continued growth and development of the JSO in the coming seasons,” he said.

The JSO is open to community members. Information regarding auditions, rehearsals, etc. can be found at jolietsymphonyorchestra.org. The JSO will be performing concerts on Saturday, October 7, at 7 p.m.; Sunday, October 8, at 4 p.m.; Saturday, December 9, at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, December 10, at 4 p.m. The concerts will take place in Sexton Auditorium (located in the Moser Performing Arts Center on USF’s main campus in Joliet). Ticket information is available at stfrancis.edu/music-at-moser and at jolietsymphonyorchestra.org.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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Dr. Karl Muth Announced as Executive in Residence for Small Business Accelerator

Dr. Karl Muth

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) College of Business & Health Administration is pleased to announce that Dr. Karl Muth has joined the USF Small Business Accelerator (SBA) program as the Executive in Residence. Announced earlier this year, the USF Small Business Accelerator will provide equity-free accelerator funds and mentorship to businesses and entrepreneurs in underserved categories. In this role, Muth will lead the SBA advisory committee and will serve as senior mentor and advisor for new accelerator ventures.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Muth to our USF Small Business Accelerator team,” said Shannon Brown, Ph.D., dean of the College of Business and Health Administration. “Dr. Muth brings exceptional credentials in private equity, firm valuation, and senior-level leadership to the program.”

Muth previously served as an Executive in Residence for the University of Chicago and has served in senior-level positions for a variety of entities including as CEO of a venture-backed financial tech startup, senior mentor at Microsoft Ventures (now called M12), and board member for a major Fortune 250 insurance company. He currently sits on the board of Venture for America, which helps identify passionate young people in underserved groups and underserved cities and connects them with the training, resources, and networks needed to start and scale their business ideas.

The USF Small Business Accelerator program is funded in part through a Grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information on the USF Small Business Accelerator or to apply for funding (a final round of applications will be accepted through September 20, 2023), please email USFAccelerator@stfrancis.edu or visit stfrancis.edu/accelerator. Interested parties may also contact Bonnie Covelli, Ed.D., at bcovelli@stfrancis.edu or 815-740-5071 with questions.

About Dr. Karl Muth

Dr. Karl Muth studied law at the undergraduate level in the Netherlands (U. Netherlands Ant.) before earning JD and MBA degrees in the United States (the latter with a concentration in Economics from the University of Chicago), and then earned MPhil and Ph.D. degrees from the London School of Economics examining risk mitigation strategies employed among commodities producers. After earning his Ph.D., he was part of the Emerging Leaders program at Harvard University.

Muth has also taught numerous courses in business related policy including: New Venture Strategy, Innovation Management, and Entrepreneurship and Technology at various institutions in the Chicago area. He has also taught Philanthropy and Interdisciplinary Philosophy. He is a sought-after speaker providing testimonies, speeches, and interviews for news outlets, government forums, conferences, and media. His contributions have included media such as: The Financial Times, MIT Technology Review, the Journal of Private Equity, Global Policy Journal, Forbes, IBM Podcast, NPR, HBO, and the Oprah Winfrey Show.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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Paul Erschen: LEACH FIELD Opens at USF Art Gallery

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Art Gallery presents Paul Erschen: LEACH FIELD, which will run from August 24 through October 6. Paul Erschen: LEACH FIELD presents painting, sculpture, and prints informed by midwestern post-industrial and agricultural environments.

The USF Art Gallery is located at 25 E. Van Buren St. in downtown Joliet, and is open to the public every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information on the exhibition or the USF Art Gallery, contact Jennifer Moore, gallery director, at jmoore@stfrancis.edu.

About Paul Erschen

Born in 1975, in Aurora, Ill., Paul Erschen lives and works in Chicago, Ill. Erschen earned a BFA in Painting & Drawing from Northern Illinois University (1998) and an MFA in Painting & Drawing from The Ohio State University (2000). Paul has taught in the Art & Design Department at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, Ill., since 2001 and is currently a Professor of Visual Art and Art & Design Department Chair.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month

2023 National Campus Safety Awareness Month

Joliet, Ill. – In 2008, National Campus Safety Awareness Month (NCSAM) was unanimously approved by Congress to encourage a public conversation on important topics in violence prevention at our nation’s colleges and universities each September. At the University of St. Francis (USF), campus safety efforts remain a top priority and have even been recognized by WalletHub, who has ranked USF at #1 in Illinois in the Campus Safety category of its annual college and university rankings list for the past three years.

In recognition of 2023 National Campus Safety Awareness Month, USF has planned a special week of events and activities for students and employees, including:

  • Monday, August 28: 2023 National Campus Safety Awareness Week Kickoff (main campus quad and pavilion from 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m.)
  • Tuesday, August 29: Campus Trivia & Shattering the Red Zone Tabling (11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on the main campus quad)
  • Wednesday, August 30: Mocktail Party (Marian Hall Abbey from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.)
  • Thursday, August 31: Self Defense Class with Southwest Chicago Shotokan (Turk Theatre from 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.; students and employees wanting to participate will need to pre-register by emailing wlinz@stfrancis.edu)
  • Friday, September 1: Pop-Up Bernie – Call It In (all day on the main campus quad)

USF also has plans to offer an on-campus information table on Monday, September 25t, in recognition of National “If You See Something, Say Something®” Awareness Day through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

“USF’s recognition of National Campus Safety Awareness Month is an opportunity for the university to remind everyone – students, employees, and our neighbors – of the critical role they have in helping to keep our campuses safe while also celebrating their efforts that have resulted in national recognition from WalletHub,” said Dave DiLorenzo, USF Director of Community & Employee Relations.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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The Princeton Review Names USF a Best Regional College

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is one of the 150 best colleges in the Midwest according to The Princeton Review. The education services company lists USF in the Best in the Midwest section of its 2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region listing. The honor marks the sixteenth consecutive year USF has been named to this national listing.

The alphabetically-arranged listing has institutions grouped according to eight different regions: Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Northeast, South, Southwest, West and International. The Princeton Review’s “2024 Best Colleges: Region by Region” recognizes 630 colleges and universities that the organization considers both academically outstanding and a valuable collegiate option.

“USF is dedicated to preparing students to contribute to the world through service and leadership. We continue our work as an institution of higher education to create a shared tomorrow with the communities we serve and the partners with whom we work. National recognitions such as this – a sixteenth consecutive year of recognition by The Princeton Review – demonstrate the University of St. Francis’ longstanding and ongoing commitment to student success in terms of retention and graduation rates and in-field job placements,” USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D., said.

To learn more about The Princeton Review or to view the listing, please visit princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-regional-colleges.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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