Author: News

USF News

American Red Cross Blood Drive at USF on Tuesday, September 12

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is hosting its first American Red Cross blood drive of the fall 2023 semester on Tuesday, September 12, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Assembly Hall Gymnasium at USF’s St. Clare Campus, which is located at 1550 Plainfield Road in Joliet. The drive is open to the community.

For an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org and enter “60435” in the red “Find a Blood Drive” box on the home page. You can save up to 15 minutes when you donate blood by using RapidPass. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for more information.

If you are an eligible type O, B – or A – donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component.

For more information, please visit redcrossblood.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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American Red Cross blood drive - September 2023
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USF Welcomes Br. Michael O’Neill McGrath for “Women in the Church” Lecture Series

Brother Michael O'Neill McGrath

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) has announced plans for its 2023 “Women in the Church” lecture series with a closer look at Sr. Thea Bowman, FSPA through the eyes and art of Br. Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS. The lecture will take place on Tuesday, October 3, at 7 p.m. in San Damiano Hall, which is located on the third floor of the Motherhouse (520 Plainfield Road in Joliet). The lecture will be preceded by a special Franciscan Transitus Prayer at 6:30 p.m. This free lecture is open to the community. RSVP by Friday, September 29, by phone at 815-740-3398 or by email at afinkle@stfrancis.edu. Walk-ins are also welcome.

About Sr. Thea Bowman

Thea Bowman, FSPA, Servant of God, was a scholar, teacher, musician, liturgist and Black Catholic religious Sister who made major contributions to the ministry of the Catholic Church especially toward African Americans. Gifted with a brilliant mind, beautiful voice and a dynamic personality, Sister Thea shared the message of God’s love through a teaching career.  Later she served as the consultant for intercultural awareness fighting evil, especially prejudice, suspicion, hatred and things that drive people apart.

In 1984, Sr. Thea was diagnosed with breast cancer. She prayed “to live until I die.” In 1989, the U.S. bishops invited her to be a key speaker at their conference on Black Catholics. At the end of the meeting from her wheelchair, at Thea’s invitation, the bishops stood and sang “We Shall Overcome” with gusto. Sr. Thea lived a full life until her death in 1990.

About Br. Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS

Br. Michael O’Neill McGrath, OSFS (known as Br. Mickey), paints, writes, and tells stories. He has lived and worked in Camden, NJ since 2009 where he has furthered his art education in the context of social justice and finding beauty in the margins. Visit bromickeymcgrath.com for more information about Br. Mickey and his Bee Still Studio.

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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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Leach College of Nursing Receives Grant Funding, Including $1.35M through ANEW

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) Leach College of Nursing (LCON) was recently notified it was approved for another Advanced Nursing Education Workforce (ANEW) grant by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The grant will award the university approximately $1.35M over four years to help increase access to quality health and behavioral health care for underserved and rural areas in Illinois—especially in Will, Grundy and Cook counties.

The project will build upon USF’s previous ANEW grant and will support the training and graduation of Family Nurse Practitioners and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners who will practice in underserved areas.

“The continuing ANEW project is designed to sustainably train a workforce capable of addressing urgent health and behavioral health needs. Our FNP and PMHNP curricula are designed using national standards for best practices in online instruction, and USF has strong relationships with local sites for experiential training. Also, USF has created an alternative model, which is to establish strong working relationships with partners to improve health and behavioral healthcare access in the service area in Illinois and Wisconsin. Continuing the project will allow USF to develop a pipeline of preceptors to better serve our FNP and PMHNP students and the public,” said USF LCON dean Yeijin Yeom, Ph.D., RN, CNE.

Additionally, LCON was awarded a $100,000 Nursing School Grant through the Illinois Board of Higher Education. The grant will be used to address equity gaps in enrollment and course completion for USF Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and BSN Completion students, of which approximately half are African American, Latinx, low-income, first-generation, from rural communities, and/or working adults. With the grant funding, LCON will purchase equipment, including a medication dispensing system and simulation cart, and increase 24 additional hours per week of simulation labs for BSN students in order to accommodate working students. They will also offer remediation on evenings and weekends to reinforce preparation our students for clinical practice. LCON expects an increase of the retention rate of students. As a result, highly competent and well-prepared students maximize their employment opportunities while benefitting patients in Illinois.

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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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Money Names USF in Best Colleges in America 2023 Rankings

Joliet, Ill. – Each year, Money recognizes colleges and universities from across the country that successfully combine quality and affordability and recognizes them in its annual Best Colleges in America rankings. This year’s listing included 736 four-year colleges and universities, including the University of St. Francis and 36 other Illinois-based institutions.

Money examines schools according 26 factors in three weighted categories – quality of education (30% of weighting), affordability (40% of weighting), and outcomes (30% of weighting) – to compile its Best Colleges in America 2023 listing. Based on the results of that analysis, the schools are then assigned a star rating on a scale of one to five stars (five stars is the highest rating possible).  USF was one of fifteen Illinois schools to earn a rating of 4.5 stars or higher.

“High school students and parents looking at college, and adults looking at graduate school are right to be cautious about investing time and money into an educational program. A college degree can be worth millions of dollars over the course of one’s career. USF has designed degree programs that help our graduates launch truly valuable, meaningful careers,” said Eric Ruiz, USF Vice President of Admissions & Enrollment Services.

“The value of a degree from the University of St. Francis continues to climb, which demonstrates a significant return on that investment,” Ruiz added.

Visit money.com/best-colleges/ to view Money’s Best Colleges in America rankings.

For more information on USF programs, financial assistance options or to learn more about registration, visit stfrancis.edu/admissions-aid.

The University of St. Francis is consistently ranked among the best when it comes to quality education, affordability, and accessibility. Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked to view USF’s most recent national accolades.

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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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WalletHub Ranks USF as a Top Illinois University in 2023 Best Colleges List

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) continues to be recognized by national ranking agencies as one of the top institutions of higher education in Illinois. WalletHub’s 2023 Best Colleges and Universities Rankings in which the agency ranked USF as one of the best schools in Illinois.

The rankings, which were compiled by comparing over 900 higher-education institutions across 30 key measures within seven categories that included Student Selectivity, Cost & Financing and Career Outcomes, named the University of St. Francis one of the top seven overall higher-education institutes in Illinois. WalletHub’s rankings also placed USF at #36 in the Midwest rankings, and ranked USF #1 in Illinois in the “Campus Safety” category for a third consecutive year. To view the list in its entirety, visit wallethub.com/edu/e/college-rankings/40750.

WalletHub representative Adam McCann indicated that the website’s rankings are designed to help students identify both good schools and good deals.

“In a fierce global economy, a college degree can help secure employment and keep you ahead of the competition. Though success ultimately rests on students’ own determination and performance, the quality of the schools they choose can certainly have an impact. However, attending higher education requires more than just the grades to get in. You will also need the financial resources to attend. It varies depending on the school’s public or private status and whether it’s in-state. For those prices, students want to know they are getting a good deal,” McCann said.

USF has a long history of assisting students with the financial obligations that a college degree carries with it. Each year, the university provides need-based financial aid to approximately 96% of full-time undergraduate students. In 2021-2022 alone, USF invested over $23 million in institutional funds in scholarships for full-time undergraduate students.

For more information on USF programs, financial assistance options or to learn more about registration, visit stfrancis.edu/admissions-aid.

The University of St. Francis is consistently ranked among the best when it comes to quality education, affordability, and accessibility. Visit stfrancis.edu/nationally-ranked to view USF’s most recent national accolades.

: :

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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USF Announces Spring 2023 Dean’s List

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) congratulates the following students who have been named to the Dean’s List for the spring 2023 semester. Students who have attained a grade point average of 3.5 or higher at the end of a semester in which they have taken at least twelve credit hours are named to the Dean’s List. Students residing in USF’s home state of Illinois are listed first below, followed by students from other U.S. states, followed by international students.

Illinois

Addison – Alessio Battaglia

Alsip – Marco Calixto and Angel Rabadi

Aurora – Saba Aamir, Alexis Fragoso and Lara Ysabel Sumayo

Bartlett – Samantha Vega

Beecher – Hannah Blankenberger, Talia Messana, Kaylie Sippel and Emily Vlach

Berwyn – Pedro Ocampo

Bolingbrook – Michaela Brandonisio, Isabel Jaquez, Paige Johnnic, Kayla Lewis, Evan Morfoot, Allison Neverouski, Dulce Porcayo, Ruben Reyes, Karina Serna De Lara and Katarina Welsh

Braidwood – Peyton Garrelts, Joel Hunt, Marissa Kavanaugh and Vanessa McLean

Bridgeview – Slam Shaheen

Burbank – Shahd Abukhalil and Nallely Preciado

Calumet City – Olalekan Ahmed

Channahon – Joseph Kauffman, Hannah Knight, Seth Lehr, Samantha Martin, Andrew Toke and Molly Weindorf

Chatham – Carter St. Clair

Chicago – Brittany Adams, Jovanna Ballesteros, Adrianna Campos, Aileen Duran, Thomas McGuire, Khalilah Payne-Bey, Daniela Robles, Azury Sanchez Boyzo and Michelle Valencia

Chicago Heights – Emily Eagan and Ixchel Pelayo-Murguia

Coal City – Clayton Hannig, Haley Long and Bethany Nicola

Crest Hill – Karen Carnahan, Theresa Kobart, Matthew Lauterbach, Mazi Niezgoda, Cody Nold, Jane Pochervina, Christopher Schager, Josie Stone and Timothy Wade

Decatur – Erma Porter

Diamond – Savannah Jacobs and Stephanie Wold

Dwight – Dawn Brown

Elgin – Holly Helsper

Elwood – Abigail Lab

Frankfort – Graham Garrett, Lauren Hassen, Christina Keller, Caitlyn Majka, Paige Petersen and Laurelei Thormeyer

Gardner – Sarah Maxard

Geneva – Dominik Barwiolek

Glenview – Connor Casper

Hanover Park – Michael Dan and Jennifer Vazquez Saraul

Hillside – Michael Johnson

Homer Glen – Stephanie Behland, Abigail Eder, Abigail Janeczek, Amanda Kouba and Alex Martinez

Homewood – Stacy Norris

Joliet – Debbie Alvarado, Monica Alvarado, Pablo Alvarez, Aitor Anabitarte Soroa, Desiree Anderson, Andrea Angeles, Adriana Arias, Noheli Arias, Gianna Armour, Daniel Baran, Makayla Barefield, Carolina Bedolla, Maite Bernal, Jorja Bolton, Paloma Cabrera, Aneesa Cardenas, Elvia Cardenas, Erin Chapman, Esmeralda Chavez, Brandyn Collins, Emma Coop, Caroline Davila, Misti Duran, Alejandra Elizondo, Jasmine Flores, Suzanne Fonck, Hunter Fuss, Stephany Garcia, Liliana Gomez, Aileen Gonzalez, Maria Gonzalez, Samantha Gonzalez, Samantha Guzman, Erick Guzman-Macedo, Keenan Hailey, Josel Hernandez, Jocelyn Hernandez-Rodriguez, Nicholas Hjerpe, Ashley Huerta, Adesola Jimoh, Ryan Jones, Annet Juarez, Sofia Krasnopolski, Karla Leal, Tiffany Lehmann, Andrew Lewis, Theo Lhomme, Carlos Lopez, Karol Lozano, Stefani Magana-Guzman, Amarria Malone, Mia Martinez, Amelia Mastin, Mary Mathieu, Gavin McGowan, Mary Grace Mcgrath, Ana Mendoza Pineda, Angelina Miranda, Julie Mireles, Kadixamayrin Mireles, Sebastian Mireles, Hannah Mitchell, Michelle Monari, Adam Montenegro, Anna Morales, Laura Murguia-Iniguez, Rose Mwaro, Alondra Ordaz, Valeria Perez, Allison Ramsey, Quinn Rande, Frank Rappaport, Jessica Reyes, Alejandra Robledo-Salas, Alvaro Robles, Angelina Rodriguez, Melissa Rodriguez, Laura Rodriguez-Lugo, Melanie Romero, Brayan Ruiz, Tatiana Ruiz, Guadalupe Salinas, Kaleigh Sheppard, Nathaniel Smith, Anne Starasinich, Erik Tejeda, Abigael Turija, Emily Vandergrift, Paola Villafuerte, Alana Wendel, Haley Willner, Jose Zaragoza, Jasmine Zavala and James Zilinger

Kankakee – Luke Whalen

La Grange Park – Dylan Holtz

Lake Zurich – Ann Benoy

Lemont – Bridget Hodurek

Lisle – Josue Etienne and Evan Heise

Lockport – Sufia Atiq, Montiana Bew, Karly Ceci, Alexandria Cislo, Christina Conne, Zoe Ditter, Kaeli Ford, Nicholas Franciskovich, Hope French, Eric Gasienica, William Gorski, Meghan Grilli, Carson Heglund, Heather Heintz, John Hejl, Cassi Hemker, Jacob Karli, Ryan Little, Adriana Maldonado, Alexis Marroquin, Hannah Pacheco, Maya Palenik, Michael Pellicane, Daniel Ponce, Brooke Sanderson, Jacob Tesch, Nicole Troha and Nolan Weis

Lombard – Nicholas Mabutas, Marshall McDonnell and Erika Rich

Machesney Park – Nicholas Howard

Manhattan – Gregory Briseno, Emma Geatches, Meagan McAuliffe, Brad Murdock, Julia Tolbert and Brayden Zimmerman

Midlothian – Megan Ramsey

Minooka – Brandon Cooling, Jaylen Goolsby, Mackenzie McGuire, Hayden Minor, Maggie O’Brien, Courtney Ubert, Jacqueline VanDolson, Carl Vitale and Vanessa Withall

Mokena – Katie Blogg, Bridget Jeffries, John Raspante and Mathias Woerner

Monroe Center – Yadira Estrada

Montgomery – Christina Hernandez-Mora

Morris – Darcy Ancel, Patricia Cumba, Starla Farmer, Alexis Fatlan, Cassidy Flatness, Brennan Johnson, Hannah Justak, Matthew Lopez and Meagan Warzynski

Morton Grove – Ammar Siddiqui

Naperville – Keoshia Jackson, Dyanna Medina, Isabella Russo and Ilias Sadiki

New Lenox – Cassie Claffy, Nicole Cohlmia, Emerson Colins, Ryan Cosgrove, Ryan Czarnecki, Lindsay Czarnowski, Jaclyn Duske, Madison Eckberg, Carter Fifer, Korina Jarosz, Jacob Jurka, John McGuire, Quinn McGuire, Sean Michalak, Kaitlin Miller, Sarah Piane, Connor Quinn, Aidan Sullivan and Hunter Walker

Oak Forest – Amanda Dutkiewicz, Karina Vega and Carly Vidovic

Oak Lawn – Lena Hasan, Michaela Jungles, Natalia Stekala and Lucas Wessel

Orland Park – Korayma Araujo, Gianna Barbaro, Caroline Dlugopolski, Amal Ghunaim, Jeananne Jadallah, Kelly Johnson and Douglas Stoodley

Oswego – Cameo Dixon, Gabriela Garcia, Alexander Mielcarz, Afreen Mushtaheed and Christian Owens

Ottawa – Teresa Serna

Palos Heights – Bridget McDermott

Palos Hills – Camila Szczypta

Park City – Edward Luna

Peoria – Vada Arndt, Keijah Gray and Paige Smith

Pingree Grove – Bailey Wilk

Plainfield – Trisha Andal, Jedriel Bondoc, Donald Clark, Joseph Costa, Ryan Daly, Sarah Deffenbaugh, Mara Delrose, Nancy Garcia, Graziella Gialo, Lilliana Gutierrez, Emily Hans, Syeda Juwariya Hashmi, Rachel Holtz, Leslie Juarez, Braden Kidd, Joseph Lizzio, Owen McGuire, Morgan Messer, Denise Milewski, Lydia Noble, Erica Passo, Joseph Passo, Brianna Quintero, Itzel Rodriguez, Laura Rohlfs, Ervy Sanchez, Shannon Smith, Will Snydersmith, Pat Strocchia, Hailey Thomas, Sarah Torello and Gianna Trenter

Plano – Marie Dvorak

Posen – Aglaen Alvarado, Lluvia Ortega and Star Ortega

Richton Park – Ethan Fetzer

Rockdale – Valerie Reyes and Nicole Stadler

Rockford – Jammie Keen

Romeoville – Esther Angomas, Alissa Victoria Araneta, Adamari Carrera, Damian Contreras, August Coria, Alexa Flores, De’Whon Gavin, Diego Hernandez, Nancy Herrera, Alyssa Jumaoas, Yoselin Ledesma, Joseph Madeja, William Martinez, Madison Massaro, Logan Miller, Eric Nelson, Jacob Pangilinan, Kayla Rury, Vetona Sarpong and Alexandra Whittenhall

Saint Anne – Kara Kleinert and Kenna Kleinert

Sandwich – Claire Roberts

Schaumburg – Allison Schaar

Seneca – Silas Odum

Shorewood – Madelyn Calderon, Kathryn Drey, Kathy Kasencak-Yarber, Ashley Keene, Dylan Nielsen, Liliana Ordonez, Marissa Perez, Caitlin Ratajczak, Michael Schellhorn, Kallen Vernick and Alexis Wagner

Skokie – Shelly Sabaricos

Spring Valley – Leslie Delgado

Stillman Valley – Colten Cook

Streamwood – Taylor Connolly

Summit – Sergio Garcia

Sycamore – Olek Clark

Tinley Park – Bryanna Battles, Hannah Bolden, Hannah Esios, Joshua Kirnbauer, Nicholas Schroeder and Tamara Yacoub

Villa Park – Matthew Knudtson and Samuel Tumilty

West Chicago – Maryam Al Kubaisi

Westmont – Marissa Deering and Alexander Pietrzak

Wilmington – Cameron Holman, Benjamin Kreitz, Dylan Spangler and Jason Tatera

Wood Dale – Magdalena Marek

Woodridge – Sean Figuray

Worth – Delaney Dorich

Yorkville – Cadence Ala and Lauren LaFollette

Arizona

Phoenix – Hailey Kaddatz

California

Oakland – Kayla Struzik

West Covina – Riley Acuna

Florida

Bradenton – Taylor Petz

Clermont – Joshua Golden

North Miami Beach – Darius Wright

Iowa

Cedar Rapids – Bryan Ennis

Idaho

Boise – Spencer Baird

Indiana

Crown Point – Samantha Raspopovich

Lowell – Alexia Bibakis

Munster – Michael Prendergast

Plymouth – Harlie Mast

Saint John – Madisen Tucker

Michigan

Bronson – Idalia Hernandez

Minnesota

Maple Grove – Paulesha Brownson

New York

Brooklyn – Arnold Agard

Texas

Richmond – Olufeyi Olusanya

Wisconsin

Oak Creek – Katelynn Statz

International

Bangalore, India – Jerryl Varughese

Chachkovo, Belarus – Anna Bintsarovskaya

Clinge, Netherlands – Lieke Coenen

Ganei Tiqwa, Israel – Nadav Gerner Aharon

Gijon, Spain – Ander Santamarta Menendez

Leinburg, Germany – Paul Wottgen

Oviedo, Spain – Pablo Guerra

Quito, Ecuador – Denisse Lizano

Saint-Verand, France – Noellie Danielle Renee Inard

Valladolid, Spain – Daniel Simon

Warstein, Germany – Julia Lara Fleige

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada – Cameron Schroder

Trenton, Ontario, Canada – Karley Mason

San Juan, Puerto Rico – Estrella De la Rosa

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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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