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USF and Silver Cross Hospital Partner for Loan Forgiveness Program

USF and Silver Cross Hospital

Joliet, Ill. – Silver Cross Hospital and the University of St. Francis (USF) share a commitment to developing the next generation of healthcare workers. The two institutions have partnered to offer qualified graduates of the USF Medical Laboratory Science and Radiography programs loan forgiveness up to $10,000 per student for funds borrowed through the Federal Direct Loan Program. The reimbursement will come in exchange for accepting full-time employment at Silver Cross Hospital.

Loan repayment will be reimbursed 50% (up to $5,000) at the one-year anniversary of each individual’s hire date, and the second 50% (up to $5,000) at the two-year anniversary of each individual’s hire date. Silver Cross will make direct payments to the student loans.

“The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 5.8% employment growth for radiologic technologists and 5% employment growth for clinical laboratory technologists (otherwise known as medical laboratory scientists). This is extremely promising for students interested in these fields who have the opportunity to begin their careers at Silver Cross, provided they meet the eligibility criteria,” said Elizabeth McDermott, Ph.D., Dean of the USF College of Arts & Sciences.

Qualifications include USF program completion and successful passing of registry/certification exams. The loan forgiveness program began on October 1, 2024, is in place for one year, and is offered exclusively to new, qualifying Silver Cross Hospital employees hired during this timeframe.

“USF and Silver Cross Hospital have partnered to present an outstanding offer to graduates. This is an impactful opportunity for students to bundle successful program completion, national registry examination success, landing your dream job AND lessen student loan debt,” said Leia Levy, Ed.D., Associate Professor for USF’s Radiation Therapy program.

“Silver Cross Hospital is a Joint Commission accredited healthcare facility that has earned the Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval. It’s a privilege to begin your career with a full-time job offer at a highly-regarded hospital AND get a jump-start on crushing student loan debt,” Levy added.

Prospective students interested in exploring USF’s Medical Laboratory Science program should contact program liaison Ben Whitlock, Ph.D. (bwhitlock@stfrancis.edu) with questions or to confirm program application. Prospective students interested in exploring USF’s Radiography program should contact Leia Levy, Ed.D. (llevy@stfrancis.edu) with questions or to confirm program application. More information on the Radiological Sciences is also available on the April 15, 2024 episode of the USF College of Arts & Sciences Podcast, which can be accessed at https://sites.libsyn.com/514338/radiologic-sciences.

USF students and graduates interested in exploring career options at Silver Cross Hospital should visit silvercross.org/careers and should follow them on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/company/silver-cross-hospital/) , Indeed (indeed.com/cmp/Silver-Cross-Hospital), etc.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 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 Results from 2024-2025 High School Art Exhibition

USF Art Gallery

Joliet, Ill. – The 2024-2025 University of St. Francis (USF) High School Art Exhibition celebrated the exceptional talent and creativity of local high school artists, showcasing over 300 works of art. The exhibition featured a diverse array of mediums, including painting, sculpture, photography, and digital art, offering a colorful and inspiring display of student expression. This annual event not only highlighted the dedication and skill of young artists but also provided them with a platform to share their unique perspectives with the community.

The open house reception, held on at the USF Art Gallery on Saturday, January 11, 2025, welcomed over 250 attendees, creating a vibrant atmosphere of support for the artists. Awards included cash prizes for Best of Show and Honorable Mention, as well as a $10,000 Grand Prize University of St. Francis Art & Design Scholarship. Additionally, Professors Paul Erschen and Chester Costello conducted portfolio reviews for aspiring art majors, offering valuable guidance and insight into pursuing a future in the arts at USF.

Grand Prize ($10,000 USF Art & Design Scholarship): Jaidan Wilber, Reed-Custer High School

Best of Show (in each category): Painting – Avery Jaki, Oswego East High School; Photography – Tianna Romberg, Joliet Central High School; Sculpture – Abigail Juers, Lockport Township High School; Works on Paper – Eduardo Patino Perales, Joliet Central High School, and; Digital/Other – Alivia Schertz, Joliet Catholic Academy.

Honorable Mention: Giovanni Baldo, Reed-Custer High School, Samia Britt, Oswego High School, Addison Brown, Reed-Custer High School, Esmé Bryson, Joliet Central High School, Hailie Carpenter, Reed-Custer High School, Aron Chimmy, Joliet Central High School, Aarushi Das, Illinois Math and Science Academy, Aahana Das, Illinois Math and Science Academy, Elissa Dulce, Benet Academy, Harley Engdahl, Oswego High School, Jamie Garcia, Bremen High School, Eva Genova, Joliet Catholic Academy, Yuvia Hernandez, Joliet Central High School, Aleise Hewitt, Plainfield South High School, Ellen Hsuan, Illinois Math and Science Academy, Tommy Jemilo, Joliet Central High School, Rae Kraus, Coal City High School, Samantha Lascari, Benet Academy, Korina Mongirdas, Benet Academy, Ingrid Pizano, Joliet Central High School, Faith Pondelicek, Plainfield South High School, Kaitlin Russell, Oswego High School, Cadence Smorynski, Lockport Township High School, Ivy Sontag-Amezcua, Joliet Central High School, Makyah Stallings, Joliet Central High School, Nicole Thornton, Lockport Township High School, and Addison Tyner, Oswego High School.

Award of Excellence: Sarah Boness, Oswego High School; Chaylene Crews, Reed-Custer High School; Olivia Esparza, Reed-Custer High School; Amilio Gonzalez, Joliet Central High School; Jordan Henry, Illinois Math and Science Academy; Cynara Jackson, Oswego High School; Kennedy Martinis, Benet Academy, and; Madalyn Petersen, Coal City High School.

Participating Students: Benet Academy – Maisie Carr, Victoria Drozdowicz, Elissa Dulce, Samantha Lascari, Kennedy Martinis, Korina Mongirdas and Lucy Rooney; Bremen High School – Kaylian Alexandre and Jamie Garcia; Coal City High School – Blake Huddlestun, Rae Kraus, Leo McCants, Avery McConnell, Mackenzie Messina, Ava Meyer, Madalyn Petersen, Tyson Sample and Winter Wills; Illinois Math and Science Academy – Aini Ahmed, Aahana Das, Aarushi Das, Cameron Eddinton, Jordan Henry, Ellen Hsuan, Vivian Ludwig, Nathan McMeen, Megan Onorato and Brent Rodrigo; Joliet Catholic Academy – Olivia Chovanec, Eva Genova, Ava Pritz and Alivia Schertz; Joliet Central High School – Julie Aragon, Abril Arias, Esmé Bryson, Aron Chimmy, Rusten Deihs, Angel DuBose, Amilio Gonzalez, Yuvia Hernandez, Tommy Jemilo, Cecil Littlejohn, Adriel Magana, Rauri O’Hara, Eduardo Patino Perales, Ingrid Pizano, Manuel Reyes, Edwin Robles, Tianna Romberg, Ivy Sontag-Amezcua, Da’Siah Spearman and Makyah Stallings; Lockport Township High School – Deshawn Andrew, Jack Dewey, Ollie Evans, Gianna Frieri, Abigail Hogan, Abigail Juers, Tyler Kouba, Liliana Leone, Monica Marcial, Kyan Santiago, Emily Smart, Cadence Smorynski, Natalie Strejc and Nicole Thornton; Oswego East High School – Joan Allen, Shayan Chittanoori, Avery Jaki, Madeline Kornelik, Payton Lustrup, Braxton Lyons, Jackson Mancuso, Denae Mason, Addison Peter, Madison Pony, Taytum Puls, Austin Sitterly and Abigail Tinajero; Oswego High School – Isabel Ames, Emma Auten, Leona Bateman, Makenzie Benz, Sarah Boness, Samia Britt, Owen Brungart, Kimberly Bustamante, Ava Coronel, Sohayla Curry, Ava DeSanto, Harley Engdahl, Lillian Felker, Alexandria Flores, Larissa Funkhouser, Mia Gaspar, Laila Green, Prisha Gupta, Joslynn Hennagan, Juanmanuel Hernandez, Cynara Jackson, Kobe Jones, Alanna Kozbiel, Sophia Lopez, Perla Melgoza, Elsa Norman-Mennig, Sadie Oehelerking, Cassidy Ogden, Sofia Petrella, Ava Pinks, Brenda Plata, Joelynn Portillo, Aidan Quach, Lynn Rameriz, Keagan Reiseck, Carson Rogers, Kaitlin Russell, Anna Singh, Kaylani Toum, Addison Tyner, Nguyen Van, Arianna Vargas, Jacob Wester, Robbie Wilson and Salvador Woolever; Plainfield South High School – Shelby Ellermann, Aleise Hewitt, Noah Mahlberg, Evelyn Myers, Faith Pondelicek, Viviana Ramos and Zach Wild; Reed-Custer High School – Giovanni Baldo, Brock Billingsley, Addison Brown, Holly Brumfield, Hailie Carpenter, Abigail Cousins, Chaylene Crews, Olivia Esparza, Dakota Evans, Natalie Flores, Meghan Lamping, Samantha Mahr, Zacharey Markle, Hailey Praner, Jaidan Wilber and Skylar Zebell.

About the USF Art Gallery

The USF Art Gallery is located at 25 E. Van Buren Street in 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 gallery, visit stfrancis.edu/artgallery or contact Jennifer Moore, Gallery Director, at jmoore@stfrancis.edu.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 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.

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Joliet Symphony Orchestra Presents ‘Passion’ on February 22-23

Joliet Symphony Orchestra

Joliet, Ill. – The Joliet Symphony Orchestra (JSO) is pleased to announce the third concert set of its 2024-2025 Season with Artistic Director & Conductor, Dr. Sean Paul Mills, leading a program of works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Max Bruch, and George Whitefield Chadwick, and featuring internationally acclaimed violin soloist Andrew Sords.

Titled “Passion”, the JSO will be performing Ludwig van Beethoven’s infrequently performed Namensfeier Overture (Name Day Overture), Max Bruch’s passionate & virtuosic Violin Concerto No. 1 in g minor, and American composer George Whitefield Chadwick’s soaring Symphony No. 2 in B-flat major.

Performances will take place on Saturday, February 22, 2025, at 7 p.m. and Sunday, February 23, 2025, at 4 p.m. Both performances will take place in Sexton Auditorium which is located in the Harold & Margaret Moser Performing Arts Center on the University of St. Francis campus at 500 Wilcox Street in Joliet.

Andrew Sords

Born in Newark, Del., Andrew Sords was raised in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and current resides in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. At age five, he asked for piano lessons and shortly thereafter commenced violin lessons. His studies led him to the Encore School for Strings, the Cleveland Institute of Music, and Southern Methodist University. As a teenager, Sords garnered prizes from concerto competitions (including the NFMC National Competition and the Pittsburgh Society Career Grant), signed with management, and cultivated a media and audience following from innumerable interviews, profiles, and appearances. In recent seasons, Sords has appeared with the Greensboro Symphony, El Paso Symphony, Flagstaff Symphony, Brevard Symphony, Pueblo Symphony, Spartanburg Philharmonic, Southeastern Ohio Symphony, Des Moines Orchestra, Grand Junction Symphony, Durham Chamber Orchestra, Salisbury Symphony, Longmont Symphony, Guatemala’s “Festival Bravissimo”, Oakland Symphony, Chattanooga Symphony, Cleveland Philharmonic, and Toronto Philharmonia. As a prolific recitalist, Sords has appeared in La Jolla, Washington (D.C.), Maui, New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and St. Augustine (Fla.), Canada, Mexico, and throughout the Caribbean.

Continuing this season is a series of FREE pre-concert discussions titled “Noteworthy.” These discussions will take place 45 minutes prior to each performance and provide audience members with an opportunity to learn more about the composers, selections, orchestra, and soloists as well as ask questions and interact with our conductor and guests.

Tickets for JSO concerts are available through the JSO website at jolietsymphonyorchestra.org, the Music at Moser website at stfrancis.edu/music-at-moser and at the door beginning one (1) hour before each performance. Ticket prices are: Adults = $10; Seniors, Alumni & Non-USF students = $5; USF students, music educators, and youth (18 & under) are FREE with a current ID.

Please join the JSO as they begin a season with exciting guest artists, moving musical performances, and new opportunities for audiences to engage with their local symphony.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 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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Faith Haley Named USF Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Services

Faith Haley, USF Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Services

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) recently announced that Faith Haley has been named Vice President for Admissions and Enrollment Services. Haley assumed her role at USF on Wednesday, January 1, 2025.

In her role, Haley is responsible for all aspects of undergraduate and graduate student recruitment and enrollment, including the strategic awarding of financial aid. She will also provide strategic leadership and oversight of the following USF departments and areas: Undergraduate & Transfer Admissions, Degree Completion & Graduate Admissions, Enrollment Support Services, Marketing, and Financial Aid Services.

 “The University of St. Francis is pleased to have Faith join our senior leadership team during this critical time in higher education. She brings to USF significant admissions and enrollment experience in both the public and private sectors of higher education, which position her to effectively lead her teams here to grow our campus community,” said USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D.

Haley understands the challenges ahead and is already working with her teams to forge a path forward.

“While a long-term strategic enrollment plan will definitely be in the works, there is much that can be done in the next few months to ensure a strong entering class this fall, so that is where we will start,” Haley said.

One key driver of these efforts, according to Haley, is promoting the value proposition of a USF education to prospective students and families.

“There is so much to gain from a USF education. We have strong student outcomes, numerous hands-on learning opportunities and a robust scholarship program. More importantly, a USF education is not just about what you learn in a book, but it’s also about you as a whole person, and I believe that sets us apart from many other places,” she said.

In fact, the university’s uniqueness and what it offers to students were attributes that initially piqued Haley’s interest in USF.

“I was attracted to USF because of the values and commitment to serving students. This is a place that genuinely puts students first and I wanted to be a part of that type of community. I am thrilled to join this amazing institution and am looking forward to bringing a USF education to many more students in the years to come,” she added.

Haley most recently served as the Executive Director of Enrollment Services at Indiana State University, where she led admission and recruitment efforts for first-year, transfer, international, graduate, and distance education students. Additionally, Haley brings to USF additional, private-college experience earned at Rockford University. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hope College (Holland, Mich.) and a Master of Education in Enrollment Management and Policy degree from the University of Southern California.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 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 Students Nominated for Annual IBS Media Awards

WCSF

Joliet, Ill. – Four students representing two radio broadcasts from the University of St. Francis (USF) radio station WCSF-88.7 FM have been nominated for honors through the 2024-2025 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Media Awards.

Over 450 nominations across more than 90 categories were submitted as part of the 2024-2025 IBS Media Awards. USF award nominees include: 

  • Alex Mielcarz, Jake DiLorenzo, Braden Kidd and Rudy Flores: “IWU @ USF Homecoming Pre-Game Show (Homecoming Week)” – Best Sports Pre-Game/Post-Game Show
  • Braden Kidd: “WCSF Sports Saturday Promos” – Best Promo Series

Award winners will be announced during the IBSNYC 2025 Conference on March 7-8, 2025, at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel in New York City.

About the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System

Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) is an organization with a membership of over one thousand non-profit, education-affiliated radio stations and webcasters. Since its inception in 1940, IBS has proudly been led by volunteers who are passionate about student media. To learn more about IBS, visit https://www.ibsradio.org/.

About WCSF-88.7 FM

WCSF-88.7 FM is a 100-watt radio station located in Joliet, Illinois, broadcasting an eclectic college radio music format to Chicago’s Southwest suburbs as well as Will and Grundy counties. The station is currently running 32nd season of its annual Spirit of Christmas programming, which is a 24-hour, commercial-free, season-long holiday format.  Tune in from anywhere at https://listen.streamon.fm/wcsf.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 3,300 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 https://www.stfrancis.edu/.

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

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American Red Cross Blood Drive at USF on Tuesday, December 10

American Red Cross blood drive

Joliet, Ill. – The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency shortage as there continues to be a critical need for blood products to ensure patient care. Help those in need as the University of St. Francis (USF) hosts its next American Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, December 10, 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 3,300 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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