College Credits: Aurora Nursing Student Cloaked In Annual Ceremony

AURORA, IL — We're keeping track of all the major higher education accomplishments of students in the area. Send your submissions to emily.rosca@patch.com.

Former Oswego East football player named 2022 Academic All-Mac

Alexander Wollschlaeger, an Aurora native and former Oswego East High School football player, is the current starting right tackle for Bowling Green State University and was named 2022 Academic All-Mac. He also received an honorable mention for offensive tackle by Pro Football Network. He’s set to play in the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit on Dec. 26.

— Mark Wollschlaeger

Aurora student graduates from Rochester Institute

Justin Newton of Aurora (60504) graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a BS in web and mobile computing in spring 2022.

Some 4,300 degrees were conferred in the 2021-2022 academic year at all of RIT's campuses. RIT's 137th academic convocation celebration was held in May and featured remarks by Kimberly Bryant, founder of the nonprofit organization Black Girls CODE.

— Merit Page News

Alex Montalbano graduates from Coe College

Congratulations to Alex Montalbano, who was among a group of truly exceptional graduates in spring 2022 at Coe College.

Montalbano, of Aurora, was awarded a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Neuroscience.

The graduating Kohawks demonstrated excellence in academics, athletics and the arts; were leaders in research and community service; and took advantage of Coe's commitment to integrate experience into education, completing thousands of internship hours. They leave Coe equipped with the resumes, experience and determination to expand their leadership roles into their budding professional lives.

Montalbano was among nearly 300 students who received degrees.

— Merit Page News

Maya Benziger named to dean's list at Bates College

Maya Benziger of Aurora, Ill., was named to the dean's list at Bates College for the winter semester ending in April 2022. This is a distinction earned by students whose grade point average is 3.92 or higher.

Benziger, the daughter of Keith E. Benziger and Nicole B. Benziger, is a 2018 graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School. She is a senior at Bates majoring in politics, history, and music.

— Merit Page News

Local students make Carthage College dean's list for spring 2022

More than 760 students have been named to the Carthage College dean's list for the spring 2022 semester, including these students from Aurora:

• Isabelle Hernandez
• Matthew Pakkebier
• Nicole Vydra
• Ryan DiGrazia

— Merit Page News

Aurora student named to Champlain College dean's list

Gerald Smith of Aurora, IL, has been named to a Champlain College Dean's List for the Spring 2022 semester.

Students awarded honors based on their academic achievement. Smith is currently enrolled in the Business Management major.

— Merit Page News

Nicholas Sondag earns University of Nebraska-Lincoln degree

Nicholas James Sondag of Aurora was among 626 graduates who received degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during a combined graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremony Aug. 13 at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Sondag earned a Master of Professional Accountancy from the Office of Graduate Studies.

The graduates are from 34 countries, 39 states and more than 70 Nebraska communities.

— Merit Page News

Local students receive Bradley University awards

Bradley's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences announces its 2022 Spring Semester awards for its outstanding students. The following local students received awards:

• Drew Kohlberg of Aurora, IL (60502), was awarded the Global Scholar Award
• Kailey Karder of Aurora, IL (60503), was awarded the 2022 Undergraduate Summer Research & Artistry Award

— Merit Page News

Aurora students graduate from Wheaton College

Wheaton College congratulates May 2022 graduate Caleb Evan Oakley, of Aurora, IL graduated with a BA in Psychology.

Wheaton College graduates join a worldwide network of 45,000 alumni.

— Merit Page News

Ana Peduk named to 2021-22 Dean's List at Lawrence University

Congratulations to Ana Peduk of Aurora, IL for being named to the 2021-22 Dean's List at Lawrence University.

The Dean's List is an annual honor roll of students demonstrating exemplary academic performance. The list is compiled at the end of the academic year once all grades have been recorded.

— Merit Page News

Aurora's Ashrita Raghuram cloaked at annual white coat celebration

Ashrita Raghuram of Aurora, IL was one of more than 150 students new to the University of Iowa's Carver College of Medicine who was ceremoniously "cloaked" at the College's annual Arnold P. Gold Foundation White Coat Ceremony staged earlier this month in Iowa's Hancher Auditorium. The 2022 event was the 28th in the history of College.

The White Coat Ceremony is a celebrated experience as students enter medical school. In the presence of family, guests, and faculty members, students are welcomed into the medical community by leaders of the medical center and ceremonially "cloaked" with their white coat. Then, dressed in white, they stand to take the ancient Oath of Hippocrates, traditionally sworn at graduation.

— Merit Page News