College Credits: Aurora Student Learns About NASA At College Event

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.

Central's Scholar Day opens NASA discussion with admitted students

NASA and the moon landings connected curious minds at Central College as 150 prospective students attended a Scholar Day in November. These events welcomed admitted students to campus to learn about the college and to earn additional academic scholarships, up to full tuition.

Delaney Hefke from Aurora, Illinois, attended a Central Scholar Day.

This year Central introduced a new group challenge – the moon landing past and future and the theoretical exploration of the dark side of the moon. Scholarship candidates prepared for the day by learning more about the Apollo project and hearing NASA astronaut, Raja Chari, discuss his experience as an astronaut.

— Merit Pages News

MSOE announces spring 2023 graduates

Milwaukee School of Engineering congratulates students who graduated in Spring 2023.

• Peter Blanchard of Aurora graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
• Maxine Miller of Aurora graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering.

— Merit Pages News

Augustana College students perform in Christmas concert

The Augustana College Department of Music presented Christmas at Augustana on Dec. 2 and Dec. 3, 2023.

More than 200 student musicians took the stage to share their talents in what has become a highlight of the Augustana and Quad-Cities holiday season. Presented by Quad City Bank & Trust, Christmas at Augustana has thrilled audiences since 2008. The performance features the Augustana Brass Ensemble, Augustana Symphony Orchestra, Ascension Ringers, Augustana Choir, Jenny Lind Vocal Ensemble and Augustana Concert Chorale.

This year's Christmas at Augustana performers included:

• Cassidy Wiltjer, a senior music education major from Aurora (60502) performed in the Augustana Choir

— Merit Pages News

Christmas Festival includes Aurora students

To celebrate the Advent season, 175 Carthage College students participated in the Christmas Festival the first weekend in December in the magnificent A. F. Siebert Chapel. The program, with the theme "Rejoice, O World, Rejoice!" concluded with a service of light. The Christmas Festival is a long-standing tradition for the College and Kenosha, Wis. community.

Music department faculty serving as directors included James Ripley (Wind Orchestra), E. Edward Kawakami (Philharmonic Orchestra), and Margaret Burk (Carthage Choir, Carthage Treble Choir, Carthage Choral, and Lincoln Chamber Singers).

• Annaliese Ruhs of Aurora
• Aubree Simon of Aurora

— Merit Pages News

Student from Aurora spends nights camping in the mountains of Wyoming and South Dakota with geology department

Kayla Zuber, of Aurora (60503), was one of 16 first-year Augustana College students who visited spectacular sites and spent nights camping in the mountains of Wyoming and South Dakota on the annual Geology 105 field trip titled, "The Physical Geology of the Rockies." Students traveled from Aug. 4 to Aug. 20 before starting their academic year.

During this four-credit lab science course, students worked with Dr. Jeffrey Strasser, chair of geology department, and Dr. Michael Wolf. The two-week trip included introduction and discussion about the physical geology, environmental science, and environmental justice issues of every location visited.

The Geology 105 field trip is a course aimed at introducing students to the science of the Earth and our environment through the study of materials and processes of rock formation and mountain building in the mountains of South Dakota and Wyoming.

— Merit Pages News

Bob Jones University president’s list names Aurora student

Zachary Weiss, a senior engineering major from Aurora, was among approximately 680 Bob Jones University students named to the Fall 2023 President's List.

The President's List recognizes students who earn a 3.75 or higher grade point average for the semester.

— Merit Pages News

Conservation leader from Aurora finishes master's studies

Aurora resident Glenn Perricone has been applying the tools of science, education and conservation to become a leader in the conservation community. In December 2023, Perricone concluded his master's course of study with a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Biology from Miami University through Project Dragonfly.

Since joining the Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP) master's in 2018, Perricone has traveled to the Amazon, taken courses on the web from Miami University, while also participating in field studies at Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo, and conducted projects that have made a difference in the Aurora area.

Throughout his time in the AIP, Perricone developed a Master Plan - a kind of personal mission statement for what he wanted to accomplish in the program. In many of the master's courses, Perricone designed projects that supported this plan, which culminated in a final portfolio, "Reaching My Community Through Action-based Bird Conservation Programming," presented in a Capstone course.

Perricone works as a naturalist and environmental interpreter at Forest Preserve District of DuPage County.

— Merit Pages News