College Credits: Aurora Student Serves As SGA Speaker Of The Senate

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.

Student from Aurora certified as tutor

Jada Maldonado, from Aurora, who is studying Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is a now a Certified Level 1, 2 or 3 Tutor for the university's Campus Tutorial Services. Maldonado offers tutoring assistance in the following subjects:

Math at CRLA Level 1 recognition.

Achieving certification means that Campus Tutorial Services has met CRLA's high standards for tutor selection, training, direct service, and evaluation as an integral part of their overall tutoring program. The CRLA is endorsed by the National Association for Developmental Education (NADE) and the American College Personnel Association (ACPA).

Training consists of three levels: Level 1 (Certified), Level 2 (Advanced) and Level 3 (Master). After completing Level 1 training, tutors are eligible for Level 2 training followed by Level 3 training.

— Merit Pages News

Aurora student named to All-Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Team

Sam Rueda, a graduate of Metea Valley High School in Aurora, is one of three Baldwin Wallace University women's volleyball student-athletes to be named to the 2023 All-Ohio Athletic Conference Women's Volleyball Team.

Rueda earns her first All-OAC accolade after totaling a team-leading 233 kills in 24 matches. She is second on the team in digs with 210 and is third on the team in total blocks with 23. Rueda was awarded OAC Offensive Player of the Week on October 16 which was her first career weekly accolade. Rueda recorded career-bests in kills with 19 against John Carroll University and in digs with 20 against Rose-Hulman. She also added 15 services aces and a career-best nine assists this season. In her career, she has a total of 544 kills, 439 digs, 39 aces, and 44 total blocks.

The Yellow Jackets finished the regular season with a 12-12 overall record and a 5-4 mark in the OAC.

— Merit Pages News

Aurora student earns scholarship from UW-Whitewater

Nicole Dawson from Aurora, IL, a student who is studying Biology at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is among the scholarship recipients for the 2023-24 academic year.

Dawson won the following scholarship: Chancellor Scholars

"On behalf of the UW-Whitewater Foundation Board of Directors, we send our deepest congratulations to this year's scholarship winners," said Katie Kuznacic, president of the UW-Whitewater Foundation. "Since 1962, thousands of individuals, families, friends, and organizations have donated funds to make these important financial awards a reality. Their kindness and generosity have contributed to UW-Whitewater's alumni success and economic impact, and their impact is resoundingly felt each year via critical scholarship disbursements. We are so grateful to all donors for private support to the UW-Whitewater Foundation."

— Merit Pages News

Austin Peay State University congratulates newly accepted students

Austin Peay State University congratulates students on being accepted to the University.

Their hard work and commitment to academic excellence have paid off, and APSU is excited they chose to apply to "Be A Gov" for their higher education!

• Kaylee Hansen of Aurora
• Jazzmin Gereski of Aurora

— Merit Pages News

Local student part of NCAA bid at UW-Whitewater

Emma Bludgen, a native of Aurora, IL, who is studying Human Performance at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, is a member of the Warhawk volleyball team, which clinched an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Nov. 11 with a 3-0 victory at previously unbeaten UW-Oshkosh in the title match of the 2023 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship presented by Culver's.

The Warhawks have now won the WIAC tournament 18 times — 14 more than any other team in the conference — and will appear in the NCAA Championship for the 34th time in program history.

— Merit Pages News

Aurora student joins college's Student Government Association

More than 40 Augustana College students will serve on the college's Student Government Association (SGA) for the 2023-2024 academic year.

SGA representatives have been elected to serve as the liaison between the student body and the faculty, staff, and administration of the college. SGA's mission is to voice the needs and opinions of the student body in an effort to grow Augustana's academic, cultural, and social life.

The 2023-2024 SGA senate includes Alexis Osei-Kofi, a biology and public health major from Aurora. She will serve as speaker of the Senate.

— Merit Pages News

Aurora native involved in theater production at Augustana College

Aurora's Joe Burck, a History Education major, contributed to the production of the area premiere of "Nine," Nov. 16-19, at Augustana College. The play was directed by Shelley Cooper, associate professor of theatre arts, and presented at the Brunner Theatre Center Main Stage.

Facing a midlife crisis, film director Guido Contini dreads his next birthday, which finds him at a creative crossroads. The play is based on the musical by Maury Yeston and book by Arthur Kopit.

More than 35 students have worked in directing, producing, and performing in this piece including student of city, state. Burck participated as Sound Designer.

— Merit Pages News