Saint Xavier University's 30th Annual President's Scholarship Ball

Saint Xavier University (SXU) will honor John T. Costello, an SXU board of trustee chair and retired Exelon executive, with the Shield of Saint Xavier at its 30th Annual President’s Scholarship Ball on Saturday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. WGN Channel 9 Reporter Patrick Elwood will serve as Master of Ceremonies for the evening, which will be held at Hilton Chicago, 720 S. Michigan Avenue.

The purpose of this Black-tie optional gala, which has raised nearly $6 million since its inception in 1985, is to honor an individual and/or company while also fulfilling the dreams of a quality education among SXU’s student body, many of whom are first generation college students. Therefore, ALL proceeds from the Ball go to the Presidential Scholarship Program, which financially supports SXU’s most deserving students.

Everyone who has ever contributed to the Scholarship Ball can rest assured that their support has had a positive and direct influence on an SXU student. This gala event is open to the public and will be co-chaired by Frank M. Clark, retired chairman and chief executive officer of ComEd.

For those who wish to attend, the University offers a Catholic mass at 5:30 p.m., as well as a reception at 6:30 p.m. The formal dinner at 7:30 p.m. is followed by dancing to RSVP Orchestra. An after-dinner reception at 10 p.m. also includes a coffee bar and cordials.

“The Shield of Saint Xavier is our University’s highest honor, awarded to recognize outstanding people for their enduring support of Saint Xavier’s mission of academic excellence and social concern,” said President Christine M. Wiseman, J.D. “John has always shown an incredible amount of support, service and loyalty to the University, and we are deeply pleased to bestow this honor upon him.”

During Costello’s 38-year tenure with ComEd (an energy delivery subsidiary of Exelon Corporation), he served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of the company. He also held several other senior-level positions in human resources, public affairs and marketing.

He played a key role in many civic organizations by serving as a representative of Exelon at Chicago United, an organization devoted to racial unity. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, and was a director of the Chicago Central Area Research and Study Committee as well as a fellow of the Leadership Greater Chicago Program.

Costello holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Illinois and a master’s degree in business administration from DePaul University.

For more information, please contact us at (773) 298.3748 or specialevents@sxu.edu. To register, visit www.sxu.edu, keyword: Ball.