College Credits: Buffalo Grove's Biagi Graduates From NEIU With Honors

BUFFALO GROVE, IL — We're keeping track of all the major higher education accomplishments of area students. Send your submissions to eric.degrechie@patch.com.

Biagi Graduates From Northeastern Illinois University

JoAnna Biagi, of Buffalo Grove, graduated magna cum laude with a bachelors of psychology from Northeastern Illinois University on May 10. She is a 2017 graduate of Buffalo Grove High School.

— Submitted by a reader

Miami Junior Earns Prestigious Phi Beta Kappa Society Honor

Mollie Duffy, of Buffalo Grove, has a full agenda heading into her senior year at Miami University. Duffy, an advocate for civic engagement, will begin a new role as secretary of governmental relations for Associated Student Government in the 2024-2025 academic year. She'll also focus on voter rights and education in anticipation of this fall's election.

First, though, the Public Administration major will have a trip to Washington, D.C., in June for an education conference as one of 20 students selected nationwide as a Key into Public Service Scholar by the Phi Beta Kappa Society. The Key into Public Service Scholar program honors a select group of liberal arts and sciences students who display an interest in careers in local, state, and federal government. Duffy will pair with a mentor during the conference, held June 19-23.

"I'm definitely excited for it," Duffy said. "That's the best part - not just meeting other students who are interested in public service, but meeting mentors and engaging with people who have careers in public service."

Duffy first gained a drive for civic engagement while she was at Stevenson High School. Her time at Miami has increased that passion. She was the first Miami student to join Oxford's League of Women Voters, interned for the U.S. Department of Transportation, and serves as a fellow for the Transformative Justice Coalition. Duffy also organized the Democracy Bus, a project that helped Miami students vote early at the Butler County Board of Elections. For her efforts, Duffy was profiled in a German documentary about democracy in America, which aired on ARD, a public-service broadcaster. She recently committed to a summer internship with the Democratic National Convention Committee in Chicago, as well as an internship with the ACLU of Ohio as a campus action team intern.

"She has become quite renowned nationwide and even internationally for the work she is doing," said Zeb Baker, executive director of Miami's Honor College. "Mollie is very involved in the component of a liberal arts education of applying what she's learning in the classroom to the world beyond the classroom."

Baker said Duffy is the first Miami student to earn the Key into Public Service Scholar award.

"Mollie has been an extraordinary leader while she's been here," Baker said. "She truly believes in providing the widest possible opportunities for everyone to participate in the democratic process."

Each honoree receives a $5,000 undergraduate scholarship. Scholars were selected from over 700 applications. A 2023- 2024 Humanities Center Geoffrion Family Undergraduate Fellow, Duffy also is a tireless advocate for voter rights.

"It's important for people to not only have the resources to get out and vote but to understand what they are voting on," Duffy said.

For her Key into Public Service Scholar application, Duffy wrote an essay on Pete Buttigieg, the United States secretary of transportation who motivated Duffy to seek an internship with the U.S. Department of Transportation.

"Pete Buttigieg's journey into public service starting at the local level was really inspiring for me," Duffy said. "I'm excited to learn more about what a career in public service could look like for me and how I could bring the knowledge from the upcoming conference back to Miami and implement it in my work for next year."

— Merit Pages News

Qualich Graduates From McKendree University

Jason Michael Qualich, of Buffalo Grove, has graduated magna cum laude from McKendree University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Studies.

— Merit Pages News

Vandrevala Inducted into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi

Annamarie Vandrevala, of Buffalo Grove, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Vandrevala was initiated at DePaul University. Vandrevala is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of seniors and 7.5 percent of juniors are eligible for membership.

— Merit Pages News

UW-Whitewater Announces Spring 2024 Dean's List

The following students from Buffalo Grove were named to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Dean's List for the 2024 spring semester.

• Dana Feldstein
• Rebecca Howard
• Caitlyn Plueger

These students have demonstrated their academic abilities by receiving a grade point average of 3.4 or above in a single semester.

— Merit Pages News

Frankel Graduates From Ohio Wesleyan University

Brandon Frankel, of Buffalo Grove, graduated May 11 from Ohio Wesleyan University. Frankel earned a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude. Frankel majored in Finance Economics and minored in Politics & Government.

— Merit Pages News

Yun Named To SNHU President's List

Daniel Yun, of Buffalo Grove, has been named to Southern New Hampshire University's (SNHU) Winter 2024 President's List. The winter terms run from January to May. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.700 and above for the reporting term are named to the President's List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits over each 16-week term or paired 8-week terms grouped in fall, winter/spring, and summer.

— Merit Pages News

Jakosalem Part Of Conference Title, NCAA Bid For UW-Whitewater Softball

Juliann Jakosalem, a mathematics major from Buffalo Grove, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team, which won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship for the league-leading 11th time in program history over the weekend to punch its ticket to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which begins this week.

— Merit Pages News