Mother McAuley Celebrates Graduation With Songs, Speeches, Awards

Chicago, IL, May 26, 2016 -- The Mother McAuley Liberal Arts High School Class of 2016 crossed the stage at Saint Xavier University during commencement exercises held on Sunday, May 22.

Wearing white, floor-length gowns -- a tradition at the high school since 1846 -- families and friends held the 265 graduates celebrate the occasion. The Class of 2016 was the fourth graduating class to graduate in neighboring SXU’s Shannon Center.

The McAuley Class of 2016 boasts four National Merit Commended Scholars, one National Merit Finalist, three recipients of the Chick Evans Scholarship, a Golden Apple Scholar of Illinois, eight athletic commitments and 40 Illinois State Scholars, to name a few.

The graduates will move on to 303 college institutions, from which they received a combined $34 million in merit-based scholarships.

The ceremony included the announcement of graduates, speeches by valedictorian, Isabella Mueller ‘16 (Beverly), student speaker, Bridget Ryan ‘16 (Evergreen Park) and faculty speaker Kevin Czarnecki, the introduction of the alumnae speaker by salutatorian, Meghan Rokas ‘16 (Palos Heights), and a song tribute by the senior members of the McAuley Advanced Chorus.

The featured guest speaker was McAuley alumna Laura Rowley Hilker ‘83. An award-winning journalist and author, Rowley was most recently vice president of video production and product at Meredith, which provides multimedia content to Better Homes and Gardens, Parents, Allrecipes.com and Eating Well.

She is a past producer for Huffington Post and has appeared on or contributed to The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNBC and Fox News. In addition to running her own self-named consulting and production firm for a decade, Laura Rowley Inc., Rowley was also an on-air producer/reporter for CNN’s “Business Unusual” and “Your Money.”

Isabella Mueller ‘16, a graduate of Saint Barnabas delivered the Valedictorian address, graduating with a cumulative GPA of 4.49. Next year, she will attend the University of South Carolina, where she plans to major in Public Health with a minor in Spanish. She hopes to have a career involved in the healthcare industry in a leadership/management role.

“McAuley has prepared me for college by instilling a confidence in me and empowering me to achieve my goals,” Isabella said. “With its rigorous academics in combination with leadership roles, McAuley has given me a strong foundation to pursue a career where I can help make an impact on the world.”

Meghan Rokas ’16, a graduate of Saint John Fisher, was the salutatorian with a 4.45 G.P.A. She will attend Loyola University, Chicago next year, where she plans to major in Biology on the pre-med track, with hopes to go to medical school and become a surgeon.

Bridget Ryan ’16, a graduate of Central Junior High in Evergreen Park and parishioner at Most Holy Redeemer , was voted by her classmates as student speaker for the graduation ceremony. Bridget is also headed to Loyola University, Chicago.

“Going off to college I feel more confident in who I am thanks to the education and community at McAuley,” Bridget said. “I know that I have a voice that is worthy of being heard wherever I go in life.”

Photos: Class of 2016 graduates show off their high school diplomas. Graduation speakers (left to right) Principal Ms. Eileen Boyce ’03, student speaker Bridget Ryan ’16, valedictorian Isabella Mueller ’16, President Mrs. Mary Acker Klingenberger ’75, salutatorian Meghan Rokas ’16 and alumnae speaker Laura Rowley Hilker ’83. | McAuley High School