College Credits: Oswego Student Works On NASCAR promotional campaigns

OSWEGO, 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.

Oswego native enrolls at University of Kentucky

Lilly Zolo, of Oswego, recently enrolled in the University of Kentucky College of Arts & Sciences for fall 2023 with a prospective major of Undeclared/Exploratory Studies in AS. Lilly is about to discover what's wildly possible in a College at the heart of the Big Blue Nation.

— Merit Pages News

Student from Oswego lends a hand to water line inventory

Max Castle, an accounting major from Oswego (60543) was one of 140 Augustana Vikings football players who took a break from practice to assist the water line inventory project.

The players knocked on doors near Augustana's campus and Saukie Golf Course as part of the final canvassing event before student research assistants moved to the next phase of the project, which included data analysis and predictive modeling.

Head coach Steve Bell said the team has developed a great relationship with Dr. Kimberly Murphy, director for the Center for Advancement of Community Health and Wellness. Dr. Murphy's center is joined by Augustana's Upper Mississippi Center in leading the inventory project.

"When she asked us to help, we saw it as a great opportunity to give back to the Rock Island community and to help Augustana with an important project," Bell said. "For our football players, it's about helping them understand that football is a small part of what they will learn here at Augustana. Being a small part of something bigger than yourself has much more meaning in the long run."

— Merit Pages News

Oswego native works on NASCAR Chicago street race promotional campaigns

With one of the world's most recognizable cityscapes in the background, NASCAR drivers in July navigated a thrilling 2.2-mile course in and around Chicago's Grant Park. And right in the middle of all the action of the first street race in NASCAR's 75-year history were 16 Hawkeyes.

The students — a group that included Colin Hansel of Oswego — who were taking part in a summer practicum course through the University of Iowa sport and recreation management program, worked with executives from NASCAR to build promotional campaigns aimed at attracting new Gen Z ticket buyers and TV viewers to future NASCAR Chicago street races. They also traveled to Chicago to job-shadow executives and assist in managing the historic event.

Dan Matheson, professor of instruction and director of the sport and recreation management program, has facilitated practicums in past years related to NASCAR's Daytona 500. But when he heard about the Grant Park 220 in Chicago, he knew he wanted to develop one specifically for the unique event, which proved successful for NASCAR.

"It was the highest-rated NASCAR race on NBC for the past six years. About 70% to 80% of ticket buyers were new to NASCAR, which was a huge number for them. And social media engagement was five times the typical level for a NASCAR weekend at one of their own tracks," Matheson says. "Those were a lot of good metrics, and the students got to see how the strategy and goals that NASCAR was aiming for were achieved."

— Merit Pages News

SNHU president’s list includes Oswego student

Kylie Roehl of Oswego (60543) has been named to Southern New Hampshire University's (SNHU) Summer 2023 President's List. The summer terms run from May to August.

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