College Credits: Plainfield Student Grad At University of Tampa

PLAINFIELD, 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.

College sophomore from Plainfield earns dean’s list recognition

Jami Dietz, Luther College sophomore of Plainfield, Illinois, has been named to the 2021 fall semester dean’s list.

Luther College’s fall 2021 Dean’s List includes 698 students; 120 first-years, 163 sophomores, 167 juniors and 248 seniors. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 scale and must complete at least 12 credit hours with 10 hours of conventional grades (A, B, C, D).

— Luther College

Plainfield student named to SNHU dean’s list

Kelsey Ridsdale of Plainfield (60585) has been named to Southern New Hampshire University's Fall 2021 Dean's List.

Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.500 to 3.699 are named to the Dean's List. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits; undergraduate day students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester, and online students must earn 12 credits in either EW1 & EW2, EW3 & EW4, or EW5 & EW6.

— Merit Page News

UW-Whitewater Gymnastics team includes Plainfield student

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team looks to continue its standing among the nation's premier Division III programs in 2022 as it begins its new season this week.

The Warhawks finished with a 3-1 record in four dual meets against opponents from the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference/National Collegiate Gymnastics Association West Region during a shortened 2021 campaign.

In 2020, UW-W qualified for the NCGA Championship for the 14th consecutive year with a runner-up finish at the WIAC Championship/NCGA West Regional before the national meet was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head coach Jennifer Regan enters her 20th season at the helm of the program. Regan, who has led the team to five national championships, adds six newcomers to a group of 11 returners.

The following UW-Whitewater student-athletes from Plainfield are members of the 2022 Warhawk gymnastics team:

• Taiya Stelmachowski of Plainfield (Central High School), a junior majoring in elementary education.
• Kara Welsh of Plainfield (Central High School), a freshman with an undeclared major.

Stelmachowski, a graduate of Plainfield Central High School, is among the third-year players on the team. She competed exclusively on bars in 2021, posting an average of 9.408, including a career-best 9.525 at UW-La Crosse.

— Merit Page News

Student from Plainfield earns dean’s list recognition

Kelsey Roberts of Plainfield (60544) qualified for the Fall 2021 Dean's List at Belmont University. Eligibility is based on a minimum course load of 12 hours and a quality grade point average of 3.5 with no grade below a C.

— Merit Page News

Local student named to Southeast Missouri State University president's list

Ben Kouba of Plainfield, IL, has been named to the Southeast Missouri State University Dean's List for academic achievement during the fall 2021 semester.

Students named to the list earned at least a 3.75 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, completed at least 12 hours of standard graded credit, achieved no grade below a B and received no failing grades in enrolled, credit/no credit or pass/fail courses.

— Merit Page News

Plainfield student named to dean’s list at University of Delaware

Kathryn Strand of Plainfield has been named to the University of Delaware Dean's List for the Fall 2021 semester.

To meet eligibility requirements for the Dean's List, a student must be enrolled full-time and earn a GPA of 3.5 or above (on a 4.0 scale) for the semester.

— Merit Page News

Plainfield student makes University of Iowa president’s list

Ryan Griffin of Plainfield, IL was among the more than 800 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa named to the president's list for the 2021 fall semester.

Griffin is a third-year student in Iowa's College of Engineering and is majoring in Electrical Engineering.

President's list status was earned by only two first-year undergraduates during the 2021 fall semester at Iowa; only 135 second-year students; only 250 third-year students; and only 420 fourth-year students.

The president's list was established in the fall of 1983 to recognize academic excellence.

— Merit Page News

Cameron Tokarski, of Plainfield, graduates from The University of Tampa

Cameron Tokarski, of Plainfield, graduated from The University of Tampa on Friday, Dec. 17. Tokarski graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education-Elementary (K-6) BS.

The commencement ceremony included 1,063 undergraduate and graduate candidates. The ceremony included remarks by Lonnie Bryant, chair of the Department of Finance and professor of finance, and the student challenge speaker.

— Merit Page News

Alaina Wildenradt earns academic excellence from Weber State University

Alaina Wildenradt of Plainfield, Illinois, earned Academic Excellence from Weber State University.

More than 3,800 students received the honor of Academic Excellence in the fall 2021 semester, signifying they maintained a GPA of at least 3.5. Of those 3,800, approximately 1,200 students earned the distinction of High Academic Excellence for maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

The achievement of earning Academic Excellence is difficult under normal circumstances but was made especially challenging with the added pressure of handling the mental and emotional impact of a global pandemic, political unrest and an unusual learning environment.

Less face-to-face instruction and interaction, as well as limited engagement with peers, meant students had to demonstrate their grit and determination to maintain their high academic standards.

Additionally, many students maintained exceptional academic standards while also managing jobs, extracurricular activities, families and household responsibilities.

— Merit Page News

Local student makes it onto dean’s list for fall 2021 at BVU

Peyton Skiba of Plainfield was named to Buena Vista University's Fall 2021 Dean's List. Skiba was among more than 500 students named to the Dean's List this semester.

The Dean's List recognizes full-time students achieving a 3.5 grade point average or higher for the semester.

— Merit Page News

Knox College students named to fall 2021 dean's list

High-achieving students were named to the Knox College Dean's List for the 2021 Fall Term. To be named to the Dean's List, a student must have earned at least 2.5 credits in the term, with a grade point average of 3.6 or better (on a 4.0 scale).

• Arthur Anthony of Plainfield
• Allana Blankenship of Plainfield
• Ava Vaccarella of Plainfield

— Merit Page News