College Credits: Student Cast In 'Into The Woods' College Production

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.

Plainfield students named to Illinois Wesleyan University dean’s list

Illinois Wesleyan University's Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2021-22 academic year consisted of 734 students from 28 states and 17 countries.

To qualify for the Dean's List, students must earn a GPA of 3.50 or better during the semester, based on 4.0 for straight As.

The following local students made the list:

• Annalyce Perona of Plainfield, IL, a senior majoring in Nursing.
• Abigail Edwards of Plainfield, IL, a senior majoring in Psychology.
• Fernando Chavez of Plainfield, IL, a junior majoring in Design Tech & Entrepreneurship.
• Alexis Boehnke of Plainfield, IL, a junior majoring in Art.
• Emily McMicken of Plainfield, IL, a junior majoring in Psychology.
• Makenzie Cozza of Plainfield, IL, a sophomore majoring in English - Writing / Political Science.
• Andrew Garcia of Plainfield, IL, a sophomore majoring in Biology.
• Anna Sheaffer of Plainfield, IL, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science.
• Josh Hlavacek of Plainfield, IL, a first-year majoring in Biology.

— Merit Page News

Plainfield student earns spot on 2022 UW-Whitewater softball roster

Meghan Dunning, a native of Plainfield and graduate of Plainfield South High School, will compete for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team during the 2022 season, which begins this Friday.

Dunning, a sophomore at UW-Whitewater, is majoring in communication sciences and disorders.

The University of Wisconsin-Whitewater softball team will compete for an unprecedented fifth consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship during the 2022 season, which began March 18.

UW-Whitewater wraps up the regular season with six of eight games on the road. After visiting Chicago on April 23, the Warhawks host Carroll on April 27 before heading west to take on UW-La Crosse on April 30 and UW-Eau Claire on May 1.

The WIAC Tournament is slated for May 6-8 at the home field of the tournament's top seed.

The NCAA Tournament starts with regionals on May 13-15, continues with super regionals on May 20-21 and concludes with the NCAA Championship on May 26-30 in Salem, Va.

— Merit Page News

Plainfield native helps bring 'Into the Woods' to Baldwin Wallace University stage

Joelle Watson of Plainfield (60585) was part of the cast and crew from Baldwin Wallace University that, under the direction of Victoria Bussert, produced the Tony Award-winning Stephen Sondheim masterpiece "Into the Woods." Watson, a graduate of Plainfield North High School majoring in theatre stage management, served as a house manager in the co-production between the BW Conservatory of Music's music theatre program and the department of theatre and dance.

"Into the Woods" tells the story of a baker and his wife who cannot have a child because of a witch's curse. When they set off on a journey to break the curse, they meet Cinderella, who wishes to attend the King's Festival, and Jack, who wishes his cow would give milk. Everyone's wish is granted, but the consequences of their actions return to haunt them.

"Into the Woods" is one of an extensive number of performance experiences providing real-world opportunities for students at Baldwin Wallace University. Productions include plays, musicals, operas, music concerts and dance concerts. Details at bw.edu/events.

— Merit Page News

Maxwell Fischer named to MSOE honors list for winter quarter

Maxwell Fischer, from Plainfield, was named to the Milwaukee School of Engineering's Honors List for the 2022 Winter Quarter. Fischer is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering.

Undergraduate students who have earned a GPA of 3.20 or higher (out of 4.0) for this quarter are on the Honors List.

— Merit Page News

Milwaukee School of Engineering names Plainfield students to dean’s list

Milwaukee School of Engineering congratulates students named to the Winter Quarter 2022 Dean's List. Undergraduate students who have earned at least 30 credits and have a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher (out of 4.0) are on the Dean's List. Students who have maintained a 3.70 or higher receive "high honors."

• Caitlyn Spreitzer of Plainfield (60585)
• Anastasia Konsoer of Plainfield (60544)
• Brianna Davis of Plainfield (60544)
• Robert Schmidt of Plainfield (60586)

— Merit Page News

Plainfield's Welsh earns All-America honors for UW-Whitewater gymnastics

Kara Welsh, a native of Plainfield, IL, and member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater gymnastics team, was one of seven Warhawks who garnered All-America accolades for the 2022 season following the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association Championship on March 26 in Ithaca, N.Y.

The Warhawks started the national meet on vault and tallied a team score of 48.000, good for a top 15 mark in the school record book. Welsh, a graduate of Plainfield Central High School, claimed All-America status by tying for third. Welsh matched her career-best score with a 9.775, tied for the No. 10 score in school history.

UW-Whitewater's team score of 191.975 is their second-highest of the season and the 10th best in program history.

— Merit Page News

Local student receives NSF research fellowship recognition

Nicole Losurdo of Plainfield, IL is among the University of Utah's largest-ever cohort of graduate students recognized in the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF GRFP). Losurdo, who is studying neurosciences and earned an undergraduate degree from Carthage College, received a GRFP award.

In total, 20 U students received GRFP awards and 11 received honorable mentions.

"We had really moved the mark over the past few years, but this year we hit it out of the park," said David Kieda, dean of the U's Graduate School.

— Merit Page News