Six Alumni To Be Inducted In South High School Hall of Fame

Caption: South High inductees into the alumni hall of fame are (left to right, top to bottom) Captain Daniel L. Cheever, ‘82, Derek Lloyd Choi-Lundberg, Ph.D., ‘87, Elaine Fuchs, ‘68, Michael Mendoza, M.D., ‘92, Captain Kent A. Paro, ‘82, and Katarina J. Ruscic, M.D., Ph.D., ‘02.

Downers Grove South High School will induct six inaugural members into its Distinguished Alumni program; the induction ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25, in the front foyer of South High School, located at 1436 Norfolk in Downers Grove. Plaques will be installed on the newly created Alumni Wall of Honor. The public is cordially invited to come to the ceremony.

The school received over 50 nominations, including prominent leaders in business, medicine, military and education and other fields.

“We were overwhelmed by the number of nominations we received, and we were humbled by the incredible accomplishments our alumni have achieved,” says John Aldworth, committee chair and director of student activities at South High. “Each of the six graduates the committee selected has made an impressive and positive impact on society.”

The selection committee included school officials, retired teachers and community members.

The new Distinguished Alumni program coincides with the school’s 50th anniversary.

“Fifty years is a big milestone—for half a century we’ve been educating students, and collectively they have excelled in every facet of high school life and beyond, from academics to athletics and arts,” says Dr. Mark McDonald, District 99 superintendent and former principal of South High.

A variety of activities are planned to recognize the anniversary, including a 50th Anniversary Tailgate BBQ on September 26, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The community is invited to enjoy complimentary food, refreshments and family entertainment before the Homecoming football game.

“We know that our school is so strong not only because of our teachers and staff, but also the people in our community who support us,” says Principal Ed Schwartz. “We hope everyone will come out and help us celebrate at the 50th Anniversary Community Tailgate BBQ!”

The Class of 2014 Distinguished Alumni (in alphabetical order) includes:

Captain Daniel L. Cheever

United States Navy

DGS Class of 1982

After high school, Captain Cheever graduated from Western Illinois University in business. He then began serving in the U.S. Navy, and commanded Carrier Air Wing Eight, TOPGUN and Strike Fighter Squadron 147. His combat operations have included ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM and ODYSSEY DAWN. Captain Cheever has been awarded the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal Strike/Flight and three Battle E’s.

Derek Lloyd Choi-Lundberg, Ph.D.

Neuroscience Research and University Teaching

DGS Class of 1987

After graduating from South High, Dr. Choi-Lundberg received a National Merit Scholarship to the University of Chicago and went on to earn an M.D. and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. He is a groundbreaking researcher in nerve growth factors, gene therapy and experimental models of Parkinson’s Disease. Dr. Choi-Lundberg’s work has been published in numerous journals including Science, Neuron, Human Gene Therapy, Experimental Neurology and European Journal of Neuroscience. He is currently a professor of medicine at the University of Tasmania, School of Medicine, where he educates undergraduate medical students actively construct their understanding of human anatomy through diverse teaching activities, in a supportive learning environment.

Elaine Fuchs, Ph.D.

Professor of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute at the Rockefeller University

Stem Cell Biology and Cancer Research

DGS Class of 1968

After South High, Dr. Fuchs received her B.S. in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 1972 and her Ph.D. in biochemistry in 1977 from Princeton University. She was also a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a professor at the University of Chicago. Dr. Fuchs has been with Rockefeller since 2002, and has been a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator since 1988.

Dr. Fuchs is internationally recognized for discoveries of how adult stem cells make and repair skin, and how this goes awry in cancers. She is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and recipient of numerous and prestigious scientific awards, including the National Medal of Science from the President of the United States.

Michael Mendoza, M.D.

Medicine and Public Health

DGS Class of 1992

After graduating from South High, Dr. Mendoza received undergraduate and medical degrees from The University of Chicago, a masters degree in public health from The University of Illinois in Chicago and a masters in business administration from the University of Rochester. He has written three books and numerous journal articles focused on improving family practice. He has received numerous education awards, and is dedicated to teaching and mentoring the integration of evidence-based clinical decision-making with patient-centered principles of primary care.

Dr. Mendoza now serves as medical director at Highland Family Medicine and assistant professor in Rochester, New York, where he continues his commitment to improve the quality of primary care for underserved communities and reducing healthcare disparities.

Captain Kent A. Paro

United States Navy SEAL

DGS Class of 1982

Captain Kent A. Paro attended the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland and became an officer of the U.S. Navy after graduating from South High; he received a master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California.

Captain Paro is a career Navy SEAL with combat deployments to Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan and numerous other non-combat deployments worldwide. He has served as Commanding Officer at SEAL Team TEN, Special Boat Team TWENTY and Naval Special Warfare Unit TWO. His numerous decorations include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal (two awards), Meritorious Service Medal (five awards), Joint Service Commendation Medal (two awards), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (four awards, with “V” device), Army Commendation Medal, and various unit and service decorations.

Katarina J. Ruscic, M.D., Ph.D.

Biomedical Research and Anesthesiology

DGS Class of 2002

After graduating from South High, Katarina Ruscic earned a full-tuition scholarship to the University of Chicago, where she triple-majored in chemistry, biology and biochemistry; she also earned a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. She has won several awards, including being named a Goldwater Scholar. Her research on cardiac arrhythmia research has been published inProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Ruscic was named an “extraordinarily creative and accomplished young immigrants or children of immigrants,” receiving Paul and Daisy Soros Fellowship in 2010. Her battery research at Argonne National Laboratory led to her receiving four patents.

Dr. Ruscic has appeared on several news features, gives international lectures on her work and mentors young women to pursue medicine and STEM fields. She earned her medical degree June 2014 from the Pritzker School of Medicine, and after an internal medicine year at Loyola, will go to Harvard for residency in anesthesiology at Massachussetts General Hospital.

For more information about South High, please visit www.csd99.org/south.