Governor Quinn Announces Illinois Students to be Honored by Lincoln Academy November 2

Ceremony at Old State Capitol Recognizes the Top Student from Each College and University in Illinois

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Pat Quinn today announced the names of the state's outstanding college students who will be honored by the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. The Academy will recognize the students during the annual Student Laureate Convocation at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield.

"These students have exhibited a personal commitment to excel as seen by their remarkable academic accomplishments," Governor Quinn said. "They serve as role models to all Illinois students. With hard-working and dedicated young leaders such as these, Illinois and the rest of the nation can look forward to a bright future."

The Lincoln Academy's Student Laureate Awards are presented for excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities to seniors from each of the state's four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities, and one student from among all the community colleges in Illinois. At the Student Laureate Convocation, each will receive a Student Laureate Medallion, along with a $1,000 educational grant and a certificate of achievement. This event will mark the 39th year that students have been honored by the Academy.

Student Laureate Caelin Niehoff of DePaul University will speak on behalf of all the Laureates. The invocation will be delivered by Robert A. Easter, Ph.D., President of the University of Illinois and the benediction will be delivered by The Reverend Stanley Davis, Jr. The Sangamon Woodwind Consort will provide music, and a luncheon at the Illinois Executive Mansion will follow the Student Laureate Convocation.

The Lincoln Academy, unique among the 50 states, was established 49 years ago to honor Illinois' most distinguished citizens with the state's highest award, the Order of Lincoln. The 50th Annual Convocation and Investiture of Laureates of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois will take place Saturday, May 3, 2014 at the Field Museum in Chicago.

STUDENT LAUREATES

School                         Student                        Home Town

Augustana College                        Jenna N. Orabutt                        Hawthorn Woods, IL

Aurora University                     Andrew J. Patton                         Oswego, IL

Benedictine University                     Eman Sahloul                        Orland Park, IL

Blackburn College                        Ashley Donoho                        

Bradley University                     Jonathan Teich                          Bay City, MI

Chicago State University                    Christopher D. Muldrow                      Oak Forest, IL

Columbia College - Chicago              Allison C. Shuman                         Cranston, RI

Concordia University Chicago            David J. Moldenhauer                    Walled Lake, MI

DePaul University                     Caelin Niehoff                        Algonquin, IL

Dominican University                     David C. Gayes                          Oak Park, IL

Eastern Illinois University                    Zachary D. Samples                        Decatur, IL

Elmhurst College                        Emily A. Darow                          Palatine, IL

Eureka College                        Lauren M. Schwanke                       Eureka, IL

Governors State University                Ricca Louissaint                     South Holland, IL

Greenville College                        Alyssa R. Gosselin                       Derby, VT

Illinois College                        Phuong Hoang Nguyen                      Thai Binh, Vietnam

Illinois Institute of Technology            Miriam R. Schmid                         Cissna Park, IL

Illinois State University                     Brian M. Kulaga                         Elmhurst, IL

Illinois Wesleyan University                Josefina Banales                        Chicago, IL

Judson University                     Cassandra E. Criminger                     Flanagan, IL

Knox College                        Carolyn Stephen                        St. Louis, MO

Lake Forest College                        Anali N. Vargas                         Chicago, IL

Lake Land College                        Kolten A. Postin                         Moweaqua, IL

Lewis University                     Samantha J. Rinehart                       Marion, IA

Lincoln College                        Josh A. Jones                          Joliet, IL

Loyola University Chicago                  Thomas J. Serena                         Shorewood, IL

MacMurray College                        Katherine L. Schmidt                        Jerseyville, IL

McKendree University                     Anthony J. Rhoads                         Litchfield, IL

Millikin University                     Emily E. D'Ambrose                      Naperville, IL

Monmouth College                        William T. Terrill                                  Sugar Grove, IL

National Louis University                    Kristine Becker-Kristufek               Mt. Prospect, IL

North Central College                        Colin J. Loeffler                       Sun Prairie, WI

North Park University                     An Tran                           Hanoi, Vietnam

Northeastern Illinois University           Ashor O. Jajou                          Morton Grove, IL

Northern Illinois University                  Sarah L. Stuebing                       DeKalb, IL

Olivet Nazarene University                 Breanne M. Bambrick                       Washington, IL

Principia College                        Haley O. Morton                         Wildwood, MO

Quincy University                     Samantha A. Nielsen                        Arlington Heights, IL

Rockford University                     Dunja Cosic                          Rockford, IL

Roosevelt University                     Erin McCaslin                       Maple Valley, WA

St. Xavier University                     Lauren Bryk                           Rolling Meadows, IL

Southern IL Univ. Carbondale            Eileen N. Schweiss                       Festus, MO

Southern IL Univ. Edwardsville          Christopher J. Branch                         Edwardsville, IL

The University of Chicago                  Safiya C. Johnson                        Chicago, IL

Trinity Christian College                      Megan L. Anderson                       Elgin, IL

Trinity International University            Rebekah E. Held                           Hartford, WI

University of IL at Chicago                 Fransely Robles                         Chicago, IL

University of IL at Springfield             Joshua Eastby                         Edwardsville, IL

Univ. of IL at Urbana-Champaign      Amanda M. Rowland                        Burr Ridge, IL

University of St. Francis                     Brandon S. Collofello                     Minooka, IL

VanderCook College of Music           Maxwell J. Dykla                          Belding, MI

Western Illinois University                   Lindsey M. Posmanick                      Troy, IL

Wheaton College                        Sarah R. Vander Vorst                       Mound City, SD