Lewis University

Lewis University Philip Lynch Theatre presents "Superior Donuts", a heartwarming and humorous tale of unlikely friendships in one of Chicago's most diverse neighborhoods. This comedy-drama explores the challenges of embracing the past and the redemptive power of friendship. "Superior Donuts," written by Tracy Letts, will have performances on September 27-29 and October 3-4 at the Philip Lynch Theatre on Lewis University's Romeoville Campus. The first weekend performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday. The second weekend performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday and Sunday.

Lewis University Philip Lynch Theatre presents "Godspell" (2012), a moving production that shares Jesus' powerful messages of love, kindness, and tolerance. "Godspell" (2012), conceived by John-Michael Tebelak, will have performances on April 19-21 and April 25-28. The first weekend performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Sunday. The second-weekend performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee on Saturday and Sunday.

Eight students mentored by Lewis Mathematics faculty presented their research in August at Mathfest, the second-largest annual mathematics conference in the world, and the annual meeting of the Mathematical Association of America in Indianapolis. Mathematics major Zachary Campbell won the Janet L. Andersen Award for Undergraduate Research in Mathematical or Computational Biology and was awarded one of MathFest's Outstanding Poster Awards. Sulyok mentored Campbell in his presentation, "Mathematically Modeling Recurrent C. difficile Infections in Long-Term Care Facilities." Stephenson and Sulyok co-advised mathematics majors Chuckie Gentile and Mackenzie Welsh and data science and computer science double major Nuvia Hernandez, who presented "Development of Agent-Based Models for Evaluation of Precision Nutrition Interventions through a Socioeconomic Lens." Mathematics majors Philiffe Tebalan and Evan Burns, who Harsy mentored, also presented their work, "Graph Theoretical Modeling of Self-Assembling DNA of the Double Cone Graph." Harsy also mentored Kaitlyn Buck, a mathematics major from the University of Texas at Austin, and Rawdah Abdullah, a Dominican University mathematics major. Buck's poster presentation, "Multi-Dimensional Graphs Modeling Self-Assembling DNA Nanostructures" was honored with one of Mathfest's Outstanding Poster Awards. Abdullah's presentation, "Optimal Tile-Based Self-Assembly of DNA Using Graph Theory," was funded by the PUMA STEM program.

One of Lewis University's student teams earned first place at the 2024 Association of Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) Calculus Competition. The winning team consisted of Benyamin Bamburac, Ruben Franchini and Leonardo Ramos. Lewis University's second team, who earned 12th place, included Mackenzie Welsh, Chuckie Gentile and Tyler Ranieri. The ACCA Calculus Competition typically sees 35 teams compete with other ACCA teams by completing short answer and multiple-choice questions within 90 minutes. The ACCA is a consortium of 15 private liberal arts colleges that promotes collegiate education in biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, physics, psychology, sociology/anthropology, and business/economics.

The Senior Capstone Art Exhibition will take place May 2-12 at the Wadsworth Family Gallery on Lewis University's Romeoville campus. The exhibit will be free and open to the public from 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily. The Lewis University students featured in the exhibit include Orla Clasby, Laila Husseini, Maha Muhammad, Drew Orr, Linsey Jeanne Pelekoudas, Abdurrahman Qureshi, and Rebeca Sanchez. The biannual art show coincides with the capstone course, Senior Project. The course challenges graduating students to put their newly acquired skills and understanding of art to the test by participating in a professional exhibition experience. The Department of Art and Design manages the Wadsworth Family Gallery events, which include Lewis University student shows, local and regional artist shows, annual high school exhibits, faculty shows, academic-based exhibitions and cultural and religious-based art shows. More information is available about the Art Gallery and exhibits by contacting Natalie Swain, Art Gallery coordinator, at swainna@lewisu.edu.

Lewis University Women's Softball Team is preparing for their European travel study June 3 - June 12 after raising funds for the trip through various service activities. Twelve of the members on the team are also enrolled in the travel study section of a Global History and Culture II course that is focusing on globalization, geography, and art in preparation for the trip. "We've already met a number of times during the semester. We have even visited the Wadsworth Art Gallery on campus to view creative works. We will be prepared to use Venice, Florence, and Rome as our classroom." said Dennis H. Cremin, Professor of History, who will be accompanying the students on their travels. Students and players attending the trip include Katie Jensen, Kadence Baccam, Meghan Bontrager, Evie Calderon, Allie Wondrasek, Maddie Hessing, Jalyn Powell, Grace Kmak, Leah Mokos, Cydney Drousias, Kenzie Murdock, Kristen Graham, Anna Frafjord, Grace Erickson, Gabi Nilles, Erica Hoffman, Mackenzie Sheehan, and Delaney Garden. "I have wanted our student athletes to play internationally. This is a once in a lifetime experience for our team and we will play games near Lake Como, in norther Italy, and hold a softball clinic and play a game in Florence," said Becky Pearl, the Head Softball Coach. To support the team, please contact Becky Pearl at pearlbe@lewisu.edu

Lewis University's College of Nursing and Health Science student, Anna Faveron,

Lewis University student athletes were honored for their academic excellence on April 22, as 368 student-athletes received Br. David Delahanty Awards at the Convocation Hall located on the Romeoville Campus. The Delahanty Award recognizes Flyers who have maintained a high GPA while balancing the demands of athletics and academics. The Delahanty Awards are presented in three tiers based on cumulative GPA. Bronze Medallion (3.25 - 3.499 GPA) Silver Medallion (3.50 - 3.749 GPA) Gold Medallion (3.75 - 4.0 GPA) Br. David Delahanty, FSC, served as President of Lewis from June 1982 until his untimely death in October 1987. A personal advocate of physical fitness, Br. David encouraged Lewis students to achieve excellence not only in the academic sphere but also in the athletic arena. Following his death, several members of the Lewis' athletic teams inquired if they could wear black armbands to mourn the popular president. After much consultation, it was decided that Br. David would have preferred a tribute to athletes based on their academic achievements. The first ceremony took place in 1988.

Lewis University students studying physical, social and behavioral, and life sciences presented work at the 56th annual Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area Student Symposium on April 13 at Lewis University in Romeoville. The Associated Colleges of the Chicago Area (ACCA) symposium allowed students to present their research to their peers studying In the Chicago area. ACCA is a consortium of 14 private liberal arts colleges offering educational experiences that help students organize and share their knowledge and discoveries.

Just over 1,300 students were honored on the Lewis University Dean's List for the 2023 Fall Semester. To be eligible for this honor, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours during the semester with a grade point average of at least 3.5 and with no "D" or "F" grades.

Just about 1,300 students were honored on the Lewis University Dean's List for the 2023 Spring Semester. To be eligible for this honor, students must have completed a minimum of 12 credit hours during the semester with a grade point average of at least 3.5 and with no "D" or "F" grades.

Undergraduate degree recipients gathered with loved ones on December 16 for the Lewis University Undergraduate Commencement Ceremonies on its Romeoville campus. Offering the Lasallian Address, Bachelor of Nursing recipient Catherine D. Fiori urged her fellow degree recipients to be lifelong learners. "Our world changes so rapidly but the one thing that remains consistent is the power of education," Fiori said.

In the first two weeks of February, the Spring 2024 Lewis University Rome Program at Lasallian Universities Center for Education students visited several historic and artistic landmarks in Italy and Malta. LUCE offers full-semester programs for Lasallian students from around the world. Its programs are designed to develop specifically Lasallian international study abroad experiences and to enrich the sense of belonging in the worldwide Lasallian community. Contact Chris Swanson at swansoch@lewisu.edu for more information on the Rome Program at LUCE.

For the second year in a row, Lasallian Universities Center for Education in Rome, Italy has a record enrollment of Lewis University students living and studying in Rome. Twenty-four students from 14 majors and four colleges are participating in the LUCE Rome Program for the Spring 2024 semester. LUCE offers full-semester programs for Lasallian students from around the world. Its programs are designed to develop specifically Lasallian international study abroad experiences and to enrich the sense of belonging in the worldwide Lasallian community. Contact Chris Swanson at swansoch@lewisu.edu for more information on the Rome Program at LUCE.

Sixteen new Resident Assistants as well as three Residence Life Coordinators were added to Lewis University's growing Residence Life team this fall. The university casts a wide net, searching for the best and brightest individuals from all corners of the world in hopes of creating a vibrant and supportive living community that transcends borders and celebrates cultural diversity. The new team members bring unique perspectives and a wealth of experiences to the residence halls. The RAs will serve as mentors, friends, and leaders, helping residents navigate the exciting journey of college life. The three new Residence Life Coordinators each have a distinct background and passion for creating an inclusive and enriching living environment. They will play a pivotal role in shaping residence life programs, providing guidance to RAs, and ensuring residents feel at home on the Romeoville campus.

Reducing disease spread in healthcare settings, firearm safety education, and creating more efficient semiconductor manufacturing processes are just a few of the research topics undertaken by 13 Lewis University students this summer. The biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, engineering, and physics undergraduate students participated in the Dr. James Girard Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). The collaborative experience includes working one-on-one with a faculty mentor, and offers an experiential learning environment that accelerates their research careers, with many students presenting their outcomes at conferences and/or via publications.

The Lewis softball team won its league-best 11th Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Championship after defeating Maryville in the semifinals then Indianapolis in the championship game on May 7.

Morgan Jennings, a Lewis University history major with minors in theology and Arabic, has been named the Lockport Woman's Club/ Pat Darin intern.

Lewis University inducted 19 students into the Gamma Chi Chapter of Delta Epsilon Sigma on November 22. Delta Epsilon Sigma is a national scholastic honor society for students, faculty and alumni of colleges and universities with a Catholic tradition. It recognizes academic accomplishments, fosters scholarly activities, and encourages a sense of intellectual community among its members.

The Lewis University men's cross country team finished in second place at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships at Principia College Cross Country Course hosted by McKendree University. The Flyers were denied their bid for a third straight crown when they finished with 36 points finishing behind first time champion University of Illinois Springfield who finished with 35 points. The team race came down to the closest score in GLVC Cross Country Championships history, a record previously held by Lewis in 2004 when they knocked of Southern Indiana by 2 points, and Southern Indiana who knocked off Wisconsin Parkside in 2015 by 2 points as well.

Six Lewis University students were recently inducted into Pi Theta Epsilon - Occupational Therapy National Honor Society. A ceremony was held for the inaugural inductees on September 8 at Lewis University in Romeoville. Elizabeth Carignan, Sokea Chidlow, Rachel Eriksen, Miranda Grizaffi, Nicole Santillo, and Rachel Schneider are the first Lewis University students to be initiated into Pi Theta Epsilon.

The Zeta Xi Chapter in Lewis University's College of Business was recently recognized by the national business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi for its outstanding service. The national award for Outstanding Service Award for a Collegiate Chapter is presented on an annual basis to the collegiate chapter of Delta Sigma Pi that plans and implements the most effective and comprehensive program of service to others.

"Food to Fuel: Biodiesel Processing for Campus and Community Use" project idea by students Kristen Knych '21, Sol llanes '23, Sebastian Mietus '21, and Caitlin Shanahan '21 won the 2021 Come Clean Go Green Competition at Lewis University.