Best & Brightest

• Elmhurst College announced the following students were awarded bachelor's degrees at the May 27 commencement ceremony.

Barrington: Jennifer Chiappe, elementary education; Ciara Conway, accounting; Laura Kane, summa cum laude, special education; Brett McAllister, history, secondary education; Bevin Murdock, English; and Edyta Sawicka, cum laude, nursing.

Palatine: Stefany Comeaux, cum laude, nursing; Shari Irsay, cum laude, elementary education; Grace McHugh, summa cum laude, music; Joseph Plazak, summa cum laude, music, psychology; and Ian Robinson, jazz studies.

• Mallory Simpson of Barrington was one of Northern Illinois University's business students honored Aug. 25 for winning a competition that covered all aspects of campus life among the residents of NIU's Business Careers House. Participants won points for activities such as making the dean's list, tutoring peers, attending professional development workshops, volunteering for charitable projects and participating in the College of Business' Ethics Day.

• Daniel William Sedgwick of Palatine, a student at Illinois State University in Normal, completed requirements for a bachelor's degree at the end of the summer 2007 term.

• Meredith A. Mammarella, daughter of Ronald and Lorrie Mammarella of Palatine, received the Alexander Briggs Memorial Award given to a business major who has completed at least one year of college work with no less than a 3.0 grade point average. Recipients are selected by the management faculty in the School of Business at Eastern Illinois University, Charleston. Mammarella is a 2005 graduate of William Fremd High School.

• Anthony A. Gagliano, son of Peter and Laura Gagliano of South Barrington and a spring 2007 graduate with a bachelor's degree in business from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, received the Management Merit Senior Award which is given to a senior selected by the management faculty of the School of Business. Gagliano is a 2003 graduate of Loyola Academy in Wilmette.

• Illinois State University, Normal, announced the following students completed requirements for master's degrees at the end of the 2007 summer session.

Palatine: Marci Gay Albrecht (education), Holly Anne Hoeninger, Jaimie Michelle Kalinowski and Tricia Marie Ward.

• Nicholas A. Pierce and Taylor F. Sepuha, both of South Barrington and graduates of Barrington High School; and Courtney L. Tuegel of Palatine and a Fremd High School graduate, were granted Health Care Career Internships by the St. Alexius Medical Center Foundation, with the support of the Medical Dental Staff. They are given to students who wish to secure an education in order to enter a health care career. After spending at least 24 hours for four weeks in various departments and doctor's offices, interns receive an internship certificate and a scholarship check is sent to the colleges they are entering.

• Eric Steven Brosio and Emily Lyn Settergren, both of Palatine, graduated with bachelor's degrees from Eastern Illinois University, Charleston, at the end of the 2007 summer semester.

• Katie Bonifazi, daughter of Daniel and Kathy Bonifazi of Palatine, received a classroom assignment for the fall semester from Monmouth College where she is a junior education major. She will assist in fourth- fifth and sixth-grade classes at Roseville Elementary School in Roseville.

• Illinois State University, Normal, announced the following students completed requirements for master's degrees at the end of the 2007 summer session.

Palatine: Marci Gay Albrecht (education), Holly Anne Hoeninger, Jaimie Michelle Kalinowski and Tricia Marie Ward.

• Nicholas A. Pierce and Taylor F. Sepuha, both of South Barrington and graduates of Barrington High School; and Courtney L. Tuegel, Palatine, and a graduate of William Fremd High School, were granted Health Care Career Internships by the St. Alexius Medical Center Foundation, with the support of the Medical Dental Staff. They are given to students who wish to secure an education in order to enter a health care career. After spending at least 24 hours for four weeks in various departments and doctor's offices, interns receive an internship certificate and a scholarship check is sent to the colleges they are entering.