Best & Brightest

• Holly D. Mattern of Rolling Meadows, a student at Benedictine University in Lisle, was named to the fall 2007 dean's recognition list, which recognizes part-time students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or above.

• Cassie Carbaugh of Arlington Heights, a senior English and secondary education major at Valparaiso University in Indiana, was awarded an honorable mention for her creative nonfiction work in the university's 2007 Wordfest Writing Contest.

• Roosevelt University announced the following students were named to its Franklin Honor Society, which honors the best and brightest students. Members of the society are graduating undergraduates with a grade point average of 3.75 or higher.

Arlington Heights: Jacqueline Ballarini, mathematics; Mary Gekas, organizational communications; and Katherin Heinz, administrative studies.

Rolling Meadows: You Shao, sociology.

• Victoria Erxleben of Arlington Heights was honored during the 2007 Doctor of Pharmacy White Coat Ceremony for students entering their first professional year in the doctor of pharmacy program at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. The students successfully completed a minimum of two years of pre-pharmacy studies before being accepted into the four-year professional pharmacy program.

• The University of Iowa in Iowa City named to the following students to the dean's list for the 2007 fall semester for having a minimum 3.5 grade-point average.

Arlington Heights: Brian Joseph Acquafredda, Nicholas Edward Beatty, Ilse M. Bendorf, Joseph Scot Brantman, Michael John Bukowski Jr., Stacey Noelle Clarke, Timothy Michael Crimmins, Matthew Joseph Deleon, Victoria Ann Franiak, Allison Elizabeth Gill, Lisa Marie Gioe, Briana Marie Gunn, Joshua B. Lapins, Sean Duffy Mincey, James Harrison Oudenhoven, Megan Parker, James Patrick Powers, Allison Presutti, Lisa A. Rosenthal, David Charles Russell, Ryan Anthony Salzman, Deborah Lynn Rodriguez, Kelly P. Sarnowski, Cora C. Skoropad, Jessica Lauren Urban, Brandon Richard Wilson, all students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; John Joseph Balogh, College of Engineering; Zachary Michael Evett, Amanda Christine Fritz, Melissa Mary Gallagher, all students in the College of Business Administration.

Rolling Meadows: Allison Leigh Aird, Amy Katherine Coulter, Carly Ann Flannigan, and Elizabeth Ruth Nelson, all students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

• The University of Iowa awarded bachelor's degrees to the following students at the fall 2007 commencement ceremonies held in December in Iowa City.

Arlington Heights: Timothy Michael Crimmins, English with high distinction; Joseph M. Dahlin, psychology; Julien Christine Hansen, English, theatre arts; Matt James Nordstrom, interdepartmental studies; Brian Francis Powers, finance, business administration; and Melita K. Zusevics, psychology.

• Kirk Austin Perreau of Rolling Meadows graduated with distinction in December with a master of business administration degree from the University of Iowa in Iowa City.

• Zachary Michael Evett of Arlington Heights, a student in the College of Business Administration at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, was named to the president's list for the 2007 fall semester. To be included on the list, a student must have a minimum 4.0 grade point average in all academic subjects for the preceding two semesters.

• Elizabeth Ruth Nelson of Rolling Meadows, a student in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, was named to the president's list for the 2007 fall semester. To be included on the list, a student must have a minimum 4.0 grade point average in all academic subjects for the preceding two semesters.

• Heather R. Salus of Arlington Heights, a senior at Beloit College in Wisconsin, achieved academic distinction during the fall term and was named to the dean's list for maintaining at least a 3.4 grade point average.

• Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, awarded Presidential Scholarships to the following students at the beginning of the fall 2007 semester. The scholarship, awarded on the basis of the student's academic and leadership achievement, ranges from $7,000 to $12,000.

Arlington Heights: Andrew Brice, Ryan Bylak, Kristen Klimas and Matthew Vasilogambros.