Best & Brightest

• 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.

Des Plaines: Caitlin DeLong, Angela Defenbaugh, James Kolnik and Colleen Smith.

Mount Prospect: Jeffrey Grovak and Anne Sciurba.

• Mark Magierski, son of Allan and Martha Magierski of Mount Prospect, was named to the fall 2007 dean's list at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, for achieving a 3.66 grade point average. He graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering after the fall 2007 semester. He has accepted an engineering position at UOP in Des Plaines.

• Shirley Marie Kiratsous, daughter of Tony Kiratsous of Mount Prospect, was a candidate for a bachelor's degree in general studies/applied behavioral science from the University of Kansas in Lawrence at the end of the 2007 semester. She is a graduate of Rolling Meadows High School.

• Western Illinois University in Macomb named the following undergraduate students to the 2007 fall dean's list for earning at least a 3.6 grade point average.

Des Plaines: Carmen Marie Arena (sophomore), Jami Renee Guill (senior), Renee Catherine Guill (sophomore), Michael George Kieca (junior), Stephanie Marie Nicioli (freshman), Benjamin Addison Reed (senior), Jaclyn C. Richter (senior), Matthew John Stencel (sophomore) and Jennifer Nicole Stutler (freshman).

Elk Grove Village: Joseph M. Carcerano (sophomore), Ian J. Fuller (senior) and Michelle M. Kinney (sophomore).

Mount Prospect: Aaron D. Auclair (senior), Julie L Lenski (senior), Nicole L. Shudy (senior), James Edward Taylor (sophomore) and Agnieszka Tyl (senior).

Park Ridge: William Dallas Demonte (senior) and Gianna M. Valentine (junior).

Prospect Heights: Neil G. Minella (senior).

Rosemont: Joseph T. Balogh (senior).

• Western Illinois University in Macomb announced the following students earned academic degrees after the 2007 fall semester

Des Plaines: Elena M. Lawson, business, marketing management; and Benjamin Addison Reed, construction management.

Elk Grove Village: Brian Markus Graham, law enforcement and justice administration; Susan M. Logsdon, kinesiology; Brian Scott Seredynski, business, marketing; and Kristin K. Wolski, (cum laude, 3.6 to 3.74 grade point average), education, elementary education.

Mount Prospect: Michael G. Anderson, kinesiology; Darren Lee Habich, finance; and Jennifer Nichole Sutherland, hotel/restaurant management.

Park Ridge: Rachel F. Lang, education, elementary education; Kerri A. Plencner, Board of Trustees; and Daniel Burgess Prendergast, communication.

• Eleanor Petersen and Robin Petersen, daughters of Glen and Marcy Petersen of Des Plaines, and both juniors at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, were named to the fall term 2007 Dean's List for earning a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in at least four course credits for the term.

• Larisa Greve, daughter of Jeffrey and Susan Greve of Park Ridge, and a junior at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa, were named to the fall term 2007 Dean's List for earning a 3.5 grade point average on a 4.0 scale in at least four course credits for the term.

• Matthew Fastert, son of Mark and Ann Fastert of Des Plaines, graduated from the University of Tampa Dec. 15, 2007 with a bachelor's degree in exercise science and sports Studies with an adult fitness concentration. Fastert is a 2003 graduate of Maine West High School.

• Bradley University in Peoria announced the following students were named to the Dean's List for the fall 2007 semester for achieving a minimum 3.5 grade-point average for the semester.

Des Plaines: Laura K. Jacks.

Mount Prospect Daniela A Burkiewicz, Stephanie L. Coen, Jennifer E Dunmore and Stephanie M Fuerst.

Park Ridge: Laura A Holmquist, Melissa J Mammel and Park Ridge Abigayle Walsh.

• The University of Wisconsin in Madison named the following students to the fall 2007-08 Dean's List for high academic achievement.

Des Plaines: Seth Gordon Adams and Megan Therese Hastings, both in the College of Letters and Science.

Elk Grove Village: Stephanie L Cronin, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

Mount Prospect: Jaclyn Anne Keller, College of Agricultural and Life Sciences; Brenna C. Larson, School of Business; Erica Nakanishi-Stanis, College of Letters and Science; and David Vincent Pidgeon, College of Engineering.

• Thomas Edward Rutkowski of Mount Prospect graduated with a bachelor's degree in music from Iowa State University, Ames, at the fall 2007 commencement ceremonies.

• Kimberly A. Unger of Mount Prospect graduated cum laude with a bachelor's degree in animal science from Iowa State University, Ames, at the fall 2007 commencement ceremonies.

• Robert De Meulenaere, son of Sherry and Jim De Meulenaere of Elk Grove Village, was named to the Dean's List at Macalester College, St. Paul, Minn., for academic achievement during the fall semester of the 2007-08 school year. He was a first-year student last fall and achieved a semester grade point average of at least 3.75.

• Arthur S. Zern of Des Plaines graduated in December 2007 with a master's degree in management and organizational behavior from Benedictine University in Lisle.

• Caroline E. Benjamin of Des Plaines graduated in December 2007 with a bachelor's degree in special education from Benedictine University in Lisle.

• Northern Illinois University in DeKalb named the following students to the fall 2007 dean's list.

Des Plaines: Daniel Roger Anderson, Daniel Robert Clinton, Joshua M. Duplessis, Ingrid Ivett Gonzalez, Dana Rose Impastato, Kerri Lynn Kaszuba, Sarah Marie Levin, Karen C. Macella, Marilen G. Magtibay, Stephanie M. Marino, Mary Grace Munoz and Stefan P. Von Aulock.

Elk Grove Village: Jodi Lee Carlson, Richard William Eaden, Nicole Marie Kostecki, Alexandra N. Miller, Robert Ray Rizza, Chise Yoshida, John Patrick Dicosola, Kathleen L. Hojnacki, Heather Carolyn Knoll, Rachel Lea McEnery, Erick Uriel Mendoza, Catherine Panhilason and Dion Royce Schnabel.

Mount Prospect; Christopher Beverley, Elena Melissa Disanto, Abigail Jean Many, Daniel Peter Olen, Anne C. Senn.

Park Ridge: Jackie Natali Blachut, Douglas Gillen Fosco, Jenna Marie Huffman, Nicole Marie Husepen, John Prejzner, Samantha Kay Rice, Matthew Joseph Shesek and Ashley Michell Zarach.