Blue Island native leads nuclear-powered submarine
Master Chief Petty Officer Joseph Williamson, a Blue Island native, is serving aboard USS New Mexico, one of the world’s most advanced nuclear-powered submarines.
Williamson joined the Navy 19 years ago. Today, he serves as a command master chief.
“My father was my inspiration for joining the military,” he said. “Even though he never served in the military, he was so structured, and he always talked about the opportunities of serving. My older sister, Kelli Moody, served in the Navy. When she and her friends would come home and talk about their journey and their experiences, I wanted to join and see the world too.”
Williamson graduated from Eisenhower High School in 2001.
“Serving in the Navy means everything to me,” he said. “To be a part of protecting the citizens of the USA and to be part of something that’s steeped in history and tradition is special.”
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Area students support Iowa’s dance marathon
More than 900 current University of Iowa students, including 14 from the area, recently participated in the 28th annual student-led Dance Marathon, generating more than $1.3 million for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Leaders of the event included: Chicago: Katie Canavan; Frankfort: Catherine Miles; Lockport: Abigail Jadron; Mokena: Katelyn O’Brien, Madalynn ONeil; New Lenox: Megan Mindy; Oak Forest: Paige Eperjesi; Oak Lawn: Cara Lundy; Orland Park: James Pelini, Caroline Schmidt, Halima Zegar; Palos Heights: Allison Duffy; Tinley Park: Hannah Mayo, Kate Seery.
Mokena’s Baumgartner part of 2021-22 WIAC championship
Mokena’s Abi Baumgartner, a graduate of Lincoln-Way Central High School, is a member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater women’s basketball team, which recently secured the program’s 10th Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship. Baumgartner, a junior, is majoring in psychology.
Mokena’s Tervin induced into honor society
Mokena’s Grace Tervin, a student at Elmhurst University, was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society.
Worth’s Opas participating in Future Leaders Alliance
Nicholas Opas, a vice president at Hoyne Savings Bank in Worth, has been selected to participate in the Future Leaders Alliance offered through the Illinois Bankers Association.
St. Norbert’s recognizes Tinley Park’s Schuler
St. Norbert College has recognized Tinley Park’s Brooke Schuler for her hard work in the classroom as a student-teacher during the 2021-22 school year.
Bethel University fall dean’s list
Gabriella Romero-Ayala, Palos Hills
Canisius College fall dean’s list
Jennifer Guzman, Hickory Hills
Concordia University Wisconsin fall honors list
Crestwood: Courtney Cozen; Crete: Levi Adickes; Hickory Hills: Kristen Fontana; Matteson: Salonia Anderson
Florida Tech fall dean’s list
Chicago Ridge: William Neale; Park Forest: Taylor Carlson
Georgia State University fall graduates list
Joseph Raggs, Glenwood
University of Hartford fall president’s honors list and dean’s list
Azya Walker, Oak Forest
Loyola University Chicago fall dean’s list
Laurel Miskovic, Tinley Park
Millikin University fall dean’s list
Frankfort: Madeline Regan; Homer Glen: Madelyn Alvarado; Lockport: Margaret Albrecht, Aidan Callahan, Hannah Henson, Isabella Voss, Taylor Young; Manhattan: Lindsey Holcomb; Midlothian: Russell Pruitt; Mokena: Eva Comerford; Monee: Robert Wilcox; New Lenox: Jacob Dorris, Aidan Hart, Joseph Roedl; Oak Forest: Brianna Mitchell, Hannah Seymour; Palos Heights: Antonio Cruz; Palos Park: Faith Marinier; Sauk Village: Kierra Turner; Tinley Park: Stephanie Holsinger, Jenna Wiltjer
Missouri S&T fall honor roll
Darien: Timothy Rudolph; Oak Lawn: Austin Spyrnal; Orland Park: Nandini Kumar, Colin Zerfass
University of Nebraska-Lincoln fall dean’s list
Chicago: Daniel Hill, Madeline Marie Hill, Devin Noreen Shaughnessy; Crete: Jason Nathaniel Wendling; Flossmoor: Haley Elizabeth Sawyer; Hickory Hills: Margaret Irene Gorman; Homewood: Alex Jon Rechsteiner; Lockport: Emma Kurtz; Manhattan: Megan Gerl; Mokena: Luke Cissell, Jared Michael Clutter; New Lenox: Zachary Hutchinson; Oak Lawn: Margaret Hynes; Orland Park: Elizabeth Anne Kenes, Alexander Joseph Miller Kelsey Morrey; Palos Park: Henry Thomas Evans
Quincy University fall dean’s list
Oak Lawn: Garrett Greene, Paul Zilinskas
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Saginaw Valley State University fall dean’s list
Corissa Wahr, Frankfort
Tufts University fall dean’s list
Jacob Lee, Mokena
University of Utah fall dean’s list
Chicago: Moonee Moris; Frankfort: Kelly Scott; Palos Park: Alex Pyknis
William & Mary fall dean’s list
Sophia Sickler, Orland Park
University of Wisconsin-Platteville fall master’s degree graduates list
Jennifer Martino, Tinley Park
University of Wisconsin-Platteville fall dean’s list
Alexandria Davis, Flossmoor
Vermilion Community College fall honors list
Christopher Mitchell, Crestwood
Youngstown State University fall president’s list
Daniel Zimmerman, Frankfort
Youngstown State University fall dean’s list
Bridgeview: Tristan Egan; Frankfort: Daniel Zimmerman; Mokena: Max Tomczak
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