James Moore, from St. Joseph, and Victoria Herb, from Sidney, conferred their college degrees from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale in December.
Moore was awarded a Bachelor's of Arts in Languages, Cultures, and International Studies as well as completed the requirements to also earn a Bachelor's of Scienc in Physiology.
Herb received her Bachelor's of Science in Zoology.
Southern Illinois University Carbondale plans to host in-person commencement ceremonies May 7-9, 2021 for their Spring 2021 graduates and all 2020 graduates.
*** Note: Students who chose to restrict access to SIU-C directory information will not appear on this list.
The following students from The Sentinel area earned Bachelor's degrees from Illinois State University in December of 2020:
Saint Joseph:
Ashley Gayheart - Bachelor of Science
Abigail Izard Abigail - Bachelor of Science in Education
Tolono:
Elijah Miller - Bachelor of Science
Brandon Reich - Bachelor of Science
*Students who chose to restrict access to Illinois State University directory information will not appear on this list.
Logan DeWeese, a 2014 graduate from St. Joseph-Ogden High School, was recently promoted to Inventory Specialist for College of Engineering at the University of Illinois.
His new duties includes completing property accounting and business-related tasks for the college, inventory processing for required reporting, maintaining updates as well as revising inventory and equipment records.
Concurrently, DeWeese is also work on his MBA through an executive program through SIU-E. His area of concentration is business analytics and he will finish the program this August.
"I felt this masters degree would give me a wide range of business career opportunities in the business environment," he said. "Also data analytics are a growing industry that I have a strong interest in."
His program has a 15 credit hour limit per semester and is designed to accommodate working professionals. There is no mandatory meeting times.
Due to the U of I campus closing down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deweese said he was only on campus with his new job for about two months before the shutdown.
"I have been working home for about two months now," he explained. "Certainly one challenge is getting to know all the staff, and the other would be remembering where all the buildings are."
After leaving SJO when he graduated, DeWeese attended Parkland College for two years. Earning an Associates degree in General Studies, he transferred to Eastern Illinois University to continues his studies picking up a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems.
For student who want to go to college but may not have the resources to for a four-year institution, he says they should consider starting with at two-year program.
"Attending a community college like Parkland or others community colleges in the area, allows you to save money and isn't costly to change your major as it would be at a four year university or private school," he explained. "I highly advise that high school graduates who don't have a scholarship, financial aid assistance, or grants not go straight into a four-year university depending on your financial circumstances."
He said his involvement in high school sports has paid dividends.
"Playing football in high school really installed in me how to operate and function in a team mentality which can be very crucial in a workplace environment. Making sacrifices and adjustments are all part of the process," DeWeese said. It has helped him "to make sound decisions in any situation."
Prior to his acceptance into the MBA program and taking a position at the University, DeWeese was an Inventory Controller and Delivery Coordinator at Menards in Champaign nearly six years.
Eight St. Joseph and two Ogden residents were among 3,187 graduates from the University of Illinois in December.
Ogden
Stephanie Marie Costa, Master of Human Resources and Industrial Relations
Mathew Rafael Lopez-Cervantes, Master of Science in Recreation, Sport and Tourism
St. Joseph
Kelsey Lynne Clancy Dzwilewski, Doctor of Philosophy in Neuroscience
Luke Brennan Falls, Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Information Technology
Rylan Housenga, Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Lindsey I. Kelso, Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Communications
Austin N. Luebchow, Bachelor of Science in Finance
Casey Modglin, Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Consumer Economics
Rachel Eileen Mullen, Bachelor of Science in Crop Sciences
Jacob Pence, Bachelor of Science in Finance
Twelve St. Joseph-Ogden High School students were name among 6,394 Illinois residents who earned degrees from the University of Illinois this past spring. Three of the 12 former Spartans who received bachelor degrees obtained their diplomas with exceptional academic laurels.
Former SJO cheerleader LaRyssa Randall smiles during a photo shoot with fellow cheerleaders in 2011. Randall, from St. Joseph, graduated this past spring from the University of Illinois with Highest Honors with a Bachelor of Science in Community Health. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
LaRyssa Randall, from St. Joseph, was bestowed Highest Honors recognition after completing coursework for her Bachelor of Science in Community Health from the College of Applied Health Sciences.
Students at the University of Illinois who are awarded Highest Honors have achieved outstanding performance in their courses as well as participated in supplementary activities of an academic or professional nature. This honor generally requires completion of an undergraduate thesis or a special project of superior quality within most university departments. Highest honors are also awarded to students upon recommendation of his or her department.
Randall, from the Class of 2012, was a Spartan cheerleader at SJO.
Danielle Kaiser and Whitney Setterdahl also earned high academic recognition for their undergraduate studies.
Kaiser, from St. Joseph, earned High Honors recognition after with her degree in Speech and Hearing Science from the College of Applied Health Sciences. High honors students must have a cumulative grade point average at least 3.80 at graduation.
Setterdahl, from Ogden, graduated with Honors with a degree in Finance from the Gies College of Business. To receive a honors designation students must possess a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50.
Two graduates in our area earned advanced degrees from University of Illinois.
Former Spartan distance runner and Ogden native Beau Barber, who has been active in plant research at the university since 2014, received his Master of Science in Agricultural and Biological Engineering in Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
Angela Mock earned a Master of Social Work from Illinois' School of Social Work. Mock did her internship at Urbana School District #116 and prior to that spent two years as a teacher at Robeson Elementary and editor at the university.
The remaining area students earning bachelor degrees from the University of Illinois include:
Ryan Allen, St. Joseph, Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology / Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Amie Bott, Ogden, Major: Molecular and Cellular Biology / Bachelor of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Jessica Kassuelke, Ogden, Major: Food Science and Human Nutrition / Bachelor of Science in Food Science and Human Nutrition
Kimberly Newman, St. Joseph, Major: Communication / Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Matthew Rabb, St. Joseph, Major: Agricultural and Consumer Economics / Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Consumer Economics
Hailee Robbins, St. Joseph, Major: Elementary Education / Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
Hannah Zalaker, St. Joseph, Major: Kinesiology / Applied Health Sciences
Update
(8/28/19)
It has come to our attention that several area SJO graduates were omitted from this article at the time of publication. Names that did not appear in this story were not included due to those students providing a campus address as their home address to the university. Our logic in compiling this list was apparently flawed in assuming that graduates in a list provided by the university News Bureau with a 61859, 61871 or 61873 zip code attended SJO. We will address that in future graduation stories. In certain instances, graduates may not have been appeared in this story because graduates were added to the official campus list after June 24.
The original headline to this story, 12 SJO alumni earn UofI degrees, was changed to 12 area students earn UofI degrees and certain instances of SJO alumni has been changed to area students or removed from the story.
Are there other omissions? Click here to submit information for corrections.
Colton Bowser (left) maintains control of the ball in SJO's home game against Urbana University High School. This past May, Bowser, from Ogden, received his Bachelor of Science from Illinois State University. (Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks)
Illinois State University awarded more than 3,500 college degrees on May 11. Among the recipients were four St. Joseph-Ogden High School alumni.
Colton Bowser and Dalton Smith, both from Ogden, earned a Bachelor of Science from the university located in Normal. Katie Kurtz, also from Ogden, received her Bachelor of Science in Education.
Brandon Burnett, from St. Joseph, completed the requirements for a Bachelor of Science and eligible to walk at the spring commencement ceremony.
Illinois State will awarded 3,523 baccalaureate degrees and 708 graduate degrees. There were a total of 3,885 students scheduled to participate in the spring ceremonies across the campus.
Three St. Joseph-Ogden alumni earned college degrees from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale in May.
Olivia Hutcherson was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Tori Stierwalt earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. Both Hutcherson and Stierwalt are from Ogden.
Former Spartan pitcher Hunter Hart, who was a 37th round pick in the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft, completed the requirements to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Sports Administration. Hart is from St. Joseph.
*** Note: Students who chose to restrict access to SIU-C directory information will not appear on this list.
Concurrently, DeWeese is also work on his MBA through an executive program through SIU-E. His area of concentration is business analytics and he will finish the program this August.
"I felt this masters degree would give me a wide range of business career opportunities in the business environment," he said. "Also data analytics are a growing industry that I have a strong interest in."
His program has a 15 credit hour limit per semester and is designed to accommodate working professionals. There is no mandatory meeting times.
Due to the U of I campus closing down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deweese said he was only on campus with his new job for about two months before the shutdown.
"I have been working home for about two months now," he explained. "Certainly one challenge is getting to know all the staff, and the other would be remembering where all the buildings are."
After leaving SJO when he graduated, DeWeese attended Parkland College for two years. Earning an Associates degree in General Studies, he transferred to Eastern Illinois University to continues his studies picking up a Bachelor of Science in Management Information Systems.
For student who want to go to college but may not have the resources to for a four-year institution, he says they should consider starting with at two-year program.
"Attending a community college like Parkland or others community colleges in the area, allows you to save money and isn't costly to change your major as it would be at a four year university or private school," he explained. "I highly advise that high school graduates who don't have a scholarship, financial aid assistance, or grants not go straight into a four-year university depending on your financial circumstances."
He said his involvement in high school sports has paid dividends.
"Playing football in high school really installed in me how to operate and function in a team mentality which can be very crucial in a workplace environment. Making sacrifices and adjustments are all part of the process," DeWeese said. It has helped him "to make sound decisions in any situation."
Prior to his acceptance into the MBA program and taking a position at the University, DeWeese was an Inventory Controller and Delivery Coordinator at Menards in Champaign nearly six years.
