Education notes: Sterling American Legion awards memorial scholarships, colleges honor Sauk Valley students

STERLING — Sterling American Legion Post 296 awarded 10 $500 memorial scholarships, totaling $5,000, to the following 2025 senior graduates of Sterling High School, Newman High School, Oregon High School and Prophetstown High School.

Sterling High School

• Macy Anderson
• Brenon Blair
• Brinley Francis
• Samantha Knox
• Emma Landis
• Esra Ramirez

Newman High School

• Daniel Kelly
• Cody McBride

Oregon High School

• Hunter Bartel

Prophetstown High School

• Rowyn Mix

University of Dubuque announces spring 2025 graduates

DUBUQUE — The University of Dubuque has celebrated the academic accomplishments of undergraduate, graduate and seminary students with two commencement ceremonies on campus.

Timothy Mitchell of Dixon earned his doctor of ministry degree.

Oregon student receives P.E.O.’s STAR Scholarship

OREGON — Emma Schlitchmann, a recent graduate of Oregon High School, was selected to receive a $2,500 STAR Scholarship from the P.E.O. Sisterhood. She was recommended by P.E.O. Chapter CU of Mt. Morris. This is the fourth year in a row that this chapter has sponsored a young woman who has won the scholarship.

The P.E.O. STAR Scholarship was established in 2009 to provide scholarships for exceptional women in their final year of high school to attend an accredited post-secondary educational institution in the U.S. or Canada in the next academic year. The competitive STAR Scholarship is for women who exhibit excellence in leadership, academics, extracurricular activities, community service and potential for future success.

Schlitchmann is very active in school and the community. She is on the Oregon High School Student Council and served as president this year and vice president her junior year. She is also a member of the National Honor Society and served as its president this year

She was part of the softball team for 4 years and also helps coach and mentor younger girls in the lower levels of softball. She played volleyball for 2 years and was on the golf team for 2 years. She also serves as a tutor for students who need extra help.

Leadership is a very important quality she possesses and she has shown this in school and her community by helping to organize blood drives in both the school and at Nash for the Park District.

She plans to attend the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater and has plans to major in either law or finance.

Chapter CU has been a part of the Mt. Morris community since it was organized in 1929.

Thatcher graduates from Coe College

CEDAR RAPIDS — Madison Thatcher of Rock Falls has earned a bachelor of science in nursing degree from Coe College. Thatcher was among more than 200 students who received degrees.

Dixon, Mt. Morris students among Cedarville University graduates

CEDARVILLE, Ohio — Madisyn Rubright of Dixon and Kara Hodson of Mt. Morris graduated from Cedarville University in spring 2025 with undergraduate degrees.

Spring 2025 dean’s list at Olivet Nazarene University released

BOURBONNAIS — Leo Cardenas of Mt. Morris and Torrie Nelson of Sterling have been named to the Spring 2025 dean’s list at Olivet Nazarene University.

To qualify for inclusion on the dean’s list, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade-point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale.

Rockford University spring 2025 Distinguished Scholars listed

ROCKFORD — The following full-time students attending Rockford University were named Distinguished Scholars for the spring 2025 semester, earning at least a 3.75 with no grades below “C” and having completed all requirements for the semester. They are Molly Stitzel of Dixon, Nathan Burdin of Rochelle, Mitchell McPheron of Ashton and Nicholas Lamb and Grace Eisenrich of Oregon.

SNHU announces spring 2025 dean’s list

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Seven Sauk Valley-area students have been named to Southern New Hampshire University’s spring 2025 dean’s list. They are:

• Rachael Bennett of Morrison
• Nicole Terlizzi of Sterling
• Melissa Adams of Rock Falls
• Abby Dall of Rochelle
• Brian Marlatt of Oregon
• Rreeyonna Copeland of Dixon
• McKenna Sawlsville of Ashton

SNHU’s spring 2025 president’s list includes Dixon, Rock Falls, Sterling students

MANCHESTER, N.H. — Southern New Hampshire University’s spring 2025 president’s list includes several local students, including:

• Hollie Peterson of Walnut
• Hailie Asher of Erie
• Payton Sharp of Sterling
• Xia Harris of Sterling
• Allyson Howard of Rock Falls
• Alyssa Jablonsky of Rock Falls
• Trevor Hegge of Rochelle
• Casondra Bailey of Mt. Morris
• Matthew Linder of Dixon
• Anna Zentmyer of Dixon
• Robyn Simmons of Dixon
• Jake McMahon of Dixon

Healy named to Loras College dean’s list

DUBUQUE — Loras College has announced the names of students who achieved dean’s list status for the 2025 spring semester. A student must earn a 3.5 grade-point average and carry a minimum of 12 credit hours to be recognized.

Lucas Healy of Dixon has been named to the list.

Quincy University hosts spring commencement

QUINCY — Quincy University hosted its 162nd commencement ceremony on May 17 in Quincy University’s football stadium. The 2025 spring graduating class is composed of 157 undergraduates and 23 graduate degree recipients.

Daxtun Heier of Sterling earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing

Monmouth College graduates include Sterling, Harmon, Fulton students

MONMOUTH — The following students recently met the graduation requirements at Monmouth College: Julia Bean of Sterling, Madelyn Henry of Harmon and Kyler Pessman of Fulton.

Prowant named to dean’s list at Grove City College

GROVE CITY, Pa. — Jason Prowant of Lanark, a freshman history major at Grove City College, has been named to the dean’s list with high distinction for the spring 2025 semester.

Epps awarded PhD in humanities

NEWPORT, R.I. — Eric Epps of Rock Falls was awarded a PhD in humanities degree during Salve Regina University’s 75th commencement.

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Salve Regina is a Catholic, coeducational institution of higher education founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1947.