USF’s Jonathan Wolf named a Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois.

Jonathan Wolf, a senior biology major at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, is this year’s Student Laureate of The Lincoln Academy of Illinois, according to a news release from USF.

USF baseball head coach Brian Michalak and USF Academic Resource Center assistant director Joanna Kourtidis nominated Wolf for the honor. In the release, Wolf said he was speechless, humbled and honored by the nomination.

“He’s given me the blessings He has and, through His strength and trusting in His plans, I have been able to fulfill the requirements of this nomination,” Wolf said in the release. “For Him to give me those opportunities and for me to then be able to praise Him through them is huge for me.”

The Lincoln Academy of Illinois is “a not-for-profit, nonpartisan, and self-perpetuating corporation established in 1964 to recognize the outstanding contributions made by living Illinois citizens, whether by birth or by residence, toward the social, cultural, and technological progress of mankind,” according to the academy’s website.

The academy honors individuals by proclaiming them Laureates and decorating them with the Order of Lincoln, the state of Illinois’ highest award, in a formal program that is held each year, the website said.

Student laureates are the “most noteworthy seniors” from participating Illinois colleges and universities, and one student is chosen to represent all the state’s community colleges, the website said.

These students were invited to attend an online program with “a congratulatory statement from Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and words of encouragement from past Lincoln Laureates. Honorees will also receive a letter of congratulations from the Academy, a certificate signed by Governor Pritzker, a challenge coin, and a monetary grant,” the release said.

The release said Wolf plans to enroll in a cardiovascular perfusionist program to obtain either a related certificate or master’s degree. This would allow him to operate circulatory equipment during an open-heart surgery or other medical procedures where artificial support is needed or when a patient’s circulatory or respiratory function is temporarily replaced.

It was Wolf’s second year of biology at Portage Northern High School in Portage, Michigan, that Wolf learned his teacher’s husband was a cardiovascular perfusionist. This led to Wolf shadowing the teacher’s husband for a few surgeries, the release said.

While at USF, Wolf has volunteered with Daybreak Center in Joliet and with the Miracle League of Joliet and hopes to coach a little league team in Michigan someday.

“The Diocese of Kalamazoo is experiencing some shortages with priests, so to be able to provide some help in that community would be meaningful,” Wolf said in the release.

In the release, Wolf credited his parents Todd and Kristen Wolf for inspiring him with their service and leadership and with USF for providing leadership opportunities.

“I am from a large family and have three older brothers and four younger sisters.,” he said in the release. “My brothers have always set a good example for me, and now I am trying to do the same for my sisters. I’m certainly not perfect, but it is really important to me to model for them what it means to be a good and faithful person in today’s culture.”

For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.