Blackburn Student Selected: East St. Louis Student, Other Laureates to Be Honored Oct. 24 in Springfield
The 52nd annual program will recognize outstanding seniors from Illinois’ four-year colleges and universities at ceremonies held at the Old State Capitol.
SPRINGFIELD – The top students representing Illinois’ colleges and universities will be honored during special ceremonies hosted by The Lincoln Academy of Illinois at the Old State Capitol State Historic Site in Springfield on Saturday, October 24. In order to accommodate all of the student laureates and their families, half of the students will be recognized during an 11 a.m. ceremony and the other half during a 2 p.m. ceremony.
Get The Latest News!
Don't miss our top stories and need-to-know news everyday in your inbox.
The 52nd annual Lincoln Academy Student Laureate program will recognize excellence in curricular and extracurricular activities by selected outstanding seniors from each of the state’s four-year, degree-granting colleges and universities.
The program will include welcoming remarks by Harold Oakley, the Academy Vice Chancellor. Each Student Laureate will receive the Abraham Lincoln Civic Engagement Award, a Lincoln medallion, a challenge coin, and a $1,000 check from The Lincoln Academy. Student Laureates are selected by their individual schools. Those to be honored as Class of 2026 Student Laureates include:
Institution, Student Laureate, Home Town
Augustana College, Olivia James Fleming, Grand Rapids, MI
Aurora University, Riley Doggett, Oswego, IL
Benedictine University, Mahnoor Fatani, Villa Park, IL
Blackburn College, DaNautica Williams, East St. Louis, IL
Bradley University, Caleb Robert Hollis, Elmwood, IL
Carl Sandburg College, Kaden C. Pickard, Galesburg, IL
Chicago State University, Alyssa Jasmine Perea, Chicago, IL
Columbia College Chicago, Rebeca Adelaida Urzua Canela, Chicago, IL
Concordia University Chicago, Sarah Elizabeth Redhage, Lowden, IA
DePaul University, Sara Elizabeth Maloney Hughes, Redwood City, CA
Dominican University, Nyla McClinton, Broadview, IL
Eastern Illinois University, Laney LeeAnn Wright, Mattoon, IL
East-West University, Jamaya Ariel Fullilove, Chicago, IL
Elmhurst University, Kristin Rosario Bukata, Valparaiso, IN
Eureka College, Maleah Hill, Peoria, IL
Governors State University, Amber M. Whitted, Park Forest, IL
Greenville University, William Warman, Barrington, IL
Illinois College, Emma Dunsworth, Clarksville, AR
Illinois Institute of Technology, Jilliana Dawn Pilutti, Grosse Pointe Farms, MI
Illinois State University, Neer U. Jain, Vernon Hills, IL
Illinois Wesleyan University, Mannat Kaur Kandal, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
Judson University, Gracie A. Lockett, Clinton, MD
Knox College, Elena Marie King, Houston, TX
Lake Forest College, Anika McKinney Kinnear, Lake Mary, FL
Lewis University, Mary E. Lee, Romeoville, IL
Loyola University Chicago, Victoria Prause, Oak Lawn, IL
McKendree University, Kelsey Dionna Lyles, O’Fallon, IL
Millikin University, Alayna Diane Schultz, White Heath, IL
Monmouth College, Claire Elyse LaBadie, Griffith, IN
National Louis University, Nurtilek Raimzhanov, Kyrgystan, Central Asia
North Central College, Miranda Analiah Dominguez, Oswego, IL
North Park University, Jorge Ricardo Rodriguez Barletta, Danli, Honduras
Northern Illinois University, Hannah Grace Havel, Appleton, WI
Northwestern University, Kris Soojin Yun, Northbrook, IL
Principia College, Rafael Armando Ascencio Garcia, San Salvador, El Salvador
Quincy University, Megan Marie Schill, Grand Forks, ND
Rockford University, Saidi Ishmail, Rockford, IL
Roosevelt University, Alejandro Pina Jr., Chicago, IL
St. Xavier University, Aine Siobhan Kelly, Oak Lawn, IL
School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Anisa Vida Lopez, San Antonio, TX
Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Kaitlynne Franklin, Rockford, IL
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, Jennifer Emery, Maryville, IL
University of Chicago, Michelle Claire Du, Vienna, VA
University of Illinois Chicago, Arseny Acosta Nunez, Chicago, IL
University of Illinois Springfield, Ameilia Ko’u Anela Ann Hopkins, Pleasant Plains, IL
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Madison Christine Fanning, Jacksonville, IL
University of St. Francis, Skylar Kandyce Yazum, Plainfield, IL
VanderCook College of Music, Lizbeth Rodriguez, Chicago, IL
Western Illinois University, Kylie Marie Kinser, Macomb, IL
Wheaton College, Elizabeth Grace Clawson, St. Louis, MO
In addition to honoring the state's Student Laureates, Illinois is unique in the United States in selecting present or former citizens who have made outstanding contributions toward the progress and betterment of humanity to be honored as Laureates of the Lincoln Academy and receive the “Order of Lincoln” from the Governor, a process that has been in place since 1964.
Proceeds from the spring Laureate Convocation are used to support the Student Laureate program each fall. For more information visit www.LincolnAcademyIllinois.org or The Lincoln Academy's social media sites.
More like this:
- Most Popular
- Top Stories
- Most Recent
