December Commencement Saturday 12 December 2020
MISSION STATEMENT Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and examined lives. Our singular goal is to empower our students to achieve lasting personal and professional success.
STATEMENT OF CORE VALUES Aurora University draws upon the rich legacies of Aurora College and George Williams College to welcome learners to our campuses in Illinois and Wisconsin. Here all become members of an inclusive educational community dedicated to the development of mind, body, and spirit. Today, as in the past, we prize the twin virtues of character and scholarship and affirm our commitment to the values of integrity, citizenship, continuous learning, and excellence. We will adhere to the highest standards of integrity in every aspect of institutional practice and operation. Through this proven dedication to honesty, respect, fairness, and ethical conduct, we will lead by example and inspire our students to do the same. We will exercise the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in an educational community, founded upon the principles of mutual respect and open discourse. We will live within our means and manage our resources wisely while creating an environment that fosters teamwork and promotes service to others. We will work and live as an organization devoted to continuous learning. We recognize that the university exists in a diverse and changing world and know that we will succeed in helping students achieve their full potential only if we realize our own. We seek a growth process that is never-ending. We will pursue excellence by embracing quality as a way of community life. Accordingly, we will set high expectations for ourselves, our students, and our university and will work together to attain them. The university’s core values are the foundation upon which our aspirations rest. They undergird our belief in the transformative power of learning. As members of the Aurora University community, we enter into a voluntary compact with one another to live, learn, and work in ways consistent with these ideals.
Aurora University Commencement Ceremony Saturday 12 December 2020
Prelude Pomp and Circumstance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sir Edward Elgar The Alma Mater: Aurora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ross K. Tilton, Class of 1917 Aurora University Chorale; Joyce Lawson, piano Conducted by Lisa Fredenburgh, DMA, Parolini Distinguished Professor of Music Words are printed on the last page of the program.
Welcome Rebecca L. Sherrick, PhD, President
Invocation Mark Woolfington ’93, DMin, University Chaplain
Greetings Hilary Brennan ’83, Chair, Board of Trustees
Reflections Rebecca L. Sherrick, PhD, President
Conferral of Degrees Frank Buscher, PhD, Vice President for Academic Affairs Rebecca L. Sherrick, PhD, President The Degrees of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Master of Arts in Mathematics Education, Master of Arts in Special Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Public Administration, Master of Science in Accountancy, Master of Science in Applied Behavior Analysis, Master of Social Work, Doctor of Education, Doctor of Social Work
President’s Charge to the Graduates
Benediction Mark Woolfington ’93, DMin, University Chaplain
Postlude How Can I Keep From Singing?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Wadsworth Lowry arr. Bradley Ellingboe Aurora University Chorale; Joyce Lawson, piano Conducted by Lisa Fredenburgh, DMA, Parolini Distinguished Professor of Music
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Karina Duran Cum Laude
Max Aiello
Casey Dycus
Leandra Anderson Summa Cum Laude
Brogan Ebel
Blake Andrew
Katelynn Ebelhack Summa Cum Laude
Teryn Griffin Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma Nathaniel Gulley Drake Gutierrez Brianna Hall
Justin Arb Summa Cum Laude
Daniel J. Ellis
Jasmine Ascencio Joshua Babor
Gloria Espinoza-Bauer Cum Laude
Jacob Bachio Cum Laude
Hayley Farren Magna Cum Laude
Nathan Batterbee Cum Laude
Anthony Fauber Cum Laude
Tiffany Beckman Magna Cum Laude
Jami Feeley
Justin Jourdan Cum Laude
Melissa Renee Fidler Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude
Kelsey Kenneally Cum Laude Omicron Delta Kappa
Isaias Flores Magna Cum Laude
Robert Kennedy Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Brianna Beyer Magna Cum Laude Jakob Buis Antonio Caballero Miranda Marie Cada Summa Cum Laude Aracely Carrillo Adam Alexander Clark Taylor Marie Clark Cum Laude Brittany Davis Mason Kelly Davis Mireya De la Cruz Kayla Nicole DeVries Cum Laude Keri Dishroon
Emily Escobedo
Brielle Flowers Sergio Franco Cum Laude
Zeenat Shamim Haroon Peyton Hyatt Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Brittany Jones Magna Cum Laude
Steve Kokolias
Jasmine Freeman
Brittany Kooi
Erika Garcia Cum Laude
Nathan Krauz Summa Cum Laude
Lizbeth Garcia
Zachary E. Krugler
Samantha Joy Gewalt Cum Laude
Casey Kurinec
Anayely Castellanos Gomez Cum Laude
Michelle R. Lange Summa Cum Laude Myleena Thi Langon Summa Cum Laude
Anna Dlugosz
Carla Gonzalez Cum Laude
Peggy Duncan
Nathan Gonzalez
Emylie Jean Adele Latham Cum Laude
Kyus Emil Dungill
Gabrielle Gossman
Sarah Ledger
Carrisa Lee Kendra Lee Cum Laude Shelby Leonard Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Samuel Lepper Kimberly Denice Lozano Cum Laude Taylor Magdich Tessa Mahoney Summa Cum Laude Omicron Delta Kappa Maryam Hussein Malow Michael Marek Jeremy Markham Claudia Mauricio Magna Cum Laude Alondra Meraz Paige Nicole Miller Magna Cum Laude Olivia G. Monzel Gil Moran Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Michael Napolitano Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma Naomi Narcisa Summa Cum Laude Collin Naughton Magna Cum Laude Jillian Novak Cum Laude
Kaleigh O’Brien Magna Cum Laude
Lydia Sanchez
Sharon Oh
Kylie Schimmel Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude
Oscar Ortiz Xavier Ortiz Paige Pacioni Summa Cum Laude Rishi Patel Cum Laude Brenda Perez Jessica Peters Summa Cum Laude Andrea Petrarca Cum Laude Charlotte Piland Caleb Poffenberger Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Gabriel M. Polhill Cum Laude Suriel Portillo-Sanchez Riyad Qattum Summa Cum Laude Claudia Resendiz Summa Cum Laude Carly Rhodes Cum Laude Taylor Nicole Risden Raul Rodea Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma Valentina Rubio Cum Laude Rachel A. Rush Jazmin Salgado Yasmine Salgado Alexis Salmeron
Elizabeth Schad
Ashley Sexton Summa Cum Laude Brianna Rae Sims Cum Laude Travis Smith Cum Laude Monika Solomacha Magna Cum Laude Susana Spodenkiewicz Ryan Srocki Hudson Stedman Jacqueline Renee Steffa Samantha Stewart Liam Fredrik Stirtzinger Danielle Thorne Mikaela Thorne Summa Cum Laude Alejandro Torres Julie Wareham Magna Cum Laude Jinnelle Whiting Cum Laude Russ Wilkening John Wlas Summa Cum Laude Lindsey A. Young Cum Laude Henry Zehnal Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE
Imran Esoofjee Magna Cum Laude
Patrisia Robles
Sofia Amaya Magna Cum Laude Omicron Delta Kappa
Vanessa Flores Cum Laude
Freddy Ruiz Cum Laude
Jasmine Ascencio KJ Banks Lizet Bazan Jose Bermudez Rebecca Binder Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Daniel Breen Summa Cum Laude Xavier Brown Dean Burnidge Anthony Byrne Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Juan Ariel Dominguez Carreno
Brenna Leanne Hannon Cum Laude Nabaa Hussaini Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Faith Ross
Zachary Stanczyk Jacqueline Renee Steffa Alejandro Torres Andrew Francis Waterstraat
Kylie Kaylor Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Omicron Delta Kappa
Lorenzo WatsonLemarche Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude
Alexandra Leonhard Summa Cum Laude Omicron Delta Kappa
Justin Weisner Cum Laude
Kyle Loewecke Summa Cum Laude Rachel Elaine Maxson Summa Cum Laude Rebecca Mercado
Lindsey A. Young Cum Laude Greg Zdanowski Summa Cum Laude Henry Zehnal Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude
Kerewyn Cass Summa Cum Laude
Hana Mirza
Clementine Couvat Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude
Gil Moran Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude
Kevin Cunz
Candelaria Moreno
Gianna Datoli
Michael Napolitano Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Araceli Moctezuma Aguilar
Felipe Nino
Gabrielle L. Antczak Cum Laude
Jessica DeVries Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Anthony Divito Gold Ivy Leaf Summa Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Yaritza Ramirez Cum Laude
Casey Dycus
Jason Recchia
Brett Pyburn
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
Jose Almanza
Stacie Arias Ileana Ascencio Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Connor Baker Hirije Berisha Lindsay Bleifield Anna Buban Jocelyne Calderon Angelica Cervera Jennifer Che Alexander Clark Kelly Ann Conlon Valeria Coretchi Alexander Crowe Alissa Danosky
Vivian Hinostroza Summa Cum Laude
Ashley Shapiro
Alexis Hodges
Kyle Patrick Tayag
Megan Hoffman Jasmyne Ivy-Domain Breanne Kloiber
Amie Triplitt
Katie Kosarko
Zach Zakaras
Emily Kunzendorf
Brianna Zenk
Andrew Le
Kelly Delott Magna Cum Laude
Joshua Michelson
Sabrina Drankhan Alexa Marie Enriquez
Danielle Vazzano
Sara Lascola
Carlyn DeBaillie
Milagros Dominguez
Vivian Tran Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Morgan Amelia Knoblauch
Andriy Matvyeyev Cum Laude
Megan Kathleen DiClementi
Kayleigh Stewart
Amy Minarcik Christina Morales Dusan Nikolic Cum Laude Stephanie Nino Jessica O’Neal
BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK Melanie Daniela Bourgoine Ashley Burks Sydney Charles Victoria Combs Kimberly S. Hall Summa Cum Laude
Angela Palafox
Sarah Hamlet Cum Laude
Alyssa Garcia
Rachel Pangelinan Cum Laude
Taryn Hancock
Shannon M. Gerard
Naisargi Patel
Amanda Glavach
Sarah Rose Ramirez
Naomi Gomez Cum Laude Phi Eta Sigma
Rebecca Shreya Reddy Magna Cum Laude
Ruben Franco Rodney Frias
Brianna Guzolek Vincent Hanak Danielle Hankes Rebecca Hasemann Morgan Hesenflow Shawndrea Hill
Lauren Larson Judy Martinez Amanda McGarvey Cum Laude
Devonique Ringo
Joslin Morquecho Summa Cum Laude
Leslie Rodriguez
Emily F. Newbold
Laureen Rutherford Warda Salmi
Michael Pesmenski Cum Laude
Kailee Sampson
Amanda Picatto
Zachary Michael Sanchez
Kelcie Cheyenne Pomaranski
Amanda Reiter Gold Ivy Leaf Magna Cum Laude Jessica Rickman Diandra Romero Brandy Spear Magna Cum Laude Hannah Elizabeth Vargo Magna Cum Laude Joseph Wilson
MASTER OF ARTS IN CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION
Hailey Gordon Mary Kathryn Grecu Samantha Hagedorn Ashley Rose Hamilton Bridget Hankes-Ixpata Miguel Hernandez Rachel Lebensorger Kathryn Lippelt Brad Lofgren Francine M. Maciejewski J. Scott Morrison Brooke Pawlak Michael Rakas
Alexander Dean Furr
Lauren Ralph
Joshua Gyovai
Robert Reder
E. Denise Halleran
Brian Nicholas Smith
Diane Johnson
Morgan Jane Lanahan Smith
Tiffany Miller Natasha Morgan Cory Nelson Jessica Swierczewski Mark Anthony Williams
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP David Aguilar
MASTER OF ARTS IN SPECIAL EDUCATION Alise Belton Charles Brown Andrew DeBolt Michael G. Flowers Emily Goodfellow Meaghan Grap Taylor Grisson Octavio Ocampo Ramirez Megan Scott Jessica Shroka Archana Shukla Saul Torres Emily Tsai Christina Lynne Whitaker
Katherine Surjan Jennifer Walker Monique Zofia Wodzinski
MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Kesha Ainsworth
MASTER OF ARTS IN MATHEMATICS EDUCATION Bryer Lehr Nikki Winburn
Yahayra ArguetaMorales Nikisha V. Black Kaitlin Browning Ariana Bustamante Jamie Crose
Ann Marie Campbell
Fatoumata Diallo
Reynaldo Cervantes
Karin Dietz
Maya Xochitl Chavez
Adrianna Domanico
Blake Thomas Cline
Daniel Doremus
Fernando Duran Taylor Lee Ford Jordan Charles Funk Beaux Godfrey
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ACCOUNTANCY Alonzo Martinez
Kaitlyn Gradert Justin Greenberg April Hix Vlora Ibishi Katie Krueger Quinn Lefeber
Baiba Davydenkovas Taylor Disantis Adrianna Domanico Treasure Douglass
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN APPLIED BEHAVIOR ANALYSIS Melanie Saunders
Kelsey Licul Kristina Martinez
Bonn Christian Cruz
Zachary Draves Courtney Duran Jared Elwart Jeremiah Fitzpatrick Alejandra Flores Hannah Marie Foltz Taylor Lee Ford
Cynthia McDaniel
MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK
Adriana Fuentes
Jessica Moore
Alexandra Ahlberg
Monica Garcia-Nettz
Vi Nguyen
Kesha Ainsworth
Daniel Gibadlo
Samantha Robinson
Cesar Alfaro
Kristen Godding
Abbey Rosenow
Rachel Anderson
Yessenia I. Gonzalez
Erika Sheffer
Andrew Bair
Phylicia Hampton
Kyra Erickson Tetter
Lakeisha Banks
Jenna Hansen
Keith William Zollers III
Mickayla Bedenian
Erica Harris
Dane L. Brown Laura Cadena
Vanessa Fiorella Hernandez
Theresa Camardo
Makenna Hix
Sarah Cardona
Fudia Jalloh
Teena Marie Carr
Jacquelyn Jennings
Abijah Castillo
Carrie Anne Koning
Lissa Chleboun
Katie Krueger
Sharetha Cole
Mary Rose Lampson
Wakita Coleman
Nicholas Lee
Jomarie Coloriano
Felisa Marie Lindsey
Karin Colucci
Miles Margaret Irene Ludwigs
MASTER OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Andrew Bair Kristi Lee Brewer Mitchell Lee Crandall Andrew Doss Christopher Allen Harris Daniel Leahy Sara M. Sadoski
Marques Cosby Sr.
Cassey Luther
Taylor Marie Price
Beth Vroman
Alison Mackey
Brittiny L. Qualls
Erica Weinberg
Taylore Lynn Martin
Alexandra Ridel
Beth M. Weisgerber
Sheri McCue
Guadalupe Rodriguez
Tiffany Wilson
Nicole McGhee
Leeniece Rumoro
Kayla Zawislak
Suleima Moya
Elisa Salazar
Audra Murphy
Lynn Scheiblein
Melanie Ojeda
Naiha Siddiqui
Kylee Patterson
Jenna Rae Sobin
Tatiana Perkins
Eric Tessmann
Kelsey Platt
Angelina Tomow
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION Rachel Bland Leadership in Educational Administration “An Examination of Elementary Principals’ Knowledge and Skills in Evaluating Multilingual Programs and Instruction” David Carson Leadership in Educational Administration “School District Change Leadership Practices: A Case Study of Transitioning from a Traditional High School Model to a Student-Centered Learning Environment” Beau Michael Fretueg Leadership in Educational Administration “School District Consolidation and Social Capital: Bridging and Bonding Schools Together” Rebecca C. Gabrenya Leadership in Educational Administration “Emotional Intelligence and Teacher Performance: Developing Teachers EI to Increase Job Performance and Job Satisfaction” Donald T. Hantson Jr. Leadership in Educational Administration “From Exclusionary to Restorative Managment: A Case Study of Administrative Perceptions in an Era of Shifting Disciplinary Management Systems” Meredith Caroline Haugens Leadership in Educational Administration “Dual Identities: A Blessing or a Curse? The Role of School Leaders and Mothers” Lee Hoffman Leadership in Educational Administration “The Relationship Between Teacher Perception of Principal Leadership Behaviors and Middle School Student Achievement”
Kelley A. Hren Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction “Why Should I Close My Eyes to Reality?: A Qualitative Study of Controversial and Sensitive Photographs in the High School Social Studies Curriculum” Ruby (Rajwinder) Kaur Leadership in Adult Learning and Higher Education “Role of Faculty Mentorship in Exploring Students’ Perceptions of Science Identity While Pursuing STEM Courses and Programs” Lisa D. Luna Leadership in Educational Administration “The Perceptions of Academically Underachieving, Gifted, Elite Male Athletes: A Grid and Group Interpretation” Elizabeth Mary McLaughlin Leadership in Educational Administration “The Self-Efficacy of Teachers Serving Gifted Populations” Samantha Melendez Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction “Path to Eminence: A Mixed Method Study of the Implications of Expectancy-Value and Teacher Pedagogy on Student Eminence” Celestina Elizabeth Rivera Leadership in Educational Administration “Latina Administrators and Superintendents: Where Are We? A Qualitative Study on Latina Administrators” Jeremy Schaaf Leadership in Educational Administration “An Investigation of the Technology Leadership Skills of Principals in the State of Illinois” Susan Elaine Wilson Leadership in Educational Administration “Correlations Between Religious Practices, Leadership Style, and Stress Management of Superintendents”
Adam Zehr Leadership in Educational Administration “An Oral History of a School Consolidation in a Rural Community in Central Illinois” Bryan Zwemke Leadership in Educational Administration “Building Social Capital Through Social Media: Posting on the Brightside”
DOCTOR OF SOCIAL WORK Charlotte H. Burns “An Ecological Analysis of Self Injury Among Youth and the Perspective of Community Stakeholders” Jennifer Gazda “A Mixed-Methods Examination of Resilience in Parents of Adult Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder”
ACADEMIC CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS The Presidential Chain The presidential chain prominently features gold ivy leaves. Early in the 20th century, John W. Beach, professor of Greek and Latin, suggested that ivy leaves growing on the outside of Eckhart Hall could be awarded to students showing exceptional academic achievement each semester. In 1932, Aurora College created the Gold Ivy Leaf Award. The tradition continues today as the university recognizes its most outstanding students each spring at the Honors Convocation. Three medallions tell the story of Aurora University. One features the Aurora College seal and another the George Williams College seal. There are striking similarities to the two emblems. One features a torch and the other a lamp of learning, powerful testimony to our understanding that education is a source of illumination and truth — the transformative power of learning. The two college seals find their final expression in the new Aurora University emblem encircled with the signature AU blue. In higher education, presidential chains and medallions indicate that the wearer is the highest office holder at institutional ceremonies. The Academic Ceremonial Mace The university mace was designed to represent the founding schools of Aurora University — Aurora College and George Williams College. The mace, originally a weapon used in the Middle Ages, has over the centuries become a symbol of order and authority. The design of the center head of the mace links Aurora College and George Williams College to Aurora University. The center head also includes the university seal. The mace is carried by a university official in the processions that begin and end academic exercises, such as Convocation and Commencement, and immediately precedes the president. When it is not being used in university ceremonies, the mace is displayed in the president’s office. Regalia At Aurora University, academic regalia is worn on ceremonial occasions, in a manner consistent with a tradition that finds its origins in the Middle Ages. As early as 1321, university degree holders wore costumes
designed to reflect their particular status and roles. In addition to signaling differences in rank, the garments also served functional purposes. For example, the long gown provided necessary warmth in the drafty buildings of the time. Since each institution of higher learning was free to develop its own distinctive regalia, many different forms of academic dress are found within the European tradition. American colleges and universities opted for a greater degree of uniformity. Their representatives gathered at Columbia University in 1895 to devise common standards for academic regalia. In the United States, gowns distinguish the rank of the wearer. For instance, the bachelor’s gown is unadorned and is characterized by wide sleeves that are pointed at the hem. The gowns worn by master’s degree recipients also are unadorned, but have curiously elongated sleeves. Doctoral gowns are trimmed with velvet facings down the front. Their bell-shaped sleeves are trimmed with three velvet bars across the sleeves. Graduates of most American colleges and universities wear black gowns. However, some institutions provide for special variations. For example, doctoral recipients from Harvard University wear crimson gowns; those from Yale University wear blue; and individuals holding doctoral degrees from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University wear maroon and purple, respectively. Black mortarboards are standard to most institutions of higher learning, although some feature soft velvet tams or Elizabethan caps. Traditionally, candidates for degrees wear the tassels on their mortarboards on the right, while those upon whom degrees have been conferred wear them on the left. Recipients of doctoral degrees may wear either black or gold tassels. Hoods provide the color in an academic procession. These garments, which today serve only ceremonial purposes, are worn fastened at the front of the collar and draped over the shoulders in such a way as to display the linings, which represent the color of the university awarding the degree. The hoods also have velvet linings in colors that represent particular disciplines or fields of study. Those worn by graduates in arts and letters, for example, are trimmed in white velvet, while those worn by degree recipients in education are trimmed in light blue velvet.
AWARDS AND HONORS Distinguished members of the graduating class are eligible to receive a number of awards and honors. As the speaker calls the name of various graduates, please refer to the following recognitions: Graduation Honors — Undergraduate candidates who have achieved an outstanding grade-point average and completed their course of study with a minimum of 30 semester hours at Aurora University will be recognized with honors. Honors based on grade-point average: » Summa Cum Laude: 3.90 to 4.00 » Magna Cum Laude: 3.75 to 3.899 » Cum Laude: 3.50 to 3.749 Gold Ivy Leaf Award — This award, recognized with a gold medallion, represents superior scholarship for those undergraduates who have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours for a letter grade at Aurora University and are graduating with at least Magna Cum Laude honors. Military Recognition — This acknowledgement is given to graduation candidates who have honorably served, are serving, or are commissioned to serve in the United States military. Candidates are recognized by a red, white, and blue cord, signifying Aurora University’s appreciation for their service and dedication. Omicron Delta Kappa — Eligibility for membership in the National Leadership Honor Society is given to undergraduates who are juniors and seniors and based on established national guidelines, which include ranking in the upper 35 percent in scholarship and showing leadership in at least one of five areas of campus life, such as scholarship, athletics, community service, journalism, and the arts. Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society — Eligibility for membership in the Freshman Honor Society is based on first-time, full-time university attendance and a term grade-point average of 3.50 during the freshman year.
AURORA UNIVERSITY Aurora University traces its origins to the 1893 founding of a seminary in the small town of Mendota, Illinois. Though established initially to prepare graduates for ministry, the institution soon adopted a broader mission and moved to a new campus on the western edge of the nearby community of Aurora. With this change came a different name and a growing enrollment. When World War II ended, the campus population swelled again as veterans enrolled in the college’s innovative evening degree program. The 1970s and 1980s saw an expansion of curricular offerings in a number of professional fields and the awarding of advanced degrees in selected disciplines. These changes culminated in the 1985 decision to rechristen the institution Aurora University. The roots of George Williams College run deep in the YMCA movement of the 19th century. In 1884, leaders from America’s western YMCAs gathered in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, to attend a summer training program. Two years later, the camp was incorporated and the first parcel of the current Williams Bay campus was purchased. Since that time, “college camp” has been a source of inspiration, recreation, education, and renewal for thousands of guests and students. In 1992, the Aurora University and George Williams College traditions blended when the two institutions entered into the affiliation agreement that paved the way for merger eight years later. Today Aurora University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission to award degrees at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. The institution enrolls approximately 6,000 degree-seeking students a year on its Illinois and Wisconsin campuses and through its online program. AU students participate in a wide range of on- and off-campus learning experiences. They can join more than 60 musical, literary, religious, social, and service organizations and play active roles in campus governance. In addition, the university currently fields 24 NCAA Division III intercollegiate athletic teams.