North Central College

05/29/2026

On May 21, the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC) hosted its 40 Under 40 Achievement Awards — celebrating young professionals who are shaping the future of the Naperville community through leadership, innovation and service.

We are proud that eight (20%!) of all honorees were North Central College alumni or dedicated staff members:

• Nora Beswick ’13
• Marc Dunn ’16
• Steve Hlavac ’12
• Ashley Klco M’18
• Katie Mayers ’10
• Emily Rosenberg ’19
• Stephanie Ryding ’10 Zobac
• Natalie Vivacqua ’10/M’12

The honorees are pictured on the stage of Wentz Concert Hall with Scott Wehrli ’91, mayor of Naperville; Dr. David Green, dean of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship; and Kaylin Risvold, M’19, president and CEO of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce. Left to right are Wehrli, Mayers, Oglesbee, Hlavac, Risvold, Beswick, Rosenberg, Klco, Vivacqua, and Green.

Congratulations to our Cardinals and colleagues — and to all of this year’s honorees! 🎉

05/26/2026

What an incredible NCAA debut — congratulations, Alivia! 🏆

Entering the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships as the No. 7 seed, North Central College women's track and field sophomore Alivia Henkel delivered the race of her career in the women's 400-meter hurdles final on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. Henkel became just the second Cardinal in pr...

05/26/2026

As May marks the height of college decision season, recent graduate Macy Fleury ’26 reflected on her decision to attend North Central College years ago as a senior at Naperville North High School.

From planning six different service trips across the U.S. to build houses with Habitat for Humanity through the North Central club, Breakaway, to conducting research on exercise and self-esteem with the exercise science department, she says she “couldn’t be happier” with her decision.

Read the full Positively Naperville column here: https://bit.ly/4o0t5ej.

05/25/2026

The College is closed today, Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day.

Today and every day, we honor those who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

05/22/2026

Congratulations to the Dean’s List and President’s List of scholars for the spring 2026 semester!

To view the full list, visit https://bit.ly/4dqSkmp.

05/15/2026

At North Central’s 50th Annual Honors Convocation, Dr. Kristin Patel ’04 recognized Logan Selsky ’26 as the Outstanding Major in Health Science — a moment made even more meaningful by their unique connection.

In 2004, Logan attended Dr. Patel’s North Central graduation as a baby in the arms of her mother, Dr. Kendall Selsky ’93 — Patel’s professor and mentor in the College’s athletic training program.

Years later, when Logan began her studies at North Central, Patel became the same source of guidance and encouragement that Logan’s mother, Kendall, had once been for her — bringing their story of mentorship full circle.

Read more by visiting https://bit.ly/4nEknSY.

05/15/2026

A new episode of the 1861 Podcast is here! 🎙️

Dr. David Green, Paleka-Thomson Dean of the School of Business and Entrepreneurship, joins following a landmark moment for the College: earning AACSB accreditation — widely considered the gold standard in business education.

In the episode, Green reflects on his journey from rural Kentucky to higher education leadership and his passion for teaching and mentorship.

Plus, he discusses the significance of AACSB accreditation for current students, alumni and future Cardinals — and why he believes North Central College is uniquely positioned to shape the next generation of business leaders. Find the full episode by visiting https://bit.ly/49wev8j.

05/14/2026

While majoring in political science and philosophy at North Central College, alum Rima Ziuraitis ’12 had “big thoughts and ideas” about how to make a difference in the world. At the time, faculty mentors helped her discern her life’s purpose: to “think outward” and serve others. “All of that started at North Central,” the Naperville native said during a recent visit back to campus to talk about her experiences as an American volunteering in Ukraine.

In 2022, Ziuraitis left her job in corporate finance to travel to Ukraine to manage humanitarian aid. She later volunteered to be trained in tactical medicine and join the Armed Forces of Ukraine as a combat medic — supporting medical teams that treat wounded civilians and military personnel and teaching basic lifesaving skills to soldiers.

Ziuraitis sat down to discuss her experiences with Dr. Mary Groll, dean of the School of Education and Health Sciences, and Dr. Stephen Maynard Caliendo, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. She made a rare trip home to be honored by the American Red Cross of Greater Chicago as its Global Citizenship Hero.

Watch the full conversation here: https://bit.ly/4tIiciI.

05/12/2026

Ready to serve and lead! After graduating from North Central on May 3, two ROTC members were officially commissioned as second lieutenants into the U.S. Army on May 11 during the Rolling Thunder Army ROTC Commissioning Ceremony at Cantigny.

Both earned highly selective assignments in the U.S. Armed Forces:

🔴 Bailey Miller ’26 commissioned into the Army Military Intelligence branch after earning a B.A. from North Central. She studied criminology, sociology and Chinese.
🔴 Tony Cole ’26 commissioned into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers after earning a B.S. in electrical engineering.

We are proud of these Cardinals and grateful for their service! North Central is committed to supporting ROTC cadets from enrollment through commissioning.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/3PiWu6r.