Monica (Simonin) Bullington ’11 was among 26 women nominated for a YWCA McLean County Woman of Distinction Award, held online on Oct. 15, 2020. Monica is a realtor with RE/MAX Rising. Congratulations!

Shuting “Susan” Zhong, MD ’11 is the creator and co-producer of LIMITLESS, a docu series presented by Allergan Aesthetics highlighting inspiring stories from women plastic surgeons who have broken the glass ceiling and risen to prominence within their field as society presidents. Each woman tells her own story of resilience and fortitude, with invaluable advice for future women leaders in plastic surgery. Dr. Zhong is a plastic surgery resident at the University of North Carolina. LIMITLESS is available on YouTube.

Congrats to Sara T. Ghadiri ’11, who is the winner of IWU’s Robert M. Montgomery Outstanding Young Alumni Award!

Ghadiri graduated magna cum laude from Illinois Wesleyan with a double major in Comparative Political Science and Philosophy and minor in Music. As a student, she was active in the School of Music, lending her talents to the Jazz Ensemble and the Symphony Orchestra, and performing during chapel hour. Ghadiri was also a proud member of Sigma Alpha Iota.

In 2014, Ghadiri earned a law degree from the University of Iowa College of Law with service honors, winning awards for human rights and client service. During her time in law school, Ghadiri was selected as an ABA Judicial Intern Opportunity Program Intern for the Honorable Rben Castillo, formerly Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Her last year of law school, she worked for the University of Iowa Clinical Law Program, where she helped low-income Iowans secure domestic violence orders of protection and assisted on a number of immigration cases under the supervision of clinical law professors while also running a jazz combo and teaching private double bass lessons.

Ghadiri was a summer associate at Chapman and Cutler LLP during law school, and after graduation joined the banking and financial services litigation group in 2014. She became her firm’s first Pro Bono Counsel in 2018 and balances her pro bono program leadership and caseload with an active bank-related litigation practice. Ghadiri has also been the recipient of a number of awards for her work and advocacy on behalf of pro se litigants, immigrants and survivors of domestic violence, including awards from Chapman and Cutler LLP, the American Bar Association, the National Immigrant Justice Center, Legal Aid Chicago, and the Illinois Jaycees, which named her an Illinois Outstanding Young Person of 2019.

Submit a note of congratulations to Sara T. Ghadiri here .

June 23rd at 7 pm, Dr. Dan DeWeert ’11, an ER doctor from Detroit, Michigan, shared his experiences from the middle of the pandemic. Dan graduated from IWU in 2011 with a religion major and a chemistry minor, received his M.D. from the University of Iowa and now works for the Henry Ford Health System.  He also shared about his journey from IWU through medical school to the ER.  Thank you , Dan!

Amber Spiewak ’11, Program Manager at Charles Schwab presented virtually April 21st to students regarding how to market your IWU education to employers.

Jessica Schaeffer ‘11, Senior Director with LaSalle Network, discussed tips for  job hunting and employment opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic in two different sessions. Click here to read what she had to say.

Thank you to Bianca Cotton ’11, volunteered to eat lunch and talk with students during the Psychology and Sociology Luncheon on 2/12/20, concerning Bianca’s experience as a leader of United Way of Metropolitan Chicago’s AmeriCorps program. She is also the author of 3 books geared towards women overcoming their fears. Her website is: behindtheconfidentsmile.com

Congratulations to Stephie ’11 and Alex Predmore, who recently welcomed Eden Noelle Predmore to the family! Eden was born on February 8th, 2020.

Ryan Jenkins ’11 played on the IWU football team and lettered all years there. He made first team all-american defensive end in 2011 and best lineman three times. Was the first african american student to win First Team All American as voted by AFCA in school history and still the only one. Ryan reports that he majored in accounting at Wesleyan and upon graduation became an accountant and now works for CGS as a Medical Auditor. Ryan also just received his master’s degree in Health Management from Western Governors University in June. Congratulations, Ryan!