Graduating senior Natalie Kuca ’21 has been awarded the 2021 Technos International Prize, which recognizes a student who has excelled academically and contributed to broadening international awareness and understanding. Kuca is an international studies major with a minor in Japanese studies.

Read more on Kuca ’21 Awarded Technos International Prize from Illinois Wesleyan

Karl Julian ’01 is a candidate for a spot on Vestavia Hills’ Board of Education. Julian’s goal is to make sure students have all the academic and emotional support they need as he believes that a good education is the “cornerstone of success” in life. Julian is currently the owner and head instructor of World Oyama Karate.

Read more on Meet the 11 candidates for Vestavia Hills Board of Education from Vestavia Voice

With unanimous certification, Isaac Simmons ’20 is the first openly gay man to be certified within the Illinois Great Rivers Conference and the first known drag queen certified in the United Methodist Church.

Read more on First drag queen certified as a candidate for United Methodist ministry ‘speaking in a new way to new people’ from Religion News Service

IWU recently announced the 2021 recipients of the Robert S. and Nell B. Eckley Summer Scholars and Artists Program. Five students have been awarded stipends to conduct scholarly research or artistic activity this summer under the mentorship of a faculty member: Katie Fata ’22, Joey Kiper ’22, Jenna Ney ’22, Anjali Patel ’23 and Isabel Sperry ’22.

Read more on Eckley Summer Scholars Announced from Illinois Wesleyan

Faizal Chaudhury ’96 joined the advisory board of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Philadelphia Chapter. The CAIR is the largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization in the nation. Faizal is the vice president of customer centricity with Sallie Mae, where he is responsible for leading the organization-wide initiative to improve customer experience, loyalty, and advocacy.

Read more on Faizal Chaudhury from CAIR Philadelphia

John Munch ’98 will be the next superintendent of LaGrange Highlands School District 106. For the past seven years Munch has been the assistant superintendent for human resources of Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary School District 181.

Read more on La Grange Highlands School District 106 hires Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills administrator as next superintendent from Chicago Tribune

Scott Swayne ’90 was recently named Chief People Officer (“CPO”) for Potbelly Corporation. Swayne will lead the Human Resources and People Team to strengthen Potbelly’s dynamic culture and drive best-in-class talent acquisition solutions.

Read more on Potbelly Names Scott Swayne as Chief People Officer from QSR Magazine

Sarah (Brown) Smith ’04 was named associate principal for curriculum and instruction at Andrew High School in Tinley Park. Smith has been with District 230 for seven years and she plans to focus on building strong relationships, teacher connections, and setting high expectations for students.

Read more on High School District 230 names assistant principal, athletic director from Chicago Tribune

William Dwyer ’08 joined current and former members of the IWU Collegiate Choir to support the St. Joseph Church of Chenoa and St. Mary Church of Lexington at a joint Easter Vigil Mass.

Read more on Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir to perform at Mass from Pontiac Daily Leader

Dr. William Havlik ’76 retired from Hastings & Havlik Family Dentistry on April 1, after more than 41 years of service.

Read more on Dentist William Havlik retirement celebration set Thursday from JG-TC

Longtime Kansas City Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews ’66 returned to the broadcast booth after a year of calling games remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Read more on Royals broadcaster Denny Matthews returns to the booth with a marathon: ‘Opening Day turned into Opening Night’  from The Athletic (subscription required)

Monica (Cheek) Hall ’90 was one of three local nursing professors to earn a $10,000 Nurse Educator Fellowship awarded by the Illinois Board of Higher Education. Hall hopes to use the fellowship to involve undergraduate students in research about the disproportionate impact that Type 2 diabetes has on Black people and other minorities.

Read more on Bloomington-Normal nursing professors share passion for teaching, receive fellowships from The Pantagraph

Music education major Lindsay Ring ’21 is a finalist in the Music International Grand Prix Solo Competition, a new international competition for musicians of all ages, after winning first place in the Young Adult category for Wind and Brass at the semifinal competition.

Read more on Ring ’21 Advances to Finals in Music International Grand Prix Competition from Illinois Wesleyan

Thao “Jenny” Le ’21 is seeking solutions for economic sustainability through a Mark Israel research grant. Through evaluating factors that contribute to economic volatility in low and middle income countries, Le hopes to influence the focus of current literature surrounding growth of developing countries.

Read more on Le ’21 Seeks Solutions for Economic Sustainability through Mark Israel Research Grant from Illinois Wesleyan

Arjun Nair ’19 is running for alderman in Aurora, Illinois. Currently, Nair is a student at DePaul University College of Law, but his goals for the future involve bettering Aurora.

Read more on Mustang graduate Arjun Nair runs for Aurora Alderman from Metea Media

Hall of Fame sports writer and Illinois Wesleyan alumnus Dave Kindred ’63 is the subject of a 60 Minutes story focused on his self-appointed beat, in retirement, chronicling the Morton High School girls basketball team.

Read more and watch the full interview on Dave Kindred goes back on the beat to cover high school girls basketball from CBS News

Matthew Harder ’96 was appointed to the City of Wheeling, West Virginia’s Arts & Cultural Commission. Harder is professor of music, director of Music Technology and dean of the College of Arts and Communication at West Liberty University.

Read more on Dr. Matt Harder Appointed To City Commission from West Liberty University

John Camardella ’03 has accepted an opportunity to pursue his Master of Religion and Public Life at Harvard’s Divinity School, the first new masters program created at Harvard in more than 50 years. Camardella will be taking a sabbatical from teaching and stepping down as head basketball coach at Prospect High School.

Read more on Higher calling leads Camardella to step down at Prospect from Daily Herald

David Zimmerman ’92 has been appointed publisher of Colorado Springs’ Christian publisher NavPress. Zimmerman has been working in the Christian publishing industry for 28 years.

Read more on Colorado Springs Movers & Shakers from The Gazette

Marques Rice ’03 was unanimously elected to North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic’s board of directors. Rice is an academic support professional and adjunct professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s law school.

Read more on North Suburban Legal Aid Clinic elects new board member from the Daily Herald

David Young ’07 was named the new music director at First Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Illinois. Young will direct the church choir, organize the church’s musical programs and expand its musical outreach into the community.

Read more on Young joins Lincoln Presbyterian Church as Music Director from The Courier

Isaac Simmons ’20, an openly gay drag queen recently certified as a candidate for Methodist ministry, hopes to “bridge the huge gap that is between queerness and spirituality.” The United Methodist Church in America is in the middle of splitting over LGBTQ+ issues and Simmons is at the heart of this split.

Read more on Gay Drag Queen Becomes Ministry Candidate At Heart Of United Methodist Church Split from WGLT Radio

Nate Knuffman ’98 has been named vice chancellor for Finance and Operations and chief financial officer at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill following a competitive, national search. He has served as interim vice chancellor for Finance and Operations since August and has been instrumental in helping the University during these unprecedented times.

Read more on Nate Knuffman named vice chancellor for Finance and Operations and chief financial officer from The University of North Carolina

Senior marketing major Nick Watson ’21 is this year’s recipient of the American Marketing Association’s Outstanding Marketing Student Award at Illinois Wesleyan. Watson is currently the president of IWU’s chapter of AMA.

Read more on Watson ’21 Receives Outstanding Marketing Student Award from Illinois Wesleyan

Sports writer and author Dave Kindred ’63 will be featured in a segment on CBS Television’s 60 Minutes, likely airing later this month.

Read more on Kindred: ’60 Minutes’ to tell the story of Atlanta’s own Dave Kindred, the consummate storyteller from The Pantagraph