Eight DU students recently joined University Ministry in West Virginia for a week of home repair, farm help, community building, prayer and simple living.

The May trip was part of University Ministry’s Summer Alternative Break Immersion program, which allows students to take part in service projects, build relationships and immerse themselves in a new culture, context and community.

Dr. Ada Cheng, adjunct professor of sociology and criminology at Dominican University and 2023-24 Lund Gill Chair, was recognized with a 2024 Public Humanities Award from the Illinois Humanities organization.

The award was presented to Cheng on Wednesday, May 22 in downtown Chicago.  Dr. Chad Rohman, dean of Rosary College of Arts and Sciences, and Dr. Cecilia Salvatore, interim associate dean of the College of Applied Social Sciences, were on hand as Cheng accepted the award. 

Alexia Filice ’02 was featured on WGN News as Teacher of the Month earlier this spring.

Filice is a kindergarten teacher at St. Luke Catholic School in River Forest and was nominated for the recognition by the mother of a student.

Filice received her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Early Childhood Education from Dominican and was a student teacher at St. Luke before joining the staff as a kindergarten teacher in 2002.

Dominican University’s Excellence in Experiential Learning (ExcEL) Scholar Awards help students fund a variety of projects and educational experiences.

For Natalia Skyba, her award made it possible to support a humanitarian effort in war-scarred Ukraine.

Rogelio Aguilar ’14 is a 2024 finalist for the Golden Apple Award, a prestigious honor recognizing select Illinois teachers. 

Aguilar teaches bilingual (Spanish and English) second grade at Marquette School of Excellence in Chicago. He has taught at the school for six years.

Professor of English Dr. Jane Hseu was the co-organizer of the Oak Park Public Library’s recent celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month.

This year’s event, held on May 12, put a spotlight on intergenerational storytelling and included discussions led by speakers and writers, including Ed Eusebio, Victor Yipp, and Chelsea Qi Zhao, the Wednesday Journal of Oak Park reported.  

Jayla Stampley’s “Hair Sauce” is more than a shampoo.

Earning her the top prize in Dominican University’s Second Annual Launchpad Business Pitch Competition, the product, says Stampley, represents pride in natural Black hair and embracing one’s real self.

“For me, it’s a huge part of supporting the resurgence of natural haircare ingredients in my community, while also spreading positivity and authenticity,” the 2024 Dominican University graduate shared. “It’s about showing up as your true self, which is also what this brand means to me.”

Berto Aguayo ’16 was the class speaker during Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law 2024 Convocation Ceremony.

Aguayo received his Juris Doctor from Pritzker School of Law on May 10 and addressed his fellow JD graduates during the program. 

“I stand on this stage overwhelmed with gratitude for the village, the community that raised me and made this moment possible,” he told the audience in an inspiring speech looking back on his troubled youth and the help he received from others that led him to pursue a life of purpose.