21 Merit & Achievement Semifinalists

Congratulations to our 20 National Merit Semifinalists and one National Achievement Semifinalist from Loyola’s Class of 2013! This is Loyola Academy’s highest number of semifinalists in many years. Several factors contribute to this honor including student efforts, parents, teachers and administrators.

The following is self-reported information from our semifinalists:

Patrick Dancer is a Dumbach Scholar, studies Greek, is a member of  Amnesty International and served on Student Council. He is on the Wrestling and Football Teams. Patrick is considering the following majors in college: international relations, foreign affairs, political science and economics. He is looking at schools out east, including Georgetown University and Johns Hopkins University.

Mary Therese Forsyth is a Clavius Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. She serves on Student Council and the Torch Club. She studies Chinese and is a member of the National Chinese Honor Society. She is also an AP student-artist. Mary Therese has served others through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program during all four years at Loyola. She is a member of the Lacrosse Team and was named Academic All-American. Mary Therese’s college choices include the University of Michigan, Boston College and Georgetown University. She plans to continue her studies in Chinese and major in biology or architecture as she is considering a career in architecture or medicine.

Rosemary Frehe is a member of the National Honor Society, Scholastic Bowl, the Philosophy Club and Insignis, as well as the Varsity Bowling Team. She has served others through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program during all four years of her high school career. She studies Greek and has earned highest honors on the National Greek Exam and a gold medal on the Medusa Mythology Exam. During her junior year, Rosemary was the recipient of the NCTE Writing Award and the Denison College English Award. She is undecided on a college, but plans to double major in the classics and archaeology and is considering careers as an archaeologist, a museum curator or classics teacher.

Jennifer Gault is a Clavius Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society and the Torch Club. She studies French, is a member of the National French Honor Society and Loyola’s French Club. She also plays on the Varsity Tennis Team and was a member of the Sailing Team. She is an honors studio artist and has been a Bears’ Care volunteer and served others through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program. Jennie’s top three college choices are Stanford University, Vanderbilt University and Washington University in St. Louis. She is undecided on a career choice, but enjoys mathematics, science, art and business, as well as sports medicine.

Samari Gilbert is the editor of the yearbook, hospitality chair of the African-American Youth Group and a member of the Speech and Debate Team. She studies Spanish and attended the Summer Academy for Math and Science at Carnegie Mellon and the Medicine and Healthcare Seminar at Georgetown University. Samari serves the young and elderly through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program and participated in the Cincinnati Urban Plunge this past summer. She is the service liaison and teen chaplain for Jack and Jill of America and the president and secretary of Delta G.E.M.S. Samari plans to study economics or engineering at Georgetown University, the University of Pennsyvania, Brown University or Amherst University. Her career fields include patent or international law.

Thomas Groden is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, Insignis and the Latin Team. He has studied Latin all four years at Loyola and was a gold medalist on the National Latin Exam and qualifier on the State Latin Exam, so far, each year. He is also on the track and field team. He is a Boy Scout, a student leader for Amnesty International and has served others through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program, volunteering as a tutor with refugees. He plans on pursuing business and history or another liberal arts major in college and is considering Vanderbilt University or the University of Notre Dame. Tommy is undecided on a career choice, but believes he’ll do something with business.

John Hocter is a Clavius Scholar and studies Greek. He is a member of Amnesty International and has volunteered at A Just Harvest Soup Kitchen since the eighth grade. He is lector at Sacred Heart Church and has earned his Eagle Scout. John is a member of Loyola’s Crew Team and was named to the Midwest Scholastic Rowing Honor Roll. He plans to study biology or bioengineering in college and possibly pursue a career in medicine or surgery. His college choices include Georgetown University, the College of the Holy Cross, the University of Notre Dame or the University of Michigan.

Megan Hussey is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. She studies Greek and is a member of the Classics Club. She is a percussionist and drum major in the Marching Band and Symphonic Band. She is participates on the Swimming and Diving Team and was the recipient of the Coach’s Award in her freshman year and the MVP in her junior year. She has served others with the Swimming and Diving Team and through the Arrupe Community Service program. She is considering the study of philosophy, neurology or psychology at Washington University in St. Louis or psychology, economics and management or primary teaching at Boston College, Tuft University or Northwestern University.

Veronica “Nikki” Kittle-Kamp is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. She is an International Thespian and a member of Loyola’s Thespian Troupe. She placed second in the Shakespeare Recitation competition her freshman year. She studies Greek and earned a silver medal on the Medusa Mythology Exam last year. She has participated in the Arrupe Community Service program during all four years at Loyola. Nikki is planning on majoring in early childhood education and becoming an elementary school teacher. She is considering several colleges, including the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, New York University and Boston University.

Blake Morgan is a varsity swimmer and this year is Loyola’s Swimming Team captain. He received the team’s Rambler of the Year and Work Horse awards. He was a member of the German Club. During his freshman year at Evanston Township High School, he earned the Math Student of the Year award. He is considering Harvard University or Georgetown University and is interested in pursuing a career in international politics or finance.

Connor Mulhall is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, Amnesty International, Insignis and the Latin Team. He studies Greek and Latin and earned a perfect score on the National Latin Exam and a merit award on the National Greek Exam. He also runs on the Track and Field and Cross Country Teams and has earned awards for Most Outstanding Performance. He has served others, helping refugees with their homework at St. Gregory High School. Among his college choices are the University of Notre Dame, the University of Virginia and Williams College, where he plans to pursue aerospace engineering or mathematics. He’s undecided about a career choice, but knows that at some point in life, he would like to be a teacher.

Patrick Nally is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. He participates on the Speech and Debate Team, where he was a quarterfinalist in the IHSA Varsity Public Forum competition and placed first in the Chicago Catholic League's Varsity Public Debate Forum his junior year. He studies Latin and earned a gold medal on the National Latin Exam also his junior year. Patrick is a percussionist, is a member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society and participates in Loyola’s Drumline and Honors Symphonic Band. Although he undecided about a college major or career choice, his favorite colleges are Boston College and Brown University, as well as Rice University and Fordham University.

Catherine “Katy Rose” O’Brien is a Dumbach Scholar and an AP Scholar and is a member of the National Honor Society, as well as the Tri-M Honors Music Society. She plays trumpet and participates in Loyola’s Marching Band and Honors Symphonic Band, as well as the Midwest Young Artists Big Band. She received Loyola’s Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award in 2012 for her leadership in Loyola’s Band Program and was selected to play in the IMEA District 7 Jazz Band and the All-Catholic Honor Band. She studies Greek, participated in Loyola’s Classics Tour and has earned awards on the National Greek Exam, so far, every year at Loyola and earned a bronze medal on the Medusa Mythology Exam her junior year. Katy Rose is a rower on the Crew Team. She has participated in Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program, Amnesty International and Labre Outreach program through Loyola’s Justice Seminar. For college, she is considering several majors, including art history, music, English, biology, history and classical civilizations. She also has several college choices, including the University of Notre Dame, the College of the Holy Cross and Yale University.

Matthew Petersen is a Dumbach Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and studies Greek. In 2012, he was the winner of the Thomas E. Caestecker Prize for his American history essay. He participates on Loyola’s Soccer and Tennis Teams. Whenever his sports are not in season, he volunteers through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program, and, this past summer, he was a volunteer for the Christian Outreach to Appalachian People in Kentucky. Matthew intends to pursue engineering in college, but he undecided as to whether he will study aeronautical or mechanical engineering. He is considering a number of colleges, including Northwestern University, Purdue University and Cornell University. He is undecided on a career choice, but does want to learn how to fly airplanes after college.

Michael Schiappa is a Dumbach Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society and an AP Scholar with Honors. Michael studies Spanish. He is an All-American, All-State and All-Catholic Conference varsity Lacrosse player. His service for others includes volunteering for the International Samaritan Guatemala, Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program and the Lacrosse Team’s Ante-up benefit. His academic areas of interest include biomedical engineering, biology, biochemistry and molecular biology. He is considering several colleges, including Bucknell University, the University of Chicago, Harvard University and Dartmouth University. His possible career choices include being a dentist, an oral surgeon, a biomedical engineer or a patent attorney.

Charles Schufreider is a Dumbach Scholar, an AP Scholar and a member of Loyola’s WYSE team. He serves on Student Council, this year as the public relations director, and is a member of the Torch Club and Thespian Troupe. He studies Latin and Greek, is a member of the Latin Team and earned a perfect score on the National Latin Exam and high honors on the National Greek Exam, so far, for all three years. He earned the Michael Flanagan Memorial Sophomore Research and Writing Award and the Ignatian Medal during his sophomore year and Dartmouth Book Award his junior year. He also participates on the Cross Country and Track and Field Teams. Charlie serves others through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program, volunteering as a tutor. In college, he plans to continue studying Latin and Greek, as well as focus on pre-med, with the goal of becoming a physician. He is considering the College of the Holy Cross, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University and Vanderbilt University.

Gavin Sullivan is the president of the Student Council; co-editor of the student newspaper, The Prep; a student leader for Amnesty International; and a member of the Torch Club and Cross Country Team. He studies Greek and Latin and earned a perfect score on the National Latin Exam and placed fourth on the State Latin Exam during his junior year. He was the winner of the Dalai Lama Essay contest, an award that garnered him an audience with the Dalai Lama. Gavin was voted the Most Valuable Member of the Student Council, received the Ignatian Medal and the Amnesty International Award. He also volunteered through the Arrupe Community Service program.  He is a reader at Holy Cross Parish and a reporter for the Chicago Tribune’s teen edition, the Mash. Gavin plans to study political science, economics or journalism and his top college choices include Georgetown University, Northwestern University, the University of Pennsylvania or the College of the Holy Cross. He is considering a career as an attorney, a journalist, a politician, an economist or a political analyst.

Ian Torres is a Dumbach Scholar, an AP Scholar with Distinction, co-founder and president of the Math Team and a member of the JETS/WYSE team, Scholastic Bowl, the Asian Youth Group and the Spanish Honor Society. He earned first place for the Chicago region on the National Spanish Exam, placed third in the JETS biology competition and won Loyola’s award for best junior research paper. He served others through the Arrupe Community Service program. Ian plans to pursue mathematics and computer science in college and is undecided on a college or career choice.

Morgan Venkus is a Clavius Scholar, an AP Scholar with distinction, a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Team, JETS/WYSE and the Chess Club and captain of the Scholastic Bowl. Morgan studies Greek, has earned a gold award on the Medusa Mythology Exam and highest honors on the National Greek Exam and participated in Loyola's Classical Tour  to Greece and Italy last summer. He sings with the Honors Chamber Choir and is a member of Loyola's Sailing Team. Morgan plays classical piano and has earned a brown belt in Karate. He is a peer tutor and volunteers at the Greater Chicago Food Depository and in Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine Junior Service League. Locally, Morgan is considering the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and the University of Notre Dame.

Samuel Wachtel is a Dumbach Scholar and a member of the Philosophy Club, Thespian Troupe and Improv Club. He is directing a play this year and running his own improve team and he has been named to the statewide high school improve team for the past two years and was Comedy Sportz High School League Champion. Sam placed third at the state level on the National French Exam during his sophomore year. He is a Karate blackbelt/seipei. Sam plans to major in East Asian studies with a focus on Japanese language and history. He is considering Harvard University, Tufts University, Columbia University and Washington University in St. Louis. He is undecided on a career choice, but says that it will be “something unconventional.”

Alex Wenzel studies Spanish, is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and earned a gold medal on the National Spanish Exam his sophomore and junior years. He plays trumpet and is a member of the Tri-M Music Honors Society, participates in the Marching and Honors Symphonic Bands and the Brass Corps. He ran with the Cross Country Team. Alex volunteers through Loyola’s Arrupe Community Service program. He is considering Northwestern University or Washington University in St. Louis and may major in computer science. At this point, he is undecided on a career choice.