Four years worth of wild ambition, hard work, and strict deadlines came to a tangible, rewarding conclusion for 11 graduating members of Marquette's Class of 2021 last Friday.
A representative from Ivy Tech Community College was on hand inside the Richard & Louise Scholl Student Center to disperse associate degrees of science in either liberal arts or business administration to Sean Bardol, Aidan Bartnicki, Mary Kathlene Bobillo, Adam Burroughs, Zoe Kolosci, Brendan Mack, Molly Neary, Paige Pizarek, Robert Pruzin, Liberty Riley, and Abigail Ryan. It marked the first time in the school’s 135-year history that students earned and were awarded college degrees.
The historic segment took place amidst Marquette’s annual Honors and Awards Convocation, an event established to recognize students for their academic achievements. Overall, the 13 seniors who comprised MQTT-U, the school’s early-college program, earned an average of 75 dual credits and maintained an average cumulative grade-point average of 4.23.
Below is a list of special honors and awards bestowed last Friday (student is a graduating senior unless otherwise denoted):
John B. Tracy Award ($1,000) - Mary Kathlene Bobillo
Jean Donnelly Memorial Scholarship ($2,000) - Noah Wadle
Thomas and Lillian Lernihan Scholarship ($1,000 each) - Krystal Arteaga and Mary Kathlene Bobillo
Douglas and Kathlene Bobillo Scholarship ($1,000) - Aidan Bartnicki
Horizon Bank Female Student-Athlete of the Year Award ($500) - Riley Lindsey
Phi Delta Kappa Male Student-Athlete of the Year Award ($500) - Robert Pruzin
U.S. Marine Corps Scholastic Excellence Award: Brendan Mack and Abigail Ryan
U.S. Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award: Sean Bardol and Mary Kathlene Bobillo
U.S. Marine Corps Semper Fidelis Award: Molly Neary and Robert Johnson ’22
Lions Club Memorial Scholarship ($1,500) - Paige Pizarek
Michigan City Lions Club Ed Payne Memorial 9th Grade Scholarship Achievement Awards: English - Paolo Castillo ’23; Social Studies - Paloma Valdes ’23; Mathematics: Xaria Biggerstaff ’23; Science: Mary Cate Neary ’23
English - Alexander Bell ’24; Social Studies - Lyrick Stark ’24; Mathematics: Saniya Singh ’24; Science: Alyse Thomas ’24
Indiana Academic All-Star Regional Winner - Aidan Bartnicki
Charles & Joan Mulrenan Scholarship ($1,000 Marquette tuition credit each) - McKenzie Losinski and Paloma Valdes
Michigan City Indiana Community Scholarships ($1,000 each) - Molly Neary and Alexander Willoughby
MACU Leona Bruno Scholarship ($1,000) - Paige Pizarek
Michigan City Education Association C.D. Lonzo Scholarship ($750) - Paige Pizarek
LaPorte Hospital Auxiliary Scholarship ($1,000) - Liberty Riley
Servant Leadership Award sponsored by Sisters of Saints Cyril & Methodius - Liam Ross
Embassies of Christ Kingdom Ministries Award - Lee Kellom
Indiana College Core Certificates: Colin Flanigan ’22, Matthew Flanigan ’22, Ella Gage ’22, Joseph Henrich ’22, Hanson Huang ’22, McKenzie Losinski ’22, Caeden Meade ’22, Cameron Meade ’22, Julia Molina ’22, Emily Silvas ’22, Maria Wadle ’22, Yasmir Young ‘22
The Herff Jones Principal’s Leadership Award - Izabel Galindo
Principal’s Academic Excellence Award - Aidan Bartnicki and Molly Neary
Indiana University Bloomington “Group Scholars Program” - Anthony Bui
21st Century Scholars - Anthony Bui, Chandra Neal, Noah Wadle
Presidential Service Awards: Bronze (100-149 hours; young adult) - Melissa Canelo ’22, William Crane ’22, Christopher Huseman ’22, Zoe Kolosci, Caeden Meade ’22, Molly Neary, Abigail Ryan, Isaac Williams; Silver (150-200 hours; young adult) - Robert Johnson ’22; Gold (over 100 hours; teens) - Michael Wellinski ’24; Gold (over 200 hours; young adult) - Mary Cate Neary ‘23
The 2021 Honors and Awards Convocation ended with a tribute to academic affairs director Mary Kay Mark, who will retire following the conclusion of the academic year.
The 40 members of Marquette’s Class of 2021 were offered in excess of a combined $9.5 million in scholarships and grants. The Class of 2021 is slated to graduate Tuesday evening at 6:30 pm inside the Scholl Center Gymnasium following the 5 pm baccalaureate Mass held at St. Mary’s. Marquette is proud to welcome Michigan City chief of police Dion Campbell ’83 as keynote speaker at the Senior Breakfast at Blue Chip Casino Hotel and Spa (Fremont Ballroom) beginning at 9 am.
