Alumni Features

Many had their doubts about how volleyball would take him anywhere, but with the support of his coaches, professors and friends Greg proved just how vital a role the sport would play in his life. “It’s been an absolute dream come true,” says Greg. “Dan Friend definitely impacted my life in a big way. He helped me grow as a person and a player. Even though we ran through a rough patch in my younger years at school we are still friends to this day. Now, I am basically getting paid to travel the world and you definitely can’t beat that.” Following older brother Jay’s footsteps, Greg came to Lewis with two goals in mind: play volleyball and get a degree. Little did he know he would end up doing much more. Greg Petty grew up in Downers Grove, IL. In 2015 he graduated from Lewis with a Bachelor’s of Science in Physics and a minor in math. As a kid he was a huge sports enthusiast, trying out every sport he could, finally he found his calling with volleyball. Volleyball turned into his...

The Valley View School District 365U Board of Education has approved the selection of Ms. Mary Wurster to the position of Executive Director for Student Services.   She had previously been VVSD’s Director of Special Education. Ms. Wurster began serving in VVSD in 2006 as a school psychologist.   She began her professional career in 2001 as a mental health professional with Adapt of Illinois. Ms. Wurster collected a wide variety of experiences before coming to VVSD, including serving as a rape crisis counselor, assisting the counseling department at St. Ignatius College Prep, and teaching as a Graduate Assistant at Illinois State University. Ms. Wurster earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Illinois State University in 2001.   She continued her education by earning a Master of Education in School Counseling from Loyola University Chicago in 2003, followed by a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Lewis University in 2013. -...

26-T "Fulfill your ministry with all the affection of your heart.”  -John Baptist de La Salle (MTR 9.1 [Med 201.1]) When it comes to compassion for the sick, there are men and women across the globe who help provide the highest quality of care and uphold the dignity of the patient. Lewis is proud to share that one of these men,  Joseph  Shega , MD, Senior Vice President and National Medical Director, has been promoted to Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for VITAS Healthcare, the nation’s leading provider of end-of-life care.  Dr. Shega is responsible for overseeing and leading the medical direction for all VITAS locations in 14 states and the District of Columbia. Board Certified in Geriatric Medicine and Hospice and Palliative Medicine, he brings 20 years of relevant clinical experience. Dr. Shega joined VITAS in 2013 as a Regional Medical Director and was promoted to Senior Vice President and National Medical Director in 2016. Prior...

A leader in the Chicago broadcasting industry, Deborah Brown credits her family for instilling the importance of loyalty to family, community, faith and country. This quality is evident in her community service and the thrust of her career. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio/TV Broadcasting from Lewis University in 1995 and was recognized as an active and dynamic student. Deborah was involved with several campus organizations including Delta Sigma Theta, Student Government, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Pan-Hellenic Council and the Black Student Union. At Commencement, the Alumni Association presented her with the Father Aquinas Award which recognizes students who have demonstrated personal and intellectual growth, commitment to faith, and dedication to the Lasallian values of justice and association. After graduation, Deborah began her highly successful career in broadcasting as an intern for WGN-TV on the assignment desk for television news. As her talent was recognized...

“As a teacher I’m impacting more people than just myself. It’s a great responsibility.” Tony Pena, ’98 (pictured at left with his father), a math teacher at Stagg High School, works hard for his students. And he realizes that his work matters. His commitment has earned him a Golden Apple Award nomination and several wins during senior class polls. He has coached both baseball and track during his 17 years with the school.  His father taught him this mindset of working hard for others. “My dad came to the U.S. from Mexico at the age of 17 on a work visa. He was the oldest of nine kids and came here to help support his family back home. He spoke no English and had no money to his name. He often worked two jobs and sometimes three in order to give my two sisters and me a better life than he had. He wanted nothing more than for us to go to college and have an easier life.” Tony made his father proud and became the first in his family to graduate college.  “I was recruited...

Paul Salmon ‘94, MBA ’97 has recently been hired as the Eastern Regional Sales Director for Wheaton World Wide Moving | Bekins Van Lines. Wheaton Van Lines, Inc. is among the world’s leading providers of transportation services and is the fourth largest van line, owning three household goods relocation brands: Wheaton World Wide Moving, Bekins Van Lines and Clark & Reid. In his role, Paul oversees the growth of sales for all Wheaton and Bekins agents in the Eastern region. He acts as a liaison between agents and the van line, advising agents on sales and marketing strategies. In the moving industry for more than 20 years, Paul worked as the Eastern Regional Sales Director for Bekins for a short time before leaving in 2000 to explore other career options. Lured back into the moving industry, Paul most recently acted as the Director of Business Development at E.E. Ward Moving & Storage for a North American Van Lines’ agent. “Every day presents a new challenge, which is wha...

After beginning his career with Illinois Bell 23 years ago, Jeff Adducci ’92 has held various positions since 1993 ranging from maintenance, Outside Plant Engineering, UVERSE Engineering, Area Manager Construction, and Project Management. In 2014, Jeff became the Director of External Affairs for AT&T Illinois which combined all of the skills he obtained from his previous roles. In this new position, Jeff is responsible for connecting with the local communities that the company serves and overseeing policy decisions that impact AT&T as a whole. A large part of the work Jeff does every day revolves around philanthropy. AT&T focuses on funding programs that empower students to reach their fullest potential and has contributed over $350 million to education over the last decade through AT&T Aspire. “AT&T Aspire is a philanthropic initiative to help equip students with the tools they need to succeed in school and beyond,” says Jeff. “We seek out programs in high sch...