Lasallian Speaker

Graduating senior Juliann Szablewski of Naperville, Ill. presented the Student Lasallian Address at Lewis University’s winter 2007 undergraduate Commencement ceremony, held Sunday, Dec. 16.

The address is delivered each commencement by one graduating senior. The speech reflects the principles that guide the University’s Mission as they relate to the speaker’s personal life, and that recognizes the values of diversity, social justice, and service to the poor.

“. . .As I look back today I never realized the impact four years of college could have on a person’s life,” Szablewski told her fellow graduates in speaking about her experiences at Lewis. “In fact, my time at Lewis University has molded me into the person I am today, giving me the confidence to move forward, and the hope to achieve great things.”

Szablewski, who graduated at the undergraduate Commencement ceremony with a degree in Nursing, held a 3.197 cumulative GPA. She was awarded the Harold E. White Endowed Scholarship three years consecutively.

While a student at Lewis, she served as captain of both the cross country and the track teams, and was an active member of the international nursing honors society, Sigma Theta Tau. Off campus, she volunteered her time at soup kitchens and community health fairs. She is currently employed as a patient care technician with Edward Hospital in Naperville.

“Each activity I participated in led me to a group of people who taught me something different, and each experience within that activity made me appreciate the importance of Lewis’ Lasallian heritage and Mission,” she said in her address. “Even though everyone in this University has different experiences, I believe that we are all similar because we have all benefited from Lewis’ spirit of association. Despite the fact that we all have different backgrounds, we are all part of the community that makes up Lewis University.”

Szablewski encouraged the graduates to “Never forget Lewis University and the impact it has had on your life. Remember the friends you have made, the teachers who have inspired you, the fulfilling activities you have participated in, and the knowledge you have acquired.

“If your college experience was anything like mine,” she continued, “you are empowered, confident, and ready to enter into the next chapter in life. So be proud of your journey. We are graduates of Lewis University and nothing can stop us from reaching our dreams.”

After graduation, Szablewski plans to continue in her current post at Edward Hospital, until she is able to obtain a position with a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). In May of 2008, she will marry fellow Lewis nursing graduate Zach Kufahl. A second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, Kufahl is currently stationed at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Szablewski said that eventually she would like to earn a master’s degree in nursing and teach other nursing students the values she acquired throughout her education at Lewis University.

Szablewski is the daughter of Rob and Sally Szablewski of Naperville, and the sister of Joanna Szablewski of Cincinnati, Ohio.

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