Alumni Profile

Emily Burgess saves lives in the emergency room of the INOVA Health System in Fairfax, Virginia. She enjoys teaching students and new graduates, as well as walking with patients and families through some of the hardest days of their lives.

Vince Chaverini is reaping the benefits of his mathematics degree as a financial analyst in the mortgage department of Wells Fargo. Since graduation, he also worked as a loan officer, immersing himself in mortgage laws and regulations, quality control, and other aspects of his profession.

Caroline Mentyka works with a team to coordinate improvements in Southwest Airlines’ reservation system. She ensures that the airline delivers quality code to customers as well as front-line employees through testing applications from all across the different areas of the company. She is also the culture lead for her department, in charge of planning events for fellow employees.

As a Franciscan University Graduate, a Commissioned Officer in the U.S. Army, and a worldwide traveler, Andrew Matwijec is living out the goals he set for himself early in life.Andrew graduated in 2010 with degrees in theology and philosophy, and a minor in German. He was a member of Franciscan’s inaugural Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) class as well. An accomplished guitarist and vocalist, he also led a Chapel Ministry music team for four years.

Stephen Lenahan, a 2009 theology and catechetics graduate says that since graduation he’s done many things he never would have expected. He also says he’s OK with that because Franciscan prepared him to be constantly learning.“Just because you receive your degree doesn’t mean your education stops,” says Stephen. “You’re always finding new ways to be involved in your community and learning from your co-workers, your family, friends, and Church.”

“The professors at Franciscan have high expectations—they want students to do their best with whatever project they’re working on,” says Michael Blankenberger ’12. It’s a lesson that transitions outside the classroom, too, he points out. “After you graduate, you can’t just fluff it either.”

Emma Starre is living out success in the education field as the Intervention Specialist for Our Lady of Perpetual Help School in Toledo, Ohio.

Diego Araujo is a youth and young adult minister at Most Precious Blood Parish in Brooklyn.

For some students, a traditional public school just won’t work. Due to academic, behavioral or social issues, they aren’t accepted or don’t choose to attend. In Phoenix, Arizona, those students can come to Hope High School, a small alternative public charter school where Chris Buehnerkemper ’13 teaches math.

A major in accounting gave Greg Sisco ’13 more than just training in standard accounting practices.“Accounting is a broad field, and at Franciscan I also got the tools and knowledge to understand business and economic principles,” he notes. Greg says his professors, “the cream of the crop,” were confident, caring, and willing to go the extra mile to make sure students understood the coursework.As a student, Greg gained practical experience by volunteering six hours a week during a tax season to help local lower-income residents complete their tax returns. This gave him confidence in explaining accounting principles in layman’s terms, a skill that he relies on today.