Take a moment to send us a story or two. Tell us the story of how you met your "Prince or Princess" at Benedictine, or where your story has taken you since you finished the college chapter of your life.

"Since graduating from the AABA program in 2002 at BenU, I completed a BS degree in Computer Science from DeVry University and I am finishing my graduate degree in information systems from Keller Graduate School of Management next term. As an adult learning, BenU gave me the confidence to keep taking risks with my time (also known as investing in myself) even with three children to nurture and educate. I have been working as a Senior Technical Manager for WellPoint and I just accepted a new position as the Director of Data Management for XLHealth; I am currently living and working in the Baltimore, MD, area. After taking the required history and ethics classes at BenU, I learned that people are the only subjects that increase in value and this perspective became my survival skills in the Technology Industry which I am a fellow worker in. I will be searching for a PhD program shortly and I am considering returning to BenU to complete the educational path they inspired and challenged me to take back in 2000. I appreciate you BenU!"

Julianne Harrington
Class of 2002  
Business Administration, AABA 

"My husband (Tom Sedlacek, jr)and I are both alumni (he is class of '07) of Benedictine. We met outside of Benedictine, but became friends because of shared friends at Benedictine. While at Benedictine, we both helped with the Koinonia retreat program--growing in our relationship with God and each other through the process. We started dating during my Sophomore year at BU (2006) and he proposed the summer after I graduated. We were married this past May, 2009."

Katie (Thomas) Sedlacek
Class of 2009
B.A, Elementary Education Degree

"I had met Tommy in January of 2011 through Benedictine’s Online MBA program. We had both been lucky enough to have been in the same International Business course and happened to sign up to be in the same group. Without knowing who anyone was, the group exchanged Skype information to complete the assigned coursework. Tommy had noticed that I lived in Bloomingdale which was the town over from his so we instantly had places and stories in common to bond over. When he and I had been doing homework at our separate computers he would often chat me over Skype to say hello and discuss coursework, but had then fortunately gotten to talking on a more personal level. After getting to know one another we would often do our homework together at the local Starbucks. From there we would hang out on a friendly basis and finally moved it to the next level of dating during the MBA course of Project Management. Tommy has motivated me to double up my classes, and to finish my degree. On weekends I find enjoyment out of getting together to do homework, whereas without him I never would have been able to finish this fast. I hope that he continues to motivate me and push me to be a greater person, as he had pushed me to continue through the tough times of the MBA workload. In October, I will have finished my MBA in Marketing. Not only am I leaving Benedictine with a degree, but I’m leaving with a Prince of Finance Armor."

Stephanie D'Amico
Class of 2011
M.B.A., Marketing

"I am X-Class of 1963 as I only had one year at St. Procopius College during the 1959-1960 school year. During that year I received an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. While at St Procopius, I studied pre-engineering, was on the track team as a pole vaulter, worked in the Registrar's Office under Father Zachary M. Hrisko. Later Father Zachary was assigned to Fordham University and was able to visit me and his nephew who was also my class mate at West Point. After I came back from Vietnam, he was assigned as a Chaplain in Vietnam and we corresponded and he related his experience while there. I love the year I had at St Procopius and the spirit of all there, both students and faculty."

James Lindou
Class of 1963
B.S., Engineering Degree

"I spent one year studying business at Benedictine University from August 2009-May 2010. Coming as an international student from Queen's University in Belfast, N. Ireland was quite a big move however from the moment I arrived at BU, I was made to feel extremely welcome. The students and staff there were some of the friendliest and most helpful people I have ever encountered. I made friends for life at BU; My room mates have already been to Ireland twice in the last year! I tried to get involved with the American college life as much as possible, working at the Phonathon under Jill Poskin (who was everybody's favorite boss) and I went to New York City with the Model United Nations class. I am returning to Chicago this Summer to meet up with the friends I made and I look forward on stopping by BU for a walk down memory lane!"

Sophie Ryan
Class of 2009-2010
Business, Law at Queen's University, Belfast, N. Ireland

"It all started with Bio 198 my fall semester freshmen year. It was a subject matter that confused the hell out of me and therefore I joined a study group. Long behold, I met the man of my life who is now my current boyfriend of 2 years and my best friend. He helped me prepare, study, and master the biology material for that class. We quickly became study buddies. The next semester we took more classes together and studied more often with another. Then one day on a snowy February afternoon when we were studying in the library, he asked me to be his girlfriend. I accepted and we have been together and inseparable ever since. I love him, Anthony Chan."

Elizabeth Ramirez
Class of 2013
Health Science Pre-medical, Psychology

"Once upon a time I was a junior at Benedictine University in the Village of Lisle. I was living in Founders’ Woods when I met the princess of my dreams. She lived in Ondrak. Her name was Jennifer Riebeling, and she was majoring in biology. I was smitten and surely thought I could be her knight in shining armor. We dated off and on through my senior year when I graduated in the Spring of 2002 and left to attend the University of Iowa for a doctorate in Psychology. We parted ways in hopes of pursuing our separate lofty goals.

Jen graduated the following year and began PA school at Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago Medical School. The next several years I found myself constantly comparing every girl I met with Jen. Not one of them measured up. By the summer of 2009 Jen had graduated and was working at a clinic near Saint Louis, Missouri. I was completing my internship and post-doctorate at Kennedy Krieger in Baltimore, Maryland. Having never been able to forget “the love of my life,” I took and a chance and contacted her. We emailed back and forth for a short period before deciding to meet in Philadelphia. She flew from Saint Louis, and I drove up from Baltimore. My heart was racing while I waited for her to enter the terminal. My knees buckled as I laid eyes on her for the first time in seven years.

She was just as beautiful as I remembered. That warm, comfortable feeling that I had felt so many years before was back. We spent that weekend in Philadelphia walking the streets and dining in quaint downtown restaurants. We had so much to catch up on, and we both seemed more than interested. Our romance continued from there, and we agreed that if we were to have a chance we would have to live closer to each other. We talked about my imminent move to Cincinnati, where I had taken a position as a licensed psychologist in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychology and Behavioral Pediatrics at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Jen most generously agreed to leave her family and friends in Saint Louis and join me in Cincinnati. After securing an apartment fifteen minutes away from mine, she obtained a job as a physician’s assistant at the Center of Pelvic Floor Disorders at The Christ Hospital. We could now concentrate on our new jobs and relationship.

As the months continued we knew we were going to have a future together. It was just a matter of when I would ask her to marry me. I purchased the ring months before but decided to propose while vacationing with her siblings on our shared birthday (she is exactly one year younger) of July 21st. She said yes! Sharing each other’s interests, I signed up with her to run the Saint Louis Marathon in October of 2011. It would be a perfect time for our parents to meet. We contacted a trainer, joined a new gym, and had begun our daily workouts. Jen quickly recognized that I was not recovering from our runs. I remained winded for long periods after wards, and my heart rate seemed abnormal. Unbeknown to me she had scheduled an appointment to see a cardiologist at her hospital. After a series of tests, the doctor informed me that I must undergo open-heart surgery for a congenital heart defect as soon as time would permit.

Who would have known that after all these years of playing the knight in shining armor she would be the one to rescue me? My surgery is set for October 3rd, first thing in the morning. And that marathon? It’s off the table, and unfortunately, so is the 2011 Benedictine University Homecoming we were so excited to attend. Our wedding date is March 31st, 2012. I hope to have the first dance with my wife and celebrate our “storybook affair” with our friends and family … and live happily ever after."

Michael Lind
Class of 2002
B.A., Psychology

"I met my prince, Graham Gletty, in the Spring of 2007 at Benedictine University. Although I was 2 years ahead of Graham in school, we ended up taking a U.S. History course together. We sat in the same room, 3 times a week, for nearly 4 months, without saying a word to each other. Then, at the end of April 2007, we wound up at the same party and sparks instantly started to fly, after realizing we were in a class together. From then on, we have been practically inseparable. We are currently planning a June 2012 wedding."

Katie Schmitt
Class of 2008
B.A., Elementary Education

"After graduating Benedictine in '05 I started at Loyola Medical School in their MD/PhD program and am now in my last year. I will be graduating in June 2012 with my M.D. and Ph.D. in virology. I am applying to pathology residency programs right now. While I didn't meet my future husband at Benedictine, I am getting married in December 2011. Some of my best friends were made in college and I'm happy to have 4 friends from Benedictine as my bridesmaids!! Thank u BU for all of my great memories, friends & career!!"

Bridget Banach
Class of 2005
B.S., Biochemistry