USF Named 2023 Large Business of the Year by the Joliet Chamber of Commerce

USF - Large Business of the Year as part of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 2023 Annual Awards and Celebration of Success

photo courtesy of Unidos Marketing Network

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is proud to announce that it has been named the Large Business of the Year as part of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s 2023 Annual Awards and Celebration of Success event.

USF was one of twelve organizations and individuals honored at the event, which took place on February 21, 2023.

“The University of St. Francis is proud to be a member of, and more importantly a partner with, the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Chamber staff works tirelessly for the benefit of its member businesses and organizations, as well as the Joliet region as a whole. With so many deserving organizations to consider, it is certainly an honor for USF to be recognized with this award,” said Dave DiLorenzo, USF director of community and employee relations.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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American Red Cross Blood Drive at USF on Wednesday, February 15

American Red Cross blood drive - February 15, 2023

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Wednesday, February 15, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Assembly Hall Gymnasium at USF’s St. Clare Campus, which is located at 1550 Plainfield Road in Joliet.

For an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org and enter “60435” in the red “Find a Blood Drive” box on the home page. You can save up to 15 minutes when you donate blood by using RapidPass. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for more information.

If you are an eligible type O, B – or A – donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component.

For more information, please visit redcrossblood.org.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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American Red Cross Blood Drive at USF on Friday, December 2

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is hosting its final American Red Cross blood drive of 2022 on Friday, December 2, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Assembly Hall Gymnasium at USF’s St. Clare Campus, which is located at 1550 Plainfield Road in Joliet.

For an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org, click on the “Donate Blood” link, and then click on the “Find a Blood Drive” link (enter “60435” when prompted). You can save up to 15 minutes when you donate blood by using RapidPass. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for more information.

If you are an eligible type O, B – or A – donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component.

For more information, please visit redcrossblood.org.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 53,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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American Red Cross Blood Drive at USF on February 4

American Red Cross Blood Drive

Joliet, Ill. – The University of St. Francis (USF) is hosting an American Red Cross blood drive on Friday, February 4, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Assembly Hall Gym at USF’s St. Clare Campus, which is located at 1550 Plainfield Road in Joliet.

For an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org. You can save up to 15 minutes when you donate blood by using RapidPass. Visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass for more information.

If you are an eligible type O, B – or A – donor, consider making a Power Red donation. Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component.

All guests will be required to present either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or proof of a negative COVID-19 test (dated within one week of their visit to campus) in an effort to provide a safe event atmosphere. Donors can also anticipate the following precautions when arriving to the donation site:

  • Providing hand sanitizer for use before entering the drives, as well as throughout the donation process;
  • Following social distancing guidelines between donors including entry, donation and refreshment areas;
  • Ensuring face masks or coverings are worn by both staff and donors (masks will be provided for all donors who do not bring their own face coverings);
  • Routinely disinfecting surfaces, equipment and donor touched areas;
  • Wearing gloves, and changing gloves often, and;
  • Using sterile collection sets and antiseptic scrub for every donation.

For more information, please visit redcrossblood.org.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 52,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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USF’s Gard Joins Regional American Red Cross Board

Joliet, Ill. – The American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley recently announced that Julee Gard, University of St. Francis (USF) Vice President of Finance & Administration, has joined its Board of Directors. Board members are chosen based on their commitment to the Red Cross mission in combination with their expertise, experience, and willingness to serve the needs of the board.

Gard has served as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Administration and Finance at USF since 2016. Prior to her work at USF, Gard was the Vice President of Finance and HR at Spectrum Technologies from 2012-2016. Her career also includes senior financial positions at Little Friends, SIRVA, and Accenture. She started her career as an auditor in public accounting with Deloitte.

Gard is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Association of Catholic Colleges & Universities, the National Association of College & University Business Officers, and the Society for Human Resource Management.

“With Julee Gard joining the Chapter Board, the Red Cross continues to strengthen our partnerships with higher education in the chapter,” said American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley Executive Director, Brian McDaniel. “The University of St. Francis has been an anchor for our work to collect life-saving blood, especially among African Americans for Sickle Cell Disease.”

Gard earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting and a Master of Business Administration at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is also a Certified Public Accountant. Gard, her husband Michael, and their three college-aged children live in Naperville, IL.

About the American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley

The American Red Cross of the Illinois River Valley serves over 1 million people in five counties in Northern Illinois including Kankakee, Will, Grundy, Kendall and LaSalle. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit us at www.redcross.org/ILRiver or visit us on Twitter @RedCrossIL.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 51,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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USF, Kodo Pharmacy partner to help vaccinate the community

Joliet, Ill. – The Franciscan values of service, compassion, integrity and respect are lived through word and action each day at the University of St. Francis, as well as in the community through USF students and employees. In response to the need created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, these values were recently demonstrated in the community by USF Leach College of Nursing (LCON) students and staff as they partnered with Kodo Pharmacy in Joliet to administer vaccine doses to those in need in the community.

“As most of us aware, the task of administering the COVID-19 vaccine to the community is monumental. The LCON staff reached out to the USF Wellness Center and the idea of making contact with Kodo Pharmacy in Joliet was addressed. Talking with Chad Kodiak, owner of and pharmacist at Kodo Pharmacy, the idea was presented that the pharmacy could secure the vaccine through ICares and the Will County Health Department, and that nursing students could assist in vaccine administration,” said Phyllis Peterson, USF Wellness Center Coordinator.

After receiving their own vaccine for protection as well as being in the 1A allocation of the vaccine, a USF team of employees and student nurses worked with Kodo Pharmacy to administer the vaccine to residents at the Joshua Arms Senior High Rise and Trinity Services, along with clients of Cornerstone Services and the Will County Health Department clinic. In three days, the USF student nurses administered over 1660 vaccines. The students also provided COVID-19 testing for approximately 200 Will County residents.

Kodiak stressed his appreciation for the assistance from USF.

“We are so thankful for USF and its nursing students. They have been unbelievable and completely professional. It is no exaggeration to say the COVID vaccines that have been administered in Will County would not have been possible without the help of the USF nursing students. We continue to receive compliments about how professional they are, how skilled they are, and how wonderful they are at doing their job,” he said.

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The University of St. Francis, in Joliet, Ill., serves close to 4,000 students nationwide and offers undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs in the arts and sciences, business, education, nursing and social work. There are over 51,000 USF alumni across the globe. For information, call 800-735-7500 or visit stfrancis.edu.

University of St. Francis: Bigger thinking. Brighter purpose.

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