Catching up with 2019 classmates Laura Durkin and Samuel Saunders at the University of Illinois and Syracuse University, respectively.
LAURA DURKIN
Fenwick Graduation: 2019
Hometown: Riverside, IL
Grade School: St. Mary’s
Current School: University of Illinois (Gies College of Business)
Major: Finance and Information Systems
Summer Internship: A summer internship I am currently pursuing is branching off of the Venture Capital Association club that I participated in my freshman year at U of I. This internship involves working with private equity firms across the United States to provide financial analytics and exit-strategy consulting. This summer I will be continuing research and performing quantitative due diligence to identify potential target investments for a private equity firm that I have been on a project with since the beginning of my second semester. This internship will be paired with an internship through COVID-19 Business Fellowship Program where I will help small businesses throughout the Chicago area to reimagine and redefine how they reach customers, achieve business objectives, and help them to adapt to the new normal by mobilizing in the face of adversity.
Career aspirations: I will be a sophomore in the Gies College of Business, still mainly exploring my career options and aspirations. I am looking into a career potentially involving computer science and finance.
Fenwick achievements/
activities: National Honors Society, Latin Club Dictator, Cross Country 4 years, Track 3 years, Cross Country and Track captain 2019, Freshman soccer; Varsity soccer sophomore year, Girls Bowling record holder, Kairos Leader November 2019.
Fenwick teacher who had the most influence on you: I was taught AP physics by Mr. Kleinhans and AP Econ by Mr. Gallo. A mixture of both the enthusiastic, heartfelt, and informational lessons I learned that apply both in and out of the classroom by these two teachers is what has been guiding me to find my interests and career aspirations so far in college. I was also blessed to be taught by Mr. Rodde, Mr. Roche and many more influential teachers while at Fenwick High School.
Fenwick class that had the most influence on you: Moral Theology my junior year with Mr. Slajchert and Dominican Spirituality my senior year with Fr. Peddicord. I was lucky enough to have Mr. Slajchert my freshman and junior year. By the time I had him for moral theology my junior, I was very comfortable with his teaching style, and I was able to explore the material of moral theology with his guidance and see the importance of the theology class at Fenwick first hand. My senior Dominican Spirituality class, led by Fenwick President Fr. Peddicord was influential because it was a perfect conclusion to my time at Fenwick learning of the history, pillars, and virtues of what living as a Dominican truly means.
Best Fenwick experience/the one you would like to live again: I was recently reflecting on this answer this past weekend as I was updated with my one year memories on snapchat of my senior track state and senior prom weekend. I would relive this Fenwick experience in an instant surrounded by teammates, coaches, friends, and family celebrating the culmination of my four years of training and closing out my highschool experience with a sunny weekend out of a fairytale book.
What Fenwick experience changed you the most: My participation on the cross country team changed me the most through my four years at Fenwick. I had never run before high school, but before my first day of classes even began I had already met a group of driven, talented, compassionate, beautiful girls that would be my best friends even after graduation. I learned innumerable hard lessons and built a strong character and culminated my highschool running career by qualifying for state individually. I am now taking the love for the sport that was formed and developed through highschool and currently training for the Chicago Marathon in the fall.
SAMUEL SAUNDERS
Fenwick Graduation: 2019
Hometown: Wheaton, IL
Grade School: St. Petronille
Current School: Syracuse University (Syracuse, NY)
Double Major: Finance & Entrepreneurship
Involvement on campus: I’m currently a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, NYA chapter where I’m on the Finance Committee. This is a great experience because I get the opportunity to manage a $100,000 budget. Last year, I was elected to be the RHA (BBB) Director of Administration and Finance where my role was to govern student life for the 730 students in my hall and oversee Syracuse’s housing budget. I’m also an active member in Cuse’s Entrepreneurship Club where we bring in prosperous entrepreneurs such as Kenneth Langone Sr. — investor, philanthropist, and co-founder of Home Depot — to guest speak at our business school.
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