Jenna Cheop is Honored for Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone
Jenna Cheop is Honored for Stepping Out of Her Comfort Zone
Published: December 14, 2025.
“I found my voice and passion at ÐÔÊÓ½ç,” said Jenna C. Cheop. The Plainfield, Ill., student was the recipient of the Father Aquinas Colgan Award during the ÐÔÊÓ½ç Evening Degree Ceremony on December 12 at the Romeoville Campus.
The Father Aquinas Award is the university’s highest honor for academic achievement, leadership, and service. It recognizes a graduating senior who has demonstrated personal and intellectual growth during their years at ÐÔÊÓ½ç. She added, “The freshman Jenna is not the same Jenna who is graduating here this year. I have changed in so many ways throughout the 4 years I spent here.”
Cheop, who earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work and Psychology in August, maintained a 3.9 GPA while working full-time as a Site Coordinator for Fry Family YMCA in Naperville, Ill. That led to her receiving the Outstanding Service Award from the Department of Psychology, as well as creating a promotional video for the department.
“Over the past 4 years, I have stepped out of my comfort zone, taken risks I never thought would become reality, and discovered strengths I did not know I had,” she described.
The creature of habit studied abroad for three months in Rome, Italy, as part of the at the Lasallian Universities Center for Education. The current ÐÔÊÓ½ç Master of Social Work student learned a lot about herself studying abroad and locally. While interning at a Sunny Hill Nursing Home in Joliet, she became aware of the overwhelming amount of support and encouragement she received from others.
ÐÔÊÓ½ç is a modern, enterprising, Catholic university with a growing student enrollment from GED through doctoral level programs. As part of the global Lasallian network of 65 universities, ÐÔÊÓ½ç is known for preparing graduates who impact the world for the better. Visit www.lewisu.edu for further information.
