Peyton Kreke ’17, Nursing

Bachelor of Nursing, Illinois State University

When asked how Mater Dei influenced his life, Peyton stated, “As a nurse in critical care, I look back and realize that Mater Dei first introduced me to serving others. It was in all my classes, extracurricular activities, and volunteer activities that I discovered I enjoy serving and caring for those in need. Now, my career involves ensuring my patients’ most basic needs are met. I believe that without Mater Dei, I would not have the motivation to work in the healthcare field with the most vulnerable patient population.

Additionally, I realize how strong of a foundational education I received at Mater Dei. I not only felt prepared to handle college education, but also was constantly supported to ensure acceptance into my college of choice. The transition to college was seamless because of the preparation I had at Mater Dei.

Finally, Mater Dei allowed me to earn dual credits in most of the general education courses I would have taken in college. By having those complete, I was able to start enrolling in nursing courses earlier and lighten the load of future semesters. For me, the benefits of attending Mater Dei were numerous!”

Peyton serves as an ICU registered nurse at HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (at the time of this publication).
February 2022

Ben Wiegmann’14, Agriculture

Associate of Science, Kaskaskia College
Bachelor of Science in Crop Science, University of Illinois
Master of Science in Crop Science, University of Illinois

When asked how Mater Dei influenced his educational and/or career path, Ben stated, “Despite the fact that Mater Dei does not offer an agriculture program, attending Mater Dei provided me with an excellent foundation that I could build upon. The courses and culture challenged me in ways that ultimately prepared me for college courses. Additionally, by not focusing on agriculture courses in high school, I was able to enroll in dual credit courses (at Mater Dei), which then allowed me to enroll in more agriculture classes within my major at an earlier time (and not worry about general education courses). Mater Dei played a vital role in my ability to achieve my goals!”

Ben serves as a field sales agronomist for Beck’s Hybrids (at the time of this publication).
January 2022