Graduates’ Luncheon Virtual Event
Watch the 19th Annual Graduates’ Luncheon recap now.
About the Event
Led by Mercy Home’s Leader Council, a volunteer board comprised of prominent professional women, the Graduates’ Luncheon raises resources that help us improve educational opportunities for our young people. As we continue to practice social distancing, this year’s event will be held entirely online for the second year in a row.
The livestream event will include many of the same features as in previous years, including an inspiring address by a Mercy Home youth graduate and a keynote address by a prominent public guest.
Featured Keynote Speaker
Angelique Richard, PhD, RN, CENP, is the Chief Nursing Officer, Rush University Medical Center and Rush University System for Health and Senior Vice President of Hospital Operations, Rush University Medical Center. She provides administrative oversight and accountability for professional nursing practice, operations and performance improvement.
Dr. Richard has extensive experience in the field of nursing, leadership and hospital operations. Before joining Rush University Medical Center in 2016, she served as the Vice President, Clinical Operations and Chief Nurse Executive at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance in 2014, ranked #7 nationally for cancer services by the US News & World Reports. Prior to that, Dr. Richard worked as the Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President of Patient Care Services at Presence Healthcare – Saint Francis Hospital, where she led her organization to achieve Magnet Designation, the ANCC’s highest recognition for nursing excellence. She has held several nursing and hospital leadership roles over her career.
Dr. Richard started her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Lake Forest College in Lake Forest, Illinois, and went on to finish her bachelor’s degree in nursing at Rush University. Additionally, Dr. Richard received her Master of Science from Rush University. After completing her master’s degree, she also received a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Illinois. A published researcher, Dr. Richard co-authored a study, “Reducing central line catheter infections in bone marrow transplant patients,” which was published in Nursing Clinics of North America. She also participated as the only nurse representative on Vice President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot panel discussion at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and represented Seattle Cancer Care Alliance at the Vice President’s National Moonshot Cancer Summit in Washington, DC in 2016.
Photo credit: Saint Francis Hospital, Evanston, IL.
Featured Graduate
Mary, Mercy Home for Boys & Girls’ Graduate, is graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she made the Dean’s List every year and played on the women’s rugby team. She is passionate about agricultural education and animal welfare, and she loves working with kids. Her dream is to one day own an educational farm where she teaches children where their food comes from.
Thank you to our sponsors
To learn more about sponsorship opportunities, contact Rita McGovern at ritmcg@mercyhome.org.
