Refectory Revival Fund-A-Need Project Unveiled

Peru – St. Bede Academy is proud to announce the launch of its 2025 Fund-A-Need Project: Refectory Revival - One Table, Many Stories, which is aimed at restoring and modernizing one of the most cherished and historic spaces on campus - the refectory.

For generations, St. Bede’s refectory has been more than a dining hall. It has served as a central gathering place where students come together to share meals, form friendships and build lasting memories.

St. Bede aims to raise $230,000 for this project, which includes installation of two safety exit doors, tin ceiling refurbishment, 17 new windows, electrical and lighting upgrades, wall patching and painting, floor polishing and modern graphic details and window shades.

“This isn’t just a renovation project,” said Michel Massamba, Director of Mission Advancement & Major Gifts. “It’s an investment in the community and culture of St. Bede. The refectory is the heart of our campus, and we’re inviting our alumni, families and friends to help keep that heart beating strong.”

The Fund-A-Need Project is being launched ahead of St. Bede’s 42nd Annual Auction, taking place on June 14. While a featured paddle raise initiative during the event, donors don’t need to wait until auction night to contribute. Gifts are being accepted now through the evening of the auction. Early contributions are encouraged and will help build momentum toward reaching the fundraising goal.

Gifts of all sizes are welcome to help fund this project. Donors who contribute $500 or more will receive an invitation to the Refectory Appreciation Party on Thursday, Dec. 11.

To learn more about the campaign or to make a gift, please visit www.st-bede.com/fundaneed-2025.

St. Bede hosts 51st Annual Honors Banquet

PERU - St. Bede Academy hosted its 51st annual Honors Banquet on Tuesday, April 24. Students from all classes were presented athletic and academic excellence awards. The following were the recipients for the 2024-25 awards presented:

Senior of the Year

Phillip Gray

Distinguished Awards

Fr. Arthur Schmitt, OSB Service Award: Adeline Mitchell

Scholar Athlete Award: Madalyn Dittmar and Abraham Wiesbrock

IHSA All-State Academic Team Nominee: Madalyn Dittman and Greyson Marincic

Athlete of the Year Award: Bailey Engels, Greyson Marincic and Kaden Nauman

Fr. Gorman Award: Haiden Ator, Bailey Engels, Lacey Griggs, Greyson Marincic, Jack Maschmann, Mary Quinn McClain, Aidan Mullane and Kaden Nauman.

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award (HOBY): Eden Galvan, Lucy Maus, Stuart McGunnigal and Ariana Villava.

Illinois Principal’s Association John Ourth Student Recognition Award: Bailey Engels and Arthur van den Berg

Daughters of the American Revolution Award (DAR): Phillip Gray

Sons of the American Revolution Award (SAR): Jake Migliorini

President’s Excellence in Education: Ziheng Gordon Chen, Yibo Frank Fan, Haiqing Helen Mao, Greyson Marincic, Mason Ross, Arthur van den Berg, Abraham Wiesbrock and Solomon Zhang.  

National Merit Commended Students: Greyson Marincic and Abraham Wiesbrock

Illinois State Scholars: Haiden Ator, Andrea Brandner, Madalyn Dittmar, Grady Gillan, Phillip Gray, Tyler Jordan, Greyson Marincic, Arthur van den Berg and Abraham Wiesbrock.

St. Bede Academy International Scholar: Ziheng Gordon Chen

Scholastic Top 10 (In alphabetical order): Haiden Ator, Andrea Brandner, Ziheng Gordon Chen, Madalyn Dittmar (Salutatorian), Yibo Frank Fan, Phillip Gray, Tyler Jordan, Greyson Marincic, Victoria Mendez and Abraham Wiesbrock (Valedictorian)

Academic Awards

Freshmen: Hope Antkowiak, Jacob Inman, Parker McClain, Lizet Yoltzin Morales Sanchez, Mary Simonetta and Hanna Waszkowiak

Sophomores: Ranbir Saini

Junior: Noah Buck, Lillian Soliman, Ryan Soliman and Yannis Yong

Senior: Abraham Wiesbrock

Citizenship Awards

Freshman: Johnathan Michael

Sophomore: Ariana Villava

Junior: Emma Slingsby

Senior: Bailey Engels

Department Awards

Mathematics: Freshman Jieming Lisa Huang, Sophomore Ranbir Saini, Junior Alp Arslan and Senior Greyson Marincic

English: Freshmen Landon Balestri and Lizet Yoltzin Morales Sanchez, Sophomore Kyra Finley, Juniors Ruby Michels and Yannis Yong and Senior Jake Migliorini

Spanish: Johnathan Michael (Spanish I), Grace Gahan (Spanish II), Yannis Yong (Spanish III) and Bailey Engels (Spanish IV)

Science: Johnathan Michael (Honors Biology I), Ryan Soliman (AP Chemistry), Andrea Brandner and Ziheng Gordon Chen (Anatomy & Physiology), Arthur van den Berg (AP Computer Science Principles), Noah Buck, Aiden James Hermes, Ryan Soliman and Yannis Yong (AP Computer Science) and Greyson Marincic and Abraham Wiesbrock (AP Physics)

History: Yannis Yong (AP U.S. History), Weston Heersink (U.S. History), Kyra Finley (Honors World History) and Calen Cass (World History)

Fine Arts: Mirella Haskell (Fr. Joseph Heyd, OSB Award)

St. Bede raises $264,000 on St. Benedict’s Day of Giving

St. Bede Freshman Connor Holly adds his name to the Bruin Impact Wall after donating to the St. Benedict’s Day campaign on March 21. Holly was one of hundreds of students who took part in giving back during the campaign.

St. Bede Abbey and Academy announced the success of its annual St. Benedict’s Day of Giving, held on March 21. The campaign raised an impressive $264,000 from 494 donors, including alumni, parents, friends, school staff, teachers and students. 

“It was deeply moving to see our beloved St. Bede community come together, in unity, to make St. Benedict's Day a resounding success. What this reaffirms is that the future of both our Abbey and Academy is in excellent hands, with the support of our alumni and friends whose generosity continues to strengthen our community," said Michel Massamba, Director of Mission Advancement and Major Gifts.

The funds directly support the Saint Bede Annual Fund, which plays a crucial role in bridging the gap in tuition by covering costs associated with professional development for teachers, STEM and teaching resources, athletic, fine arts and student programs, Christian and faith formation and maintaining campus facilities.

As an independent institution, St. Bede does not receive state or diocesan funding and relies entirely on the generosity of its donors.

To encourage participation on St. Benedict’s Day, donors who contributed $50 or more received a St. Bede tote bag. Students were also actively engaged in the campaign - those who donated $2 or more enjoyed a jean day on the day of the campaign, and had the opportunity to sign the Bruin Impact Wall, symbolizing unity and school spirit.

A key factor in the campaign’s success was the $98,000 in matching gift challenges, which were unlocked throughout the day. Additionally, a generous donor contributed a $50,000 donor rally challenge, which spurred an increase in participation in the campaign.

For more information about St. Bede’s St. Benedict’s Day of Giving, visit www.st-bede.com/stbenedict-2025.  

St. Bede welcomes new football and volleyball coaches

Saint Bede would like to welcome two new coaches to its family. Jack Brady is Head Varsity Football Coach and Nicole Trenka is Head Varsity Volleyball Coach.

Brady has spent the past nine years serving in various capacities with the Bruin Football program and has been very involved with offensive design and coordination the past five seasons.  Brady’s plans to immediately begin establishing and meeting with members of his coaching staff, as he is excited to engage in critical summer opportunities, such as annual 7-on-7 events and strength and conditioning sessions. His plans include taking what he has learned these past years and working to create robust engagement opportunities for all constituents of SBA for our weekend football events.

Trenka currently serves as the 16u coach with the Morris Volleyball Club and was on coaching staff at La Salle Peru High School in the fall of 2024, where she assisted at the sophomore level. Her previous stops include Head Club Volleyball Coach for Saint Mary's College of California as well as assistant coach for the 17u team at the Bay Area Volleyball Club. Trenka is a Saint Mary's College of California graduate (B.S. in Health and Human Performance) and her playing career includes both Beach and Club Volleyball while at Saint Mary's. She will meet with returning SBA players soon and will finalize her coaching staff.

Michel Massamba '11 hired as Director of Mission Advancement

Superintendent Eve Postula ’84 welcomes Michel Massamba ’11 as Saint Bede’s Director of Mission Advancement and Major Gifts.

Saint Bede Abbey and Academy proudly announces Michel Massamba as the new Director of Mission Advancement and Major Gifts. Massamba is responsible for the planning, coordination and implementation of a comprehensive development program that communicates the mission of providing a Catholic Benedictine college-preparatory high school education in the Illinois Valley. 

“Ultimately, Michel is responsible for executing a plan that will sustain the mission of Saint Bede through leveraging current relationships and forging new partnerships to provide resources necessary for a high-quality and vital experience for our students,” said Eve Postula, Superintendent.  

Massamba is a 2011 graduate of Saint Bede Academy and is thrilled to be returning to his alma mater to lead the Office of Mission Advancement and successful development team.

“Over the past five years, I’ve been involved in organizations that weren’t necessarily Catholic and I have been craving to come back to a Catholic environment. Being back at Saint Bede gives me that Catholic atmosphere I need and it’s an opportunity to help the institution continue to grow and be successful for generations to come,” he said. 

In this leadership role, Massamba will collaborate with the Abbot and Superintendent to strategically grow reach, revenue and reputation for the Abbey and Academy. As an experienced Grants Manager, Massamba will be an asset to the team as he brings recent experience cultivating funds for Youth Guidance and The Salvation Army North & Central Illinois Divisional Headquarters, both in Chicago. His skills in research, prospecting, strategic planning and financial management position him well to add long-term planning, goal setting and creating sustainable financial models to support organizational growth and mission success.

“The development, recruitment and fundraising efforts are critical to the ongoing success of Catholic high schools, such as Saint Bede,” said Postula. “Michel arrives at a moment in our school’s history in which we are primed to grow this effort. He brings an engaging and genuine presence, creative strategic thinking, a commitment to stewardship, leadership skills and a personal dedication to ensuring the Catholic Benedictine experience he received as a student-athlete, will be available to others. I am thrilled to partner with Michel to grow our fundraising effort, further engage students, parents and alumni, and advance the important mission of our Saint Bede community.”

Massamba, and his wife, Colleen, reside in nearby Ohio, Illinois with their three young children.

Please join us in welcoming Michel to our team!