Volume 54, Issue 9
Friday, May 1, 2015
801 West Kensington Road, Mount Prospect, Illinois 60056
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The
Prospector Last year’s senior class of 481 students went to 117 colleges, each under their own unique circumstances. The class of 2015 will be finalizing their own decisions today, May 1, and each senior has their own story to tell.
Triplets travel to college together By Mike Stanford
Executive News Editor When Mary, Theresa and Frances Ponicki transferred and faced a new elementary school, they did so together. When they each decided to pick up a guitar for the first time freshman year, they did so together. So when the time came to select a college, the triplets did so in the way they know best: together. Next fall, the triplets photo courtesy of Theresa Ponicki will all be majoring in general engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “Most people split up, but we have this dynamic where we do stuff together,” Theresa said. “We’ll go down [to college] together. We’ll be individuals. We’ll do our own thing, but going down together [is] just kind of who we are.” The Ponicki’s case is a rarity. According to USA Today, twins and triplets are usually encouraged to branch out and attend different universities. At one point the triplets considered separating, but in the end, they decided they would be happier together based on advice from counselors and parents, including one story from former counselor Dustin Seeman about a set of twins who had recently graduated. The twins had decided to go to different colleges, but after one semester, the twins could not stand being apart, so they transferred to the same school. As the time to decide arrived, the triplets’ plan to major in the same area sealed the deal. “We’re pretty close, and we do a lot of the same stuff,” Mary said. “We’re pretty much on the same path, so for us at this point it would be weird to be doing the same thing but in three different spots.” While the Ponickis still think they will be close in college, they believe the dynamic might be different. “You’re considered individuals, but [for] a lot of people who know you, they refer to you as the triplets first,” Theresa said. “Part of my identity is being a triplet, so it comes with a package, but when we go down there … we’ll be able to make more of a name for each of us.”
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Couple takes on college
photo illustration by Caroline Binley and Cassidy Selep
I’m going to take my talents to ...
Student joins Marine Corps
Senior Eric Angerer sat Driving home from in a circle at his St. Rayschool with her boymond’s youth church group friend senior Nick Donthis April as his classmates zelli one day this winter, shared their college plans. senior Jess Motylewski As he heard their plans had a big announceto go to schools like the ment. She had been texUniversity of Wisconsinting him earlier, but the Madison and Illinois State news warranted being University, he knew the face-to-face. next four years of their Motylewski decided lives would be far different to attend the University than his. of Missouri (Mizzou) When it was Angerer’s for college next year, the photo courtesy of Jess Motylewski turn to share, his plans same school Donzelli dewere greeted by a round of clared in the fall. applause. While Donzelli and Motylewski will be sharing Angerer decided in a campus next fall, their decisions were by coinciJanuary he would join dence rather than by design. photo courtesy of Eric Angerer the United States Marine Donzelli had little difficulty selecting Mizzou beCorps despite being acceptcause he was already familiar with the school beed by six colleges. cause his sister attended and could picture himself “I was really astonished by how big [college] pricon campus. Motylewski had a much more drawnes were and the cycle of debt people go through,” Anout college search but ultimately decided on Mizzou gerer said. “I didn’t want to be part of that. I wanted because she loved the campus and was looking for a something where I could have a good foundation … strong journalism program. and something where I could be set financially while While each decided separately, they have had difserving my country.” ficulty shedding the perception they only are going Angerer is still a minor at 17 years old, so he to Mizzou for each other. needed his parents to co-sign his forms. While An“I would make that assumption gerer was eager to sign, the decision if I didn’t know us,” Motylewski Top 10 colleges for for him to postpone college was not said. “I totally get it, [but] our as easy for his mother, Dorothea Anfriends and families know that’s Class of 2014 gerer. not the case whatsoever. That Harper College “She had this grand idea of me gowould be completely ridiculous. ing to college,” Eric said. “I basiI don’t think people should risk Illinois State cally blew this out of the water, their college life and everything U of I and she couldn’t handle that at … that goes into it based on anothLoyola first.” er person.” UIC Eventually, she accepted College Counselor Diane his plans because he was confiBourn agrees people should Iowa dent in his plans and agreed not have more reason to select Iowa State to join the infantry, where he a college than just a high DePaul would have been on the front school romance. lines of war. “[College is] the one time Marquette Angerer will embark on a where you really have to be a Elmhurst College career in Aviation Supply where little selfish and really say, ‘This information courtesy of the College and he would stock the Marine Corps’ is all about me. This is my future, Career Center helicopters and airplanes following so I need to pick what’s really best *statistics for Class of 2015 not yet available boot camp this summer. Aviation for me,’” Bourn said. Supply is one of the smallest units in the Marine Regardless, the rumors surrounding the couple’s Corps, so Angerer hopes he will have a quicker road decision do not bother them. to promotion. “Anyone can judge anyone about whatever Although the Marine Corps may have been the they’re doing with their college career,” Motybest option for Angerer, Bourn says Prospect stulewski said. “This is just one of those things that if dents rarely enter the military directly after high people talk about it, they talk about it. I don’t really school. Most students instead try to attend a milicare. It doesn’t really faze me, and I know it doesn’t tary academy or with another school with an ROTC really faze Nick, either.” scholarship. Although it comes as an unintended outcome, Angerer never seriously considered ROTC or an Motylewski and Donzelli are relieved they will be academy. He believes he has more to gain from divtaking their relationship to college. ing headfirst into a military environment. “[For] any senior couple that is splitting up next “[The Marines] will give me more confidence in year, I think they feel there’s a clock ticking down what I do and teach me that no matter what, if I put on their relationship,” Motylewski said. “I think my mind to something, I will succeed,” Angerer said. we kind of dodged a bullet because we can see how “I can learn how to be a good citizen of this country things play out between the two of us instead of and learn what [makes] the country great.” having to force it one way or another.”