Sheil Adelante Gala

Awardees

Rev. Kenneth C. Simpson

The Archbishop Bernard J. Sheil award was presented to the Reverend Kenneth C. Simpson for the impactful difference he has made in the mission of Catholic campus ministry at Northwestern University.

Father Kenneth Simpson was born and raised in the Chicago area and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Chicago in 1978. He has served in small ethnic, large suburban, and city parishes across the Archdiocese as well as college seminary, campus ministry, and Archdiocesan administration. As a Senior Priest, he now serves as a consultant for the Ongoing Formation of Priest and lives with seminarians in their Propaedeutic Stage, as well as Chaplain to the staff at Catholic Charities. Fr. Ken has also proudly served first responders as Chaplain, EMT, and Firefighter with a number of Fire Departments.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Shaw

The Saint John Henry Newman award was presented to Bob and Charlene Shaw for being alums who live out the values of the Sheil Catholic Center at Northwestern University.

Bob and Charlene met as undergraduate students at Northwestern University and attended Sheil together during their university years. A week after they graduated, they were married by Fr. Krump, the Chaplain and Director of Sheil at the time. Bob served in the Navy on a nuclear submarine and got out in 1975. Charlene served as a stay-at-home mother for their two sons. When Bob got out of the Navy, he bought half of a medical device company and, with Charlene's support, grew the company. In 2002, they moved back to Evanston and became active associates with Sheil. Over the years they have assisted with building projects and accompanied couples preparing for marriage. Currently, they serve as financial advisors, as well as mentors to many students.

Jackie Cantú Balmaceda

The Chaplain's Medallion was presented to Jackie Cantú Balmaceda for her dynamic witness of faith and leadership as a student at Sheil Catholic Center at Northwestern University.

Jackie grew up in Arizona, the youngest of three sisters and a daughter of Mexican immigrants. She discovered Northwestern through her Teach for America math teacher in middle school. She is majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Latina and Latino Studies. After graduation, she plans on continuing research in child language development or going to graduate school to be a pediatric speech-language pathologist. She is active in the Sheil community as a lector, student leader for the Arizona service trip to Tucson, and Sheil School of Religion second grade teacher. During the week, she volunteers at Madonna Mission, tutoring refugee children in Rogers Park. She has been on the leadership team for Encounter for two years and was fellowship senator for CaSA last year.

Questions

Contact Fr. Bradley Zamora, Chaplain and Director, via email here or 847.328.4648 or Martina Ricca, Director of Campus Ministry, via email here or 847.328.4648.