| Admissions | First-Year | Admission Staff

Meet the First-Year Admission Staff

Tyler Olsen

Tyler Olsen

Director of First-Year Admission
Tolsen2@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5078

What is the best advice that you have received?
Its better to be consistently good then occasionally great.

What trend do you hope makes a comeback?
Bring back the flip phones!!!

What’s the worst/best fad you participated in?
Shoulder length, flared out hair style in middle school.

What’s one item you want to own that don’t?
A wearable replica of the Mighty Morphin Red Power Rangers helmet.

Laura Hosford-Yunker

Laura Hosford-Yunker

Director of International Enrollment
lhosfordyunker@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5697

Degree:
M.H.S., Auburn University
B.A., University of South Alabama

What is/are your favorite hobbies?
Soccer, hiking, biking and really anything outdoors.

What is your favorite holiday?
Halloween, I have always loved costumes. My mom can sew amazingly, and growing up she always made me the best Halloween costumes.

What is your favorite sports team?
Chelsea, I love watching English premier league soccer. I also love the Chicago Red Stars.


Sabrina Baftiri

Sabrina Baftiri

First Year Admission Counselor
College of Nursing and Health Science, College of Humanities, Fine Arts and Communication
sbaftiri@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5290

Degree: 
B.A. Education, University of St. Francis  
M.S. Teaching & Learning, University of St. Francis  

What advice would you give to your teenage self? 
“Stay true to yourself and stop stressing! Everything will work itself out.” 

What do you do to turn things around when you’re having a bad day? 
I take a quick trip to the nearest ice cream shop 

Is there any experience you think everyone should be required to have? What is it?
Some may call me crazy for this, but an experience I believe everyone should have once in their life is to go sky diving.  

What’s one item you want to own that you don’t? 
An espresso machine. I need to stop spending $8+ dollars every time I get a coffee!  

Babette Espinoza

Babette Espinoza

First Year Admission Counselor
College of Business and Electrical, Computer and Mathematical Sciences
bespinoza3@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5851

Degree:
B.A. Public Relations,

What’s the best advice you were ever given?
To ride the wave. Nothing last more than a season, so enjoy the good and do your best to get through the bad.

What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
Being told, “Your vibe is amazing!”

What’s one thing you’re currently trying to make a habit?
Read 10 pages daily of something that sparks my interest.

What’s one totally irrational fear that you have?
Driving on bridges over water.


Maxwell Foster

Maxwell Foster

First Year Admission Counselor
College of Aviation, Science and Technology (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics)
mfoster1@lewis.edu
(815)836-5698

Degree:
B.S Communication Studies., University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

What is your favorite quote?
“You miss 100% of the shots you do not take, Wayne Gretsky” - Michael Scott.

What are your favorite sports teams to root for?
Chicago Blackhawks and Da Bears.

What is your biggest dream in life?
To open a catch and cook seafood restaurant in Florida with my best friend.

Julia Murphy

Julia Murphy

Regional Admission Representative (Out of State students)
jmurphy9@lewisu.edu
(331) 201-9251

Degree:
B.S. Psychology, Loyola University Chicago

What is your favorite quote?
“Do your future self a favor and work hard today.”

What is/are your favorite hobby(ies)?
I love to cross stitch and try to golf in my free time.

What’s something—big or small—that you’re really bad at?
Directions! I would not survive without the map feature on my phone.  

Do you still live near where you grew up? Why or why not?
No, I grew up in Florida. I moved up north to experience all four seasons. I didn’t see snow until college!


Moira Quealy

Moira Quealy

First Year Admission Counselor
College of Education and Social Sciences
mquealy@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5855

Degree:
Bachelor of Arts in English and Secondary Education
Master of Art in Educational Technology and Leadership

What’s your favorite sports team to root for?
My family have been season ticket holders for the Chicago White Sox for decades. I love going to Sox games with my dad and my siblings. Even when we have rough seasons (and we have had some REALLY rough seasons), it is my favorite place to be. Plus, when the team having a tough go of things, it makes the wins that much sweeter!

Is there any experience you think everyone should be required to have?
Everyone should study abroad and spend an extended amount of time in another country. When I was in college, I studied abroad in Shanghai, and it opened my eyes to how big the world is and how little of it I know.

What’s your go-to karaoke song?
“Pink Pony Club” by Chappell Roan. It’s a crowd-pleaser every time!

Julia Schaefer

Julia Schaefer

Visit Coordinator
jschaefer2@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5851

Degree:
2020 B.S.
2023 M.A.

What is your favorite sports team to root for?
The St. Louis Cardinals

What book, movie, music, etc. changed your outlook on life?
Divergent by Veronica Roth.

What do you do to turn things around when you are having a difficult day?
Play with my dog Twyla, she is the cutest!

What is your favorite quote?
“Whatever you are be a good one”- Abraham Lincoln


Kaitlyn Weber

Kaitlyn Weber

Director of Aviation Admission
kweber1@lewisu.edu
(815) 836-5920

Degree:
B.S., Rockford University
M.A. in Organizational Leadership,

What are your favorite hobbies?
Cooking, working out, and spending time with my two daughters

What is your favorite spot on campus?
Harold E. White Aviation Center! I love seeing our building filled with students practicing what they love every single day. It’s also pretty cool to go into the hangar and see students working on the airplanes as well as them taking off outside!

What was your first concert? 
*Nsync

What is your favorite sports team?
Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Chicago Blackhawks

 

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