Photo caption: Photo provided by St. Xavier University. Elizabeth Buksa, a 2019 graduate of Bishop Noll Institute in Hammond, recently graduated from St. Xavier University after only five semesters. In addition to her dedication to her studies, Buksa also played three seasons of college volleyball for the St. Xavier Cougars.
When Elizabeth Buksa, a 2019 Bishop Noll Institute alumna, graduated from St. Xavier University Friday (Dec. 10), she did so after only five college semesters – with a double major, three seasons of playing college volleyball and an internship all under her belt.
Thanks to the 26 college credit hours she earned as a student at Bishop Noll and seizing an opportunity to take more online courses during the pandemic, Buksa has achieved her goals of graduating early and finding a full-time job in her field.
Taking dual credit courses at Bishop Noll put Buksa at an advantage by almost a year, she said. She entered St. Xavier’s business school pursuing majors in digital marketing and management and taking 18 credit hours each semester. She also found success playing college volleyball, which she dreamed of since playing volleyball at Bishop Noll.
“I always had this passion for it because it related to life,” said Buksa, of Munster. “Volleyball is essentially a game of mistakes. Everyone is going to make a mistake on the team, but it's how you learn from the mistake and build yourself up. I think that sport relates to life, and that’s why I was passionate about it.”
Buksa credits Bishop Noll teacher Marisa Renwald with helping make her college dreams come true.
“It was a combination of what I learned from her in English and mass media. I liked how she taught her students and pushed them at the same time,” Buksa said. “She really improved my writing skills, and that has helped me so much along the way. It’s such an important aspect that I’ll be doing in my job as well. She also took time after school to show me how to put volleyball recruitment videos together. She helped me be able to play in college.”
Although two of Buksa’s three college seasons were affected by COVID, her volleyball team broke several school records during her last season. St. Xavier’s 18-0 record in conference play was the school’s first undefeated season. The team qualified for the NAIA nationals and, although it ultimately lost in South Dakota, Buksa said it was a fun experience.
“(College volleyball) was definitely different from high school with all the traveling. I had to learn how to manage my time if I had to miss class … doing work on bus rides is very difficult.”
During her second year at college, all courses transitioned online due to the pandemic. She found a way to turn that into an opportunity by doubling up on coursework.
“The second semester we were online, I was taking 27 credit hours with only two of those classes in person. I didn’t plan on graduating in three years – I was just revamping my schedule my second semester.”
After that, she realized if she continued to work hard, she could graduate early and achieve her goal of heading into the workforce. Of all her achievements in life, she said she is most proud of being able to graduate in five semesters without taking any summer courses.
While at St. Xavier, a Catholic university in Chicago, Buksa said she was able to branch out and get involved in everything the school had to offer.
She was a peer tutor and taught math and economics courses in addition to working as a professor assistant for a college algebra class. She also served as
marketing director for the Student Activities Board, which planned on-campus events for students.
In January, Buksa will reach her career-launching goal when she takes on her new role as a marketing and human resource generalist at Jupiter Aluminum Corp. in Hammond.
Following a summer internship with the aluminum scrap recycling company, she stayed on board working one to two days a week, as her college schedule allowed, with her boss giving her the flexibility she needed. She said finding the right internship was a challenge, and the pandemic affected the types and number of internships available.
“I knew that experience would help me a lot,” she said. “I was researching constantly on job boards and looking at corporations nearby that offered internships. I was so drained from having classes online for three semesters, I really wanted an in-person internship.
“In marketing, many jobs were remote. I really had to broaden my horizons and, thankfully, I chose a major that allowed me to do so. I can now do a lot in the business sector, so I looked into human resources. The HR field is a people person job.”
The oldest of five siblings, Buksa said her parents, Dan and Julie, always taught her to set a good example for her siblings. They include Mary, Bishop Noll Class of 2021; Luke, a current BNI junior; Grace, a BNI sophomore; and Abigail, a student at St. Thomas More School in Munster.
“We try to go above each other's goals, but we do so in a way that’s friendly and we’re all very close,” she said. “They ask me for advice and help, but they also do a great job at mapping out what they want to do with their life. They all have skills that they excel in. Even though we are super competitive with achievements, we’re all going to be doing something different based on our individual skill set.”
Buksa’s father, Dan, is a 1984 graduate of Bishop Noll. Elizabeth said he had already set in stone that his children would attend his alma mater.
“He has a very strong belief in Catholic education and, because he was a graduate of Bishop Noll, he specifically chose that for what they have to offer in education and faith.”
“As a Bishop Noll alum, it is one of the joys of my life that my children are able to follow in my footsteps at Bishop Noll,” Dan Buksa said of the investment made in his children’s future. “For me as a parent, entrusting the spiritual, academic and athletic development of my children for part of the day to an institution that has guided young people for 100 years now is a true blessing. This journey has been worth every sacrifice that my wife and I have made.”
Now in its 101st school year, Bishop Noll consistently receives high rankings from the Indiana Department of Education, including the highest graduation rate (99%) of any high school in Lake County over the past six years. In addition, Noll's 95 graduates of the Class of 2021 received $8.1 million in college scholarship offers. Noll is part of the Diocese of Gary, offering a discount to Diocesan families, and participates in the Indiana School Choice program.