EUREKA – Four individuals will receive honorary degrees from Eureka College at the 158th Founders’ Day convocation at 5 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Cerf Center. The convocation is free and open to the public. 

The doctor of humane letters for distinguished service to and support of Eureka College will be awarded to Loren Logsdon and Leo “Doc” Traister, both of Eureka; Christine Bonati Bollwinkle of Peoria; and Anthony Rigazio of Oglesby.

Logsdon graduated from Eureka College in 1958. He taught at Eureka College from 1960 to1965 and then taught at Western Illinois University for more than 20 years. He returned to teach at Eureka College in 1991and still teaches part-time. He received the college’s Helen Cleaver Distinguished Teaching Award. He wrote “Stories ‘neath the Elms,” a compilation of reminiscences from Eureka College alumni. 

Traister graduated from Eureka College in 1948. After coaching and teaching in high schools for seven years, he held teaching, coaching and administrative positions at Eureka College from 1956 to 1984. He is a member of the Eureka College Athletic Hall of Fame and is a winner of the Eureka College Alumni of Merit Award.

Bonati Bollwinkle donated the largest single gift by a living donor to Eureka College. The gift made in 2007 created the Bonati Fitness Center and the Bonati Scholarship.  The gift was made in memory of her late husband, Eureka alumnus and former trustee Ron Bonati. She is the winner of the 2008 Central Illinois Outstanding Philanthropist from the Association of Fundraising Professionals, and she received the 2010 Eureka College Honorary Alumna Award.

Rigazio is a Eureka College trustee who donated gifts for the creation of a scholarship and the lobby of the Reagan Physical Education Center, both named for his late son Steven, a graduate of Eureka College.  Rigazio received the 2005 Honorary Eureka College Alumnus Award.  Rigazio began his career as a mechanical engineer with Westclox and later formed his own business, Worldtronics International Inc., which researched, developed and produced timers and light sensing mechanisms for appliances made by Hamilton Beach, Black and Decker, Proctor Silex and Sunbeam, among others.  

For more information about the convocation, contact Chaplain Bruce Fowlkes at 467-6429 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .