Michael and Madeline Hughes

Lewis University will host the 2012 Signum Fidei Celebration on Saturday, Sept. 8 at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in Chicago. Now in its 14th year, the Signum Fidei (which means Sign of Faith) Celebration provides funding for need-based scholarships to ensure the opportunity of values based education for deserving students.

This year, the event will present its annual Signum Fidei Award to Michael and Madeline Hughes for their extraordinary contributions to Catholic education and community organizations.

Sponsored by Lewis University and its Board of Trustees, the Signum Fidei Celebration will include an opening reception with silent auction at 5:30 p.m., followed by a gourmet dinner, awards ceremony, live auction, raffle and entertainment. Chicago news anchor Bill Kurtis of CBS 2 will be Master of Ceremonies and offer a special welcome during the Award ceremony.

Proceeds from the Signum Fidei Celebration will benefit the Lewis University Mission Fund, which provides additional support to the university’s most financially at-risk students. Reservations for the black-tie-optional event are $300 per person. For more information on the event or to purchase tickets, call (815) 836-5545.

The Signum Fidei Award is presented annually to outstanding individuals who demonstrate the “Sign of Faith” in their contributions to society and to the university. Originally from Chicago, Michael and Madeline Hughes are now residents of Oak Brook who have long been active in supporting Lewis University. The couple also provides leadership and volunteer in organizations including the Misericordia/Heart of Mercy Home which provides a community of care for those with developmental disabilities.

President and founder of Huen Electric, Inc., Michael Hughes holds the title of Trustee Emeritus at Lewis University where he served on the Board of Trustees from 1990 to 2002, serving as Vice Chair and providing highly-valued guidance and expertise during a period of construction and renovations in transformation of the university’s Romeoville campus as well as the dynamic growth of academic programs.

The couple has integrated the value of service to others into the Huen corporation, now one of the top five electrical contracting firms in the Chicago area with several locations in Illinois, New York and New Jersey. Michael Hughes also serves as Director of the Huen Foundation, Inc., and company employees participate in various events for the community. He also has provided leadership as Board President for the Chicago Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, and as an Advisory Council member for Misericordia, Madeline Hughes has worked with children with disabilities at Little Friends for many years and now spends many hours volunteering with the elderly.

Lewis University is a Catholic university offering distinctive undergraduate and graduate programs to nearly 6,500 traditional and adult students. Lewis offers multiple campus locations, online degree programs, and a variety of formats that provide accessibility and convenience to a growing student population. Sponsored by the De La Salle Christian Brothers, Lewis prepares intellectually engaged, ethically grounded, globally connected, and socially responsible graduates. The ninth largest private not-for-profit university in Illinois, Lewis has been nationally recognized by The Princeton Review and U.S. News & World Report.