Saint Patrick senior Peter Puczkowskyj was recently offered a $10,000 music scholarship to attend Elmhurst College next fall. Puczkowskyj, a guitar player in the Saint Patrick Honors Jazz Band earned the scholarship after going through a rigorous auditioning process, consisting of three auditions. At Elmhurst, Puczkowskyj will be a member of the renowned Elmhurst College Jazz Band.

The Elmhurst College Jazz Band has gained international acclaim as a truly outstanding collegiate jazz ensemble. Under the direction of Doug Beach, the band has received outstanding ratings at jazz festivals from many jazz greats. The band has toured 17 nations and has twice been honored with invitations from the U.S. State Department to tour Europe. Frequent performances with well-known guest artists are a regular part of the band's schedule. In addition, the band has commissioned a number of original works from well-known composers.

The band also hosts the annual Elmhurst College Jazz Festival, a major event that attracts the best jazz bands from around the country and is adjudicated by the greatest names in jazz today.