From the National Alumni Board President

Fellow alumni,
Please join me in welcoming eight alumni elected to the board of directors in July. Jeff Lipp ’88 of Overland Park, Kan., Dr. Chet Schrader ’01 of the Dallas/Ft. Worth, Texas area, and Mary (Washburn) Blasi ’04, Michael W. Ludlow ’08, Bernadine Henderson ’99 and Diana Rawlings, ASC ’76 of Wichita have accepted leadership roles for their respective areas.

For the first time, the alumni board has representation from our Colorado Springs, Colo., campus as well, where Master of Social Work program graduates Terri Ann Naughton ’10 and Sharon Compono ’10 have agreed to pool their time and talent resources to share a board position.

Tim Belsan, vice president, and I had the opportunity to visit Terri Ann and Sharon in Colorado Springs this August. We were so impressed by the strong Newman spirit reflected in their goals for an alumni chapter there. It was an important reminder of Newman’s far-reaching presence.

I am committed to maintaining connections with alumni outside of the Wichita area. Keep your eye on the university web calendar for information about alumni activities in your area. Don’t see anything for your locale? Board members’ e-mail addresses are posted on the web for your ease in sharing a suggestion for events or activities.

My friend and fellow alum Kathleen Hageman and I have a new tradition. We schedule to work a shift together at the Newman booth during the Kansas State Fair. It’s a fun way to reconnect for a couple of hours while serving to promote our alma mater to the rest of the state.

This year is an especially exciting time to be affiliated with Newman University! Though many colleges and universities have a Newman Center, we are the only one in the nation named for Blessed John Henry Newman. As a result of his beatification by Pope Benedict XVI in England in September, Newman’s writings, and his belief in the importance of Catholic higher education, have received plenty of media attention.

That makes for a great opportunity to tell others about the impact of a Newman education. It is also a good opportunity to reflect on your Newman experience and what it has meant in your life.

As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, show your gratitude by paying the gift of your education forward, whether by serving the university with your time or treasure, or by telling a prospective student about NU. I look forward to this year of service and encourage you to stay connected. Newman alumni are one of the best networks around!

Christine Siefers, ’91
President, National Alumni Association

Tags: August, Benedict XVI, Bernadine Henderson, Catholic, Chet Schrader, Christine Siefers, Colorado, Colorado Springs, Dallas, Diana Rawlings, England, Ft. Worth, Jeff Lipp, John Henry Cardinal Newman, Kansas, Kansas State Fair, Kathleen Hageman, Mary (Washburn) Blasi, Michael W. Ludlow, National Alumni Association, Newman Center, Overland Park, September, Sharon Compono, Terri Ann Naughton, Texas, Thanksgiving, Tim Belsan, Wichita