Sarah Strole joins Newman as Director of Alumni Relations, Annual Giving

Sarah Strole

Newman University welcomed Sarah Strole as director of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving, effective Aug. 1.

In her role at Newman, Strole will oversee all aspects of Alumni Relations, including event planning, alumni engagement, fundraising and related duties. She will also oversee the university’s Annual Giving efforts, which support student scholarships.

“We’re very happy to have Sarah join the Newman University team,” said Vice President for University Advancement J.V. Johnston. “She has wonderful people skills, a great sense of energy and a positive outlook that is well suited to working with Newman alumni, donors, fellow staff and faculty members and current students.”

“I’m really excited to get to know the community,” Strole said. “Whenever I talk to staff, students, alumni or faculty, everyone tells me there’s something special to Newman – the relationships they have and the care they receive. I like to build relationships, and I think that’s going to be important to me in this position. Newman has so much to offer, to current students and to that established base of alumni.”

Strole came to Newman from the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita, where she had served as a coordinator since 2014. In her role there, she developed and implemented activities and events for students, coordinated meetings and tours, and performed other functions. Strole worked with several Newman graduates who are now in medical school at KUSM-W.

Prior to the medical school, she was the senior administrative assistant for the Kansas State University band. In this position, she planned and managed activities and special events, maintained student records, coordinated  travel and worked with the budget. She also gained hands-on experience in both  coordinating alumni relations and raising annual support.

Strole also served as a departmental administrative assistant and a student admissions representative at Friends University, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology in 2010. She is currently working on a graduate certificate in Conflict Resolution from Kansas State University.

Strole is married to Brian Strole, who is the theatre director at Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita, Kan. Both Sarah and Brian are active in local theatre and music groups. They are the parents of an 8-month-old daughter, Abigail.

Joining Strole is Brielle Dunham, who was named coordinator of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.