Alumni Newsletter
Aquinas College Alumni E-Newsletter
Our alumni community is vital to the Aquinas experience, creating a network of support,
mentorship, and shared success. By staying connected, you can build lasting relationships,
give back to the next generation, and celebrate our collective achievements.
Stay connected with Aquinas through our monthly alumni e-newsletter, arriving on the first of every month! Each month, we will showcase inspiring stories that embody Aquinas' values and contribute meaningfully to our community. Your Aquinas journey doesn't end at graduation—it's lifelong. Join us in celebrating our Aquinas legacy and stay informed about all the exciting developments!
We welcome your feedback and stories. Do you know of an alumni that should be highlighted in a future issue? Please reach out to Jackie Kosten, our Director of Alumni Engagement at kostenj@aquinas.edu or 616-632-2822.
Are you an alum and not receiving the newsletter? Sign up to join the mailing list!
Newsletter Highlights
JANUARY 2025
Saints on the Journey
LeAnn Secord '05 is a shining example of how Aquinas College fosters lifelong connections. After earning degrees in psychology and sociology, LeAnn worked in the Advancement Office during her time as an undergraduate. The skills she gained, including networking and event coordination, led her to a career in higher education philanthropy. After furthering her education with a Master of Management in Organizational Leadership from Aquinas in 2020, LeAnn now serves as the Assistant Vice President of Development at the Grand Rapids Symphony. Her journey was shaped by mentors at Aquinas and her deep belief in the value of building meaningful relationships.
LeAnn has continued her connection to Aquinas as a donor and member of the Alumni
Leadership Council. She credits her success to the strong foundation of support she
received at AQ, noting the genuine care of professors and the affordability of education.
As she pursues a doctoral degree in Business Administration, LeAnn reflects on how
Aquinas helped her develop the skills needed to thrive both personally and professionally.
Her story is a testament to the lasting impact of the Aquinas community. Learn more about LeAnn and her journey.
Message from Sister Aquinas Weber
My successful surgery was due to your many, many prayers, thoughts, cards, and visits.
I am very grateful for having that wonderful support from all of you.
I am asking you for continued prayer as I continue therapy. I hope to see all of you soon.
Peace and my prayers,
Sister Aquinas Weber, O.P. '58
Holmdene Christmas Tours
Thank you to all that attended our holiday tours! Everyone enjoyed some delicious
cookies and hot chocolate while learning about the historic building from our friend
the Grinch!
Scholarship Opportunities
Creating a scholarship at Aquinas is a unique way of leaving a legacy while supporting
the next generation. At Aquinas, scholarships are about access. Access to opportunity,
access to a bigger world, access to education, and access to the pursuit of truth,
justice, passion and courage. Your investment in AQ's students in the form of scholarships
directly
impacts their experience as a Saint.
Were you able to achieve your goal of a college education through the kindness of others? Have you always dreamed of setting up your own scholarship, but didn't think you'd ever have the chance? Our Named Annual Scholarship option is for you!
A Named Annual Scholarship is created with a minimum four-year pledge, totaling $6,000 ($1,500 per year or $125 per month). Awards are made in the name of your scholarship to students with the
greatest financial need. After four years of making a difference for other Saints, you can decide if you would like to pledge for another four years.
Learn more about the funding options to establish a scholarship at Aquinas.
An Endowed Scholarship creates a lasting legacy for your family and provides ongoing support for future generations of Saints. Your initial gift is invested and grows, with up to 5% of the average endowment value spent annually on scholarships in your name, based on criteria you set with Financial Aid. The minimum to establish an endowed scholarship is $30,000, and it can be funded through a one-time gift, multi-year pledge, estate gift, or by a family or group of alumni.
Learn more about the funding options to establish a scholarship at Aquinas.
Cecilia J. Schaefer-Mysliwiec Endowed Art Scholarship
Sister Alice Wittenbach O.P. '59 Endowed Scholarship
Virginia Ruth Vogt '52 Memorial Endowed Scholarship
David M. Stark Memorial Annual Scholarship
Lauren M Liehr Endowed Scholarship
Tylenda Endowed Scholarship for Leadership and Diversity
Dr. Robert Marko and Family Endowed Scholarship Fund
DECEMBER 2024
Saints on the Journey
Luke Overmire '06, a Communication major with minors in Biology and Spanish from Aquinas College, is making a significant impact in the healthcare sector. As the founder of Diversion Specialists, LLC, Luke leads efforts to prevent drug diversion in hospitals and healthcare systems. His company works to identify gaps in medication distribution, helping healthcare providers combat the illicit transfer of drugs. Luke’s work ultimately aims to foster a culture of awareness and accountability within healthcare organizations.
Luke's education at Aquinas College has been instrumental in his success. A key moment in his development was his experience in Dave Weinandy’s Advanced Public Speaking class, where he overcame his lack of confidence and honed his presentation skills, which have proven crucial in his career.
Learn more about Luke and his work in the healthcare sector.
Ezra Faust ‘22 graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. During his time at Aquinas, he was deeply impacted by the friendships he formed with fellow students, professors, and track coaches. After graduation, Ezra began working for Lumichron, a commercial clock company based in Grand Rapids, and also started coaching pole vault at Catholic Central High School.
Ezra continues to expand his growing series, Industry, which explores the connection between man and machine. He goes by, “The Overall Artist” because he works with a wide range of media and enjoys wearing overalls while working. The mission of Industry is to uncover the humanity within our complex, diverse, and constantly evolving world. The series evolves through custom ideas and commissioned pieces, including representations of people, animals/pets, places, or significant objects. For inquiries about custom work, follow Ezra on his social media— the possibilities are endless!
Deck the Halls of Holmdene
Embrace the festive spirit and join us for an exclusive tour of Holmdene! Enjoy some hot chocolate and cookies while learning about the rich history of the building from the Grinch himself.
We have tours available at 6pm and 7pm on Friday, December 20th.
Tickets are $10 a person, get yours now before they're gone!
Save the Date! Homecoming 2025
We are already getting excited to see you at Homecoming next year! Festivities will take place Friday, September 19th and Saturday, September 20th. More details to come!
NOVEMBER 2024
Saints on the Journey
Stephanie Krajnik ‘13 Osborn and Jennifer McCullen
‘18 are both sustainable business graduates working to eliminate food waste in the
City of Southfield, a suburb of Detroit.
Southfield is the first city to be involved in the Every Bit Counts Project, an ambitious plan put forth by Make Food Not Waste to reach the State of Michigan and United Nations’ goals of cutting food waste in half by 2030.
Stephanie works as a planning consultant at Giffels Webster and serves as the project manager for Southfield and Multi-Jurisdictional Projects. Jenny works with My Green Michigan, a food scraps recycler, providing expertise to manage food waste generated in the city. Here they are at a planning team convening in March.
AQ proudly sponsored Team Agar in the 2024 Ironman World Championship!
Johnny Agar ‘19 is a graduate of both AQ and the Conductive Learning Center. He was born with cerebral palsy but has never let that stop him from competing in marathons and triathlons. He and his father headed to Hawaii in October to compete once again.
We’re thrilled to continue to support this incredible alumnus. #teamagar
Alumni Leadership Council Nominations Now Open
We are beginning a new chapter in our alumni community. We are thrilled to announce that nominations are now open for the Alumni Leadership Council.
This is an exciting opportunity for you to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of our alumni network and college. Whether you see yourself as a potential leader or know someone who would excel in this position, we welcome your nominations.
We are seeking dedicated individuals who are passionate about strengthening alumni connections, supporting current students, and advancing our mission. The ideal candidates will bring fresh perspectives, valuable experiences, and a vision for enhancing our community.
In your submission, please highlight relevant experience, vision for the alumni community, and any unique perspectives the nominee would bring to the council.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to Aquinas College. The Executive Committee looks forward to reviewing your nominations and working together to strengthen our alumni network.
Admissions Champions Make a Difference
We are excited to invite you to become an Admissions Champion! Your voice and story are powerful tools in attracting the next generation of Saints.
Enrollment is the college's single most important area for improvement. Alumni can significantly impact our recruitment efforts by actively participating in this new Admissions Champions program. Your involvement helps attract talented students and builds a stronger, more connected community. Your active participation will play a crucial role in improving enrollment trends and ensuring that future generations benefit from the exceptional education that you experienced.
Participating can be as impactful as giving. On average, for each student successfully enrolled and retained, your impact can reach up to $60,000 over four years.
More importantly, your involvement can change a student’s life. As an Admissions Champion, you will share your experiences, write letters, and connect with potential students to create a lasting impression and inspire them to choose Aquinas.
To participate, please apply by Friday, November 15th, 2024, to impact next year’s incoming class. We will follow up and provide a one-on-one orientation to align your talents and passions with program needs.
Together, we can ensure that Aquinas College continues to thrive and welcome new Saints!
SIGN UP TO BE AN ADMISSIONS CHAMPION
You're Invited to Build the Future
Saints understand the world as it is, but also as it could be. Every graduate of Aquinas College has something they love about our historic campus– and a feature or two they’ve always wished they could improve.
Now is your chance.
Last month, Aquinas College began collecting feedback from Alumni, students, and others who love our school on ways to increase access and usability across our campus. Everything from repairing crumbling masonry to technology upgrades for our classrooms is being considered.
For the first time, we invite you to donate to our new Campus Renewal fund. Your gift will go towards immediate needs and improvements on our grounds. You can preserve our proud AQ heritage and improve our campus for the Saints of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT US
Alumni Relations
(616) 632-2822
alumni@aquinas.edu