Benedictine College Fund Newsletter
Summer 2009
SpiritofGiving Benedictine College announces new
Giving Societies
ANNUAL GIVING The Cornerstone Society
Membership in the Cornerstone Society is obtained through unrestricted annual giving, July 1 through June 30, with gifts of at least $1,500 to the Benedictine College Fund. Upon request, Benedictine College will send a keepsake medallion to the members of the Cornerstone Society in gratitude for their annual gift. As donors move up in the Cornerstone Society levels members receive further benefits. Membership is renewable annually with a minimum gift of $1,500. Cornerstone Society Levels Spires $100,000 or higher Tower $50,000 - $99,999 Pillars $25,000 - $49,999 Keystone $10,000 - $24,999 Archway $5,000 - $9,999 Limestone $1,500 - $4,999
The 1858 Club
Donors who give to the Benedictine College Fund between July 1 through June 30, with gifts of $1,499 and below, become members of the 1858 Club. Special recognition will be given to these donors in the Annual Donor Report which is published in December for the prior fiscal year.
The Beanie Club
The Beanie Club recognizes individuals who have made their first gift to Benedictine College. All new donors will receive a new donor packet and be given special recognition by having a beanie icon next to their name in the Annual Donor Report.
BEQUESTS/WILLS The Legacy Society
Individuals who have placed Benedictine College in their will or estate plan; or made gifts through planned giving vehicles; or have made gifts to the Benedictine Endowment totaling $25,000 and up shall become members of the Legacy Society. In fall 2009, Benedictine College will honor the members of the Benedictine College Legacy Society during the dedication of Legacy Hall and place their names on a Donor Wall in the lounge of Legacy Hall. Every year thereafter, a reception will be held to honor those in the Legacy Society as well as celebrate the new members with the addition of their names to the Donor Wall. All donors will receive an invitation to the reception, along with a list of new inductees.
LIFETIME/CUMULATIVE GIVING The Summit Society
Individuals who have donated continually and substantially through the years to Benedictine College will be recognized as members of the Summit Society, with lifetime and cumulative giving totaling $100,000 and higher. Donor names will be placed on a Donor Wall outside of the President’s Office in St. Benedict Hall.
To read more about each of these giving societies, visit: www.benedictine.edu/giving
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Benedictine College
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A Message from the Vice President of Advancement • Kelly J. Vowels As we round the bend for the final stretch of our sesquicentennial celebration I find myself reflecting on philanthropy at Benedictine College. Folks with long memories will remember that throughout our history we have found ourselves in perilous financial situations. In each instance we have emerged a stronger institution because of the generosity of alumni and friends who bestowed gifts of significant time, talent and treasure. Of course we could not do it without our donors… you turn our heads and blow us away with your generosity and support; you have come through and have helped us at every turn. I believe Benedictine College has made progress and has moved from ‘fundraising to survive’ to ‘fundraising to secure and ensure the future’. All gifts to Benedictine College are significant, but gifts to the Benedictine College Fund are the cornerstone as they provide funds for programs, services and activities for the entire Benedictine community. The gifts we receive everyday are our lifeblood. To recognize the significance and value of the Benedictine College Fund, we have established formal giving societies. These giving societies will annually provide worthy recognition to our many generous benefactors. In this issue of the Spirit of Giving we introduce you to alumni, parents and friends whose value systems overlap with the core values and the mission of Benedictine College. It is through their generosity and the generosity of so many that Benedictine College can look forward to bigger and better things as we progress through the next 150 years.
Young Alumni Award Davyeon Ross, ’00, Overland Park, Kan., is the 2009 recipient of the Benedictine College Young Alumni Award. Davyeon’s career in the software field began while he was a student at Benedictine College. He and Lance Hoover, ‘00, used a Discovery Project to develop AlumTrac, a web-based software designed to give alumni a new way to stay in contact. After earning his bachelor’s degree in computer science in 2000, Davyeon worked for the Sprint World Headquarters in Overland Park, Kansas, establishing the customer relationship management application, and later became the technical lead for the knowledge management application. Davyeon was recruited for the position of lead technical consultant for eVergance, which serves companies around the world. In 2007, Davyeon founded AthletixNation, and is the company’s
president and CEO. The online company is a multimedia sports content platform delivering Division I college video highlights and sports applications and social platforms for their clients. In August 2008, Davyeon was featured among the inaugural list of 20 young Kansas City entrepreneurs in Ingram’s magazine. He also is participating in this year’s KTEC’s Pipeline entrepreneurial fellowship program, which is a business boot camp of sorts intended to refine strategy, financing pitches, marketing approaches and other critical elements that could help decide the fate of some of the state’s most promising technology startups. Although work keeps him very busy traveling across the country and around the world, Davyeon remains active at his alma mater as a member of the Benedictine College Alumni Association Board. The Young Alumni Award is
presented to an outstanding Benedictine College graduate under the age of 35 who reflects honor on the college through family and social life while manifesting the qualities of a believer in the college’s mission and values. The first recipient of this award was Tammy Monso Figg, ’97. The Discovery Program allows students to become collaborators with their instructors in the pursuit of knowledge and the solving of real world problems. The possibilities for original works and research projects are virtually endless. Learn more about the Discovery Program at www.benedictine.edu/discovery.
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&
Kansas Monk Award
Offeramus Medal
the Offeramus Medal.
Two Benet Awards were presented Saturday, June 13, during this year’s Alumni Reunion Weekend. Lou McAvoy, ’53, Leawood, Kan., and Pam Schaefer Kramer, ’88, Overland Park, Kan., received the 2009 Kansas Monk award and the Offeramus Medal, respectively. Joining Lou to celebrate the occasion were his wife, Sue McAvoy, and their son, Matt McAvoy, ’81. Their other children, Monica, Mollie, and Michael, were unable to attend. Longtime friends, Bob, ’53 and Carolyn Reintjes, Corky, ’57 and Molle Stueve, and Frank O’Malley, ’52 also were on hand to celebrate the special occasion. Abbot Barnabas Senecal, O.S.B., gave the introduction and, along with Benedictine College President Stephen D. Minnis, presented Lou with the Kansas Monk award. Pam’s husband, Kevin Kramer, ’89, their children, Claire and Libby; her mother, Rosie Schaefer, her inlaws, Larry and Jan Kramer; and her siblings, Susie Schaefer Hinds, ’91, Joe, ’84 and Patrick Schaefer, and their families attended the celebration. Sister Anne Shepard, O.S.B., gave the introduction and, along with President Minnis, presented Pam with
Lou and Pam are quite similar—they have served on the Benedictine College board of directors; they are active in their respective communities and parishes; and they have enjoyed successful careers, Lou in the insurance business and Pam in the marketing and advertising field. They live by the Rule of St. Benedict. After graduating in 1953, Lou founded his own life insurance company, Louis J. McAvoy and Associates. Then in 1982, he established Target Insurance Services, Inc., with his son, Matt; and nearly 10 years ago Lou retired from the life insurance brokerage business. Lou served on the Curé of Ars Parish board, the Notre Dame De Sion High School board, and was president of the Curé of Ars School board. He has served the diocese by working with Catholic Charities of Kansas City through programs for the poor and education. Lou and his wife, Sue, received the Cross of the Order of St. Benedict award from Benedictine College in 1983. They are members of the Church of Nativity Parish in Leawood. Pam graduated from Benedictine College in 1988, and began an 18-year career with Sprint in their marketing and advertising department, including media spending of more than $200 million and management of Sprint’s sponsorship of the National Football League; and the brand development and brand launch of EMBARQ, a spin-off company. She was president of
Join us!
the Benedictine College Alumni Association for several years, and along with her husband, Kevin, co-chaired the Benedictine College Scholarship Ball in 2006 and 2007. Pam is active in various ministries at the Church of the Ascension in Overland Park, including Christ Renews His Parish, Faith in Action, the Mardi Gras committee and as a Eucharistic Minister. Pam and Kevin are involved at the diocesan level as well, leading their parish initiative for the Catholic Charities Snow Ball Patrons Committee. The Benet Awards were established by the founding colleges, Mount St. Scholastica and St. Benedict’s. Female alumnae have received the Offeramus Medal since it was first awarded in 1957; male alumni have been recognized with the Kansas Monk award since 1960. The criteria for these awards includes the recipients having distinguished themselves in their profession, shown a prominence of service to the civic community, demonstrated outstanding loyalty to their alma mater, and reflected honor on the college through family and social life. For more reunion photos, visit www.bcconnect.org.
Alumni Reunion 2010 June 11-13 For updates on Reunion 2010 go to www.bcconnect.org
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Devotion to Family, Friends Don and Nancy Germano
Alvin “Squeaky” a
Don Germano, ’75, and his wife, Nancy, of Hudson, Ohio, are long-time donors to Benedictine College, giving more than $100 each month. Don is employed by DuPont Performance Elastomers as a technology director and is a former member of the Benedictine College Board of Governors. He began his long history of donating to the college in the early 1980s after completing graduate school and beginning his career at Dow Chemical. His goal in financially supporting the college was to pay it forward.
Alvin “Squeaky” Marquart and his wife, Opal, a parents of three BC alumni: Duane, ’78, Addiso ’83, and Kyle, ’85. The Washington, Missouri, c began donating to Benedictine College in 1977 their son, Duane, was a student at BC and they continued giving long after their sons graduated Marquarts have passed their spirit of giving to th generation, with Addison and Kyle both donati the Benedictine College Fund, and Duane givin the Biology Department.
“I received a substantial scholarship from BC which helped my parents in their plans to aid my siblings with their college funding,” he said. “That scholarship, coupled with an excellent BC education, gave me the step up I needed to earn a graduate assistantship. I wanted to give back to Benedictine so that future students could experience a similar opportunity.” Life tends to have its ups and downs but he continued to support BC. “During the ‘dark years,’ I just hoped my small contribution to the annual fund, coupled with those of my fellow alumni, would in some way help sustain the BC tradition,” said Don, who now maintains his involvement with the college through the Don and Nancy Germano Charitable Fund.
“[A] scholarship, coupled with an excellent BC education, gave me the step up I needed to earn a graduate assistantship. I wanted to give back to Benedictine so that future students could experience a similar opportunity.”
“I made lifelong friends at BC,” he said. “Even though we are scattered all over, when we connect, it’s like we have never been apart. Shared values form strong bonds.”
“What motivates us to continue with our donat is that we feel very strongly that Benedictine is a each year with bubbling enthusiastic kindness a them, ‘Thank you for calling. Send the bill and
Alvin and Opal have fond memories of the coll out include Masses at the Abbey, attending the meeting and partying with a great bunch of kids were teaching and making a great impression on who never forgot a name or face, listening to Bo graduation, and, of course, meeting Mary Rose said Squeaky.
Long-time members of St. Francis Borgia Parish in Washington, both Alvin and Opal feel a strong connection to BC. “Being one of the gre Catholic Colleges in America, it is our hope an prayer that we all, the administration, faculty, students, parents, families, donors and clergy, continue to work together to share with pride our Catholic faith,” Alvin said. “I always say th anybody who wants to be somebody goes to BC
—Don Germano
IT’S TIME
for the Raven Ring Phonathon... The Benedictine College Fund student callers will soon be dialing alumni/ae and friends.
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Benedictine College
Spring 2009
s, Foundations, and Future
and Opal Marquart
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tions a great college with great students who call us asking for a donation,” Alvin said. “I always tell d we will gladly send the check.’”
lege. “Some of the many memories that stand football games, watching basketball in the Pit, s, meeting many of the faculty members who n our children, meeting Fr. Eugene Dehner, ob Hope as the guest speaker at Duane’s Koechner ‘83, who became Addison’s wife,”
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“What motivates us to continue our donations is that we feel...Benedictine is a great college with great students who call us each year with bubbling kindness asking for a donation.” —Alvin Marquart
William and Cecelia Brunner William and Cecilia (Christophene) Brunner, St. Joseph, Missouri, have a strong belief in higher education and have been donating to Benedictine College since the 1970s. Cecelia’s family has a particularly long history with the Benedictines of Atchison. Not only is she a member of the Mount St. Scholastica College class of 1955, but her sister, Mary Teresa (Christophene) Pepple is a 1967 MSSC alumna and her mother, Verene (Krumm) Christophene, also attended the college, class of 1935. Cecelia has vivid childhood memories of the alumnae meetings hosted by her mother in the family’s home. She reminisced about the Mount and the imposing presence of the former administration building. “My mother was very devoted to the Mount,” she said. “She went there for two years before she got married, but she flourished there.” William and Cecelia have kept up with the college both through the Raven Ring Phonathon and with occasional trips to Atchison. They have watched the progress on the Benedictine College campus and around the Mount. They visited with Sister Joachim Holthaus, O.S.B., last year and marveled that she is still teaching piano and harp. “Sister Joachim was my prefect when I was at the Mount (in the early 1950s),” Cecelia said. “She must have just been out of school, but we didn’t know that. She sure put the fear of God into us.” Her mother’s devotion to the Mount moved the Brunners to financially support Benedictine College. Cecelia said she always receives a very polite phone call from a young student and she always tells them she’ll give the same as the last time. “You get asked to donate to a lot of things and you have to choose the ones that are most important to you,” she said. “And I really think small colleges are important. There is such a place for that kind of education.”
Calls for the Raven Ring Phonathon will be made Monday through Thursday from 6:00-9:00 p.m. during the months of September, October and November.
WAYS TO GIVE:
Our student callers are eager to share the latest campus news, hear your updates and reminisce about your time at or connections with Benedictine…maybe even sing the Raven Fight Song. They will be asking for your donation and we hope you will respond positively with a firm, “Yes, count me in!”
Online: www.bcconnect.org/phonathon Phone: 1.800.766.0078 ext. 7416 Mail: Benedictine College, Office of Advancement, 1020 North Second Street, Atchison, KS 66002
Want to help but don’t have time to talk? Make your gift now and we will remove your name from our fall and spring calling lists.
Make checks payable to Benedictine College.
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Benedictine College
Summer 2009
The Gift of Benedictine College: A Parent’s View Clemmie won the scholarship and it was a go! At first, she was very homesick in a very different environment than she was used to in Chicago. The other girls were friendly, but Clemmie felt shy and nervous. I suggested she sit in the hall to do her homework and that did it! That’s how she made new friends that have become close, supportive, loving friends. We first heard about Benedictine College through our daughter Clementine. A BC Admission Counselor came to St. Scholastica Academy, where Clemmie was a student, and gave a college presentation and spoke about the Mary Kay McAllister scholarship. We also talked with the parents of another Scholastica girl who had been awarded the McAllister Scholarship. They were so enthusiastic about Benedictine that our interest was piqued, and the idea of a possible scholarship was tantalizing! We already had a son starting college that fall and financial concerns were uppermost in our minds. The summer before Clemmie’s senior year we decided to visit Benedictine. In so many ways BC was exactly what we wanted for our daughter. It was a Benedictine school as was her high school with the same tenets of love of learning, respect for the individual, sense of balance, stewardship of gifts, and respect for the community; and, most importantly, there is a warmth about the campus that comes from every direction – the staff and professors, the Abbey, the students and even the buildings – they are lived in, they are enjoyed, they create memories.
One of my husband Henry’s favorite stories is the one of how Clemmie ended up working on campus the summer after her freshman year. We made the long trip down to pick her up that May and loaded our van to the hilt. There was barely room for her to squeeze in. As she was saying goodbye to everyone and feeling very blue, she told me some of her friends were staying on campus that summer to work. We sat on the bench in front of her dorm and I said to her, “Why don’t you stay?” She said, “Can I?” and, I said, “Sure, if you can find a job.” Well, she and her friends squealed and scattered running to the Administration Building, Fr. Brendan, Brother Columba and anyone else they could think of. My husband said he was NOT unpacking the van as he had just finished getting it loaded! As we were walking with Clemmie to another building, we ran into President Carey. Clemmie explained and he said not to worry— they’d find something for her to do. And, they did. And, her friends unloaded the van! Clemmie ended up working at BC every summer until she graduated. It was truly home away from home and she had never been so happy. She worked on student plays, participated
in intramural sports, was a ROC orientation leader and sat vigil in the Chapel. She went to poetry readings, lectures and dances. She played outdoor volleyball in the mud and tutored in the college library. She studied hard and received a good, solid education and even ended up being “Student Teacher of the Year” her senior year. Balance. Clemmie found balance. Clementine taught second grade for two years before marrying her Benedictine sweetheart, Matt Hoeing. She is working on her master’s degree in education now and just had her first child on May 5, 2009. Clemmie is happy and well-prepared for teaching or anything else she might decide to try. She has a strong sense of self and is compassionate and kind. Thank you, Benedictine. There is nothing about you I would change. This reflection was written by Mrs. Bobbie Muhrer of Chicago. She and husband, Henry, are the parents of Clemmie Muhrer, ’06, who married Matt Hoeing, ’05, on July 18, 2008. Clemmie and Matt, of St. Louis, Mo., had their first child, Autumn Belle, on May 5, 2009.
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Benedictine College
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THE RAVEN CLUB IS A NEW ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM established by the Benedictine College Athletic Department and is open to all former Raven athletes, corporate sponsorships, and friends of Raven Athletics. The Raven Club will provide financial support for all 13 varsity athletic programs. Donors to the Raven Club may designate their gift to a specific program or to the general athletic fund, and will receive an e-newsletter announcing upcoming sporting functions, along with vital information about the athletic program.
THE RAVEN CLUB
For more information about the Raven Club, please go to www.ravenathletics.com or contact Rob Herringer, Director of Athletic Giving, at 913-360-7374 or rherringer@ benedictine.edu.
Raven Athletics Annual Giving Fund
EVERY student
EVERY day
benefits from
EVERY gift!
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tim Andrews Director of Planned Giving (800) 766-0078, during business hours tandrews@benedictine.edu www.benedictine.edu
Ways to support the Benedictine College Fund: GIVE BY MAIL Gifts made by check should be payable to Benedictine College and mailed to: Benedictine College Advancement Office 1020 North Second Street Atchison, KS 66002-1499 ONLINE GIVING You may make a gift securely online using your debit or credit card. Visit www. bcconnect.org/bcannualfund. GIFTS OF STOCK By donating appreciated securities or mutual fund shares, you can provide a lasting contribution while receiving tax benefits, such as capital gains tax savings. REAL ESTATE Your gift provides a convenient way for you to enjoy a charitable deduction based on the current fair market value of your property, and it can reduce the size and complexity of your estate. ESTATE PLANNING Remember Benedictine in your will or estate plan. The official legal bequest language for Benedictine College is: "I, [name], of [city, state, ZIP], give, devise and bequeath to Benedictine College [written amount or percentage of the estate or description of property] for its unrestricted use and purpose." Our federal tax ID# is 48-0777079. If you already have named Benedictine College in your estate plan, please contact us so we can welcome you to the Benedictine Legacy Society. We also offer life-income gifts that provide income and immediate tax benefits.
Benedictine College Office of Advancement 1020 North Second Street Atchison, Kansas 66002
WE NEED YOU... to become a member of our
Cornerstone Society! Benedictine College is proud to announce our new annual giving society. See inside for details on how you can become a member today.