Alumni Newsletter
ñ 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
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 ñ 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.
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 , an ambitious plan put forth by 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!
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 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 ñ. 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.
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 ñ continues to thrive and welcome new Saints!
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, ñ 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 . 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