Annual Scholarship Dinner

The 8th Annual Scholarship Dinner featured renowned political strategist and former White House Senior Advisor Karl Rove as the keynote speaker. Mr. Rove, whom President George W. Bush once described as the “architect” of his re-election campaign, recounted memories from his time at the White House and provided a historical perspective to the gridlock and acrimony in Washington. He stressed that despite the many challenges America’s democracy faces today with the polarization of the political parties, the country faced even greater polarization over a century ago and emerged triumphant.

Rove praised Ave Maria University and commended it for its faith, values, and affordability. “When I went off to college, my family suffered some serious reverses, and in the middle of my first semester at college I was told I was on my own,” he said. “The only way I got to go to college was on a $1,500/year scholarship and a couple of jobs…at one point, I was reduced to living for the better part of four months in an unused storage closet. But, I got to go to school because somebody cared enough to create a scholarship fund, and I got one of them.”

Rove concluded, “What you’re doing tonight to provide the opportunity for people to come to this fantastic University, and get an education steeped in religion, and faith, and theology, and service, is really incredible, and I want to thank you for doing it.”

Rove wasn’t the only one at the podium to delight the audience. Later in the program Ave seniors Corinne Zay and Phil Rhein reflected on their years at Ave and spoke about how they had grown together in faith, knowledge, and love. They also expressed their gratitude for Ave’s donors who provided them with some of the financial support necessary to attend Ave Maria University. The couple surprised the audience with announcing that they recently discerned their own vocation to marriage - to each other!

During the night, several performances showcased Ave’s student talent. Freshman Marvin Morales performed “Bésame Mucho” by Consuelo Velázquez on the violin, captivating the audience. Seniors John Paul Beller, Sarah Seghers, and Maura Littleton, members of Ave’s Shakespeare in Performance program, delighted the audience with a choreographed dance number to the tune of Michael Buble’s “Feeling Good.” The evening concluded with senior tenor Matheus Bressan performing the Italian love song, “Mattinata,” which received a standing ovation.

Scholarship support is vital to the University’s financial viability. Chairman of the Board of Trustees Michael Timmis, who with his wife Laura and parents Nancy and Mike were the lead sponsors of the event, emphasized the importance of scholarships in the life of the institution. “We take a lot of pride in keeping the costs of attending Ave Maria low so that many large families with limited resources can still access a first-class Catholic education,” he said. “Because many of Ave’s students get scholarship assistance to make ends meet, we are fortunate that so many donors are investing in the futures of these young men and women.”

If you would like to make a gift to support scholarships at AMU, please contact the Office of Advancement at 239-280- 2586 or donate online at https://donate. avemaria.edu.