KANSAS PIONEERS
STAR MAKER
HICKERT FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP
PAUL MABREY SCHOLARSHIP
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n fall 2014, many former students, as well as family and friends of Paul Mabrey, gathered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to bid farewell to a man who had introduced so many to a way of looking at life through art and music. At the 2016 Benedictine College Scholarship Ball, Paul Mabrey was once again remembered by his students, family, and friends when they announced the creation of the Paul Mabrey Scholarship. Alumnus Fr. Patrick York ’84, got the ball rolling with an initial gift of $5,000. Former music students, Mary Seibold Warnack ’80 and Fr. Meinrad Miller, OSB ’89, wrote letters to Paul’s former music students asking for their support. Alumni Ellen Weishar Cousins ’84 and Ron Lehmann ’75 helped set up a Paul Mabrey Scholarship Facebook page to encourage more Mabrey students to participate. “The tribute was for a man whose life was dedicated to educating, drawing out of people the talents they possessed,” said Fr. Meinrad. “He encouraged us to discover the beauty of his music, and its power in our lives.” Paul’s former students, Kathie Weishar Dalzell ’80 and Kingsley Leggs ’83, were recognized with the prestigious Cross of the Order of St. Benedict Award at the Scholarship Ball in February, and more than 30 of their classmates and friends came together to not only honor them, but to also remember their mentor by contributing $31,500 for the Paul Mabrey Scholarship, which they dedicated to his wife, Cynthia Mabrey. Paul Mabrey was an educator, motivator, performer, and facilitator of dreams for many institutions and in person throughout his illustrious career, which spanned four decades. He possessed an extraordinary gift for the stage and performed regularly at regional theaters. Paul took that spirit and tenacity with him to Benedictine College, where he served as professor of music and later as administrator. He could have entertained the world, but he chose to change lives.
www.benedictine.edu
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t took several years and a lot of perseverance, but at the 2016 Benedictine College Scholarship Ball, B.J. Hickert ’77, and his wife Barbara Glavin Hickert ’82, raised their bid cards to pledge the finishing gift to reach their goal of endowing a named scholarship. Gifts totaling more than $26,000 were collected from 24 friends and family members over a multi-year period. In 2000, Hickert initiated the idea of creating a scholarship at Benedictine College to honor his grandparents, John W. and Mary Hickert, who epitomized the pioneers who built strong and vibrant parishes and communities in Northwest Kansas. He pledged his intent by making the college a beneficiary of investments that would fund the Hickert Family Scholarship upon his death. However, Hickert’s dream was to see the scholarship fully funded during his lifetime. He enlisted the help of his mother, Beatrice “Tucky” Hickert, and brothers and sisters including Steve Hickert, Susan Hickert Brown ’73, Joseph Hickert ’80, Dianne Hickert Witwer ’82, Maureen Hickert ’84, George Hickert ’85, and Colette Hickert Haider. He presented his plan at Hickert family reunions and his uncle and aunt, John and Ruth Hickert Browne, joined the effort. In 2010, when Hickert married fellow Raven, Barbara Glavin Stec, friends, in lieu of wedding gifts, made contributions to the scholarship fund. Hickert and his family will see the results of their combined effort in fall 2016 when Benedictine College awards the first Hickert Family Scholarship. The scholarship serves as a permanent memorial to J. W. and Mary Hickert, their parents and other pioneers and builders of New Almelo and other Northwest Kansas communities. The Hickert Family Scholarship will provide assistance to enable descendants of these pioneers and builders to gain the knowledge and skills at Benedictine College to continue their ancestors’ heritage.
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