ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT New Alumnus Joey Kauffman ’23: All Effort, All the Time

At USF’s spring 2023 commencement, new graduate Joey Kauffman and his parents, Craig and Sandi, had wide smiles and a Saints pride that could barely be contained. Joey’s graduation as a Psychology major meant the world to all three of them. They knew he gave it his all to get there—getting good grades while competing with the track team—but Joey’s accomplishments had to do with a lot more than just juggling a tough college schedule.

“All effort, all the time,” said Craig when describing his son's journey with Autism, which none of them has ever recognized as any kind of disability. Rather, says Craig, “It’s just a different way of looking at the world.”

According to Sandi, Joey had been enrolled at Joliet Junior College as a part time student so he would have extra time for homework and studying. He obtained two associate's degrees in science and the arts there. When he decided to transfer to the University of St. Francis, he had to take on a full-time schedule to qualify for the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship he received.

"I told him if it was ever too much that he could switch back to part time. Not only did he make it work, but he graduated Magna Cum Laude," said Sandi. "He gives 100% to everything he does without complaining. He accepts responsibility and immerses himself in whatever task is at hand He doesn't quit—no matter what—and inspires others to do the same. He has never had a mean or negative bone in his body!"

Joey's positive attitude was evident at a young age. His mom said he was always smiling as a child and had a laugh that made you want to laugh along. He also loved to "quote quotes" that he found interesting or amusing.

"I made a wall in his computer room that contains quotes from friends, family, and especially his teachers. You definitely made an impression on Joey if your quote made the wall," laughed Sandi.

Eventually Craig and Sandi knew sports would be good for Joey, who had no physical limitations, but they found that team sports like tee-ball were difficult because of the coordination with others that was required. They quickly observed that he excelled at one-man sports like bowling, golf and track.

Joey especially liked running and began competing in Special Olympics of Illinois when he was just 12 years old. Similar to intercollegiate sports, when you win regionally, you move on to state competition. Over time, Joey became a ten-time state champion in track, competing in the 200-meter, running long jump and relay. He has never lost a 200 event. He ran track all four years in high school.

His hard work paid off when he was invited to compete in the 2022 national games in Orlando, Florida. United Airlines flew him there, Champion outfitted him with apparel, and Disney put him up for the weekend—all free of charge. The games were televised on ESPN.

Prior to those games, Joey had just transferred to USF and Craig and Sandi knew that he needed to keep conditioned to prepare for the rigor of nationals. He had one year to train, and Craig asked Athletics Director Dave Laketa if Joey could work out with USF’s track team to stay in shape.

Laketa contacted coaches Jeff Barker and Amy Probst, who welcomed Joey to come to practice a few days a week. After the first week, he started showing up every day and it was clear that Joey was becoming a natural part of the team.

"He's easy to coach and very easily fixes things when given constructive feedback," explained Probst. "He's able to make good mental-physical connections, which is usually hard for athletes."

When Probst asked him to start attending some meets, Joey said, “absolutely!” and that was the start of something special. He immediately brought positivity to the table—his good attitude and ability to inspire his teammates was remarkable. When they ran hills in the neighborhood surrounding the university, and Probst would give them the option to run five to eight hills, Joey consistently ran the full eight. When his tired teammates would see him going [the literal] extra mile, they would keep going too. Through it all, he never complained, but instead, motivated his teammates. He was like an unofficial team captain, giving talks after practice or on the buses on the way to and from competitions.

"He's very enthusiastic and pushes everyone to keep going. He started doing 'announcements,' in which he'd ask everyone to pay attention, then would either reiterate something important that I had said, or tell everyone about something important to him," said Probst.

By the end of that year, Joey was attending every scheduled meet. His highlight moment came when a teammate suffered an injury and Probst invited Joey to participate in the 4x4—a 400-meter team event, which he had long expressed interest in doing.

“I've never seen someone so excited as he was that day," Probst recalled.

Joey was nominated by his teammates as “Most Inspirational Athlete” at the 2023 Bernie Awards, hosted annually by the USF Athletics Department. The whole team was then invited to his graduation party, which was well attended by several Fighting Saints runners and coaches. However, his May commencement didn't mark the end of Joey’s running career. He was back at state competition for the Special Olympics in June, earning another gold medal in the 200-meter run and 4th place in the long jump.

When asked what she thinks Joey will take away from his USF experience, his mom noted how welcoming and supportive his peers have always been.

"He is always happy to share the knowledge he has obtained, but he also gained so much through his interactions with teachers and fellow students. The friendships he formed will stay with him," she offered.

Joey’s aspirations to start a professional career are also in full swing. Joey was very passionate about being a Psychology major and is pursuing his dream job of becoming a junior college advisor. The possibility is becoming more and more real as he applies the same stamina and positivity he exhibits on the track to his job search.

"I like to help others improve their mental, spiritual and physical health—and their hearts as well," he said. "During my time at Joliet Junior College, I met often with my advisor who was very nice and kind. That is why I also love talking to students about their classes."

Joey is proud to call himself a St. Francis alumnus. He credits his success to coaches Amy Probst and Akwasi Akins, who both had a profound impact on him. He appreciates friends like Mara Bruno, who gave good advice as a fellow long jumper, and classmate Mara Delrose, who inspired him to work hard academically. His Psychology professors, Dr. Eyal Sagi, Dr. Melinda Hammond and Julie Miller, had the ability to speak clearly and explain course material thoroughly to Joey while offering constructive feedback on all his research papers. They also worked with him to keep up with coursework while he was traveling with the team.

But his family—Craig, Sandi and his brother, John—are at the top of his list and his biggest fans.

"John supports me and challenges me to get out of my comfort zone. My dad goes to my meets, and my mom makes me special foods—I love her shepherd's pie!"

In his spare time, Joey likes spending time with his family, playing video games, playing trivia and watching movies.