AMU Near You-MI: Andrew Nussbaum Reflects on the Lasting Impact of Ave Maria

• When Ave Maria University alumni gathered in Michigan this summer for AMU Near You, alumnus Andrew shared a reflection on the lasting impact Ave Maria has had on his life, his marriage, his family, and his commitment to giving back to the University. For Andrew, the Ave Maria experience was about much more than a college education. It was about building relationships and becoming part of a community whose influence has continued long after graduation. “The most important thing was finding my wife. She’s my best friend,” Andrew shared, reflecting on the foundations of his life that were formed during his time at Ave Maria. He also spoke about the influence of Ave Maria University’s founding vision and the ambition behind building a Catholic university rooted in its mission. “I can’t imagine doing anything in my life without my wife and without Ave Maria University and without Tom’s ambitious vision to build it and to continue to build it with authenticity,” Andrew said. “It fires me up every day.” That sense of gratitude has translated into a desire to give back. For Andrew and his family, supporting Ave Maria is a meaningful way to invest in the University that played such an important role in their lives. “Ave Maria means the world to our family,” he said. “This is a meaningful donation from our family that we want to give to Tom as part of the speech.” Andrew sees giving back not simply as a financial contribution, but as a responsibility and an expression of gratitude for what Ave Maria has given his family. “As alumni, we’re going to pour as much as we can back into Ave,” he said. “And we owe it to you.” His reflection at AMU Near You captured the heart of the alumni experience: the friendships, faith, family, and shared mission formed at Ave Maria continue to shape the lives of graduates years after they leave campus. Through gatherings like AMU Near You, alumni have the opportunity to reconnect with one another, share their stories, and celebrate the ways the mission of Ave Maria University continues to be carried forward in communities across the country. For Andrew, that connection remains deeply personal. Ave Maria is not simply where his family began their journey. It continues to be part of the family they are building today.
• Andrew is the owner of Golden Circle Investment Banking, and due to the internship experience he was given by AMU, he is giving back by hiring AMU alumni and giving AMU students internships. He stressed the importance for business owners to focus on not the goal of making money, althiough that is good, the focus of a business should be bringing souls to heaven.

When Ave Maria University friends and alumni gathered in Michigan this summer for AMU Near You-MI, one alumnus's heartfelt reflection captured the profound ways that AMU continues to shape lives long after graduation. Andrew Nussbaum shared how his time at the University became the foundation for everything that matters most to him: his marriage, his family, and his commitment to giving back. "The most important thing was finding my wife. She's my best friend," Andrew reflected, speaking to the deep relationships and sense of community that define the AMU experience. For Andrew, those years on campus were about far more than earning a degree; they were about becoming part of a faith-filled community whose influence remains woven into every aspect of his life today.

Andrew's gratitude for Ave Maria's founding vision and mission runs so deep that it fuels him daily. "I can't imagine doing anything in my life without my wife, without Ave Maria University and without Tom's ambitious vision to build it and to continue to build it with authenticity," he said. That profound sense of appreciation has naturally led him to invest in the University's future. As the owner of Golden Circle Investment Banking, Andrew has made it a priority to support AMU in tangible ways, not only through financial contributions, but also by hiring AMU alumni and offering internship opportunities to current AMU students. For Andrew, this is more than good business practice; it reflects his deep belief in the University's mission.

What drives Andrew's commitment to giving back, however, extends beyond financial metrics or career advancement. He has emphasized to business owners the importance of keeping their focus on what truly matters: bringing souls to heaven. By opening doors for AMU students and alumni within his company, Andrew is helping to foster the next generation of professionals who will carry the University's Catholic values into the workplace and beyond. "As alumni, we're going to pour as much as we can back into Ave," he said. "And we owe it to you (Mr. Monaghan)."

Andrew's reflections at AMU Near You-MI reminds us that the AMU experience creates bonds that last a lifetime. Through alumni gatherings like this one, we celebrate not just the friendships and memories formed on campus, but the ongoing commitment of our graduates to support the University and to live out its mission in their professional and personal lives. For Andrew and his family, AMU is not a chapter that ended at graduation, it is a living, breathing part of who they are and who they continue to become.