Excellence Continues: Celebrating Seniors Who Will Soon Strengthen Our Alumni Ranks

This week, Ave Maria University gathered to honor the remarkable achievements of its 2025-2026 graduating class at Senior Awards Night. Emceed by Kathleen Murphy and Luke Bleyer, the event showcased the extraordinary talents, service, and character of students who are preparing to strengthen the University's growing alumni community. From athletes who have carried the Gyrene spirit to heights of excellence, to servant leaders who have quietly transformed our campus through acts of daily kindness, these seniors embody the very best of Ave Maria's mission to form young Catholics who will serve the Church and society with integrity and joy.

The evening highlighted eight major awards celebrating different dimensions of excellence. Timothy Roos and Eva Shahid received the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Service Award for their profound commitment to living for Christ through service to others—Timothy known for his silent, joyful presence whether sweeping floors at the soup kitchen or serving in countless mission projects, and Eva recognized for her generous, loving dedication as a nursing student, household leader, and campus minister. Thomas Pinto and Olivia O'Rourke earned the Saint Thomas Aquinas Award for Balance and Eutrapelia, each bringing full-hearted presence to their academic, spiritual, and social lives. Isaac Cordero and Abigail Gallagher received the Saints Francis and Dominic Award for Magnanimity, their contagious joy and welcoming hearts having made every person on campus feel genuinely seen and loved.

Additional honorees illuminated how our students ignite the light of Christ across campus in diverse ways. Caleb Metzen and Molly Campbell, recipients of the Saint Catherine of Siena Inflamma Omnia Award, brought zealous evangelization and leadership to Campus Ministry and their peers' spiritual growth. Jonathan Effertz and Elizabeth Laville earned the Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati Sportsmanship Award, exemplifying athletic excellence rooted in humility and faith. James Halvorsen and Gigi Crawford, honored with the Saint Therese of Lisieux "Little Way" Award, demonstrated that the most profound holiness is often found in small acts done with great love. Finally, Derba Boivin and Katia Healy received the Saint John Paul II Culture Award for their transformative impact on campus life and their steadfast commitment to leaving Ave Maria University better than they found it.

As these remarkable young men and women move forward into the next chapter of their lives, they carry with them the formation, friendships, and faith that Ave Maria has nurtured. Their generosity of spirit, intellectual excellence, and deep commitment to Christ promise to enrich the Church and the world in countless ways. We invite all alumni to welcome these newest members of our extended