Dear alumni and friends of the Benedictine community:

Spring is a very exciting time on campus; flowers begin to bloom, the quad bustles with students enjoying warmer weather and our seniors prepare to graduate and become members of our Alumni family.

As our seniors begin to think about life after Benedictine, I am reminded of how divided I felt when graduating from my alma mater. I was excited to get my first job and live life in the "real world," but at the same time, I was sad to be leaving a place where I made so many great memories and friends.    

I ask you, our alumni, to think back to your years at Benedictine University and remember how special they were; all the great times you had and people you met. I encourage you to come back to campus and visit all of your favorite spots, catch up with faculty and staff members, and maybe even run into an old classmate. There are several upcoming alumni events highlighted in this month’s issue of "CU at BU," so check them out and remember, you are always welcome to come back home to Benedictine University.

With Eagle Pride,

Jessica Stillo Coordinator of Alumni Stewardship and Philanthropy

Letter from the President

This year has been a very stressful and challenging time for all, including Benedictine University. In times such as these, our Benedictine value of Stewardship demands that we not only watch over the earth and the things thereof, but also of each other. Read more

Updates from University Development

• The University Development Office and Alumni Relations hosted the first Tuition Freedom Day Event for students
• A gift of significance was made by the CNA Foundation

Updates from the Office of Alumni Relations

• The Track and Field/Cross Country Reunion will be held Saturday, April 18. Join us as we cheer on our track team at the Eagle Invitational, welcome our new coach and network with old friends. There will be food and refreshments in the Sports Complex skybox from 12:00-2:00 p.m. R.S.V.P. to John Morris at (630) 829-1812 or jmorris@ben.edu.

• The College of Business Reception and Dinner will be held April 22 at 5:30 p.m. in Krasa Center room D. A wine and cheese reception will begin at 5:30 p.m. for graduating seniors, alumni, faculty and staff. Dinner will follow at 6:30 p.m. Please R.S.V.P. to Joan Henehan at (630) 829-6617 or jhenehan@ben.edu.
  

• The Society of Communications Arts Professionals (SCAP) Conference and Alumni Relations is hosting the second annual SCAP Conference and alumni reunion on Sunday, April 26 from 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. in the Krasa Student Center. Cost for students is $15 and alumni is $20.  Please R.S.V.P. to Julie Nelligan, alumni relations director, at (630) 829-6077 or e-mail jnelligan@ben.edu by April 22, 2009.

• The Alumni Baseball Reunion will be held on Sunday, April 26 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Sports Complex skybox. Come and support our Eagles, enjoy food, drinks and networking with fellow alumni. For more information and to R.S.V.P., contact Julie Nelligan, alumni relations director, at jnelligan@ben.edu or (630) 829-6077.

• The Golden Eagles Reunion will be held Sunday, May 17. Activities include a Commencement Convocation where all Golden Eagles will be honored beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Sports Complex, followed by a luncheon during which all Class of 1959 alumni will receive their Golden Eagle pin. The luncheon is free to alumni. Guest cost is $15. R.S.V.P. to Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or jnelligan@ben.edu.

• The Annual Alumni Picnic will be hosted Sunday, June 28 at Benedictine University from 12:00-3:00 p.m. Food will be available for purchase from 12:00-1:30 p.m. and you are welcome to pack your own picnic. There will be games, open gym at the Rice Center, canoe races on Lake St. Benedict and much more! R.S.V.P. to Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or jnelligan@ben.edu.

• Plans are now underway for this year’s class reunions scheduled for Homecoming Weekend, September 18-19, 2009. If your class year ends with either a 4 or a 9, your class will have a reunion. Please contact Julie Nelligan, alumni relations director, at (630) 829-6077 if you would like to assist with your reunion. Watch the alumni Web site for more information.

Where in the World is Ernie the Eagle?

Help us show all the places in the world our alumni live and visit. Have a photo taken of yourself with Ernie the Eagle in front of a landmark in your hometown or on your travels.

Download Ernie at www.ben.edu/Ernie and print, cut and attach him to a tongue depressor for his close up or pick him up at the Alumni Picnic in June. E-mail your Ernie photos to Julie Nelligan at jnelligan@ben.edu or send through postal mail to Julie Nelligan, Benedictine University, 5700 College Road, Lisle, IL 60532.

We’ll post your photos on a special site on the Alumni Web page and we will also display a map with all of the photos of Ernie’s travels with Alumni, students and friends of Benedictine University at Homecoming 2009.

Commemorative Silver Medallions

Each medallion is 1.5 inches in diameter and contains one ounce of .999 pure silver. The obverse side presents a portrait of St. Benedict and the reverse shows the shield of the College/University with the appropriate dates. These treasured medallions commemorate the history of Benedictine education and should prove to be a store of value.

If you have not already done so, order your medallion today. Each medal is $100 plus shipping. Proceeds will be used for student scholarships. Consult your tax expert on what portion of this contribution is tax deductible.

For more information, call (630) 829-6088 or order online. These medals make great gifts for alumni, students or yourself!

Tuition Freedom Day 2009

Benedictine University’s first "Tuition Freedom Day" event for students was held March 17. Tuition Freedom Day represents the point in the semester where the student’s tuition dollars have been exhausted and the rest of the semester is paid for by our generous donors and philanthropists. This year, we gave students the opportunity to say "Thanks" to the many Benedictine University alumni, parents, friends, faculty and staff who made a gift to the University last year by having huge "Thank You" posters available on campus for students to sign. We had a wonderful turnout and each student was very grateful for the support they receive. Many of our students didn’t know that about one-third of the actual cost of attending Benedictine is covered by donors and philanthropists, so it was a wonderful awareness-spreading event. Each student who signed a thank-you note received green caramel corn and green lemonade in honor of St. Patrick’s Day.

Eagle Sightings

Catch up with Benedictine University softball coach Kate Keller.
Read more

15th Annual President’s Invitational Golf Outing

The 15th Annual President’s Invitational Golf Outing will be held Monday, June 29 at Cress Creek Country Club in Naperville. Hank Haney will be back this year to offer golf tips on the course as well as speak at dinner. All alumni and friends are encouraged to attend. 

Each foursome which includes at least one Benedictine alumnus will compete for the Alumni Cup. The foursome with the lowest score will win the Cup. Not only will your team members’ names be inscribed on the plaque accompanying the Alumni Cup, the foursome will be asked to return next year on a complimentary basis to defend its title. Additionally, the members will be able to proudly sport their 2009 Alumni Cup winner wind jacket (second in prestige only to the Master’s "Green Jacket"). 

There is also the opportunity to join the Alumni Board, 2009 Golf Cart Sponsor, as a sponsor of the event. All proceeds benefit our students in the form of scholarship dollars. For more information on sponsorships or to reserve your foursome, contact University Events Director Debbie Smith at (630) 829-6080 or e-mail her at dsmith@ben.edu.

Our afternoon foursomes fill up very quickly, so be sure to make your reservation soon! For more information, check out the Golf Web site.

Eagle Club Update

Attention Benedictine University Athletic Alumni, Friends and Fans!

Alumni Online Directory

The Alumni Online Directory is coming soon. This service is free to alumni, and will assist you in finding fellow classmates and networking with alumni in your occupation or field of interest. You will receive a postcard in the mail shortly with your temporary password. You will need this temporary password to log in. Once you are logged in, you may change your password and set up your home page and begin looking for friends and long lost classmates!

Alumni Baseball Outing

A limited number of tickets are available for the Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Indians game at 1:20 p.m. on Sunday, June 21 at Wrigley Field. The cost is $35 per ticket including transportation via luxury bus leaving the Krasa Center parking lot at 11:00 a.m., or $20 per ticket without transportation.

Please contact Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or jnelligan@ben.edu. Limit two tickets per person.

Keep in Touch!

Married? Have children? Moved? Promoted? Let Benedictine know the exciting life changes that have occurred since graduation by updating your information online!

Check out the University Development Blog!

A lot is happening in the University Development Office. Check out the University Development blog

Connect with old friends and classmates on our social networking pages!

MySpace is a great way to reunite with old friends! Ernie also has his own MySpace page, so check him out!

Get linked professionally to the Benedictine network of your peers. LinkedIn is a great way to advance your career and make beneficial contacts with faculty, staff, alumni and classmates! Link your page to Ernie Eagle’s!

Facebook is a great way to reunite with old friends and form new contacts and networks. Become friends with Ernie the Eagle and join the Benedictine Alumni group. Or you can "Become a Fan" of the Benedictine University page. Click the link to check us out!

The correct answer to March’s trivia question, "How many founders were there of Benedictine University?" is eight.

Winners are:

AJ Rodino, C73
Jeff Benedek, C03