Greetings from Benedictine University's Enrollment Center!

In January 1996, Hilary Clinton said "It takes a village to raise a child." If this is true, then it takes a community to recruit a student. To date, we have registered 430 incoming freshman. This marks a 3 percent increase over last year. These numbers would not have been possible without the support of each member of the Benedictine University community. We saw many of you on campus giving up your evenings and weekends to spend time with our students and their parents. You have shown them why Benedictine is different through your interactions over the phone, through presentations and during face-to-face meetings. They have seen the Benedictine values alive on our campus through your willingness to listen, your warmth and your hospitality.

We have been busy preparing students as they "Spark their Future" at Benedictine University during four summer orientation programs. Now we are putting the final touches on "Welcome Weekend" which will begin on Thursday, August 27. We have a full program planned that we hope will further connect students to the University academically and socially. Our goal is to turn that "spark" into a light that they will carry through their Benedictine University careers and beyond. 

Please join me in welcoming our new incoming class to campus this fall.

Thank you and see you in the fall,

Kari Gibbons
Associate Vice President of Enrollment

Updates from University Development

• The University Development Office is currently making travel plans for the upcoming year. Possible destinations include Florida, Arizona and Atlanta.

• Representatives from the Development Office and Alumni Relations travelled to Kansas City at the beginning of August to meet with alumni and friends of the University.

Updates from Alumni Relations

• Attention Men's Soccer Alumni! At 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, Alumni Relations and Men's Soccer will host the annual Alumni Soccer Game in the Sports Complex. A reception will follow the game at 2:00 p.m. in the Coal Ben. The cost is $10, which includes a T-shirt and food. R.S.V.P. to Eric Guthrie at eguthrie@ben.edu or call (630) 829-6081 by August 21.

• Alumni in and around the Kansas City area are planning a gathering on Saturday,
  October 7 in Overland Park. Please R.S.V.P. to Julie Nelligan at jnelligan@ben.edu if you can attend!

• Mark your calendars for the Men's and Women's Basketball Reunion scheduled for Sunday, November 15. Benedictine will host Illinois Wesleyan University with the women's game beginning at 1:00 p.m. and the men's game at 3:00 p.m. After the game, stay for food and refreshments with fellow alumni in the Rice Center Trophy Room. For more information, contact Julie Nelligan at (630) 829-6077 or jnelligan@ben.edu.

• The Alumni Relations office has secured 30 Chicago Blackhawk tickets for Sunday, December 13 as the Blackhawks host a 6:00 p.m. game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Tickets are only $25. Transportation to the event will not be provided. To purchase tickets contact Eric Guthrie, alumni relations coordinator, at (630) 829-6081 or e-mail eguthrie@ben.edu.

EXTENDED! The Charitable IRA Rollover provision has been extended through 2009!

The legislation that allows individuals to give directly from their IRA to non-profit institutions has been extended. Please refer to the specifics below to see if you can take advantage of this provision to meet your philanthropic goals. If you have any questions as to how this could impact your individual situation, please feel free to contact Jason Leppin at (630) 829-1814 or jleppin@ben.edu.

• Age Requirement: 70½ years old and older
• Donation Limit: Cannot exceed $100,000
• Eligible Charities: Must go directly to a public charity. Contributions to supporting organizations, donor-advised funds and private foundations, except in narrow circumstances, do not qualify for the tax-free treatment.
• Eligible Retirement Accounts: Distributions can only be made from traditional Individual Retirement Accounts or Roth IRAs. Charitable donations from 403(b) plans, 401(k) plans, pension plans and other retirement plans are ineligible for the tax-free treatment.
• Do charitable contributions from IRAs count toward your annual IRA distribution requirement? Yes, you can give your required distribution to a qualified charitable organization without having to include it in your taxable income.
• Directly to the Charity: Distributions must be made directly from the IRA trustee payable to the public charity.
• No Gifts in Return: You cannot receive any goods or services in return for the charitable IRA rollover.

Women's Leadership Summit

Benedictine University's College of Business will host the Women's Leadership Summit, a regional conference addressing the issues of working women, on October 9, 2009. The event will include nationally-recognized women leaders addressing the issues of financial literacy, work/life balance, culture and innovative leadership. 

Please e-mail wls@ben.edu for more information or register online to attend.

Student Connection: Matt Libs

Benedictine University is home to many well-rounded leaders and scholars. The Student Connection section strives to keep you connected to those following in your footsteps and to update you on what campus life is all about.

Meet Matt Libs

Students Today, Alumni Tomorrow (S.T.A.T.) is a student group dedicated to establishing and promoting a closer bond among alumni, current students, faculty and staff. S.T.A.T. members work to foster a stronger alumni culture at Benedictine University by planning events and programs that get alumni involved with current students. There are several events and opportunities for alumni to become involved with S.T.A.T. Look for upcoming events and volunteer opportunities listed in "CU at BU." For more information, please contact Jessica Stillo at jstillo@ben.edu or (630) 829-1811.

Visit the S.T.A.T. Web site for more information.

Meet Your Alumni Board!

The Alumni Board is comprised of 11 Benedictine University alumni. Each member serves the Alumni Association in a unique way and brings a special set of skills and background to the board.

Meet the Alumni Board

Memorabilia Wanted

The Alumni Relations Office is looking for St. Procopius Academy/College, Illinois Benedictine College and Benedictine University memorabilia to be displayed at "Ben There, Done That" in the Coal Ben during the 2009 Homecoming festivities. All items are on loan and will be returned during the week of September 21. 

If you have memorabilia to display, please contact Eric Guthrie, Alumni Relations Coordinator, at
(630) 829-6081 no later than September 14, 2009. Thank you!

Homecoming 2009

Make plans now to attend Homecoming 2009 – "Get Wild with Pride." This is your opportunity to come back to your campus, see what is new and revisit the things you remember. We will again have a display to stir those old memories – "Ben There, Done That" – located in the Coal Ben.

Each of the academic colleges will have a tailgate tent complete with food and drink where you can visit with your favorite professor or staff member and find out what's happening in your college.

Bring your family to enjoy the popular children's area featuring a petting zoo, facepainting, crafts, games and prizes. Parents, if you would like to leave your child in the children's area for a time, you will need to complete a waiver at that time.

The Alumni Baseball Game will be held Saturday, September 19 at 10:00 a.m. Please R.S.V.P. and don't miss the football game featuring our Eagles taking on the North Park Vikings at 1:00 p.m.

The Distinguished Alumni Award, Spirit Award and Service Award will be presented to this year's Alumni Award winners prior to the football game at 12:45 p.m. in the Sports Complex. The award winners will also be honored at a brunch at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday in the Krasa Center, Rooms A, B and C following the 9:00 a.m. Alumni Mass at St. Procopius Abbey.

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 want to assist with your reunion. Watch the alumni Web site for more information.

For more information, complete listings of all events and to R.S.V.P. visit the Homecoming Web site.

Updates from Eagle Athletics
Attend our football celebrations!

The Eagle Club will host a pair of football reunions in September. We will honor coaches Bill Barz and Dave Egofske and the teams of the 1980s on September 5. We will honor coach Tom Beck and the teams of the 1970s on September 19. Find more information and R.S.V.P. for these reunions online at our Football Celebrations page or contact John Morris, assistant director of athletics, at (630) 829-1811 or jmorris@ben.edu.

Nominate a Hall of Fame candidate
Eagle Athletics is pleased to announce that we will induct a new Hall of Fame class this winter. We invite nominations for worthy candidates. Simply fill out this online nomination form or contact John Morris, assistant director of athletics, to nominate a candidate.

Join the Eagle Club
Support Benedictine University Athletics and become a charter member of the Eagle Club. Memberships are rising and we anticipate an outstanding inaugural year. The Eagle Club strives to provide our student-athletes with the best possible experience and engage our alumni, friends and fans with a variety of social opportunities and events. To learn more about the Eagle Club and support Eagle Athletics, check out the Eagle Club Web site.

Where in the World is Ernie the Eagle?

Ernie rides the "L" on his way to Wrigley Field.

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 Homecoming in September. E-mail your Ernie photos to Julie Nelligan at jnelligan@ben.edu, or send via postal mail to Julie Nelligan, Benedictine University, 5700 College Road, Lisle, IL 60532.

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!

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 a fan of 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!

Check out the University Development Blog!

Do you want updates on current projects undertaken by the University Development Office? Check out our Blog! Also learn about upcoming events and view recaps of past events. 

Campus Trivia!

Two winners will be selected in a random drawing of all who respond correctly. Each lucky winner will win a Benedictine prize!

Submit your information in the form below:

The correct answer to July's trivia contest, "What is the name of the student-run newspaper on campus?" is The Candor.

Winners are:

Anthony Espinosa, C96

Michael Maturlak, C09