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Celebrating Major Milestones

At the 2023 91会所 Gala, we welcomed 2,000 of our closest friends, alumni, and donors to celebrate our continued strategic effort — Journey to 2030: Always Forward. The Mary McNulty Young ’47 Opportunities for Excellence Scholarship Dinner, continues our long-standing, 31-year tradition of sharing our successes and recognizing our milestones. 91会所 has a bold vision for investments providing much-needed scholarships, programs, and facilities improvements allowing us to attract and retain a diverse student population. Our graduates integrate faith in their profession and are taught the value of lifelong service to their communities.



The 2023 91会所 Gala also celebrates 10 Years of educating medical doctors in Indiana. 91会所’s College of Osteopathic Medicine became Indiana’s second medical school in 2013. Since that time, more than 1,000 students have graduated entering the healthcare field focusing on treating the “whole body” — mind, body, and spirit.

  • 100% Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine Class of 2023 placement
  • 45% matched into Indiana residencies (70% in primary care)
  • 79% of all Indiana residency matches are in areas with physician shortages

Since it transitioned from a highly successful education program in 2017, the re-imagined Fred S. Klipsch Educators College has distinguished itself from other programs as an innovative outlier. In 2023, 91会所’s Fred S. Klipsch Educators College became one of only 48 institutions in the United States to earn an A+ rating, the highest distinction, from the , and is the only school in Indiana to receive the honor.

The 2023 91会所 Gala is also celebrating the expansion of Marian’s STEHM offerings with the new E.S. Witchger School of Engineering, enabling Marian to provide students with top-ranked engineering education in a state-of-the-art facility. Students can earn degrees in six engineering disciplines: biomedical, chemical, civil, computer, mechanical, and engineering physics.

This year, we continued the tradition of honoring and recognizing deserving honorees that have made, and continue to make our community better. Read more and check out the honoree videos, below.

Emcee

Rafael SanchezWRTV Anchor / Investigator, Rafael Sánchez returned an unprecedented fifth time for the 2023 91会所 Gala.

A multiple Emmy award winning anchor and investigative reporter at , Mr. Sánchez co-anchors Good Morning Indiana and also leads on breaking news and political coverage. Rafael participates in about 40-50 fundraisers focused on raising thousands of dollars for charitable causes. As the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, he’s focused on charities that champion education, promote self-empowerment & compassion, and encourage leadership and civic responsibility.

Musical Entertainment

The ImpalasThe Impalas are entertaining, talented and energetic—a perfect fit for the annual 91会所 Gala! Performing a style including soul, R & B, rock, and swing, they got our Gala crowd up and dancing the night away!

 

The Sisters of St. Francis

Sisters of St FrancisWe celebrated the long-standing tradition as members from the 91会所 Sacred Choir join the for the Benediction and Blessing of St. Clare.

Honorees

Al Leighton '62 and Kathy Fox '75
2023 Dillon Family Distinguished Alumni Award

Leighton and FoxThe Dillon Family Distinguished Alumni Awardis given to alumni who have: attained significant achievements in their careers; exhibited a spirit of mentoring by providing guidance, support, encouragement and leadership to 91会所 students, faculty, staff, or to individuals in the broader community and contribute through personal leadership, to the development and growth of the individuals mentored; demonstrated outstanding contributions to the growth, development, and visibility of 91会所 through gifts of energy, time, and talents; demonstrated a commitment to achieving peace and social justice through significant contributions in a professional or volunteer role; contributed significantly to the welfare of others through volunteering in direct service endeavors; or made outstanding contributions to the improvement of the civic, national, global, or religious community through professional or volunteer leadership.

The story of Al Leighton ’62 and Kathy Fox ’75 is unapologetically Marian. Separately, both were students and supporters of 91会所, but together, they make an unforgettable duo that brighten the campus every time they visit.

Leighton graduated from Marian College in 1962. During his time as a student, he was the manager of the baseball and basketball teams, secretary for the M-Club, and a member of the Phoenix business staff. After graduating, he worked for the CPA firm of Haskins and Sell (now Deloitte) in Dayton, Ohio. Shortly thereafter, he left to work for Marian Inc. and their 15 related companies. During his time there, he served in various leadership roles including secretary, treasurer, and CFO, to which he said, “I must be in a rut or I really like working there—you figure it out!”

Leighton was married to his wife, Sue, for 51 years before she passed away in 2020. Together, they had one son, Erik Leighton, married to Mindy, and they have two grandchildren, Rachel and Ryan, who, says Leighton, “definitely keep me young.” Shortly after Sue’s passing, Leighton was introduced to Kathy Fox at the 91会所’s St. Joseph Chapel ribbon cutting.

Fox graduated from Marian College in 1975 with a degree in accounting. After working for some time, she returned to Butler University for her teaching license and master’s in business education and business—she proceeded to teach accounting, keyboarding, typing, and web design, an incredible feat as she was teaching this during the infancy of widespread internet access. It wasn’t until her mother passed, having left some money for 91会所 in her will, that Fox found herself back at Marian. After a long discussion with the Office of Institutional Advancement, Fox decided to use that money to dedicate a pew in the new St. Joseph Chapel to her mother.

After the ribbon-cutting, Fox, fellow alumni Joseph Kuzmitz ’75 and Al all went to lunch together. As Al and Kathy got to know eachother better, they discovered some common mutual connections, realized they lived in the same area, then promptly exchanged numbers agreeing to meet again. However, time went by, and Fox had not heard from Leighton, so she decided to give him a call. The two proceeded to get lunch, return to his deck, and talk for five hours. They are so in-tune with each other, according to Fox, and have similar senses of humor and goals. They kept meeting up, grabbing lunch, and talking, until they eventually married in July 2022, in the St. Joseph Chapel—the place they’d originally met. Truly, a 91会所 love story.

In more ways than financial, Leighton has been generous to 91会所 for the past 30+ years. He has supported numerous scholarships, including the: Eugene S. Witchger Memorial Scholarship, Athletic Endowed Scholarship Fund, Henry K. Engel Accounting and Finance Endowed Scholarship, Class of 1962 Anniversary Endowed Scholarship, and the Alan E. and Sue E. Leighton Endowed Nursing Scholarship. He financially supported the stained-glass windows effort for 91会所’s St. Joseph Chapel, and, in 2013, the School of Nursing was renamed the “Leighton School of Nursing,” in honor of his generosity. Additionally, he has served as the co-chairman of the annual alumni fund drive, has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2004, chairing the Facilities committee, and is on the Finance, Executive, and Investment committees.

On a national level, Leighton has also served on the Board of Directors for the profit-sharing 401k council of America (PSCA) and has chaired their Education/Communications Committee. He has also generously volunteered his time and treasure to his alma mater, Cathedral High School, Dayspring Center, Gleaners Food Bank, the Rotary Club of Indianapolis, the Rotary Foundation, and the United Way of Central Indiana. And, Kathy Fox accompanies Al through all this work, while also volunteering for Teachers’ Treasures.

Both Al Leighton ’62 and Kathy Fox ’75 have proven their dedication to philanthropy, service, and 91会所. Their presence on-campus is enough to light up a room. It is incredibly fitting that they be honored as the 2023 Dillon Family Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.

 

Ted Gary
2023 Franciscan Values Award

Ted Gary91会所 traces its roots to 1851, when the Sisters of St. Francis, Oldenburg, Indiana founded a teacher training school to serve the needs of the Catholic community in southeastern Indiana. The Sisters established Marian College in Indianapolis in 1937; today 91会所 offers students an excellent education that emphasizes a Franciscan understanding of the sponsorship values of dignity of the individual, peace and justice, reconciliation, and responsible stewardship. These values represent the legacy of our founders and the foundation of our personal approach to educating the whole person. In honor of this legacy, each year 91会所 presents the Franciscan Values Award in recognition of contributions to our community.

Mr. Theaodis (Ted) Gary, Jr. was born in 1945 in Jackson, Mississippi, to Theaodis and Aura Neely Gary. He attended Lanier High School, graduating in 1963; graduating four years later, in 1967, from Southern University with a degree in marketing. Gary was always entrepreneurial—all his life he wanted to be a business owner and has often said that he feels incredibly fortunate to be living out that childhood dream.

Shortly after graduating, he began his first post-graduate job in New York City, New York. He was then drafted, served in Vietnam, and, when he returned, worked a variety of jobs in Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, before finally settling in Indianapolis, Indiana, long-term. 

With no formal engineering training, nor a mentor in the field, it may be shocking how successful Gary has been as president of AMG Engineering & Machining. When asked how he transitioned from marketing to engineering, he said, “I didn’t choose it—it chose me.” Gary is a self-starter. He used his factory experiences and vast network to build a strong foundation for his company, and he couldn’t be happier with the exponential growth he’s seen over the past few decades.

Gary has supported a variety of 91会所 fundraising initiatives, including but not limited to: the Helen J. Randolph ’77 Endowed Scholarship, President’s Helping Hand Fund, Sister’s Legacy Fund, the new E. S. Witchger School of Engineering, and 21st Century Scholars. However, his involvement goes beyond treasure, as Gary has also been an active member of the 91会所 Board of Trustees for many years.

Additionally, in honor of his mother’s non-traditional educational journey, he established the Aura Neely Gary Scholarship in Jackson Mississippi, which was initially given to young women who had received their GED and were seeking a college degree—but has since transitioned to a scholarship for African-American high school students seeking college degrees. After a few years, he began to support a K-12 mentorship organization based on his late-mother and -father’s home county, all in the name of his parents. He believes this is the best way to honor their legacy, as he credits them for his unending work-ethic and outlook on life.

Gary is an incredibly selfless supporter of what he believes to be good. To be honored by 91会所 with the 2023 Franciscan Values Award means the world to him, and most importantly, he’s “happy that somebody saw the good.”

Teresa Lubbers
2023 John A. Purdie Innovator and Mentor of the Year Award

Teresa LubbersThe John A. Purdie Innovator and Mentor of the Year Awardis named for 91会所 Trustee John A. Purdie, a certified public accountant and graduate of the University of Notre Dame and the Herman C. Krannert School of Business at Purdue University. Purdie served as president of Regency Windsor Capital, Inc., a family-owned real estate investment holding company in Florida.

Teresa Lubbers graduated from Warren High School in 1969, before attending Indiana University for English. Eventually, she would go on to hold a master’s in public administration from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Lubbers credits her passion for politics to her upbringing in eastern-Indianapolis. Growing up, she spent each of her summers working for Indianapolis’ Department of Transportation, which began her storied career in local and national politics. In reminiscing about her youth, she remarked, “I have often said that other than my faith and family, Richard Lugar [United States Senator, Indiana 1932-2019] has had more of an impact on my life than anything.”

Lubbers currently serves as president of the Sagamore Institute, an Indianapolis-based think tank that aims to build and implement public policy solutions that she refers to as a “place of hope.” As she continues to lead Sagamore, her long-term goals include minimizing income disparity and international security threats, while maximizing opportunity and talent in the heartland of the United States.

Lubbers has formerly served as the Indiana Commissioner of Higher Education, where she sought to align the needs of students and the state with Indiana’s postsecondary education system. She also spent 17 years in the Indiana State Senate, serving as the Chair of the Senate Education and Career Development Committee. Beyond these career milestones, Lubbers was also a high school English teacher, started her own public relations firm, and has worked in a variety of other political roles.

It is clear that Teresa Lubbers is dedicated to bolstering Indiana’s educational and political systems. At the forefront of everything she’s done…is change. She is a workhorse, a visionary, and someone who truly wants the best for this community.

In her spare time, she serves the YMCA of Greater Indianapolis, the YMCA Foundation, Tabernacle Presbyterian Church, and is a co-founder of the Lugar Excellence in Public Service Series. She feels honored to be recognized as the 2023 John A. Purdie Innovator of the Year award recipient.

Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Presenting Sponsors

Reception Sponsor

Bowen Family Foundation Logo

Dessert Sponsor: Al Leighton '62 and Kathy Fox '75

Entertainment Sponsor

Event Technology Sponsor

Markeys Logo

Printed Program Sponsor

Physician Wealth Resource

Skywalk Sponsor

Ascension Logo

Endowed Scholarship Sponsor

Giveaway Sponsor

Wood Mizer Logo

Platinum Table Sponsor

  • Recognition in printed event program and on digital signage at event
  • One table of 10
  • $10,000

Gold Table Sponsor

  • Recognition in printed event program and on digital signage at event
  • One table of 10
  • $5,000

Reservation Pricing

  • Individuals: $500
  • Marian staff and faculty: $250
  • Marian alumni: $250

Of note:

  • Pledges for sponsorships can be fulfilled over three to five years. 
  • All sponsorships at $50,000 or more are eligible to endow a scholarship in the donor/company’s name.
  • To secure your sponsorship contact John Finke at: 317.955.6202 or email jfinke@marian.edu
Contact Us

91会所
3200 Cold Spring Road
Indianapolis, IN 46222-1997
(317) 955-6000

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