by Laura McKnight
Special to The Leaven
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Oct. 3, Donnelly College here will host its annual SHINE gala fundraiser at The Abbott, a luxury event venue in Kansas City, Missouri. Guests will enjoy cocktails at a rooftop social hour, a plated dinner, live music from local band Jazz for Good, and powerful testimonies from current and former students.
All proceeds will go to support Donnelly’s mission and fund generous scholarships that keep a private college education accessible to all.
Event chairs Marianne and Bill Dunn Jr. hope the evening will shine more light on the incredible impact Donnelly is making in the urban core of Kansas City, Kansas.
“Marianne and I are thrilled to chair Donnelly’s SHINE event this October,” said Bill Dunn Jr. “Over the decades, my parents, the Dunn Family Foundation, JE Dunn Construction and my brothers individually have also supported Donnelly’s special mission to increase access to affordable Catholic college education to those most often underserved — whether on its main campus in Kansas City, Kansas, or at its satellite campus serving inmates at Lansing Correctional Facility.”
“Donnelly has never wavered in its mission, and annual support helps the college keep its private tuition at just over $10,000 annually.”
The Dunns are grateful for the many supporters who have already stepped up to help the college move toward its ambitious $1 million fundraising goal. If met, SHINE 2024 would be the largest fundraiser in Donnelly’s history.
As one of just 11 diocesan colleges in the country, Donnelly serves primarily low- income, minority and first-generation students who would benefit from a personalized Catholic education. Named “The Most Diverse College in the Midwest” for the past seven years by U.S. News & World Report, Donnelly was also ranked 13th in the region for social mobility of its graduates and third for least debt at graduation. Donnelly provides a pathway to opportunity for more than 450 students each year.
In addition to raising funds for the college’s mission and scholarships, SHINE 2024 will kick off Donnelly’s yearlong 75th anniversary celebration. Honorary chairs for the event are Sister Mary Elizabeth Schweiger, OSB, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann. These leaders represent the college’s cofounders: the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison and the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
SHINE 2024 will also include Donnelly’s Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony, honoring Donnelly graduates who have served the community while upholding the college’s values. This year’s inductees are: Father Michael Stechmann, OAR, class of 1973, and John “Jack” Reardon (posthumously), class of 1963. Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, will accept the award on behalf of the Reardon family.
Tickets and sponsorships for SHINE 2024 are going fast. Registration for the event can be found online at: donnelly.edu/SHINE.
