KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The dramatic beats of Topeka’s Mater Dei School drumline filled the Overland Park Convention Center on Oct. 12, welcoming over 1,200 guests to the Catholic Education Foundation’s (CEF) Gaudeamus gala. The night was alive with community, celebration and gratitude as CEF raised a record-breaking $3.5 million to provide scholarships for students in need across the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas.
One of the evening’s highlights was a heartfelt tribute to Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, recipient of the CEF Lifetime Achievement Award.
“There has been no greater supporter of CEF than our honoree,” said CEF board chair RJ Gildea. He went on to praise Archbishop Naumann’s impact beyond academics: “Even more important are the results of his leadership on faith formation, community and lifelong evangelization — these truly differentiate our schools, students and families.”
In his acceptance speech, Archbishop Naumann reflected on his firsthand experience as the son of a Catholic educator. He told guests how parents would approach him when he was a bishop in St. Louis to tell him the impact his mother had made on their lives.
“They wanted to tell me how she had influenced them — not just as a teacher, but as a witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he said.
The archbishop thanked the audience for their support and commitment to CEF, emphasizing how their contributions help ensure Catholic schools remain accessible.
“Together, we’re making friends for Jesus Christ, disciples who are going to help change the world, our culture and society, and be leaders in our church for tomorrow,” he said.
The evening also featured the presentation of the 2024 Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann CEF School of Excellence Award to St. Benedict School in Atchison and inspiring testimonials from students and families who have directly benefited from CEF scholarships.
Jaime Vega, a senior at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, and a scholarship recipient, shared how CEF’s support helped him to deepen his faith and pursue his dreams, including a summer internship at Burns and McDonnell that fueled his passion for mechanical engineering.
“This is the opportunity my parents dreamed of for their children when they immigrated to the United States,” Vega said. “I want to thank you and the Catholic Education Foundation for giving me the chance to reach my educational goals.”
Gildea reminded the audience that Vega is one of 2,000 students in the archdiocese whose lives have been transformed through CEF scholarships. He emphasized the growing need, noting that this year 225 additional students require scholarship assistance to access Catholic education.
“We are facing the greatest need in our organization’s history, by both number of families and total dollars,” said Gildea.
To address this need, Gildea announced the establishment of the Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Legacy Scholarship Fund, which will further expand CEF’s reach to more families in need.
“This new scholarship gives CEF the opportunity to expand our reach as an organization to those families whose voice is oftentimes overlooked in our world,” Gildea said.
With more than 80% of CEF’s annual funding for scholarships generated by the Gaudeamus gala, the event serves as a crucial source of support for students and families who otherwise wouldn’t have access to Catholic education.
To contribute to CEF scholarships or the new Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann Legacy Scholarship Fund, visit the website at: cefgala.org. All donations go directly to scholarships.
