by Vince Anch
On Nov. 1, the Catholic Education Foundation (CEF) held one of the most spectacular dinners of the year. It was the 23rd annual Gaudeamus gala which attracted over 1,350 people and showcased the immense generosity of the Catholic community in our archdiocese.
The gala also showed the impact that CEF scholarships are making on students, families and schools in the archdiocese.
One of the dinner’s highlights was the honoring of Msgr. Thomas Tank with CEF’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Msgr. Tank, or Father Tom as he prefers, was a perfect candidate to be this year’s honoree because of all that he has done in our archdiocese. Father Tom is credited with cocreating many programs and ministries, including Camp Tekakwitha, Villa St. Francis, Men Under Construction and many more. Father Tom was the first chaplain at Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, Kansas, a CEF- supported school, and served as pastor of the Cathedral of St. Peter. The cathedral’s grade school merged with other schools to create Resurrection Catholic School, which is also a CEF-funded school. Thousands of people have been impacted by the fruits of Father Tom’s labor.
What was most memorable to many who attended Gaudeamus was the student speaker, Leonardo Estrada Pineda. He is a senior at Bishop Ward and is a CEF scholarship recipient. He is an Honor Society member and involved with campus ministry. He plans to attend college to study engineering or astronomy. Approximately 90% of CEF students attend college, which is a significantly higher rate than students from public schools that are near CEF schools. Pineda spoke of the impact the scholarships have made on him and his family. Without CEF scholarships, he would not have been able to attend a Catholic school.
Gaudeamus raised a record $4.4 million dollars! This was a significant increase over last year. This was greatly needed to meet this year’s scholarship demand from families. On average, CEF increases its scholarship funding by at least $500,000 each year. This school year, CEF scholarships will total over $5.6 million.
The impact Gaudeamus will have on the families that will receive CEF scholarships this year and in the future is immeasurable. This would not be possible without the support of very generous donors who understand the value of Catholic education. When CEF funds a child, they continue to from grades K-12. This will total $50-$70 million in scholarship awards over the next 10 years.
The memories that CEF students will have while attending our Catholic schools will be spectacular. Just like Gaudeamus was.
