Lindenwood Magazine - Spring 2024

20 21 SPRING 2024 EDITION THE LINDENWOOD THE LINDENWOOD SPRING 2024 EDITION 2024 ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND Lindenwood University’s Alumni Reunion Weekend was a spectacular time for all. Graduates, friends, and family celebrated bonds that made their Lindenwood years unforgettable. The weekend kicked off at Shamrocks Pub n Grill for April’s monthly Lindenwood Alumni Night. Friday evening, attendees enjoyed the Alumni & Friends Mingle and Milestone Celebration held at the Warner Hall Alumni Lounge. It was a night of mingling, treats, and surprise guest appearances by notable alumni. Several in attendance took advantage of a special experience—moonlight-guided tours of campus held after dark. The final day of Alumni Reunion Weekend was packed with activities for attendees to connect and celebrate their alma mater. The Saint Charles Alumni Chapter hosted its monthly meeting to welcome new guests and discuss their efforts to expand the network of local alumni, as well as programming initiatives and community engagement. Following the meeting, Lindenwood President Dr. John R. Porter and First Lady Beverly Porter welcomed guests to the Lindenwood House for the Alumni Awards Presentation and Brunch. Finally, the weekend concluded with the Alumni & Friends Party on the Patio, where guests enjoyed snacks and party games while cheering on the Lindenwood lacrosse teams in a doubleheader. The Alumni Relations team extends a special thank you to the weekend’s guest speakers. It was wonderful to hear from each of you and learn where you started here at Lindenwood and where you are currently in your career, as well as the successes you’ve accomplished. Thank you again for taking the time to join us for Alumni Reunion Weekend! Dear Graduates, Congratulations to the class of 2024! Your hard work and perseverance paid off, and you now join the ranks of more than 65,000 fellow alumni. Welcome to the Alumni Association! I hope to see all of you taking advantage of some of the wonderful programs and events the Lindenwood University Alumni Association and Special Events team organizes each year. There are many great opportunities to grow your social network! Here are some ways to enhance your alumni experience: • Stay informed and read our bi-annual article in the University magazine for happenings on campus, updates on your fellow alumni, and events. • Return to campus with your classmates and attend programs and events. Take advantage of our career-related resources. • Remain involved! If you’re staying in the area, I encourage you to get involved with the Saint Charles Alumni Chapter. • Interact with us on social media. We’re on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. As you achieve personal and professional milestones, share your exciting news with us, so we can celebrate with you! As a three-time Lindenwood alumna myself, I am incredibly proud of our Lindenwood Alumni community, and we continue to grow our network. My wish is that everyone stays well and strong. For the latest information and updates, please visit LindenConnect. You’ll find updates as we add new events to the calendar and have a chance to connect with fellow Lindenwood graduates as you expand your personal and professional network. Please keep in touch. I look forward to serving you and helping you stay closely connected to Lindenwood. Sincerely , DR. JEN EDLER Director, Alumni Relations Alumni@lindenwood.edu 2023 ALUMNI AWARD RECIPIENTS Lindenwood University has a long history of presenting alumni awards to celebrate and honor alumni accomplishments, their dedication to the University, and their commitment to the greater community. Chasity Strickland ’04 | Alumni Merit Award This award recognizes alumni who have enhanced the prestige of Lindenwood University by virtue of their character, integrity, career, and personal accomplishments. Chasity is an experienced, organized, inclusive servant leader with an affinity for success. She is a wife, celebrating 20 years of marriage this September, a mother of 2 and a new Gigi (grandmother). Chasity is a first-generation college graduate and has been with the Boeing Company for almost 20 years. She is an entrepreneur most evenings and weekends: As U Wish Event Planning, Strickly Taxes, and Travel by Chasity. Her favorite charity and a place she loves to volunteer at is The Ronald McDonald House dinner program. Chasity is celebrating her 20th year of graduating from Lindenwood’s LCIE program, and she is very grateful that such a program existed back then, which focused on adult learning. Dr. Jose Jones ’06, ’07, ’18 | Alumni Service Award This award recognizes alumni who have demonstrated outstanding service and leadership to Lindenwood University—whether it be through volunteerism, philanthropy, recruiting, or any other means. Dr. Jones is a Licensed Professional Counselor, retired professional boxer, and founder of The Boxing Therapy. He has used his passion for boxing to create programs that help with stress, anxiety, ADHD, depression, and addiction. He offers tailored programs for adults, youth, and children with special needs, including Parkinson’s, autism, Down syndrome, and ALS. In addition to his work in the community, he also offers mental health support and resources to students at Lindenwood. He holds three master’s degrees and earned a doctoral degree in education from Lindenwood University. Susie Evans ’15 | Young Alumni Award This award recognizes the accomplishments of alumni who graduated in the last 10 years. Recipients are up-and-coming talents and have demonstrated outstanding promise for contributions to Lindenwood and the greater community. Since graduating, Susie has utilized her degree to further her career in the media world. Appearances on shows such as The Bachelor on ABC and various online podcasts, Susie is a true story of what “Real Experience. Real Success.” is all about. Susie manages her own company that focuses on wedding videography and photography, all the while maintaining her role as a media personality. She uses her online platform in a way that is informative and helpful to the community by keeping them up-to-date on the latest trends and providing a place for the community to interact with her. THE ALUMNI COMMUNITY LINDEN CONNECT JOIN TODAY!