Valparaiso University Career & Alumni Network

✨ Follow the Beacon: August Feature ✨

For Lauren Bartlett ’23, ’25 M.S., choosing Valpo started with a Google search and quickly became something much bigger. “I knew I wanted to work in healthcare,” she said. “I started searching for physician assistant programs near me, and Valpo stood out because of its direct admit master of science in physician assistant studies (MSPA) program.” Originally from a small town in Illinois, Lauren was drawn not only to Valpo’s highly respected physician assistant program but also to the sense of community she felt when she visited campus. “I visited Valpo four different times before committing,” she said. “Every time I came back, people remembered me and were genuinely excited to see me again. That feeling really stayed with me.”

👩‍⚕️Read more of Lauren's story: https://www.valpo.edu/follow-the-beacon-lauren-bartlett-23-25-m-s/

🎉 August Campus Close-Up! 🌟 Where am I?! 🤔

Answer: Check your inbox for the August edition of the alumni e-newsletter! ✨

It’s time to start planning your return to campus for Homecoming & Family Weekend, September 25–27! 🎉

Reconnect with classmates, celebrate Valpo traditions and make new memories—including the return of our football rivals, the Butler Bulldogs, as we battle for the Hoosier Helmet Trophy! 🏈

This year’s celebration will also include the Presidential Inauguration of Rev. Brian E. Konkol, Ph.D., on Friday, September 25.

With plenty of events to choose from and limited capacity for some, don’t wait to register!

👉 Register today by visiting valpo.edu/homecoming

Researchers from Valparaiso University have been named one of just seven teams across the nation to receive a grant from the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation (RNRF). The funding will support environmental research at an agricultural site east of Chesterton, Indiana, where restoration efforts are currently underway.

🍃Read more: https://www.valpo.edu/the-human-impact-of-restoring-nature-valparaiso-university-researchers-assess-land-revitalization-efforts/

Aria Davis ’27, a business analytics major at Valparaiso University, has had anything but the typical higher education journey. What began as a project to keep in touch with loved ones during a historic pandemic led to the pursuit of entrepreneurial education and finally, to serving the Northwest Indiana community with Valparaiso University and the Calling and Purpose in Society Fellowship program (CAPS).

➡Read more of Aria's Story: https://www.valpo.edu/from-community-college-to-community-impact-aria-davis-finds-purpose-at-valpo/

Fayol Ateufack ’26, a Cameroon native who journeyed 7,000 miles to earn his degree at Valparaiso University, will move to New York City this summer to take a software engineering position with Bloomberg L.P., a giant in the financial, software, data, and media industries. A double-major in computer engineering and physics, Ateufack’s university experience and career success show just how much Valpo’s values, education and professional opportunities can mean to someone breaking into a tough industry.

Read more of Fayol's story: https://www.valpo.edu/from-cameroon-to-bloomberg-an-international-valparaiso-university-alumnis-journey/

Former Valpo Tennis Head Coach Bob Modesto ‘26 MBA has spent decades coaching student-athletes – guiding them through competition, personal growth, and the challenges of balancing life on and off the tennis court. In recent years, he stepped into a new role at Valparaiso University: graduate student.

🎾Read more: https://www.valpo.edu/back-in-the-classroom-how-coach-bob-modestos-26-mba-journey-strengthened-his-impact-at-valpo/

✨ Follow the Beacon: July Feature ✨

When Shantée Lewis ‘22 arrived on the campus of Valparaiso University as a non-traditional student, she sat in her car for 20 minutes, pondering her life-altering decision. At 45 years old, she was stepping into a new world filled with classes, academic expectations, and the challenge of balancing the pursuit of a college degree with family life. A wife, mother of six children, caregiver, pastor’s wife, and lifelong musician, Lewis wondered if she truly belonged. “I sat in my car crying, asking God, 'Why am I here?’” she recalled. “And He said, ‘I’m going to show you.’”

🎶Read more of Shantée's story here: https://www.valpo.edu/follow-the-beacon-shantee-lewis-22/

🎉 July Campus Close-Up! 🌟 Where am I?! 🤔

Answer: Check your inbox for the July edition of the alumni e-newsletter! 🎲