Every incoming freshman class has a select amount of exceptional students who receive the St. Newman Scholarship, a full ride to Newman University. Desiray Cuellar is one of five students out of 47 interviewed in the class of 2028 to receive the scholarship. When Cuellar received the message, she was excited.
“I didn’t know how to react,” Cuellar said. “There were so many great applicants, I thought ‘who would pick me?'”
The Wichita East High School graduate knew she wanted to attend Newman after her campus visit. But, what stuck out to her?
“I was very impressed with how everyone interacted with one another. From students to teachers, there was an emphasis on excelling academically,” said Cuellar, a biology major with a pre-medicine concentration.
After conversations with multiple students and faculty, Cuellar learned there was more the university had to offer her than what she would learn in the classroom.
“I learned that Newman isn’t just about excelling as a student but succeeding as a person. This place seems like a family. Also, community service seems to be a big part of Newman culture, which I appreciate, because it is something I enjoy doing.”
Beyond academics and service, Cuellar will stay busy in her first year as a Jet. She was accepted into the Honors Program and can’t wait to play on the women’s soccer team.
“I am looking forward to meeting new people and making new connections,” Cuellar said.
Cuellar met some of her future teammates already.
“I was so happy to get to know some of the people who will be on my soccer team,” Cuellar said.
Cuellar is grateful for the St. Newman Scholarship and already knows how she wants to transform society.
“I want to make health care more affordable for families in unfortunate financial situations, especially because of how my family grew up,” Cuellar said.
Cuellar is ready for the next chapter in her life and knows Newman will set her up for success.
Jenna Ju has been selected as one of five incoming Newman University freshmen to receive the St. John Henry Newman Scholarship. The scholarship grants recipients a full-tuition package renewable for four years and is Newman’s most competitive award.
“Ever since I discovered (Newman University), it’s as if I found the missing piece to my future puzzle,” Ju said.
Ju first became interested in Newman during high school; she graduated from Valley Center High School in 2024. She had a college visit in February 2023, but quickly gathered more than just information about the institution.
“When I stepped onto the sidewalk, I felt a sense of welcoming and inclusion. I felt as if (Newman) is where I belonged.”
In her application essay, Ju emphasized that the friendly and tight-knit community at Newman was a large component in her choice to attend. She cited the various clubs and organizations at Newman — “I fell in love with how inclusive they were, inviting everyone no matter who they were” — as well as the overarching collaborative spirit of Newman students that she witnessed as evidence that Newman was the right place for her.
“What makes Newman different is their animated and lively community,” she said. “I am not just getting a degree; I’ll be getting a supportive group of friends, with the opportunity to improve myself and build on my potential to transform society.”
Ju intends to major in biology with a pre-medical concentration.
She is excited to grow in her faith through the strong and supportive Christian atmosphere at Newman. Ju has been volunteering with the First United Church of Valley Center since she was young, and she looks forward to participating in the various religious services and events offered on campus.
“Newman has truly opened me up and sparked a new light in me that I never would have envisioned myself doing years ago,” she commented.
Ju will also join the Newman cheer and dance team and support the Newman Jets with performances during athletic events. She spontaneously joined the dance team at her high school during her senior year, but her commitment quickly blossomed into a large passion for the sport.
“I believe that I will fit perfectly (at Newman), bringing my vision and passion.”
For many high schoolers, choosing a college is the first life-changing decision that is completely up to them. This was the case for Grace Hertel of Forest Grove High School in Oregon, who “put a great deal of thought into where I attend college.”
When Hertel was awarded Newman University’s full-tuition St. Newman Scholarship, she took it as a sign that she was in the right place.
Hertel was drawn to Newman for its Catholic identity, stewardship through service and the promise of “empowering its graduates to transform society.”
“I see Newman University as the best place for me to attend to make a real difference in our society,” Hertel wrote in her application essay.
In high school, Hertel served as vice president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and played water polo at a varsity level for four years. She also founded and was president of the Students of Life Club, a pro-life organization led by students.
“I want to transform society at its very basic need: life,” she said. “Without life, humans have no other rights, and that is why I want to help women be able to give life to their unborn children.”
It’s this passion of advocating for the sanctity of human life that also guided her to Newman.
“I desire to have a career as an ultrasound technician, and Newman’s diagnostic medical sonography degree will enable me to help women and their unborn babies,” Hertel said.
Hertel’s list of volunteerism efforts is extensive. She supported her local St. Vincent DePaul food pantry, Birthright of Hillsboro through public outreach and built fences with Habitat for Humanity. Additionally, she served as a lector, cleaned and volunteered during parish dinners at St. Francis Church.
“Something that greatly stood out to me at Newman was the requirement of the service hours because I had yet to see that on any other school’s scholarship requirements,” Hertel explained. “This alone shows the support I will have at the university to pursue community service. I know that seeing the way other people in our society live and listening to their needs is the best way to help them.”
Even Newman University’s namesake has significance to Hertel and her family.
“St. John Newman is kind of special to my family because my parents met at Newman Retreats Center,” she said. “And well, without St. Newman, me and my seven siblings might not be here.”
Hertel eagerly awaits the beginning of her first semester as a Newman University Jet.
“I can’t wait to get involved and to see the beautiful St. John’s Chapel in person,” she added.
Kelly Lotsu-Morgan has been selected as one of five incoming Newman University students to earn the St. John Henry Newman Scholarship. This scholarship is Newman University’s most competitive and prestigious award, providing recipients with full tuition renewable for four years.
“I love the fact that Newman is a diverse university. There’s a great sense of community,” he said. “I know that not only am I going to get edified academically but I am also going to get edified on a spiritual level.”
Lotsu-Morgan’s dream fulfilled
Lotsu-Morgan, a Ghanaian native, has experienced considerable adversity in his life.
In his application essay, he described how the loss of his father pushed him to explore how technology can better connect doctors and patients to prevent unnecessary medical complications. Particularly in Ghana, there is a growing reliance on self-diagnosis and over-the-counter medications in place of formal medical treatment.
To me, Newman University is not just a university; it’s a dynamic
Kelly Lotsu-Morgan, St. Newman Scholarship recipient
community where intellectual vigor intertwines with a palpable sense of
togetherness.
He plans to major in computer science this fall, utilizing Newman’s program and applying his passion for informational technology. Lotsu-Morgan’s goal is to create a telehealth software that “will have a large database of medically proven facts that can help people with illnesses identify their woes while at home.”
He hopes that this software will make seeking medical advice and treatment much more accessible to people who previously could not receive care. Although Lotsu-Morgan is partial to the technological side of remote health care, he is also looking forward to interacting with and employing the vast biomedical resources that Newman has to offer.
Lotsu-Morgan’s dedication also extends to community service. He attended Temple Christian International School in Accra, Ghana. During his time there, he directed a community impact project where he collected monthly donations from students and distributed them across the city to disadvantaged and impoverished individuals. Lotsu-Morgan hopes to continue supporting underprivledged communities by extending the future proceeds from his software.
Finding his place at Newman
Beyond engaging with the extensive academic resources at Newman, Lotsu-Morgan aspires to contribute to the unique student and religious community. A large aspect of Newman’s appeal to him was the fact that it is a religion-based institution. He is excited to “build a more personal relationship with God” and openly express his faith.
Additionally, Lotsu-Morgan is looking forward to engaging with people from new cultures and nationalities — whether that be through song or even playing a game of soccer (called football in Ghana).
“Newman University is not merely a destination for my education; it is a driver for societal transformation — my societal transformation.”
Emma Lintecum of Raymore, Missouri, is the most recent recipient of the St. John Henry Newman Scholarship. The prestigious scholarship is awarded to five incoming Newman University students and includes a full tuition package renewable for four years.
“The experience and opportunities I will get here at Newman will be like nowhere else, and I would not want to be anywhere but here,” she said. “I believe that Newman is going to give me all of the opportunities to succeed academically, athletically and spiritually.”
Apart from her vast academic achievements, Lintecum’s dedication stretches beyond the classroom.
As a high schooler, Lintecum participated in multiple charity events in her neighborhood. From aiding in her community center blood drive to collecting donations through her local food bank, Lintecum has a clear passion for helping others.
She also led her club soccer team to multiple league and tournament championship titles in high school. Lintecum is ready to lace up her cleats and join the Newman University women’s soccer team this fall.
Newman felt more and more like home. I feel like I belong, and I feel like I’m where I’m meant to be.
A caring heart for animals
Lintecum intends to major in biology with a pre-veterinary concentration. She looks forward to utilizing Newman’s science programs while on the path toward veterinary school.
In her application essay, Lintecum highlighted organizations such as Planned Pethood and World Vets that inspire her to pursue veterinary science and help animals needing medical attention.
“(Those organizations) help animals that either have trouble getting help or the owners cannot afford it,” Lintecum explained. “Those are the kind of organizations that I want to work for. The ones that really make a difference, where the goal is to provide as much help as possible without worrying about the financial profits.”
Lintecum hopes to apply her education at Newman by traveling on aid missions around the globe for similar charities.
She remarked, “I already feel supported and like I will graduate feeling prepared to make a difference in my society.”
Finding her faith at Newman
A large factor in Lintecum’s choice to attend Newman University was the school’s religious aspect. Being a Catholic university, Newman offers the unique experience of intertwining Christian values in an academic environment. Lintecum remarked that “the biggest thing about Newman for me is that I’m able to grow in my faith and that I have an opportunity to become closer to God.”
Litecum is excited to be part of the Newman University community beginning in the fall.
“It already feels like a second home,” she added.
People who live for God shine like stars in the dark, and I want to be that — I want to grow even more in my faith.