Amanda Stanley ‘08 is the recipient of the 2024 Spirit of Acuto Award.
This honor is presented to alumni and friends of Newman University who, through utilizing their ambition and capabilities, brought their goals and visions to fruition. The Spirit of Acuto Award is named for the driving spirit of the Adorers of the Blood of Christ (ASC). Stanley received the award at the Legacy Awards Banquet in April.
Her journey at Newman
Stanley first stepped onto Newman’s campus as a high schooler, when she attended a summer science camp.
I fell in love with Newman, and suddenly that was the only place I wanted to go.
Amanda Stanley ’08
After earning the prestigious full-tuition St. John Henry Newman Scholarship, she decided to enroll.
From staying in Metanoia, Newman University’s Catholic living community on campus, to going to movies with friends and even adopting a stray cat, Stanley’s time at Newman was filled with joyous memories. She was presented the Leona J. Ablah Award at commencement, a prestigious recognition given annually to one graduating female who displays outstanding character during her time at Newman.
Stanley graduated from Newman University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in biology and a minor in chemistry. She attended the University of Kansas School of Medicine in pursuit of becoming a doctor but received devastating news during her second year. Stanley had a football-sized cancerous tumor growing in her pelvis.
At just 22 years old, Stanley put her life and education on hold, undergoing surgery to remove the tumor. Six months of remission later, she found out that the cancer returned. Soon after, Stanley faced the impossible decision of amputating her leg.
Despite these immense challenges, Stanley pushed forward.
“I had one leg and that wasn’t going to change,” she said. “Was I going to allow myself to be miserable or was I going to choose to be happy and successful? I decided 24 was way too young to hate my life so I embraced the new. I chose a growth mindset.”
After her amputation, Stanley reconnected with an old friend and mentor from Newman: Sister Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC.
“She is one of those people that I feel like was an angel on Earth,” she commented. “Sister Charlotte showed up one day at my house with dinner and a board game, and she just kept coming back every week. She told me later that she just decided she was going to force me to rejoin the land of the living, and it didn’t matter if I wanted her there, she was coming in.”
A change in her path
During her recovery, Stanley realized that her true passion was outside of the medical field. She took the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and “did really well on it when I was still very sick and very medicated, and so I figured that was a sign.”
Stanley enrolled in the University of Kansas School of Law and graduated with her juris doctorate in 2014. She became involved in local government law, advocating for smaller municipalities, and began as the city attorney of Topeka, Kansas, in 2021.
“I love local control. I love home rule. I think it’s this amazing part of the law that nobody knows about or talks about where you can make a true impact on your community. I get to see the tangible effects of what I do, and I think it is rare that people have that opportunity.”
Stanley played an important role in getting legislation passed to help Kansans avoid what could have been deadly gas shutoffs in the aftermath of a winter storm.
Following the February 2021 winter storm Uri, gas prices skyrocketed, leaving many Kansas residents in threat of losing their gas services. Stanley jumped into action to help bring immediate and necessary change through the Kansas Legislature.
Stanley contacted a legislator and, within the span of two hours, a bill to address the issue was being drafted. The bill passed through the Kansas House of Representatives, the Kansas Senate, and was signed by Gov. Laura Kelly in an unprecedented 13 hours. The resulting $100 million loan program for Kansas cities prevented deadly gas shut offs during the storm.
“It is very exciting when you can help someone with something they truly need,” Stanley said. “That is an amazing opportunity when you can hear what people truly need and figure out a way to use your skills and your ability and what you can do to be a part of that.”
Through her role as city attorney, Stanley has helped facilitate the prosecution of domestic violence cases. Historically, domestic violence was tried by the district attorney’s office but limited staff and other restraints led to slow and difficult channels of justice. Under Stanley’s guidance, a program to address this issue was built and enacted, decreasing the rates of domestic violence in the Topeka community.
Through making a difference in her community, Stanley hopes to utilize the skills and expertise that she learned at Newman.
I am really grateful for everything Newman gave me … (it) is a great education full of people that genuinely care about you.
Amanda Stanley ’08
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