Newman University alumna Courtney Klaus ’20 stepped into the spotlight Sept. 27 as Master of Ceremonies for Party on the Plaza: Roaring 20’s, the university’s largest annual fundraiser for student scholarships.
For Klaus, who studied communication and history at Newman and graduated from the University of Notre Dame Law School, the invitation to host the event was both surprising and meaningful.
“I didn’t know if it was a joke at first because honestly, I didn’t feel qualified whatsoever,” Klaus said. “But I was ecstatic that they asked me. I’ve been going every year for the past 10 years, so I was familiar with it enough. I thought, ‘All right, I’ll try it.’”
The role carried extra weight: Klaus’s father, attorney JT Klaus ’87, had emceed the event for 14 years before hosting his last in 2023.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking because I knew I had big shoes to fill,” she said. “But I also had the best advisor in my corner and perhaps one of the most significant endorsements being from him. I couldn’t do it exactly the way he did it, but I wanted to add my own flair.”
JT said seeing his daughter take the stage was a proud moment.
“I thought that was fantastic because the event needs young people, the university needs young people and the world needs young people,” he said. “I was never nervous the 14 years I did it, but I was nervous tonight, and I thought she did a terrific job.”
Prepared by her Newman education
Klaus said her Newman education — particularly in communication — gave her the skills she still relies on, both in her career as an associate at Polsinelli Law Firm in Kansas City and in front of a live audience.
“All of our communication classes were super helpful,” she said. “I learned that storytelling is not just something you do at a dinner table, but it’s actually an art. I also made sure to memorize my introduction so I could make eye contact instead of looking at the paper.”
Those skills have extended far beyond Party on the Plaza. At Notre Dame, Klaus served as president of the Moot Court Board, competed in national tournaments and, in 2023, argued a case in front of a panel of distinguished federal judges — including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Judge Britt Grant of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, and Chief Judge Diane Sykes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.
“It was such an incredible honor, and it was a highlight of my law school career,” Klaus said of the experience. “Our team worked extremely hard to put this on and set a good example for the first-year class.”
A roaring success as emcee
Newman Events Coordinator Abbi Spelts said Klaus’s presence as emcee was an asset to this year’s Party on the Plaza. After all, the live auction alone brought in $60,800 of the total $201,735 raised for student financial aid.
“Courtney took this Master of Ceremonies role and just ran with it,” Spelts said. “I think she did a phenomenal job. She never struggled and never found a dull moment. She was great.”
For Klaus, the highlight of the night was watching donors’ generosity translate into student opportunity.
“It was so awesome seeing the live auctions go for as high as they did,” she said. “The whole event really is a little bit of a leap of faith because we all invest so much time and labor into making this a fun event in the hope that donors will show their generosity. I think we achieved that tonight.”
JT said his daughter’s energy helped point the event toward the future.
“I think she changed it, though, and she put it on the right course,” he said. “And I know this is dad speaking, but I feel like she did a good job.”
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