Not one, not two, but three sisters of the Bonham family can now call Newman University their work home.
All three Bonham sisters — Paige, Brenna and Sydney — agree that the closeness in age has allowed them to be a tight-knit trio over the years. Paige, the eldest, never thought she and her two sisters would all work at the same organization, but said she absolutely loves it.
“It’s so nice to see them often, whether we’re getting lunch together or passing by each other in the hallway,” Paige said. “I seriously consider the two of them to be two of my closest friends and it’s so great having them here.”
Paige Bonham, admissions counselor
Paige earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from Wichita State University (WSU) in 2021. In her free time, she loves reading, swimming, spending time with her family’s four dogs, singing and learning to play instruments such as the guitar and piano. When Paige and her sisters are together, they love doing art, shopping, listening to music, working out and watching TV.
Before joining the Newman team, Paige worked at Starkey where she connected people with disabilities to jobs in the community. Newman was one of her client’s job sites, and spending time on the university’s campus piqued Paige’s interest.
“I really enjoyed how friendly everyone was at Newman and what the work environment seemed like,” Paige said.
In February, Paige applied for an open position in Newman Admissions. Since then, she has loved working with students and forming friendships with her co-workers. Paige feels fulfilled knowing that she is helping others reach their goals of earning a degree and pursuing their passions.
After a year of working at Newman, Paige plans to pursue her master’s degree.
“I love my job and I’m very happy to be here for a while,” she said. “My end goal, though, is to eventually become a therapist.”
Brenna Bonham, accounts payable clerk
Brenna, the middle sister, followed Paige’s footsteps and joined the Newman team as an accounts payable clerk in June.
Prior to Newman, Brenna graduated from WSU with her associate’s degree in general studies, worked in child care and then served as an operations manager at a gym. She was already on the lookout for a job related to accounting; because Paige spoke so highly of Newman, Brenna decided to pursue an opening at the same university.
“It means a lot for me to be working here,” Brenna said. “I feel lucky because it has been a good experience and everyone has been super welcoming.”
She added, “I enjoy working at the same place as my sisters because it means I get to see them more often than I otherwise would.”
Outside of work Brenna enjoys crocheting, exercising and, of course, spending time with her sisters.
Sydney Bonham, financial services assistant
Sydney, the youngest sister, had heard so much about Newman from both Paige and Brenna that when the financial services assistant position opened, she applied right away. After two rounds of interviews, Sydney was hired and joined her sisters’ workplace.
Sydney graduated from Maize South High School in 2021, then started her undergraduate studies at Butler Community College. This semester, she will begin her sophomore year and plans to transfer to Newman at the end of the academic year.
Now that she has joined the Newman team, Sydney is excited to learn the ropes, help students and get to know her co-workers better.
“I am very proud to work at Newman,” Sydney said. “I appreciate how Newman values and treats its students, and I appreciate how much Newman values education. I never thought I would be working in the same place as my sisters since we are so different and have such different interests. It definitely makes me happy though to work alongside them.”
Her first week at Newman was a breeze, thanks to having her sisters nearby.
“My sisters can always give me advice if I ever need any information since they know what it’s like to work at Newman,” she said.
“I appreciate how Newman values and treats its students. I never thought I would be working in the same place as my sisters since we are so different and have such different interests. It definitely makes me happy though to work alongside them.”
Sydney Bonham
Sydney enjoys jobs and activities that keep her busy. She has experience working at Michaels as a sales associate and even taught children how to make different crafts in the store’s classroom area. She also worked at the National Opinion Research Center where she conducted surveys on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control.
Sydney’s favorite hobbies outside of work are drawing, watching movies, shopping, baking, self-care activities like painting nails and facemasks, and cooking.
“Me and my sisters’ favorite hobbies to do together are probably playing MarioKart, listening to music and shopping,” Sydney said. “I love getting to spend time with them — and even more now that we’re at Newman.”
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