When Carlie Riedlinger answered the phone and learned she was awarded the St. Newman Scholarship — a full-tuition award given to only five incoming students of Newman University — she was stunned into silence.
“Georgia (Drewes, associate director of admissions) had to ask me if I was still on the phone,” Riedlinger said with a laugh. “Then I went and told my parents, and they were in shock. They were like, ‘We were not expecting this one at all.’ And I said, ‘I know.’ It was just a big moment of shock and we did not know what to think.”
Riedlinger, a graduate of Bishop Carroll Catholic High School in Wichita, will begin her studies at Newman University this August. She plans to major in elementary education.
The college of Riedlinger’s dreams
Riedlinger said that Newman has always been a “dream school” — one that would not have been financially possible without the scholarship.
“This scholarship helps me and my family afford Newman because it wouldn’t have been possible otherwise,” she said. “I probably would’ve gone to Butler instead, which is great, but I really wanted to go to Newman. Being able to go without drowning and dying in debt is really awesome.”
Riedlinger has deep ties to Newman, as her father is an alumnus of the education program. Riedlinger also received a glimpse into life as a teacher through Bishop Carroll’s Tom Seiler Teaching Academy. That opportunity allowed her to take classes at Newman and interact with professors and education professionals.
“Already, those classes have helped me understand how a classroom and a career in education would come to fruition,” she wrote in her application essay. “From how children learn to classroom management styles, it has helped me in my job as a martial arts instructor and as a student teacher in my parish school.”
Drawn by promise to transform society for the better
The chance to grow both academically and spiritually is what ultimately drew Riedlinger to Newman.
“As a cradle Catholic growing up in the Catholic Diocese of Wichita, I’ve been blessed with a big community of people who support my education and my faith life,” she said. “At Newman, I’ll get to be around people who think differently and people who share my values. That balance will help me grow in empathy, open-mindedness and faith.”
Riedlinger is most looking forward to building new friendships and getting into classrooms through student teaching. She said she thrives in a smaller environment and appreciates Newman’s low student-to-faculty ratio.
“I think Newman’s a great fit because it’ll prepare me to have a positive and fruitful impact on society,” she said. “I have full confidence that I’m going to do what I need to go out into the world and succeed.”
Her goal as a future educator is clear: to be someone her students can trust, from learning to support.
“I want to be a teacher that kids can depend on academically, emotionally and socially,” she said. “I want to be a safe space for them.”
Riedlinger said she believes education is a powerful way to make a lasting impact on society.
“My own personal transformation of society is something I will continue to pursue for the rest of my life,” she said. “Newman will help me become the best version of myself, both personally and vocationally. That gives me a lot of comfort and confidence.”
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