Fourteen students from Mayberry Cultural and Fine Arts Magnet Middle School spent the morning of April 24 learning the value of service during an Earth Week visit to Newman University.
The group, led by school nurse and Newman alumna Ashley Brooks ‘16, arrived mid-morning and participated in a hands-on service project at Heimerman Plaza. There, they helped beautify the garden beds in the outdoor space that honors the former Heimerman Science Center.
Heimerman Plaza was completed in 2018 and features a walking path that traces the footprint of the original science building and benches. Additionally, the memorial wall honors ASC sisters and the faculty who were instrumental in Newman’s healthcare programs.
For Brooks, the experience was both meaningful and nostalgic.
“It brought back a lot of memories,” she said. “Dr. (Michael) Bradley was one of my favorite teachers and I took a couple of his classes in Heimerman. I vividly remember his white rat that used to roam around class and lab while he talked. Trying to explain the building and what made it special to the kids was difficult, but they all thought it was cool that the building was built as a circle.”
Brooks, who graduated from Newman with her nursing degree, said returning to campus with her students made the day even more special.
“I was excited to come to campus for a service activity and share a place that is special to me with the students I get to work with every day,” she said.
The Earth Week visit was coordinated by Director of Mission Integration Sister Therese Wetta, who also led the middle schoolers on a campus tour alongside Director of Facilities Aaron Ryder. Brooks said it was a highlight of the trip as, for most of the students, it was an introduction to the Newman University campus.
“I hope that the kids who came to Newman take away pride in volunteering and hard work,” Brooks said. “I also hope (they) learned about a place they may not have known much about prior to today, and in the future keep Newman in mind for college.”
An alumna’s return to campus
Though she has stayed connected to Newman through alumni events and previously served as assistant women’s bowling coach from 2017 to 2020, Brooks said it had been more than a year since her last campus visit.
“This was a special opportunity,” she said.
Brooks’ connection to Newman began close to home. A Wichita-area native and Derby High School graduate, Brooks said she first considered the university after encouragement from a classmate.
“A classmate convinced me I needed to consider bowling at the college level,” she said. “I also knew Newman had an exceptional nursing program, which was my primary focus when choosing a school. During that visit, I learned I was eligible for the Cardinal Newman Scholarship, met (bowling coach) Billy Murphy, who immediately made me feel welcome, and learned more about the nursing program. I had my mind made up before the tour was over that Newman was the place for me.”
She described the nursing program as “the hardest thing I had done up to that point,” primarily thanks to the professors, Brooks said.
“(They) pushed me to be the best version of myself, teaching much more than just how to treat a diagnosis,” Brooks said. “I feel that my foundation at Newman gave me a head start when I began work at the hospital.”
Now working with children as a school nurse, Brooks said her passion for helping others continues to guide her in a way that combines her interest for science, math and the human body.
“I’m deeply grateful for Newman University,” she said. “It is where I met my husband, best friends, and many of my mentors who I still look up to today. I’m grateful for those who were a part of the institution when I was a student there, and those who are keeping Newman successful and moving forward today.”
