A lot can happen in five years, and for Newman graduates Cassidy (Garretson) Shumaker ‘23 and Deseray (Cruz) Willis ‘23, a friendship marked just the beginning of several shared milestones to come.
In 2019, the two first-year students were strangers to one another. Fast forward to today, and the duo not only graduated together as best friends and served as each other’s maids of honor, but also discovered they were pregnant within two weeks of each other — both with baby boys.
“Singleness, engagement, marriage and now we’re expecting,” Willis said. “My hope is that we will continue our amazing friendship into motherhood as we’ve gone through all seasons together.”
A friendship rooted in service at Newman
Shumaker and Willis met during their first year at Newman. However, it wasn’t until their junior year of college that a friendship sparked.
Despite different academic paths, Shumaker and Willis both received service-based scholarships and bonded during their shared ASC Service Award classes.
Shumaker, a biology major, planned her capstone project through A Better Choice, a pregnancy care center in Wichita. She assembled and distributed baskets with self-care items for new mothers.
“I was originally going to do a baby shower and collect baby items for the organization, but I decided to do something for the mothers instead,” Shumaker said. “It seems like everyone always focuses on the new baby, and the needs of the mother are often forgotten. I wanted to do something that could encourage the mothers and show them that they are loved.”
Willis, on the other hand, pursued her passion for working with children by majoring in elementary education. Like Shumaker, she was inspired to give back through her capstone project. With a little help from friends, including alumna and staff member Amy Ponce, Willis distributed gift baskets to teachers at Freeman Elementary School. The baskets featured coffee cups, classroom supplies, candy, manipulatives and thank you cards.
“I know with COVID and other factors, teachers needed a little pick-me-up,” Willis said. “I wanted to show my appreciation to them as I know they truly need it for all they do.”
Willis said she loved volunteering for various organizations through her ASC Service Award at Newman. It was even more rewarding to do so with a best friend by her side, she said.
“I also learned that giving back to the community is an important part of our Catholic identity,” Willis added.
Faith and the future
Willis wasn’t Catholic when she started her journey at Newman, but credits Shumaker’s invitations to Campus Ministry events for her conversion. She even chose Shumaker to be her confirmation sponsor.
“She set a great example for me and really helped me understand my faith more and the beauty behind it all,” Willis said.
After graduating, Willis and Shumaker met their future husbands in the same Bible study group. On their wedding days, Willis was Shumaker’s maid of honor, while Shumaker was Willis’ matron of honor.
“It’s crazy to think we both have gotten to play such a special role in each other’s lives,” Willis said. “It’s such a blessing. At first, Cassidy and I were both very shy and went a few years without really interacting. But God placed her in my life for a special purpose our junior year. Now that we are both expecting, it’s been nice to have someone to lean on.”
Shumaker’s baby boy is due in late April, while Willis’ baby boy is due in early May. Both are excited to grow their Catholic families side by side, supporting each other through future milestones to come.
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Newman University supports its students academically and spiritually, enabling graduates to transform society for the better.
