CHCA Eagle's Eye 2014

Alumni News
by Casey (Sutherly) Purnhagen ‘00
Resiliently faithful
A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting the newest class agents. They are impressive on so many fronts, and I can’t help
but smile at the stories they tell, because they sound so much like my own. They leave CHCA with lifetime friendships, full of
questions, their faith resilient and ready to engage with a hurting world. They are humble enough to serve and fully prepared to lead.
The class of 2014 is the twentieth to graduate from CHCA – can you believe it? They join over 1600 alumni around the globe,
and we look forward to how we can support them as they shine their light and soar into this next season of life.
Our Alumni Committee works hard to connect alumni back to CHCA, to each other, and to the greater CHCA community.
Here are just a few of the ways alumni connected during this past year...
To CHCA
Academy Nights Live: April 25-26 alumni
joined faculty and current students on
stage for a fun Saturday Night Live-style
performance of sketches, skits, and improv.
Rob Fahrmeier (’98), Jenn (Reynolds)
Schmidt (’00) and Logan Lally (’12) took
advantage of this first-time opportunity
to re-engage with the parts of CHCA they
loved the most.
Alumni Chapel: May 7 worship was led by
our talented alumni Will LoVellette (‘10), Jen
Kaufman (’01), Ellen Hodges (‘11), Matthew
Alvarado (’11) and David Snyder (’97) who
gave an inspiring message that focused on
being genuine and engaging humbly with the
world, knowing you don’t have all the answers.
In an effort to engage our alumni not able to
be with us in person, chapel was streamed live
online for alumni around the globe.
Homecoming Extravaganza (formerly Fall
Festival) Despite the pouring rain, many
CHCA alumni and their families joined in
the combined festivities including listening
to the live performances from our MSL
High School EJO and Steel Drum Band
while sharing in fellowship and building
community as we cheered the Eagles to a
shutout against New Miami.
Alumni Cookout: May 19 Dan Grantham
and other faculty hosted alumni for a
cookout back on campus. It was a great
chance for some of our local alums (and
especially those finishing a year of college)
to grab a burger and catch up.
To each other
Regional Alumni Events: March 11 we had
our most well-attended event to date! More
than 30 local alumni plus teachers and faculty
enjoyed time reconnecting at Keystone Grill
in Clifton. These regional events are growing
in popularity and we’re looking for locations
outside Cincinnati for future events.
CHCA Football: November 17 we faced
Hamilton-Badin in the second round of
playoffs at Mason High School. Alumni football
players and fans from as far back as 1998 met
to reconnect and cheer on the Eagles.
To the greater CHCA community
Alumni Business Network: Quarterly
networking events are held for those in the
greater-Cincinnati business community.
ABN exists to create connections, support
job searches and career advancement, and
ultimately to impact current students as
experienced professionals and mentors.
CHCA Business Roundtable: Alumni
are joining parents and business-owners
to develop a roundtable of trusted
professionals and network of peer
businesses in the CHCA community.
Looking ahead, we have work to do. We
want our alumni to connect with us, but
we know that begins with how we connect
to them. Here’s a glimpse of what we’re
working on:
• Developing an Alumni Association
• Streamlining our communications
• Sharing more of what alumni want to
know
• Engaging older alumni as spiritual,
academic, and professional mentors
for younger alumni
In closing, a quick note to the class of 1995,
2014, and all those in between: Please
come back to visit! Stay connected with
us. Share your ideas and thoughts on how
we can better support and engage you
as you impact the world. You matter to
us. We are proud of all you have and all
you will accomplish. There’s nothing that
proves the value of CHCA like you!
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