Newman Foundation, Inc. is an independent non-profit corporation that seeks to deepen and integrate personal, spiritual and intellectual development at the Newman Center, the University of Kentucky, and the Catholic Diocese of Lexington, by providing financial resources, physical facilities and initiated programs.

In 2005, the Newman Foundation fulfilled a longstanding dream. The University of Kentucky now has a Chair in Catholic Studies thanks to a generous donation from Dr. Carol Cottrill and Tom Rolfes. In Fall 2007, Dr. David Hunter began his tenure as the first Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies. Dr. Hunter’s wealth of knowledge and expertise in early Christianity are an excellent resource for students and members of the community.

With the new Chair in place, the Foundation wants to continue the momentum by creating new programs and expanding current ones to meet the growing faith needs of students and others in the Catholic community. This vision includes:


This research fund will be used to support the Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies to foster intellectual vitality by engaging faculty, students and the general public on the role of the Catholic Church by providing conferences, seminars, scholarly publications and a variety of student mentorship/outreach activities.*

*This fund may also include the establishment of additional other named chairs, and professorships, and endowed faculty positions.



This umbrella spans several existing programs and opens room for new ones.
  • The Distinguished Speakers Series, running since 1984, will be expanded.
  • Student Leadership Programs will prepare college students for leadership roles in their future parishes.
  • Campus Ministry will expand current resources and programming to meet the needs of 6,000 Catholics on the UK campus.
  • Grants and Scholarships will expand the financial resources available for supporting Catholic initiatives across Kentucky.
  • The Foundation will offer scholarship opportunities to people in ministry roles (deacons, clergy, laity, etc.) to participate in classes offered by the Chair in Catholic Studies at UK.







Newman Foundation, Inc.

320 Rose Lane
Lexington, KY 40508
859.255.0880
www.newmanfnd.org







    Newman Foundation, Inc. has a rich history of providing for the ongoing needs of Holy Spirit Parish and the University of Kentucky (UK). To meet the changing needs of the Catholic community in the 1980’s the Foundation established a Grants Program and Distinguished Speakers Series. The Grants Program has provided the Foundation Board with opportunities to fund projects at the local and diocesan level. Since 1984, the Distinguished Speakers Series has sponsored a forum for education and discourse by bringing in national and international speakers to Lexington.
    Over the years Newman Foundation, Inc. has continued to grow as an integral part of the Catholic community. For many years those close to the Foundation have dreamed of having an Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies. In 2005, the Newman Foundation entered into an endowment agreement with the College of Arts & Sciences at UK to create a Chair in Catholic Studies. The Foundation pledged $500,000 and, through the Kentucky Research Challenge Trust Fund (“Bucks for Brains”), UK was able to obtain a dollar-for-dollar match, making the endowment a total of $1,000,000. A generous pledge of $500,000 from Dr. Carol Cottrill and Tom Rolfes to fully fund the Foundation’s obligation was received and the endowment was named the Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies in their honor.
    As the university continues work toward building enrollment and establishing UK as a Top 20 University, the Catholic community in Lexington continues to grow. Students are the future leaders of the Church, and they need resources and support during a critical time of faith exploration. For the first time in Kentucky’s history, Catholic college students can take courses for credit and learn about the history, tradition and contributions of the Catholic faith at UK.



In 2005, Newman Foundation, Inc. established a long-term strategy and vision statement incorporating the following:




    The Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies was established in 2005 in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky. The Early Search Fund was used to accelerate the selection of a candidate to fill the Chair in Catholic Studies.
    Dr. David Hunter filled the Chair and pledged to work closely with Newman Foundation, Inc. and, the Diocese of Lexington. Dr. Hunter received his Ph.D. in 1986 from the Department of Theology at the University of Notre Dame in its Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity program. He comes to UK from Iowa State University, where he held the Monsignor James A. Supple Chair of Catholic Studies since 1999. Prior to that, he taught for fifteen years at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.
    Dr. Hunter’s academic interests lie in the early history of Christianity and the history of Christian thought. He has published several books and a number of articles on Greek and Latin writers of the early church, among them Augustine, Ambrose, Jerome, Clement of Alexandria, and John Chrysostom. His most recent book, “Marriage, Celibacy, and Heresy in Ancient Christianity: The Jovinianist Controversy” (Oxford University Press, 2007) examines early Christian debates about marriage and celibacy. Dr. Hunter is currently writing a history of the requirement of priestly celibacy in the Catholic Church.


    The Endowed Research Fund in Catholic Studies will be used to support projects and research for the Cottrill-Rolfes Chair in Catholic Studies. Research activities may include additional faculty, symposia, lectures, workshops, scholarly publications, visiting faculty, outreach activities and research expenses. The Research Fund will be a catalyst not only for the University but also a way to enhance educational opportunities in the Catholic faith.
    The Research Endowment for the Cottrill-Rolfes Endowed Chair in Catholic Studies will enable the Chair in Catholic Studies to foster new intellectual vitality in the College of Arts and Sciences. This will be accomplished by engaging faculty, students, and interested members of the general public on the role of the Catholic Church through conferences, seminars and a variety of mentorship activities on the UK campus. The Research Fund will offer the means necessary to raise the quality of research and programs offered at UK.


The Catholic Initiatives component is designed to meet the changing needs of the Catholic community in Lexington and across Kentucky.


    Catholic Campus Ministry is a training ground for developing strong leaders in our community and our Catholic churches. A program of enhancing faith development during the college years creates spiritual bonds for a lifetime. Over the years the Foundation’s level of support for Campus Ministry has grown as has the number of Catholic students, faculty and staff. Ongoing support, coordination, and cooperation will impact the Catholic community by offering students more opportunities to grow in their faith.
  • Catholic Scholars Program: To develop students in the Catholic Tradition, the Newman Foundation will offer merit-based scholarships to qualified candidates. The recipients would be required to make a serious commitment to the study of the intellectual tradition of the Church. They would take classes at the Newman Center or from a professor of Catholic Thought at UK and serve in a ministry capacity at Holy Spirit Parish.
  • Catechetical Institute: The Foundation will offer financial help for students who wish to prepare theologically, spiritually, and methodologically to be effective catechists for tomorrow’s parishes.
  • Internships in Liturgy/Music, Religious Education and Student Outreach: The Foundation will prepare students for leadership positions in their future parishes through internships.
  • Expanded Retreat programs and Expanded Service/Learning Trips: Newman Foundation aspires to offer retreats to all students including graduate students. Some examples of programs include attendance at the National Catholic Student Coalition and spring break trips for students to help build houses with Habitat For Humanity as well as minister to inner city poor and homeless in New York.
  • Ongoing Newman Center Campus Ministry Programs: Holy Spirit Parish provides opportunities for fellowship and worship to 6,000 students at UK. Programs in existence include: welcome activities, Catholic Action Center projects to assist the inner city poor of Lexington, and student meals after Sunday Mass



    The Newman Foundation’s role continues to expand based on the needs of the Catholic community. The Foundation’s success has been based on the strong leadership both past and present and the shared vision for the future. A Sustaining Fund is mandatory to provide the necessary financial support for day-to-day expenses for the Foundation, including staff salaries as well as overhead, benefits, supplies, postage, newsletters, equipment, utilities and other expenses. New positions may be added from the proceeds of this fund to provide additional staff to meet the increasing demands and workload of the organization. These positions would insure the continuation of fundraising activities as well as a continually updated donor database and contributor support network for the Foundation



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