St. Ambrose University, Davenport, will recognize three with McMullen Award
St. Ambrose University will recognize the servant leadership and profound institutional impact of this year's McMullen Award recipients: Paul '76 and Alva Sachs, and Don 'Duke' Schneider '76, a news release says.
The McMullen Award presentation will be held 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, during a Mass in Christ the King Chapel on campus, 518 W. Locust St., Davenport. The public is welcome.
Paul '76 and Alva SachsTogether, Paul and Alva Sachs have built a life centered on education, family, and service. Through their shared commitment to giving back, they have inspired countless others to do thesame.
Paul is a distinguished alumnus who exemplifies excellence in leadership, service, and professional achievement. Coming from a family of seven children, scholarships were essentialin enabling him to attend St. Ambrose. After graduating in 1976 with a degree in accounting, heworked on multiple high-profile accounts as a partner at Arthur Andersen before becoming afounding managing director of Protiviti, a global business consulting firm, where he recentlyretired. His commitment to service extends beyond the corporate world. He joined the board oftrustees at St. Ambrose University in 2002 and has played a key role in supporting capitalcampaigns.
Alongside him is his wife, Alva, a dedicated educator, community volunteer, and leader. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from the University of Illinois, followed by a master'sin education from Northern Illinois University. As an award-winning children's author and founder of Three Wishes Publishing Company, Alva has dedicated her career to inspiring young readers.
Through her literacy foundation, she provides empowering resources for children and educators, fostering fluency, concentration, creativity, and brain development at an early age.
Paul and Alva are relentless champions for the Ambrose Annual Fund, ensuring that all students have access to a St. Ambrose education. As compassionate philanthropists with nearly 40 years of consecutive giving, few individuals embody the university's core values of courage, wisdom, justice, and service as they do. Through their unwavering commitment to charitable giving and service, the Sachs continue to inspire future generations of St. Ambrose students. They demonstrate that true success is measured not only by professional achievements but also by the impact one has on others and the world.
Don 'Duke' Schneider '76For more than four decades (and counting), Don 'Duke' Schneider '76 has been synonymous with St. Ambrose. His life's work has left a lasting impact on generations of students, faculty, alumni, and the university as a whole.
Duke's journey with St. Ambrose began in 1972 when he arrived as a student in the Communication Department. He was deeply involved in the college's media outlets, contributingto the radio and TV stations, the school newspaper, and theater productions.
A few years after he graduated, Schneider returned to campus as the operations manager of thecollege TV station.
During his 43-year career, he played a pivotal role in expanding St. Ambrose's digital media platforms and shaping the careers of hundreds of students. His leadership equipped them with the skills needed to succeed in an industry where technology is constantly evolving.
But Ambrosians know Schneider for more than just his professional role—he was always there. He attended campus events to ensure every story was covered. He worked alongside students,teaching them the nuances of covering live sports. He was always available to help those struggling to edit a news story, work the camera, or perfect their on-screen delivery. His dedication to student success and the SAU community was unwavering.
As a mentor, Schneider guided aspiring communicators with wisdom and encouragement, fostering relationships that continued long after graduation. His passion for storytelling and hiscommitment to his students left an indelible mark. His phone is still filled with messages from alumni sharing updates on their careers, awards, and life milestones—a testament to theprofound impact he has had on so many.
Through his dedication to communication, mentorship, and service, Schneider's legacy will continue to inspire the St. Ambrose community for years to come. His contributions extend far beyond the classroom, shaping the minds and futures of countless students and colleagues.
About the McMullen AwardNamed in honor of the founder of St. Ambrose College, the Rev. John J. McMullen, the McMullenAward is presented annually to individuals who embody St. Ambrose University's mission: An inclusive, Catholic, and diocesan community of learners, St. Ambrose University empowers allAmbrosians to act courageously, to seek wisdom through faith and reason, to work for justice,and to lead lives of service.
The distinguished award was established on Sept. 4, 2006, as St. Ambrose University began its celebration of 125 years of educational excellence in Davenport and the surrounding communities in Iowa and Illinois and continues today as the university's second highest honor.Fashioned from crosses that once hung in the sanctuary of Christ the King Chapel, the crosswith the seal of the university recognizes the heritage of St. Ambrose and the relationship ofeach recipient with all who have come before, those who are with us now and those who willcome in the future. For more information, visit here.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Yahoo
Senators work on budget bill
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump is pushing Congress to pass his 'One Big Beautiful Bill' by the Fourth of July, but it has an uphill battle with a handful of lawmakers in the party. The budget bill extends tax cuts while cutting funding for Medicaid by adding work requirements. It also raises the debt ceiling, a dealbreaker for Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul. 'I can't, in good conscience, give up every principle that I stand for, and every principle that I was elected upon, and that's that we can't accumulate more debt,' Sen. Paul said. The president posted about Paul on Truth Social, writing: 'He loves voting 'NO' on everything, he thinks it's good politics, but it's not.' 'I would say that's not actually true. I would say I've been pretty consistent in my time in the Senate at being opposed to deficit spending,' Sen. Paul said. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill would add more than $2 trillion to the deficit over ten years. The White House pushed back on the CBO report. 'Unfortunately, this is an institution that has become partisan and political,' White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. Even Elon Musk called the spending bill a 'disgusting abomination' on X. The bill passed by one vote in the House last month, with all Democrats voting against it. Senate Democrats are following suit. 'Tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy. Paid for by gutting health care from millions of Americans,' Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said. North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he's concerned about rolling back clean energy tax credits. 'If we're not careful, the only people who will be happy with the outcome will be China,' Tillis said. Senate GOP leaders are optimistic the bill will eventually get 51 votes and deliver on the president's agenda. 'We will not fail. We will bring forward from the Senate a robust product that will protect the American people,' Sen. Shelley Moore Capito ( said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Senate reviewing alterations to Trump's ‘big, beautiful' bill
(NewsNation) — It's a big week for President Donald Trump's 'big, beautiful' budget bill as it faces potential changes at the hands of the Senate. The Senate is reviewing the bill and will decide whether to make substantial or minor modifications to meet Trump's goal of signing it by the Fourth of July. One of the changes being looked at is deeper spending cuts, which several key Republicans are in favor of. Other Republicans have raised concerns, specifically cuts to Medicaid and food stamps that go too far. Trump pushes a July 4th deadline for big tax bill as senators dig in Trump met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune at the White House early this week and has been dialing senators for one-on-one chats. But some Senators feel the bill doesn't go far enough, according to NewsNation's Joe Khalil. They include Ron Johnson, R, Wis., Rick Scott, R, Fla., and Rand Paul, R, Ky., who say the bill adds to the deficit. 'I don't make it personal at all, said Paul. 'I like the president, supported the president. In fact, I'm for the tax cuts. I'm for a lot of the bill. But I can't in good conscience give up every principle that I stand for.' Education advocates press Senate for changes to Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' Several Republican senators also acknowledged that for the bill to get over the finish line, Trump will have to insert himself into the discussion. 'They could get my vote, and I could vote for the package if they take out the debt ceiling and vote on it separately,' Paul added. Trump's 'big, beautiful' budget bill passed through the House of Representatives by one single vote. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
It's Rand Paul and Elon Musk vs. Donald Trump Over the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
The intra-Republican fight over the future of a major tax and borrowing bill intensified on Tuesday, as President Donald Trump lashed out and former White House favorite Elon Musk offered a sharp criticism of the proposal. The whole thing played out, as today's political dramas so often do, in a series of posts on social media. Trump slammed Sen. Rand Paul (R–Ky.) in a Tuesday morning post on Truth Social that accused the senator of having "very little understanding" of the so-called Big Beautiful Bill (BBB), which the House passed last week. The bill would extend the 2017 personal income tax cuts and includes a number of new tax and spending provisions. Trump wrote that the bill is a big "WINNER." He may see it that way, but every independent assessment of the package says it will add at least $3 trillion to the long-term deficit (and potentially as much as $5 trillion). That means the bill is doing the opposite of what Trump vowed to do in March during his speech to Congress, when he promised to balance the budget. The prospect of that increased borrowing is at the root of Paul's objections. In a post on X, Paul seemingly responded to Trump's criticism by showing that he understands exactly what the BBB would do. "The math doesn't add up," Paul wrote. "I'm not supporting a bill that increases the debt by $5 [trillion]. I refuse to support maintaining Biden spending levels." Paul reiterated his view on the bill: He wants to extend the 2017 tax cuts, but in such a way that does not add to the deficit. In his posts on Tuesday, Paul added that "at least 4 of us in the Senate feel this way." Four GOP votes against the bill would be enough to block its passage through the Senate. Musk, who officially departed from his role in the White House last week, jumped into the debate to criticize the bill. "I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination," Musk wrote. "Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it." Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R–La.), who shepherded the BBB through the House last week, told The Hill that Musk was "terribly wrong" to criticize the bill. Other conservatives suggested that Musk was motivated more by the loss of tax credits that benefit Tesla than by genuine concern about the deficit. Musk's motivations might not be pure, but that doesn't mean he's wrong. In a follow-up post on X, he wrote that "Congress is making America bankrupt." No lies detected there—and the BBB will make that situation worse. Musk and Paul are at least living in reality. The White House, meanwhile, has resorted to trying to discredit the independent entities that have scored the bill. On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) of engaging in partisan politics by saying the BBB would add to the deficit—echoing a criticism that Johnson made last week. That's a rather absurd allegation, considering the current director of the CBO is Phillip Swagel, a Republican who previously worked in the Bush administration and at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. Math is not a conspiracy against Trump. The president and his supporters are free to disagree with the likes of Musk and Paul, but they should stop lying about the budgetary impact of the BBB and should admit that they support higher levels of borrowing. Then we could have an intellectually serious debate over the bill, instead of whatever this is. In the meantime, give credit to Musk and Paul for holding the line on fiscal responsibility. Few of their fellow Republicans are willing to do that these days. The post It's Rand Paul and Elon Musk vs. Donald Trump Over the 'Big Beautiful Bill' appeared first on
