Edie Hovey ’61

Alumni and friends of Valparaiso University have one thing in common: a love of the university. For Edie Hovey ’61, that love has spanned decades.

“Every time I sing an old, familiar hymn in church, I think of Valpo,” she says.

A theology major and member of the Lutheran Deaconess Association, Hovey was known as one of “Schulz’s little disciples” by other professors. Over the years, she has continued to take classes and attend seminars in theology. She is constantly challenged and reminded of the things she learned in school.

She also has continued her involvement with the LDA. “I was on a trip across the country, and I ended up talking with about 50 friends. And each one of them had a Valpo connection.” Another time, in Europe, she ran into a VU student staying in the same youth hostel as she.

“Valpo is a part of my life,” she says.

It was only natural that Hovey give something back to VU. “I value my education and the experiences I’ve had and, as a proud alumna, it made sense for me to support VU in my will, too.I hope my gift will give the university some flexibility—all great institutions need it.”

As VU gears up for its 150th anniversary in 2009, the added flexibility from gifts like Hovey’s will help the university reach its goals and become an even stronger institution.

Hovey stays connected to Valpo, no matter how many years it has been since she last walked on campus. “I try to visit every few years, and I enjoy reading about all my friends in the VALPO magazine,” she says. “It’s just nice to sit down and think about people I haven’t seen for a few years.”

And when she does see them, it’s just like it was when she was in school. “I feel that connection right away. It’s like we never left.”