The family of Jim and Rosie Schaefer received the Benedictine College 2015 Family Award.
Each year, the college honors a family that has lived the Benedictine mission through their involvement on the campus and their commitment to building a fruitful and supportive community in the Benedictine tradition.
The entire Schaefer family has always been supportive of the college and will be recognized at Wilcox Stadium during halftime of the football game Oct. 10.
The Schaefers sent four of their five children to Benedictine, including Joseph, '84; Carla Schaefer Dovey, '85; Pam Schaefer Kramer, '88, who married fellow alumnus Kevin Kramer, '89; and Susie Schaefer Hinds, '91. Their oldest son, Patrick, also sent his daughters, Elaina Schaefer Sedlacek, '08; and Michelle Schaefer Smith-Vandergriff, '07; who married fellow Raven Mark Smith-Vandergriff, '08, to Benedictine College. In addition, Rosie Schaefer's nieces, Kristen Bexten, '93; and Sister Mary Mediatrix Bexten, FSGM; '97, are also Benedictine College graduates.
The Schaefers were known as the "Raven Host Family" in Jefferson City. They would invite entire Raven football teams over to their home for dinner when the team was playing on the road at nearby Lincoln University. The couple would also hold recruitment parties for potential students and their families.
In later years, Rosie and her children were instrumental in helping organize the local Mid-Mo Raven Alumni Club and would host summer send-off picnics for the families of new students from their area who would be attending Benedictine College in the fall. The family also helped the club create a Mid-Mo Raven Scholarship to be awarded to local students. They often followed this up with care packages to the new students once they arrived in Atchison, letting them know the Raven alumni from their home area were thinking of them.
Though they never attended Benedictine College, their support was so strong they received the first Benedictine College Honorary Alumni Award in 1992. The children have all continued that support.
Their daughter, Pam, has served on the Benedictine College Board of Directors and was honored with the 2009 Offeramus Medal. Susie went on to establish The Schaefer House Home Furnishings in downtown Jefferson City and her success as president and CEO of that company brought her to the Benedictine College School of Business for the Cray Lecture in 2010.
Joe, who played football while at Benedictine, has maintained a leadership position with the Mid-Mo Ravens and gives monthly to the college. Carla began giving back to the college very early in her career and was part of the Class of '85 gift that renovated the renowned Raven Walk.
And Patrick, the only child who did not attend Benedictine, picked up the tradition by sending his two daughters to the college.
And now, the children have found a way to continue to support the Raven student body as well as honor the sacrifices their parents made to educate them. They have established a new endowed scholarship in their parents' name.
The new Jim and Rosie Schaefer Family Scholarship will be created on Oct. 10 and will be announced at the football game that afternoon.