Acton University Newman Track 2025 Recap
- Isabella Maciejewski
- Jul 9
- 2 min read
Updated: Nov 6
Highlights from the 2025 Newman Track at Acton University
In June, 80 educators, school leaders, priests and Catholic education advocates from over 45+ schools and organizations gathered in Grand Rapids, MI, for the fourth annual Newman Track Fellowship at Acton University. Hosted by the Acton Institute, this unique track—curated by the St. John Henry Newman Institute—offers an immersive experience at the intersection of Perennial Catholic Education and the principles of a free and virtuous society.
Over four days, Newman Fellows engaged with a rich curriculum that combined the broader intellectual offerings of Acton University with exclusive sessions designed to equip and inspire leaders within the renewal movement in Catholic education. This year’s Newman Track featured six dedicated lectures and discussions, including:
The Mission of JHNI and the Renewal – Ali Ghaffari
Inheritance and Renewal: The Catholic Intellectual Tradition – Dr. Andrew Seeley
Sustainable Development – Kevin Augustyn
Organizational Health and Institutional Excellence – Tom Maloney
Tools, Methods, and Examples of Leading School Renewal – Tim DiLaura
Building Administrators: Entrepreneurial Leadership – Panel Discussion featuring Ali Ghaffari, Sean Maltbie, Tim DiLaura, and Sean Nolan
Spiritual Leadership and the Formation of Culture – Discussion featuring Fr. Robert Sirico and Fr. Joseph Lugalambi
Fellows also enjoyed an evening reception—The Monks’ Happy Hour—featuring beer from the Abbey of St. Benedict in Norcia, Italy. Dom Augustine Wilmeth shared the history of his monastery and its recently founded brewing apostolate. Held in the Van Andel Suite at the Amway, the reception created space for rich conversations on faith, culture, and the future of Catholic education.
Participants traveled from across the country—and even internationally—to take part in this growing fellowship. A highlight for many was the deep sense of community and shared mission: to renew Catholic education through intellectual formation, spiritual leadership, and administrative excellence.
Want to be part of this growing movement? Save the date for next year’s Newman Track at Acton University: June 23–26, 2026, in Grand Rapids, MI. Click here to subscribe for updates.