Welcome to Cardinal Perspectives, a series featuring in-depth conversations with alumni, students, faculty, staff and the extended family and community of The Catholic University of America.
We are pleased to introduce this episode featuring the president of the Alumni Association, Kenneth J. Lorence.
Ken Lorence is an enterprise marketing leader. He is currently the supervisor of digital marketing at NMDP, the global leader in cell therapy, where he is focused on marketing technology, specifically Sitecore. Being awarded Sitecore Strategy MVP in 2020, 2024, & 2026, Ken’s team is responsible for digital optimization of the website, evaluating marketing technology and implementing Sitecore's product portfolio. He is also a certified project manager holding his PMP.
Prior to NMDP, Ken worked across various industries including technology, nonprofits, higher education, and healthcare supporting digital strategy and marketing.
Ken holds a B.A. in English and Media Studies and an M.S. in Management from The Catholic University of America. He resides in Glenmoore, PA with his wife of 7 years, Karen, and two children, Guadalupe and Santiago.
This conversation is facilitated by Brian Kohler, Assistant Vice President, Alumni Engagement & Annual Giving at Catholic University.
*This transcript is based on an audio recording and has been lightly edited for readability. It reflects the substance of the conversation but may not be a verbatim record.
Brian Kohler
Welcome to another episode of Cardinal Perspectives. I'm Brian Kohler, assistant vice president for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving here at Catholic University. And joining me today is Ken Lorence, a proud double Cardinal. You got me beat – I'm only a single Cardinal.
Ken is the esteemed president of the Alumni Association. Ken, thank you for being here and thank you for the conversation.
Ken Lorence
It's great to be here. I'm Ken Lorence, I'm honored to be serving as the new president of the Catholic University Alumni Association Board of Directors. As you mentioned, I'm a proud double Card. I earned my bachelor's in English and media studies and my master's in management from the School of Professional Studies, in the classes of 2009 and 2014. I’m proud to be here. My brother is also an alumnus, so it runs in the family.
Just a little about me: I work in the marketing field, managing a team and leading digital marketing strategy. I've been doing that for the last 10 years, but I started out here in the alumni office before that. It's nice to be back.
Brian Kohler
And now I have to bring up the fact that – for all of our listeners – we have to admit the fact that we're both also from Philly.
Ken Lorence
We're also from Philly. Yep.
Brian Kohler
Go Birds!
It’s fitting when you look at the fact that if you look at our alumni demographics throughout the country, outside of the DMV, the second largest location for our alumni to live in is Philly.
Ken Lorence
100%.
Brian Kohler
And of course, an important shout-out, since we're talking about Philly, we do have an event coming up in Philadelphia on October 1st.
Ken Lorence
It'll be a good one, at the Comcast Center there.
Brian Kohler
So, getting into the interview. We already said that you're a double alumnus, so let's start there. Why stay here at Catholic University for both degrees? Why not go somewhere else?
Ken Lorence
Well, I was in Catholic school all my life, probably like many students here.
That was definitely an initial draw to Catholic University. But what drew me here as an undergraduate student was being in the nation's capital, being here on the beautiful campus, and the breadth of programs, in addition to the Catholic experience. I was a track student-athlete, so being able to play sports was a big draw, too. All those things came together.
That’s what kept me here as an undergraduate. And then as a graduate student, I had a different perspective. I was working here on campus, and did the night school route. I had the experience of the students that are on campus here in the dorms, but then also the commuting students as well. It was really nice to have both perspectives.
Brian Kohler
You mentioned being a track student-athlete. Let's highlight that for a second. What did you run?
Ken Lorence
I wasn't so much a runner. I was a jumper. I was a triple jump and long jumper.
So all my, my track guys out there, shout out to you guys, and to the Cardinal Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams.
Brian Kohler
Turning back to your professional life, you have spent 10 years in marketing and digital strategy. How did your education prepare you for a career at the interesting cross-section between marketing and technology? Can you unpack that a little bit and talk about how your education – both undergrad and grad school, and even your stint working at Catholic University – influenced you?
Ken Lorence
As you mentioned, I double majored in English and media studies. Originally, I wanted to go into film and do screenwriting and things like that. But after doing internships with National Geographic television and the Library of Congress, I knew I wanted to be in the communications field.
I was fortunate enough that when I graduated college, I was able to get a job working in that space. I was able to do a “Jack-of-all-trades” type of thing, working on editing sound, doing things with video, and writing. And then I got an opportunity to work here in the alumni office, and I would say this was the first stint of working with marketing technology. Being able to work on the email, the website, events, etc.
And then my master's is in management and leadership, and these days I'm managing a small marketing technology team of three.
Catholic University was formative in my career, not only in the writing and communications side, but also the leadership side.
Brian Kohler
The skill sets that are instilled in students really go a long way. I’ve seen it both as an alumnus and as a parent, because my daughter attends the business school. It's inspiring for me to hear a person like yourself that has gone through that and is now leading others. It's a testament to you and to our programs here.
Ken Lorence
To add to that, having the opportunity to connect with alumni and students and different audiences within the University plays a big role in any job that you do. Right now, I'm on the healthcare side, but even though the industry has changed, the skills I learned are still applicable.
Brian Kohler
It's preparing you for everything, 100%. And you're right, the diversity of opinions, the diversity of perspectives, it’s all out there in the working world. You're going to meet a lot of people. The fact that you were prepared to do that is a testament to you and also to our programs.
Ken Lorence
The final thing on this is that being mission-driven is something that I’ve carried with me into my current role. It's been a blessing to be mission-driven as I’ve worked at multiple places, and that definitely started here at Catholic University.
Brian Kohler
That is one of the things that really separates Catholic University. We are very mission-focused. Now – and I see it more as a parent – when you've got an institution that focuses on the development of the mission and making sure that it’s at the heart of what all of our students do, it helps our students stand out and grow.
Pivoting a bit, you are the new president of our Alumni Association, but you’ve been involved in the Alumni Association for quite a while. Can we go back to how you first got involved and what that experience has been like over the years?
Ken Lorence
I got involved as soon as I graduated undergrad, and also being a grad student continued that through. I think what really drew me to get involved and be a member of the Alumni Association board was around being able to connect with graduates and bring them back to campus to see all the great things that are going on here. Having worked on the side of alumni relations and seeing the great work that was being done by the board then, it encouraged me that if I ever had an opportunity, I would like to do that.
That’s what initially got me in, the work that we do. I think it’s really important. We are representing all of the alumni. Each of the members on the board come from a different class year, a different background, a different city. We mentioned Philadelphia, but we have members from California and Maryland and New York and Boston and Chicago. It shows the breadth of the University as a national university, but also different people's perspectives and experiences, both undergraduate and graduate. We have alumni who are law school grads, graduate students, people who earned their Ph.D.
As far as volunteering goes, being involved with the University and having the opportunity to lead and bring other alumni back to campus is wonderful.
Brian Kohler
I couldn't agree more. The diversity of the board is fantastic and speaks to the volume of alumni we have.
We have close to 100,000 alumni as part of Catholic University over the years. One of the great benefits of having a strong alumni board, with you at the helm, is the chance to connect those tens of thousands of Cardinals, spread so far across the country, back to the University.
Ken Lorence
I would also say, if you’re in the D.C. area, definitely come to campus. Even if you're not in the D.C. area, we do events across the country. So keep an eye out, and whether we're in Philly, New York, Boston, California… definitely check us out there. Sometimes it's those smaller interactions that help you to re-engage and understand more about the University.
There's a lot of great things going on. I'm always amazed each time I come back to campus. Like right now, as we're in the nursing school and looking out at the fountain, and seeing the business school and dining hall, all of these things which are “new” to us alumni, it’s definitely worth checking out.
Brian Kohler
One of the things you mentioned are those small conversations. Those are where the Alumni Association and alumni can really have a huge impact. Hopefully as folks are listening to this, they realize, "Hey, I'm connected to this person, I'm connected to that person." And then they'll take it a step further and ask the question, "Have you gotten this email? Have you gotten this newsletter?" And if not, they can connect them back to our website or our office. We want to have an impact.
That word, “Impact,” leads me to the next question: Over your time and experience on the board, what is an impact you can point to and say, “That's something that really helped the institution”? Are there any untapped opportunities that you think alumni should be aware of?
Ken Lorence
There are definitely untapped areas. I think some of the key things are looking at how we've structured some of the committees and the goals of the board. Alumni mentoring students. Scholarship support. Opening those professional doors for both alumni and current students. And then serving through opportunities like Cardinal Ambassadors, whether it’s at a career fair or with the National Collection.
Sometimes we look at it as just an alumni opportunity, but I think the students and alumni hand-in-hand. It's a lifelong relationship there. It can be as simple as having a simple career conversation over coffee to actually connecting a student to a full-on internship. I know for my brother, he's in his current career thanks to fellow alums stepping up and helping him get in that space. And many other alums and students are able to benefit from that. So that's what we want to expand on, in particular.
Brian Kohler
The expansion is key. And the fact that you're bringing up students is really important because at the end of the day, we want to pay it forward. There are so many of us – and yourself included –who have benefited from the guidance from other alumni.
We've got thousands of kids on campus, and alumni have an opportunity to give back and to pay it forward through mentoring students, through providing internships, and helping them get them hired. Alumni can help recruit new Cardinals and retain current ones through scholarships and mentorships.
Ken Lorence
I agree with that 100%. I think the other piece is when we're talking about mentorship, it doesn't need to be something super formal or a strongly structured program.
Sometimes, it's a conversation. It's being able to meet that student or recent graduate where they are.
When it comes to internships or job opportunities, there are pieces of knowledge that I think all alumni can share with students.
Brian Kohler
They say with age comes wisdom. You are touching on a key point that sometimes we assume that people know how to apply for jobs, how to get connected. But that’s not necessarily the case. When you're 20, 21, 22, and yes, you're driven, but you don't necessarily know who to talk to, right? The fact that students or graduates can reach out to you as the president of the Alumni Association, or to me as the head of Alumni Engagement here at Catholic University, we can connect you with opportunities.
That's one of the untapped resources. I want to give a quick shout-out to some new team members here. We've got Ross Boyle from the class of 2015, who is going to lead our career networking and the mentorship programs. As folks are listening to this, we can get you connected to Ross. And for all of our young alumni, we just brought on Katie Hurd, class of 2023, who is totally focused on opportunities for people who graduated within the last 10 years. The goals of our office are really in line with your goals of the association.
So as president of the Alumni Association, let's unpack some of those top priorities and goals. Where do you want to see the Alumni Association move in the next couple of years?
Ken Lorence
It’s key for the Alumni Association board to make sure that we're better aligned with the alumni office and also the University as a whole. And I think we're doing that. It’s been done in the past, but as part of natural evolution, we need to continue on that growth path.
Each of our committees speaks to that. We have six committees where the true work of the board happens. Each one has its own goal, but they relate to some of the key areas we just talked about, especially recruitment and retention. Being a part of the ambassadors program is a key goal to both recruit new students but also retain current students on campus. That's a big opportunity for us.
Plus, growing our affinity groups. We have some really great affinity groups, and there are also great student groups where we can build connections back to the association. There’s a lot of opportunity in our veteran and athletics communities. There are affinities by industry and region, as well. One example of that is our Black Alumni Network, run by Robin De Wees. Shout out to her.
The career mentoring that we talked about is also a priority for the alumni board, because that’s where we can help identify alumni, parents, and students who are both looking for opportunities and looking to reengage with the University in different ways
The other piece is increasing participation, whether it’s event attendance or financial support. Maybe you're at a stage in your life where being as active in coming to events isn’t possible, but you can help financially. You can always do something from a mentoring perspective in your region. You can start small, you don't have to go super big.
Brian Kohler
Those are fantastic goals, and when it comes to retention, both mentorship and philanthropic support are so essential.
I'm not even going to mention how low the cost in tuition was when I was a student here, because it would also indicate how old I am. But I think because we are in D.C. and we have this beautiful campus, sometimes people don't always realize or appreciate how much it costs to run a university. Hat's off to Dr. Kilpatrick and his team for doing incredible work to maintain Catholic University as a cost-effective and reasonable institution.
But the fact is, if we really want to help retain these kids, we need to help them out in terms of scholarships. The more support we have from alumni in means of time, talent, and treasure – it's vital to pay it forward.
Ken Lorence
I'm a testament to scholarship opportunities. That's part of what allowed me to attend Catholic University. Being able to offer that to more students is important to me. When a student is deciding, there are so many factors – you know this with your daughter – but with the amount of competition that is out there, it’s essential to increase scholarship opportunities whenever we can.
The quality of students and the applicants are high, very top-notch. I was talking to a student at Accepted Student Day. They drove themselves here to campus, they were choosing Catholic University. That speaks volumes.
Brian Kohler
The quality of the students continues to improve and continues to impress. Sometimes I sit back and think, "I don't know if I would've gotten accepted today." I'm almost glad I went to it when I did because Catholic University is just so incredibly impressive with its students, with its campus, with the faculty and staff. Everyone is at the top of their game. And so the more ways that folks can support philanthropically or through their volunteering makes a difference.
When it comes to all the volunteer opportunities, we have Cardinal Ambassadors, which you're a member of, helping the University out both on the admissions side of things by attending college fairs at local high schools. You can also help the National Collection by speaking at your parish. As an ambassador, can you talk about some of those volunteer opportunities?
Ken Lorence
Cardinal Ambassadors is probably one of the most approachable ways to volunteer because it can be what you want it to be. You're a friendly face and connector to the University at career or college fairs in your region. It's pretty easy going. You get sent opportunities, and if you're able to do it, then you can do it. There’s not a huge time commitment.
And the same goes on the National Collection side. My parish participated in the collection, and I was able to have it as part of the bulletin. It was a great opportunity to reach out to my pastor and share about the University. And he was gracious to include that in the bulletin.
Outside of Cardinal Ambassadors, we have our other ways to get involved in regional activities.. We're building that out. We have a strong base here in Washington, D.C., but if you're in Philly, New York, Boston, Chicago, even Denver, Texas, California… wherever you are, definitely get in touch. We would be happy to explore opportunities there.
That's another way, too: getting involved in an event, getting involved talking to students. I know even being in Philly, just seeing some of the new students and their experiences. I remember one of the first ones I met a few years ago, and they had just graduated and were debating whether they were coming to Catholic University or another school. And being able to have a conversation at one of the receptions, it was key. And it was cool to see that they actually came to a future reception with their parents, that they were still engaged, and that they chose Catholic. That was big for me.
Brian Kohler
There are some great volunteer opportunities. For people who are on the fence about volunteering, it's important for them to remember it's not hard, right? It's not even that big of a time commitment. Connecting with new or prospective students, with other alums, and just reaching out and helping them. You never really know how far a small conversation will go. And it doesn't take a lot of time either.
I was talking recently with Vinny Sica, one of our alums. He put me in touch with Steve Garofano. These are just a couple of guys that show, while we don't necessarily have formalized mentorship programs yet, a couple conversations here and there is really all it takes to help a fellow alum and Cardinal out.
And even with your parish, as you said, it's a quick conversation with your pastor.
Ken Lorence
Speaking of the college fairs, I think when prospective students see alumni there, it goes a long way with the school. You see the big schools, and you know, they have their group. But I think when you have alums willing to come out and speak on behalf of the University, speak about their experiences and why they're still involved, it speaks volumes.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to all the members here on the alumni board who volunteer their time and effort, and all of the alumni on the various school boards and councils. If you're looking for ways to connect and lead, that’s a great one.
Brian Kohler
Another way to connect and get more involved is through a program we call Cardinals Around the Table. For those who aren’t familiar, this is an opportunity where you just gather your friends.
We still have our friends from back in the day, or maybe we're now connected with Cardinals in our area, right? And so Cardinals Around the Table gathers a small group of alumni around a table. Someone from the University staff – myself, Scott Rembold, or others – will come out and offer a conversation about what's going on at Catholic University. Because, let's face it – while my friends and I get together once a month, we don't necessarily talk about what's going on with the University now.
Ken Lorence
With Cardinals Around the Table, it doesn't necessarily need to be just around a table, either. You can gather five, 10 alums to have a more intimate conversation about how you can support the University in a variety of ways. Whether that's volunteering, mentoring, or financially, there are many different opportunities to support the mission.
We were talking about the new things on campus, so even just knowing about new buildings and programs is powerful. It’s always great to learn more about campus and be able to explore and experience it.
Brian Kohler
It would be great for folks sitting around the table to hear how things have changed. As we talk, we're sitting in the Conway School of Nursing. And we talked earlier today about how, before this was here, you and I both remember the small little tiny bank with a small parking lot. And now all of a sudden, it's this incredible space for a nationally ranked nursing school and program.
It's important for alumni to have the opportunity to hear about that. So I agree with you. It doesn't have to be around the table. Yeah. We could be sitting out on the back deck.
Ken Lorence
My sister-in-law would appreciate this because she's a nursing school alumna. Whether, it's the nursing school, the business school, or arts and sciences, there are across-the-board opportunities to see the campus and soak it in.
Brian Kohler
Cardinal Weekend is coming up in October 2026. I have a personal interest in every Cardinal Weekend, but this one in particular, because it’s my 25th reunion.
This year, Cardinal Weekend is October 16, 17, and 18. We've been working on a lot of really cool things. What can you tell our alumni who are listening about what this Cardinal Weekend's going to look like?
Ken Lorence
Cardinal Weekend is always a great opportunity to reconnect with fellow alumni. Whether this is a milestone reunion year or not, there's programming for you.
Part of the programming will be around opportunities to hear lectures from faculty. You’ll be able to see some of the great things that the students are doing. There are campus walking tours, and we also obviously have our Tent Party and our awards reception. We're honoring some really great alumni at that. We mentioned the milestone reunion events, our Golden Cardinals – shout out to Bob and Sharon, Class of 1976!
Brian Kohler
And this year, we're going do a welcome reception with President Kilpatrick on Friday night here at Heritage Hall. After the reception, we’re going to do a school open house, as a great opportunity for alumni to choose their own adventure and see what's going on in all the different schools, and then we'll all come back for some fellowship at Murphy's to conclude the night. On Saturday, we have all those things you mentioned, from the tent party and our reunion nights to Golden Cardinals.
Why should folks come back to campus for this one Cardinal Weekend?
Ken Lorence
It's the highlight of the year for us alumni. It is our key weekend with the University, outside of Commencement and Orientation Week for students. While there are opportunities to connect with alumni in your region, this is a great opportunity to come to campus and see what's happening in D.C., to reconnect with your second home and with your classmates.
It’s also a unique time to meet and see surrounding class years outside of our specific graduating class. If you graduated in 2001, Cardinal Weekend gives you that opportunity to be able to see some of you who graduated in 2002, 2003, or so on.
Brian Kohler
You’re absolutely right. When it comes to getting involved in the Cardinal Weekend, we have a full webpage and schedules of events where you can register. If they have any questions, they can certainly contact my office, or they can contact you as well.
So with that, let me give you the last word and the last thoughts of this Cardinal Perspectives.
Ken Lorence
What I want to leave our listeners with is that: you belong here. This is the place for you. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, whether you're in D.C. or across the country, Catholic University is strong and the alumni community is strong because of you. You're a part of it, and you're what makes it what it is. If you’re already connected, stay connected. If you're looking to be engaged or re-engaged we welcome that. Catholic University is your home.
Published on: Monday, September 28, 2026
Tags: Cardinal Perspectives, Alumni Association Board of Directors, Alumni Association
