Alumni and Friends
Joann Placher Distinguished Alumni Award
Anne-Marie Udell, '04
The recipient of The Joann Placher Distinguished Alumni Award, Anne-Marie Udell (B.A. Mass Communication ‘04) works for “Young Life,” a not-for-profit, nondenominational outreach program for junior high and high school students. A leader on staff at Neuqua Valley (Naperville), Udell promotes Young Life’s mission of helping adolescents grow in their faith with a message of hope and acceptance through the Gospel. Udell volunteered for Young Life throughout her four years at USF, while going to school and working.After graduation, Udell first worked for a radio station, but her love of the Young Life ministry called her to join the organization full time. According to Tyler Slowinski, '04 who nominated Udell, “Annie could be making better money doing something else. She lives off minimal income because she believes in the mission ofreaching kids that live in broken homes that result in divorce, drugs, eating disorders, neglect and so much more.
She chooses to serve in Naperville because that is where she found Christ and people invested into her when she was in high school. I attended a sponsor's banquet for people that financially support Young Life and heard a mother testify specifically about Annie Udell in front of hundreds of people.
She told the story of her lost daughter and how scared she was for the future.When the daughter met someone who instantly cared for her, that being Annie, things changed and five years later they were still friends. Annie's job is not a job to her. It's a lifestyle.”
