Amy Bragg Carey '80

Amy Bragg Carey was recently at the National Prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C., in a crowded  room of 3,000 people from around the world. She was just about to sit down when she heard a voice say, “Amy Bragg?” It was one of her classmates from MA, Sue Johnson—they hadn’t seen each other since graduation! 

How could it be that she was in an unfamiliar city, with thousands of people she didn’t know, and she would run into someone from her graduating class? It was what Amy calls ‘A Divine Appointment’: an encounter planned purposefully by God. 

Deep Roots

Amy remembers her time at MA with fondness, and felt the foundation provided "a wonderful education.” She remembers the opportunity to express her faith while at the Upper School. “To be in a Christian school was really wonderful,” she shares.   

The community and Christian environment, Bible classes, faith conversations, prayer and chapel all encouraged her to grow spiritually. In her ‘80 Facebook group, those conversations continue: classmates post messages of inspiration as well as challenges and concerns, and offering prayer for one another as well.

“It’s amazing to have that community continue even though some don’t see each other all that much, to know that there is that community of people that have shared values in their faith.”  

MA “runs in the family”: Amy’s parents, sister, and some aunts, uncles, and cousins graduated from the school. Her daughter Anna Marie graduated in ’09 and her son Brett attended for a while.

A Life of Service

From 1999-2003, Amy worked at MA as the Director of Development, serving on the campaign that built the new chapel and gymnasium. After MA, Amy served in Development at the University of Northwestern for 13 years, and today she is finishing her fourth year as President of Friends University in Wichita, Kansas. 

Amy's work is to champion the vision for Friends University. Involved with everything from student life and campus ministry, to financial resources and academic affairs, she has an awareness of everything happening on campus. Much of her work is external as she works to bring in resources for the university. 

Friends is a Christian University of Quaker heritage. Like MA, they are an inclusive campus; people from different faith backgrounds or no faith background come together, but the school holds high the truth of scripture and the Christian faith in a dynamic and loving way. Their real purpose is to build up each person’s God given potential. “I love to be a part of that transforming ability that a Christian University has in the lives of its students,” Amy says.

Amy’s personal vision is to ‘lift a people’ through Christian Education. “To see that happen day in and day out is the most exciting thing. At the end of the day, what really matters is who we are in our relationship with the Creator.”

To the Students 

Amy says, “It’s important for us as MA alumni to recognize that we’ve had this blessing of a Christian education, and that we can continue to lean into it. My great hope for the Academy is that the mission stays strong.  As alumni, we need to continue to encourage that.”