Always A Bearcat Fan, Neumann Is Now "Mr. Bearcat"

Kyle Neumann grew up in Harrison, Ohio, a self-described lifelong Bearcat fan.

So you can imagine what kind of thrill it was this year, during his final year in college, to earn the official title of "Mr. Bearcat."

"I could never have imagined when I first came to school here that I would enjoy as much success as I have," says Neumann, who won the award by best meeting the criteria among this year's graduating senior men -- academic success, demonstrated leadership in diverse settings and contributing to UC with "Bearcat Spirit."

"I didn't know the extent to which I would end up being involved here," Neumann says. "I've always been a UC fan, so I just knew being a regular student wouldn't be good enough. I wanted to do enough to truly call myself a Bearcat."

Neumann's list of activities both on and off campus is long. It includes the presidency of four of the most respected organizations at UC - the Cincinnatus Service Honorary and the Phi Rho Chi Greek Men's Honorary two years ago, Men of Metro last year and Sigma Sigma Men's Honorary this year.

"We all know the reputation of these four organizations on campus, and to be selected for membership is a distinct honor and a testament to a student's success and leadership on campus," says Jeri Ricketts, director of the College of Business' Carl H. Lindner Honors-PLUS program. "To be elected president of all four organizations in simply an incredible accomplishment, and a testament to the respect that other campus leaders have for Kyle."

"I've benefited from every group I've been in," Neumann says of his experiences. "I think everything I've earned is a testament more towards my friends and the people I've been around. Building those friendships has been the most rewarding thing to me."

When it comes to a best friend, Kyle's story takes an interesting twist - that would be his twin brother, Kirby, who graduated from UC last year with a psychology degree. (Psychology is a four-year program, while the Lindner Honors-PLUS program Kyle will graduate from takes five years to complete).

Kyle calls his best experience the chance to be in so many organizations with his brother, which includes a rare experience in 2002 when both brothers were members of the UC Homecoming Court.

Kirby was a finalist for last year's Mr. Bearcat honor.

"He was really happy when I was announced as this year's winner," Kyle said. Kirby, who is now a national official with the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, came to town for the university honors ceremony where the announcement was made. "He was pulling for me the whole way, and no one was more proud or happier than he was."

Kyle will graduate with a 3.7 GPA and a finance degree. As a junior, he was the co-winner among the Lindner Honors-PLUS students of the Clay Stinnett Outstanding Achievement Award, which goes to the most all-around outstanding student in the program in the opinion of its faculty and staff.

Upon graduation, he'll be leaving Cincinnati to take a job as an analyst with Bank of America Securities in Charlotte, N.C. The legacy he'll leave behind, he believes, will be all the friends he's made at UC.

"This is a great opportunity, just the best job any finance major could find coming out as an undergrad," Kyle says. "But I've got a lot of outstanding friends I've made here in this city, and that is something that is never going to change."