CHARLOTTE — Connecting college students to Catholic resources is expected to be easier than ever, thanks to a new partnership the Diocese of Charlotte has struck with the Newman Connection.
The national non-profit organization surveys high school seniors and provides more comprehensive data about graduating seniors to their college of choice. Knowing more about what college students are looking for, what college they are attending, and how to connect with them will enable the diocese’s Campus Ministry leaders to better reach and serve these young people.
“Today, very few colleges and universities share the religious belief of their incoming students with campus ministers, Catholic or otherwise, if the college even asks its incoming students about their religious belief at all,” explained Darien Clark, the diocese’s director of Campus and Young Adult Ministry.
Newman Connection’s process has students input their data themselves, so that contact information can be shared. There is a separate online form for parents to share more details with Campus Ministry before their student arrives on campus in the fall.
What that means for campus ministers like Deacon Matthew Newsome at Western Carolina University is they don’t need to wait for Catholic students to discover Catholic Campus Ministry.
“We can be proactive in inviting students into opportunities to grow in their faith,” he said.
As Newman Ministry President and Founder Matt Zerrusen notes, “Too often, students show up to campus without ever being personally invited into the Catholic community. What’s happening in the Diocese of Charlotte is different. Their campus ministers now can reach out before students arrive, so instead of hoping students show up, they’re being personally welcomed.”
That personal invitation is critical, agrees Scott Salvato, campus minster at Davidson College. In his unique position as a chaplain employed by the private college, he has had access to the email addresses of students who self-identify as Catholic – a luxury most campus ministers have not had until now. That has enabled his student leadership team to reach out to incoming freshmen before they arrive on campus.
“So many things are so impersonal today,” he said. “Having students reach out to them one-on-one and ask, ‘Would you like to get together for coffee?’ or ‘Do you want to come to lunch with me and my friends?’ or ‘Do you want to walk over to Mass together?’ is a much different experience.”
For students like Davidson senior Rosa Ramirez, that personal outreach was key. She had not regularly attended Mass before coming to Davidson, and at first she wasn’t interested in getting involved in religious activities. Far from her home in Rosharon, Texas, and missing a sense of community, she tagged along with dorm mates to a Thursday night dinner hosted by Catholic Campus Ministry.
“The upperclassmen I met that first night kept recognizing me around campus and in class, and they continued inviting me to events,” she recalled. “Within a few weeks, I found myself going to CCM events most days of the week and spending time with other Catholics outside of them. They motivated me to stay connected to my faith, and I haven’t missed Mass since.”
Confirmed at the Easter Vigil, Ramirez is eager to take her faith with her as she graduates and heads to law school this fall.
“Looking back, getting connected to CCM didn’t just bring me back to my faith, it completely shaped my college experience by giving me a sense of community and confidence that I didn’t have when I arrived.”
— Trish Stukbauer
Sign up here: https://signupnc.newmanministry.com/
