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College night at St. Mark Church helps students keep the faith in college

Ashleigh Kassock | Catholic Herald

Panelist Eliana Uriena, a sophomore at Villanova University in Philadelphia, talks about balancing faith and academics during college night at St. Mark Church in Vienna June 20. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

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Rising college freshman Danny Cruz is defeated by Julia Ortega in a rock-paper-scissors icebreaker during college night at St. Mark Church in Vienna June 20. ASHLEIGH KASSOCK | CATHOLIC HERALD

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The Associates of St. John Bosco kicked off their first college
night this year with pizza, fellowship and helpful tools for staying Catholic
in college at St. Mark Church in Vienna June 20. 

Since the group’s founding in 2011by Father Christopher T.
Vaccaro, chaplain of the Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of Mary
Washington in Fredericksburg, the group has worked to help young people
transition from parish life to college without leaving faith behind.

“I realized that people who go off to college and get involved in
their Catholic campus ministry or Neumann center are doing half decent,” said
Father Vaccaro. “But we lose people before that.”

The organization helps bridge this gap through scholarships, the
summer college nights, student networking and training among the organization’s
young adult volunteers.

This summer the associates have more than 60 students registered
for their four college nights. The first event at St. Mark was attended by 13
rising freshmen going to a variety of colleges both in and out of state.

The night started at 7 p.m. with a panel discussion led by five
college students. Their talks covered a variety of subjects such as the top
five things to do on the first day of college, how to get involved in campus
ministry, forming good friendships, balancing faith and education, and
defending the faith.

Melissa Rossi, a George Mason University graduate and panelist,
first attended a college night as a rising college freshman in 2014 and has
been a volunteer ever since.

“I had gone to a lot of other college prep events offered by the
university or other places but I felt like this event was the only one that
really prepared me for the start of college,” said Rossi. “It touched on all
aspects: academics, faith and social life.”

After the panel the students enjoyed a rock-paper-scissors ice
breaker before breaking out into small groups. Over slices of pizza, they
talked in more detail about how to prepare for the challenges Catholics can
face in college.

“I want them to be able to decide for themselves that they want
this and that the faith is now something they have to take into their own
hands,” said Danielle Zuccaro, chair of the college division. “If we help one
student decide to say, ‘I think I want to live out my Catholic faith in college
and I want to dare to be different,’ then it has made it totally worth it.”

The associates announced one of four scholarship winners during
the event. Todd Steger, a student at Franciscan University in Steubenville, was
awarded $1,500 for his essay and continued service to the church through missionary
work.

All the students received a complimentary “Bosco bundle” to take
with them to college. The bundles included holy water, holy cards, the
Catechism of the Catholic Church, the Bible and other spiritual reading.
Students were encouraged to give away a second bundle as a way to evangelize at
college.

Danny Cruz, a rising freshman planning to attend Old Dominion
University in Norfolk, came to college night after hearing good things about it
from a friend. He was happy to meet so many other people who also wanted to
keep the faith.

“I don’t think I will ever be completely prepared for college,”
said Cruz. “I just (need) to talk to God and we will do it together.”

Registration is open for the remaining three college nights. More
than 25 students are signed up for the next night July 2 at All Saints Catholic
Church in Manassas, the associates’ newest location. They also will meet July
18 at the Basilica of St. Mary in Alexandria and July 25 at St. Mary of the
Immaculate Conception Church in Fredericksburg.

 

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