As you might have heard in the last week or so, my employer filed suit against the U.S. Department of Education. For more on that, click here.
Simply put, St. Catharine College is fighting for financial aid for its students. It's a complicated and nuanced issue that is affecting the students at the college. I could dive in and try to explain, but that's not why I'm here (click here for a good explanation from President Gnadinger). I'm here to tell you why St. Catharine College has become like home to me.
This story begins a little over three years ago. I decided to leave a field I absolutely love (journalism) for public relations at St. Catharine College. The decision was difficult. I considered my co-workers as family and it's never easy leaving family. However, my family at home was burgeoning. My wife and I had a young daughter and a baby boy on the way. Time away from these three was harder and harder to accept. With hesitation, we decided that I'd leave the newspaper and begin work at St. Catharine College.
It didn't take long to love St. Catharine. I knew several people that worked here and my in-laws met here. It was very clear from day one that everyone employed at St. Catharine had the best interest of the students in mind. We are a small college, which gives us the opportunity to go out of our way to help students.
About nine months after I began work at St. Catharine, our home was ravaged by fire. I still very clearly remember my hands shaking as I tried to lock my office door after I received the call about the fire (for the full account, click here). That evening, while my family and I stood outside our home and wondered what was next, someone from St. Catharine came by with clothes. Our clothes, except what we were wearing, were ruined by the smoke. Then, not long after I returned to work, a gift was presented to my family from the employees of St. Catharine. Around the same time, the Dominican Sisters of Peace (who sponsor the college) presented a gift, as well. I was still very much the new guy on campus. The support was overwhelming and it has shaped my philosophy on helping people.
Over time, I started to make close friends on campus. People I would have lunch with, solve problems with and share stories from our lives with. Work was hard, but fun. I knew, and we all knew, that we had a friend on campus when we needed it.
In November, one of our co-workers needed a friend. Her daughter was born with a rare heart defect. The situation she and her family endured is any parent's worst nightmare (for a full account, click here). As this horrific scenario was unfolding, I learned all that I needed to know about the people at St. Catharine College. As my co-worker said so well, the people of St. Catharine (and everyone that prayed for the family) stormed heaven for this baby girl. It's hard to articulate the feeling on campus during that time and after our fire, but I've felt it and I know the love, generosity and compassion of these people now. If I had to endure a tragedy, I would want these people in my corner every time.
This place and these people are intertwined with my life. They care about each other and, most importantly, about the students of St. Catharine College. Please join us in support as we fight for the financial aid of our students. Listed below are many ways you can help. Please share our story and encourage others to help, as well.
- To join us for #SCCPride Day, a community event
- To sign a petition in support of St. Catharine College
- To give a gift, no matter how small, to the #SCCpride GoFundMe campaign (started by a student to raise money for student scholarships)
- To follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and to share your own positive story about St. Catharine College using the hashtags #SCCpride and #PreachTheTruth
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