Student Reflections on Core Values

Ana Mejia is a senior from Mexico who was raised in Independence, Missouri. She enjoys spending quality time with her loved ones.

Living in Kateri Community, Campus Ministry/Res Life’s intentional living community, enabled my growth academically, spiritually, and mentally. I see it as a huge blessing and feel a lot more connected to my God, myself, my peers, and Mother Nature. I learned a lot about how capable we are of achieving greatness when we are influenced by those who demonstrate and practice the magis. Living in Kateri Community led me to participate in the SuperNatural retreat which caused my spirituality to blossom alongside an appreciation for nature. Through the retreat and through my participation in the Kateri Sustainability/Eco-Spirituality floor, I learned that we often twist the symbiotic relationship we hold with nature, turning instead into a parasitic relationship that impairs nature’s ability to give us life.

Kateri Community is a lot more than on-campus housing, it is a home created by beautiful human beings who go deeper. We all contributed love to create a hospitable community. I expanded my cooking abilities; I also implemented a lot of new healthy habits that will forever be a part of me. I made strong connections with my neighbors that contributed to a healthy balance between school, work, and all other aspects of my life. The proof: I made it on the Dean’s list both semesters I lived there. I changed my mentality and gave greater love, care, and compassion to God, myself, my peers, and Mother Nature. I found out that being content in living in Kateri Community was the start to a successful way of carrying myself that has since then opened various doors to me.

Peter is a sophomore from St. Louis, Missouri. He’s majoring in Molecular Biology as a Pre-Med student with hopes of becoming a Genetic Physician. Peter enjoys exercising, playing video games, and creative writing with his little brother.

Going on the FROSH Get-A-Way a year ago sparked an explosion in my faith life. I was inspired by the powerful experiences I had there to seek out a deeper relationship with God. The Lord called me to reach out to Campus Ministry and begin attending mass every Sunday evening. As I dove deeper and deeper into my faith, I found more and more comfort and strength in God. My love for God surged even higher when I attended a second retreat in the spring that allowed me to connect with my peers through my faith and our shared experiences. Every time I thought I had gone deep enough into my faith and relationship with God, I found someone or something through Campus Ministry to encourage me to take the extra step. That’s what magis truly means to me. It means to go deeper and further than you thought possible. For me, that was my faith.

The retreats and events offered through Campus Ministry were the catalysts for my ongoing journey toward God. I’ve met many people who inspire me to remain active in my faith life and I truly feel emboldened to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The best part of all of this is that the journey never truly ends. Every time I think I’ve reached the apex of my faith life, I find something that pushes me even further. My love for the Lord has led me to become a part of Campus Ministry myself, serving as a lector, a Eucharistic Minister, and even a leader for the upcoming FROSH Get-A-Way Retreat. Embracing the magis means to always seek more. To go deeper, further, and higher. I’ve realized that being open to more gives me the strength to soar higher and I can’t wait to see where my faith life goes from here.

Zahraa Hassan is a second-year student studying Molecular Biology on a Pre-Medical track. In her free time, Zahraa loves to bake Middle Eastern desserts, watch soccer games, and journal.

During the summer of 2022, RU was awarded the Faithfully Forward grant for the creation of artwork celebrating campus diversity through the lens of religious identity. The creation of this artwork then became a project led by staff, faculty, and members of the SEEK (Spiritually Engaging Everyone’s Knowledge) student interfaith council. After a multitude of meetings planning the location of the piece and what kind of artwork we wanted as a council, it was time for the creation of the art. At this point, Kristy Peterson, director of RU’s Center for Arts and Letters, connected us to KCAI students to be the brains behind the design. We presented our vision and general guidelines to the KCAI students and allowed them to take creative freedom.

The retreats and events offered through Campus Ministry were the catalysts for my ongoing journey toward God. I’ve met many people who inspire me to remain active in my faith life and I truly feel emboldened to “go and make disciples of all nations.” The best part of all of this is that the journey never truly ends. Every time I think I’ve reached the apex of my faith life, I find something that pushes me even further. My love for the Lord has led me to become a part of Campus Ministry myself, serving as a lector, a Eucharistic Minister, and even a leader for the upcoming FROSH Get-A-Way Retreat. Embracing the magis means to always seek more. To go deeper, further, and higher. I’ve realized that being open to more gives me the strength to soar higher and I can’t wait to see where my faith life goes from here.

With Rockhurst describing Magis as “To find more purposeful and effective ways to carry out our work”, a clear connection could be made between the core value and the partnership. By working alongside the KCAI students, we were able to carry out our work in a more effective way by inviting talented KCAI students to create art - their foremost talent and passion. Their passion directly translated into stellar results that soared above and beyond what we had envisioned as a council. Furthermore, our choice to work with KCAI was purposeful in the sense that it gave art students an opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities in front of many other students and motivated the young artists to continue in their field. Through this project, I came to understand that we as RU students must not only embody Magis within our own campus, but we must exemplify it in our interactions with others as well.

Barbara Heard, originally from Washington State (West Richland), moved to Kansas City to attend Rockhurst University. She's a member of the women's lacrosse team at Rockhurst, where she loves being part of the team. This past summer, she woke up at 2 a.m. to hike up a mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park, where she witnessed the sunrise and jumped into a freezing cold lake at the summit.

Identifying oneself as a Christian is one thing, but identifying oneself with Christ’s mission is a whole other thing. This year's core value of Magis, meaning “more” or “greater,” has played a role in shaping my understanding of how to live out my faith. I have come to embody this idea of ‘more’ by striving for a deeper commitment and a more purposeful heart toward the mission of Christ. In doing so, I have realized that reflecting God’s heart for the world requires purposeful action. I have begun to ask myself, does my personal life conform to the urgency of work in Christ?

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” This verse reminds us that our salvation is a gift from God, received through faith from His grace. Recognizing that we cannot earn salvation through our own efforts, as this gift is given out of God’s love for each of us, is encouraging since we can understand God’s desires to have a personal and meaningful relationship with us, it’s an invitation we can choose to accept. I think Ephesians 2:10 is where ‘More’ really comes in, as this verse has significantly impacted my perspective regarding the mission of Christ. The verse reads, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” This verse resonates deeply with me because it highlights a crucial truth – God has intentionally designed us for the purpose of ministry. Understanding that we are God’s workmanship has reframed my thinking. It challenges me to make a deliberate effort to love and encourage other people. It is doing ministry for the Lord, looking unto others first. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do…” (1 Corinthians 10:31). In practical terms, this means - no matter what I do, ministry, work, school, friendships, whatever it is, “...do all to the glory of God.” In essence, Magis or “more” in my life is – the call to do more and to live more purposefully in service to others for the glory of God.

Being a senior on campus has truly provided me with a unique perspective on time. I’ve found the importance in recognizing the urgency in it all. Magis doesn’t mean adding another event to my schedule or item to my to-do list. I’ve had to become more discerning about how I allocate my time; not every opportunity or commitment is of equal value. Senior year has taught me the importance of prioritization as it relates to the Magis. While it’s tempting to be involved in everything, I’ve learned to focus on what truly matters: being a minister on campus whether it be in campus bible study, class, or on the turf.

Jakob Doyle is a senior majoring in Business Analytics. Beyond the classroom, he finds joy in soccer, fashion, and brightening others' days with a smile. A fun fact about him is that he is a triplet!

“Magis” – Elevating Yourself Through the Love of God

In the stride of my senior year, I reflect on how this year's core value, "Magis," has profoundly shaped my journey thus far. Rockhurst's distinctive approach to education, exemplified in our theology courses, has played an integral role in helping me embrace the essence of Magis, particularly in recognizing ourselves as beloved children of God. This recognition invites us to embark on a journey of self-awareness and spirituality.

Among the courses this semester, "Mystical Traditions in Christianity," guided by Dr. Glenn Young, especially stands out as a rather “transformative” experience. It has allowed us to delve deeply into Christian Mysticism and strengthen our faith. A verse we explored in class, Psalms 41:1, holds particular resonance with us on our journey:

"As the deer longs for the water brooks, so my soul longs for you, O God."

This verse carries profound meaning. Just as a thirsty deer swiftly seeks water, our yearning for God should be equally urgent. It reminds us that to embody the Magis spirit, we must continually seek and yearn for a deeper connection with the divine.

Furthermore, our exploration of Christian Mysticism underscores the significance of spiritual discipline and preparation for consciousness. By immersing ourselves in these practices, we create the space for a profound encounter with God. Notably, this preparation extends beyond prayer and attending Mass. Our service, actions, and how we treat others in everyday life can equally open our hearts, bodies, minds, and souls to God.

Even beyond graduation from Rockhurst, I remain committed to continuing this journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth, faithfully living out the Magis principle in my daily life. I aspire to approach each day with the same eagerness as the deer seeking water—a yearning for a deeper understanding of God's love and an unwavering commitment to share that love, care, and compassion with my neighbors.

Aadhya Chilakala is from St. Louis, Missouri. She is a Molecular Biology Major and on the Pre-Med track. She is a part of the SLU Medical Scholars Program. She is the Public Relations Officer for AASU (Asian American Student Union) and is a part of PhiDE, Honors Program, and Active Minds. A fun fact about Aadhya is that she can understand around 5 languages.

As I enter my sophomore year, I am able to reflect on my experience within the Rockhurst Community. One aspect of Rockhurst I admire is how it strives to have its community think past their boundaries and encourages a space to do so. This what I believe the value of We are Called truly is about. I experienced this value through the class I am currently taking called Literature of Medicine and Wellness. I have always been interested in Medicine, yet this class showed a different perspective of Medicine I would have otherwise not known. The Core Curriculum at Rockhurst allows students to think deeper about their learning and how each subject approaches an area of study. This class approaches Medicine through works of literature such as memoirs, poems and many more. These works emphasize the human aspects of Medicine which can often easily get lost when observing the scientific side of Medicine. Although I have only had two classes of this course, I have learned so much about the different sides of Medicine. For instance, the patient’s reflection on their experience with healthcare. This class explores some of the inequalities and disparities of healthcare as well. Overall, I am excited to see where this course takes me and I am glad that I have received this opportunity from Rockhurst. I believe this class will have a lasting impact on me and how I will practice Medicine later in my career by becoming a medical professional that is called to think beyond societal expectations.

Olivia Wilmsmeyer is a junior from Granite City, Illinois, majoring in Biomedical Engineering, Biochemistry, and Applied Mathematics. She is the third of nine children. Along with her twin (Analiese), she is accompanied at Rockhurst by a first year (Ella), and is excited to say that her youngest sister (Isabella) will be attending Rockhurst in the fall as well!

Rockhurst’s core value of emphasis for this academic year is Wisdom. The Cambridge Dictionary describes wisdom as “the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments.” During my time here at Rockhurst, I have tried to take advantage of the many unique opportunities that this university has to offer, one of those being the solidarity-immersion trips. Through Campus Ministry, I was selected to go on the trip to Puerto Rico in March 2022. While there is a service aspect, the purpose of solidarity-immersion trips is to build community while also gaining knowledge on the culture and people. Going on this trip to Puerto Rico allowed me to converse with, work alongside, and have meals with many people that I wouldn’t have otherwise met.

Being able to hear each person’s individual story of how their life had been impacted by natural disaster and how they were able to overcome it was powerful and touching. The people of Puerto Rico had been through so much grief and loss, yet this one woman named Anna, who didn’t speak much English, offered us things from around her house, like purses and hand fans. This was Anna's way of communicating her gratitude for the work we were doing to help in her recovery process. For me, it not only put into perspective the fact that we never know what exactly someone has been through, but also that people communicate things in different ways. Knowing that I cannot assume someone’s situation and their form of communication is knowledge that I gained through this experience, which I can now use as wisdom in my day-to-day life.

Billy Klasinski is a sophomore at Rockhurst. He is majoring in applied mathematics and is from Lenexa, KS. Billy is a part of the cross country team, Knights of Columbus, liturgical ministries, and Alpha Delta Gamma fraternity. He has also sung in the choir during his time at Rockhurst. He has played piano for almost 15 years. He has a brother (on the right in the picture) who is a junior in high school at St. James Academy. Billy loves to play sports, especially spikeball!

The theme of “we are called” is a universal idea. But it is an idea that has different implications for each individual. Everyone has their own calling and their own way of discerning that calling. We are called in a unique way to go on a unique journey. As I think of how I have been called, I remember a powerful insight that I was given at my very first Sunday Mass at Rockhurst.

On the last night of orientation, during the homily, I was invited to compare and contrast a compass to the maps feature on a smartphone. No matter how much I want to be in charge of the exact trajectory (maps feature) of my life, sometimes I have to have faith that the compass will lead where I need to go. That compass won’t tell me when there is a split in the road. It won’t tell me when to switch the path I’m on. But it will point me in the direction I want to go.

The compass analogy reminds me of being called because it tells me what I am being called to do. I am not called to know everything. I am not called to be perfect. But I am called to strive towards being as good of a person as I can become. Although I may be going through a bumpy stretch or lose sight of the path, the compass will point me to where I need to be. Because despite the roadblocks and obstacles in my way, with faith, I will always know how to get myself back on track.

Michael Sitti is a senior from Omaha, Nebraska, studying Data Analytics with a minor in Sports Management. He plans on earning his Master of Science in Data Analytics at Rockhurst after getting his undergraduate degree. He is the middle child of 5 kids and is an uncle to the son (Louis) and daughter (Josephine) of his oldest sister (Elyssa).

Growing up, when I heard the word “wisdom” I always thought it was interchangeable with “knowledge”, but I have learned over time that they are actually quite different. During my four years at Rockhurst, I know I have attained a lot of knowledge in various subjects, but one of the things that has made my time at Rockhurst so valuable is the wisdom I have gained. There are many different moments I could point to when I have received wisdom from many different people in the Rockhurst community. But I feel like nothing better illustrates this than one of my favorite classes I have ever taken: Catholic Social Teaching (CST) taught by Father Curran. In that class, I did gain knowledge about some of the biggest issues that people in the world face today, but I also gained wisdom in my understanding of what the Jesuit mission truly entails. In my eyes, having knowledge about the issues almost made them seem insurmountable and too overwhelming to believe that I could ever make a real difference in the world. But as the class continued it allowed me to surpass just obtaining knowledge about what the Catholic Church has to say about social justice issues.

If you took CST with Fr. Curran, the phrases “Hot Dogs Cause Gas” or “Human Dignity and Common Good” are probably forever etched into your brain. That is what Fr. Curran used to say to ensure we never forgot the importance of the people we strive to be for and with when living out the Jesuit mission. The class allowed me to understand the importance of each and every person on Earth regardless of what they have gone through in their lives. One of the most impactful things I remember Fr. Curran discussing in class was how easily people can be stripped of their humanity. He said oftentimes people in our society will drive by a person on the side of the road and categorize them as “just another homeless person”. But he emphasized that being homeless is not what defines them, instead they deserve the same human dignity that anyone else in the world should have. He mentioned that it is demoralizing to strip people of that dignity and stressed the importance/value of simply asking someone for their name. When reading about the description of the core value of Wisdom, the line that stood out most was, “[We strive] to foster love of the world that leads to the desire to create a better and more just existence.” Studying social justice issues through the lens of CST taught me exactly that.

Jordan Cates is in her third year pursuing a degree in Biology on the Pre Medical track. She grew up in Lee’s Summit, Missouri with her three older sisters; this past summer, her sister Carolyn (left to right: Catherine, Carolyn, Jordan), got married! Jordan is involved in RCOG (Rockhurst’s Gaming Club), VOICES for Justice, UNITY, BSU, and Phi Delta Epsilon. In high school, Jordan played the saxophone in marching, pit, pep, concert, and jazz band.

Knowing that I am specifically called to take on challenges, accept opportunities, and think about my world perception, gives me purpose. It makes me remember why I decided to make Rockhurst my home. This university’s drive to ensure that they are connected to the community around them is illuminating. From a young age, my parents involved me in their volunteering and service in our community and church. Learning that giving just a small amount of my time would have a lasting impact on people gave me purpose. I quickly learned that time and memories are more valuable than money. Since then, I have felt called to continue service work in any community I join. Volunteering has given me so many lasting memories and opportunities to meet people who also enjoy serving their community. Being on campus I have had the ability to spend time volunteering by planting trees on Earth Day, starting a pollinator garden for Finucane, and going to the Missouri River Cleanup to pick up trash on the banks. These opportunities have brought me closer to the person I want to be and the people I want to be around. Having the quote “You are called…” on the bell tower, a place that most students walk past every day, gives exposure to the reminder that every person on campus has a calling regardless of race, gender, sexuality, and religion. The inclusion of all students, faculty, and staff in the mission statement is also significant because these are my peers, my motivators, my professors, and most importantly my friends. All of these people influence me…for good or bad. I influence every person with whom I come into contact, so why not make sure I leave a positive impact? No person is too little in the grand scheme of things; we are all contributing to our future.

Rockhurst’s mission statement is a reminder that we are all called for a special, personal reason. I am called to make meaningful relationships. I am called to be connected with my community and neighbors. I am called to more than the bare minimum. I am called to represent my university. I am called to help others find their calling. I am called.

Kat Molina is a junior who lives in Kansas City but was born in Honduras. She plans to major in Business and Accounting. She loves anything that is music related, plays the keyboard, and sings in her church’s’ choir. Besides studying she works a full-time job, but in her free time she enjoys reading a good book and watching TikTok/Netflix!!

When I started at Rockhurst University, I could never have imagined all the opportunities that would come my way. One example is the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ), which I attended with members of VOICES for Justice this past November. The IFTJ is an annual social justice conference for students at Jesuit schools from around our nation.

Before attending, I thought that because the IFTJ is run by the Ignatian Solidarity Network, it would focus upon religion or narrow ideals. However, I discovered the opposite was true. My eyes were opened to many new social justice issues and I quickly learned that, despite any differences in faith/belief, we all shared the common call to work for justice. Education is essential, and it’s better understood when we put aside our differences and understand that even when we have different points of view we can still work together as a team and achieve great things. By attending IFTJ, I learned about history and more about climate and immigration injustices. Then, I was able to work with peers to advocate for change!

We can become wiser men and women if we put aside our differences. IFTJ did this for me. It opened my eyes to the bigger picture and helped me to grow in character and wisdom.

Delaney Roberts is a junior at Rockhurst University. She is majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders and is from Smithville, Missouri. She spends her time in campus ministry by working closely with Grandma's Pantry during the week. Delaney’s favorite hobbies are spending time with her family and friends and working out at her old dance studio!

When driving around Kansas City, even going to and from school, we have all seen people standing on the corners or in the tent villages alongside the road. These community members have always been close to my heart, which motivated me to volunteer with Uplift Organization. Uplift Organization delivers care and compassion to people experiencing homelessness. They believe in acknowledging God’s providence to his people, especially those in poverty. They take in-kind donations and make fresh dinners that get sent out on trucks to serve hungry people in our community.

Throughout the years, this organization has shown me how easy it is to spread kindness and love. Spreading such love can be shown by helping to make the meals, donating unused clothes and shoes, or even by going on the trucks and feeding our neighbors. As the students, staff, and faculty of Rockhurst University, I believe we are all called to help those in our community. On the Rockhurst University bell tower, Father Kolvenbach’s epic quote explains how we are called. In his quote, he explains that we are called to make choices that reflect Godly values instead of self-interest. Taking our personal time and energy to care for our neighbors and the homeless community is a great way to put this idea into practice. Even taking the time to acknowledge and engage with people on side of the road could make a world difference in their lives. As a community, it's so easy to go through the motions of this life and forget about helping those around us. I think it could be time to take a break from our needs so we can care for those who need the necessities of life.

Rosa Rivera is a first-year student from central Arkansas, double majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. She loves anything involving mathematics, puzzles, horses, car rides blasting music, and hot chips.

In my thoughts about coming to Rockhurst I was terrified out of my mind to be away from home. However, I have loved my time here because of the PEOPLE. The faculty, staff, upperclass students, and peers are filled with wisdom, and I am ever grateful for them. Everyone has welcomed me with open arms and allowed me to grow as an individual, which is well-appreciated. Even though I am six hours away from home, I can confidently say Missouri feels like home away from home.

I see wisdom on this campus through simple everyday interactions, one being faith. One of the main reasons why I love Rockhurst is the ability to grow in faith on my own journey. Invitations to grow in faith happen multiple times each week. According to the Rockhurst University Core Values passage: wisdom allows us “to view religious experience and religious questions as integral to the understanding of human existence and human culture”. The religious experience I am most happily a part of is Sunday mass. My experience in weekly masses has been very insightful and fulfilling to me. I have loved getting to know more fellow Rockhurst students who also want to pursue their faith in a deeper understanding. Learning that faith journeys differ from person to person has been beautiful to see.

Faith is overlooked many times, but I have found the ability to get to know many people on a deeper level through faith. It could be a simple conversation with the person sitting next to me in mass. Or before mass as I set up the chapel in my behind-the-scenes role as a campus ministry work-study student. As well as everyone worshipping together. Music to me has played a big role in my life. Singing in mass reminds me of childhood memories of singing with my mom at Sunday masses. In that, the wisdom of the Rockhurst faith community connects with the wisdom of my mom and my childhood faith community.

Nick Muldoon is a junior at Rockhurst University, majoring in Civil Engineering and is from Saint Louis, MO. He spends his free time hanging out with friends and watching Chiefs games. A fun fact about Nick is that he has a twin brother, named Matthew.

Throughout my time at Rockhurst, I have had incredible service opportunities within and outside of the Kansas City area. Campus ministry’s Lumberjack service retreat was one such opportunity to which I was called. On this retreat, fellow students and I went to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to partner in service with an organization called Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly (LBFE). LBFE is a resource for older folks who may need assistance getting to medical appointments, shopping at the grocery store, or cutting/splitting/stacking firewood to heat their home for the winter.

Something that my peers and I may take for granted is our youthfulness and our ability to serve. On this retreat, I was shown firsthand, my calling to service. I had the opportunity to meet a man named Randy, who was around the age of 60. Randy lives alone on the outskirts of town and had a handful of health issues. Other students and I on the retreat were able to help Randy with tasks he was unable to do such as cutting up fallen trees for firewood, planting trees, and clearing debris from his property. I am excited to return to Michigan’s U.P. during fall break with my PKA brothers to visit Randy and to prepare more firewood for others.

As college students, it is easy to become caught up in our own everyday life without stopping to serve others. I think philosopher Lao Tzu put it best, saying “Great acts are made of small deeds.” As we all progress through the semester, I invite you to look for those opportunities to answer the call, serve, and contribute to a greater act of service.

Achu Kon is in her third year at Rockhurst, double majoring in Physics of Medicine and Psychology. She loves to read books and have deep philosophical conversations. Achu hopes to work in social work right after college and later attend medical school. She aspires to be a pediatric surgeon. One cool fact about Achu: Arabic is her first language!

Wisdom is one of those words that would always confuse me. The meaning of wisdom refers to the quality of being wise. When I think of being wise, I think of the elderly. Those who have experienced so much life and acquired so much knowledge are naturally full of wisdom. But after attending Rockhurst, I’ve learned that I too can grow in wisdom. Although I am only 20, Rockhurst has allowed me to gain wisdom.

I had a chance to attend the Civil Rights Solidarity Immersion Trip to Alabama in the fall of 2022. This trip was a life-changing experience as it shaped the way I look at the world. Visiting the different cities in Alabama that hold a powerful place in the United States’ civil rights history was great. I learned more about the injustices of the past and how it has shaped the world we live in today. As a Black woman in America, I have always been the underdog in a sense. I am often the most misunderstood and the one painted as the "angry Black woman." Well, the thing is, I am an angry Black woman. I have every right to be. However, everyone should be angry. The injustices of the world are heartbreaking. I already knew that, but going on this trip put it in my face. It put me in the shoes of all those experiencing injustice, from different demographics.

I am forever thankful to Rockhurst for allowing me the opportunity to be a part of the change. This has shaped me into wanting more for myself and others. I have become more open and educated. Of course, I can’t fix injustice overnight, but this trip has been a great opportunity for me and others to join the change.

Ellie Oliphant is a senior at Rockhurst University. She is majoring in Business Communication and minoring in Nonprofit Leadership and is from St. Louis. Ellie enjoys hanging out with friends, spending time with her siblings, and going for walks!

Reflecting on ways in which my Rockhurst experience has allowed me to be called in different directions is a great way to remind myself of the need within our community and the importance of being intentional with every interaction. Being surrounded by such amazing and mission-based people on campus, I heard about the Catholic Summer Internship KC program. I spent my summer partaking in the program, where I had the honor of interning at Cross-Lines Community Outreach.

Cross-Lines’ mission is to provide people affected by poverty in the Kansas City area with services and opportunities that encourage self-confidence, meet the needs of today, and provide tools for future self-sufficiency. I spent my summer assisting the organization with their hunger relief, case management, and safe/affordable housing programs. This opportunity allowed me to reflect on how privileged my life is and the depth of suffering within our community. Seeing how many people and families in our community lack basic needs opened my eyes and touched my heart. I met some of the most impactful people through this program, and I really do feel like Rockhurst allowed me to be called to this opportunity.

One day while I was assisting a client they said to me, “no one has ever been this nice to me.” I was shocked that this client was so astonished by receiving basic needs from Cross-Lines Community Outreach and kindness from me. Interactions like this remind me how important it is to be intentional with every interaction. I am grateful to have had the privilege to be called to help others in our community and I am constantly reminding myself of the importance of intentionality.

PS – Catholic Summer Internship KC is now receiving applications for summer 2023. Learn more and/or apply HERE!

Jake Alu is a third-year student hailing from St. Louis. While he studies civil engineering he serves as Phi Kappa Alpha's vice president. A fun fact about Jake: he has gone swimming with sharks!

When I was posed with the question of wisdom in my life, to be honest I didn’t know where to start. I do believe I know that wisdom is unique knowledge we gain from experience, but I found trying to recognize it in my everyday life to be difficult. And when I come across difficult questions or decisions in my life, I do what is natural to me: I call my dad. I expected him to have to think about it, but he gave me an answer right away.

“Wisdom is the difference between right and wrong. It’s the feeling we’ve had since childhood that keeps us from making poor decisions. For example, we know not to touch a hot stove or to rob a bank. We have this feeling not to do these things because of the consequences it brings.”

After the phone call I started to think of examples of this “feeling” and I was reminded of the Rockhurst Lumberjack retreat I attended over the summer. During one of the days, we were helping an older man named Randy. Like many of the elderly that the Little Brothers non-profit helps, Randy doesn’t have any family and is often alone. So, when a bunch of Rockhurst students showed up at his door he was initially defensive. After a few hours of working, Randy became aggravated because I wasn’t experienced in using a log splitter. He barked at me a few times, shoved me aside from the log-splitter’s controls, and angrily mansplained the proper way to do it. I was tempted to just stop and walk away because he obviously wasn’t appreciative of what we were doing for him, but I had that feeling. That feeling that, despite my frustration, I needed to stay because a) he needed firewood for the upcoming winter, and b) this trip wasn’t about me anyway.

Gaining wisdom doesn’t always feel good. However, in retrospect, I can see personal growth through my interaction with Randy. It is experiences like these that make me appreciative of all that Rockhurst offers. Everything from the students to the staff to fraternity life helps me live out the core value of wisdom and I’ll forever be thankful for that.

Dalton Mille hails from the legendary Gardner, Kansas, having journeyed far and wide to the mystical wonderland of Rockhurst University for an English degree. Legend says that if you approach him for a fun fact about himself, he’ll tell you that he’s an aspiring novelist, artist and soon-to-be hip hop artist.

I am called to be for and with others through a program here at Rockhurst University, which many (tragically) overlook: the acting program.

As an incoming freshman, I was lucky to join Acting III through my cousin. She told me it was laidback fun. So there I was, in a room of upperclassmen, embarrassed. But the embarrassment, somehow, turned to excitement. It turned into passion, which I—a freshman—shared with juniors and seniors. I wasn’t sitting. I was interacting, matching energies, playing off others. Defenses flew away in the wind. It takes a lot to inhabit imaginary circumstances for an audience. But through all I did, I came to be comfortable. I formed genuine, unspoken trusts with my peers. So when the time came to stand up and do a piece, I did it without shame. I could show them a glimpse into another world.

Initially, I only cared about improv. Now there’s little to rival acting. Not because I want to be an actor. Not even because I necessarily love acting. But because I love to engage creatively alongside my peers. It’s not just acting for the sake of it. It’s a creative outlet. One I share alongside my peers without essays, textbooks or lectures. I get to stand, interact, form real bonds and, most of all, grow. I genuinely grow.

In a world where people are so guarded, I can find it hard to navigate social boundaries. It’s not easy to just be my authentic self. Yet acting unites me with a creative space of strangers. And by the end of the semester, they are anything but. With them, if no one else, I can be authentic.

Shoutout to my guy Matt Schmidli.

Angie Perkins is a first-year student from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, planning on double majoring in International Relations and Spanish. Along with being a student-athlete on the cross-country team, she is also involved in various diverse student groups. A fun fact about Angie: she has gotten stitches (all on her head) on three separate occasions (OUCH!).

March 11, 2023 – the expiration date I read as I opened my passport one day before my flight for El Salvador left on 18, March 2023. The week leading up to this trip, I had done everything to prepare except check to see if my documentation was still valid. Soon after this realization, I spent hours calling multiple agencies to see if, by some chance, I could get an emergency pass to enter the country. Time had gotten the best of me, and there was no other option but to cancel my flight. As I do in any dire situation, I looked for the silver lining, and that is what I am here to share today.

For context: I am the daughter of a Salvadoran mother and an American father. Growing up, I always saw my two worlds and never questioned them. Soon, I realized that coming from a multicultural background comes with some challenges that I had yet to figure out in my later years. My childhood in the suburbs did more harm to my appreciation for my Latin American heritage than I am proud to admit. Even so, the mindset of wanting to assimilate into the dominant culture quickly diminished, especially when coming to Rockhurst.

As a first-year student here, I found myself in a similar situation to the ones I had encountered throughout my life. Being the only person of color on my cross-country team and attending a predominantly white institution was nothing new to me. However, contrary to previous years, I chose to utilize my resources on campus to make this circumstance different than before. I joined various student organizations such as SOL, BIPOCA+, and more recently I have been actively attending meetings at BSU. These clubs have grown my love exponentially for being a part of two different cultures and with that brings my final point.

As a kid, I would not have minded a trip cancellation to El Salvador, considering I was too caught up in trying to fit in with people who didn't look like me. After traveling to Central America various times, not being able to attend this visit saddened me. But that's the bright side; the fact that I have a deep enough connection to a beautiful country to be upset by not going is a win. While I am counting down the days until I can go once again, I will continue to grow and appreciate the wisdom I’ve gained along the way.

Megan Lipe is a junior here at Rockhurst University from Perryville, MO (an hour south of St. Louis)! She is majoring in Biology on the Pre-Medicine track with the hopes of becoming a doctor someday. When she’s not studying, Megan loves reading, talking to her family, and spending time with her cat, Ginger!

Being almost five hours away from home, I knew that it was unrealistic to visit home all that often. Because of this, I was stuck at Rockhurst, miles from anyone I knew, with nothing to do my freshman year. That is, until I heard about Student Activities Board (SAB).

SAB is an organization on campus that brings free programming to all students. As someone with nothing to do on the weekends, this was perfect for me, and I began to attend more meetings and events as the year went on. Eventually, I found myself applying for the executive board, and three years later, SAB is a huge part of my life. While I’ve always known that someday I wanted to work with people as a doctor, I had never thought about starting that journey now by bringing joy and happiness to students around campus.

I truly believe that God knew I needed some purpose here at Rockhurst, and so I was called to be in SAB to help nurture relationships among students, faculty, and staff. Nothing brings me more joy than seeing new students emerge from their shell to make connections that will eventually turn into lifelong friends. By continuing to host and sponsor events, SAB is living out the mission of being called to foster connections within our community. Being called isn’t always an earth-shattering event; for me, it was expanding upon what I already loved to do – connect with others. All I ask is that when God does call, you answer.

P.S. – SAB always loves new members! Reach out to me if you’re interested in making those connections and having fun.

Alexa Ortiz is a senior nursing student with hopes of becoming a missionary nurse. She is involved in various ministries for her parish where she enjoys singing and playing the guitar. A fun fact about Alexa is she plays 3 instruments: the violin, the ukulele, and the guitar.

As a senior it would seem that over the years I would grow to know who I am and what I wanted to do. However, I realized that as the end of my time at Rockhurst was drawing near, an unsettling feeling of uncertainty and many questions arose. Do I really know who I am? Is nursing really for me? Most recently, I felt called to partake in our solidarity immersion trip to the Dominican Republic over spring break to help with my journey of discernment. I was not ready for the love and joy that I encountered with the Dominican people, in particular with my host family, that is nothing short of a true reflection of God’s love.

I will never forget a vital moment in my trip when it was pouring, and I got home frustrated for how muddy I had gotten on the way. My host mom simply hugged me and thanked God for letting me get to her house safely. It was that small but significant comment that reminded me to see God in all things and recognize how ungrateful I had been.

This thought came up once again as I talked to our patients during the day and came to know that some of them had walked for over an hour just to get to our clinic. I was also amazed by the time the doctor spent with each patient, making sure they understood their diagnosis and what they could do to help themselves. He showed all of us that quality care is not provided in a constraint of time but is given instead when we take the time to listen and understand. When it came time to leave, I was brought to tears as I hugged my host mom goodbye. I felt so grateful for the whole experience, but I ached to stay a little longer and provide the help they needed. Although our trip was short, the wisdom it bestowed has shaped how I will treat my patients and helped reinforce my calling in becoming a nurse.

Rivka Malik is a third-year senior here at Rockhurst University. She was born in Pakistan, however, she's spent most of her life in Overland Park, KS. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Biology while on the pre-dental track with hopes of becoming an oral surgeon in the near future. When Rivka is not in classes and studying, you can most likely find her at a coffee shop sipping her fourth cup of the day. If you can't find her there, she is most likely playing video games or hanging out with her siblings. She loves to draw, bake, cook, run, bike, hike, and eat.

As a Pakistani Muslim woman, I never truly felt this sense of belongingness outside of my home. I was born in Pakistan and lived there until I was 6. When I came here to the U.S. I experienced extreme bullying because of my skin color, religion, and my prominent accent. Throughout life, I dealt with not being able to fit in with one distinct culture; I haven’t felt that feeling of community. After many years, I realized intentional efforts to advance inclusion are necessary to feel that sense of belongingness.

Once I decided to join the Rockhurst community, I was a bit nervous that I wouldn’t be able to achieve that sense of belongingness and be one of the only Muslim women on campus. However, this has not been the case. After joining organizations such as BIPOCA+, I finally started to feel as if I wasn’t alone in feeling out of place. Then, when I joined Senate, I finally felt as if I had an opinion that mattered. I was called to be in Senate, which allowed me to use my voice. Having a voice is powerful and can give a group or many groups of individuals that feeling of connection. Additionally, being a part of an organization on campus that promotes inclusion has allowed me to bond with students and faculty members who all have diverse backgrounds.

I believe that Rockhurst calls students to join groups to encourage inclusivity. I know we have interfaith panels here which can bring groups of individuals of different faiths together. This is yet another opportunity in which Rockhurst gives students the chance to have their voices heard. Forming those connections with students and faculty is encouraged here at Rockhurst so students can feel that sense of belongingness and family.

Anna Stephen is a sophomore from Wichita, Kansas, studying Business Marketing. She plays on the varsity softball team and is a part of Alpha Sigma Alpha. Fun fact: Anna can play the flute!

With Wisdom being one of Rockhurst's core values, it has compelled me to dive deeper into what the word truly entails. After reading about Rockhurst's description of the term, the line that stood out to me the most was "To create an environment that values and champions the search for and communication of knowledge.” My initial reaction was to think of every example of this statement that Rockhurst has illustrated throughout my experience here. If there is one thing that sets Rockhurst apart from other universities, it is the people that I am surrounded by daily that form a community unlike any other. Day by day I am greeted by wise people that I, myself, consider to be role models who influence my own wisdom.

Coming to Rockhurst without knowing anybody I was, as expected, very anxious. Just within the first three days I had stepped foot on campus, I was welcomed with an orientation program that immediately gave me the opportunity to meet with my future peers, staff, and to really see what this school was all about. Rockhurst is a university that is fulfilled with an outrageous amount of wisdom. Primarily coming to this school to play a sport, this is not something I had realized until I had experienced it for myself.

Since then, I have been invited to become a part of campus ministry and contribute a piece to the masses held on campus. Being able to deliver this piece has given me the opportunity to continue growing in the quality of wisdom in a faithful aspect. Rockhurst's definition of wisdom also includes "To view religious experience and religious questions as integral to the understanding of human existence and human culture." Being a part of this atmosphere has given me the opportunity to meet new people who are motivated to continue in their religious journey the same way that I am. Seeing my peers driven to live by God's Word motivates me to do the same. When I walk into the 6 p.m. mass at Mabee Chapel and see my peers devoting their time to God I am reminded that He had a plan for me and that I am right where I am supposed to be. Shortly after this, I was introduced to Greek life at Rockhurst. Being a part of Alpha Sigma Alpha, I am surrounded by wise women who constantly practice leadership, teamwork, and time management skills. Seeing these women take these developed skills and incorporate them into their everyday practices inspires me to respond the same way.

It is clear to me that Rockhurst succeeds in following their mission to "create an environment that values and champions the search for and communication of knowledge.” At a school like Rockhurst, it is so easy to become involved when it is complemented by many examples of open arms for opportunity. Within each opportunity comes a staff full of knowledgeable and experienced role models who have contributed into the growth of my own wisdom. I am incredibly lucky that this "hidden gem" was brought to my attention when making a final decision on a school to attend.

Reginald Jeffrey is a junior Mechanical Engineer major who hails from St. Louis, Missouri. He enjoys hanging out with family, friends and playing with his dogs, Bandit, who is a Rottweiler, and Nahla, who is a Pitbull-Labrador mix. He also loves playing or watching basketball and football.

I have come to the understanding that the specific talents, gifts, and blessings instilled in us by God are to help everyone be successful in the path that he has set us on, even if we cannot see it yet. These qualities are used to help support and provide for those around us, and I believe we are called to use them to uplift the world he created. I am blessed that he gave me the opportunity to use mine in the position of being an RA.

Being an RA never crossed my mind. The tedious task and time-consuming duties were not something that I wanted to take on in my college years. Now that I look back, the random text offering me the opportunity to apply for the position was a calling that I was truly blessed to receive. It has given me the chance to provide a nurturing community and to help facilitate the success of new and returning students. I have developed life-impacting relationships with not only residents, but the other RAs around me and I am truly thankful for all of them. College is not only somewhere you learn, but a home. Thankfully, I was given the chance to try my best to make residents a home in which they feel welcome and comfortable. In addition to that, I have benefitted and grown due to the people I have met and the numerous opportunities that being an RA has provided me.

I am a firm believer in the fact that everyone in this world was born with gifts and talents to create a better environment, community, and space than the one into which they originally stepped. I am grateful that Rockhurst gave me a position to use and grow mine while helping others discover and nurture theirs through being a Resident Assistant.

Thomas Butler is a sophomore studying biomedical engineering and applied mathematics. He is in many organizations on campus including Alpha Delta Gamma, Cross Country, and Knights of Columbus. In his free time Thomas enjoys reading, piecing quilts, decorating cakes, and hanging out with friends.

Throughout my time at Rockhurst I have had the opportunity to grow in many virtues including that of wisdom. I think wisdom is one of the core values that can be easily misinterpreted. It is not simply knowledge, but rather, the ability to find truth and apply that newfound truth to your life in meaningful ways. One opportunity to grow in wisdom during my time at Rockhurst was on the solidarity immersion trip to Belize this past spring break. During the trip we were able to work side by side with Anna (mom) and Ashley (her daughter) to help them start a new chapter in their life by building a home with them.

Growing in friendship with Anna, Ashley, and other Belizeans during the trip taught me many things that I was able to bring back home with me. These connections help me to better understand cultures and life realities other than my own and to avoid normalizing my own culture, childhood, and world view. Paired with other Rockhurst experiences this trip helped me to grow in the wisdom of God, others, and myself, to learn new things and have the ability to use the knowledge to help build up the world in which I live.

Dhalil Belko is a sophomore majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He is a French tutor. He unquestionably makes the best popcorn on Fridays in Massman 3.

The core value of this year is, to me, one of the most important ones. That is because it not only is a guide on how we should live life properly according to a few philosophers. Rather, it is the core value that guides us on how to embrace and live through the rest of Rockhurst’s Core Values. For instance: I perceive wisdom as a form of knowledge that is based off experience to guide us to live a more moral and ethical life. This definition is one that I didn’t know and couldn’t have given a few years ago; at least before the philosophy classes I took over my two years here.

My journey here at Rockhurst has given me plenty of opportunities to grow and further understand how to better live and contribute to this great community. I’m an international student from Rwanda so this environment is quite different from what I’d been accustomed to. Although the Rockhurst community at large has been very welcoming, it can still feel lonely at times. So, late in my freshmen year, another student and I decided to establish the African Students Association for students like myself to further make Rockhurst their second home.

The process of building an organization has been one of my most wisdom¬-inducing experiences. It forced me to get out of my comfort-zone, pushed me to learn about different cultures and people unlike me, and invited me to consider what it means to live in such a blended community. This experience developed knowledge that will help me to better navigate this world. Being able to open up my shell to further understand the world I live in: that is how wisdom has manifested itself in me.

Kayla Mountain is a junior (sort of) from Baldwin City, Kansas, majoring in Environmental Biology on the Pre-Law track, minoring in International Business. She loves spending her free time cooking for her friends, dancing, and playing Guitar Hero.

All of us face a calling in our lives, and to me, there is no more beautiful one than a calling that draws us towards love and care for others. At Rockhurst, I am grateful to witness this high concern for others every single day. Passing acknowledgments are exchanged with other members of the Rockhurst community every time I leave my house. Rockhurst feels like a home, with the warmth and comfort of knowing there is always someone in my corner.

I think about my decision to come here as a calling in and of itself. I soon found after enrolling that I do not fit the common demographics here: a Pell Grant recipient from outside the Midwest, raised agnostic by divorced parents. How I ever found myself at Rockhurst seems to be a mystery, but why I ended up staying is incredibly clear. None of the things that I worried would define me have impacted the way I have been accepted here at Rockhurst. My friends, peers, and I are bound by the common goal of bettering ourselves, helping anyone who needs it, and pursuing our passions with the intent of creating a better future, not our religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

I have been called to serve others and pursue justice many times since beginning school here. My experience at Rockhurst has drawn my academic attention to the environmental and health disparities that affect low-income and minority-dominated areas of America, including Kansas City. A majority of these are due to systemic racism and prejudice that the government ignores, as well as the manipulation of poor, working-class, and elderly communities. Learning about these problems has inspired me to pursue a career in Environmental Law, a future for which Rockhurst is well preparing me. I was able to connect this to my experience on the May 2022 Lumberjack trip with Campus Ministry, where the economic inequalities in northern Michigan make it difficult for elderly folks to obtain/afford adequate fuel to heat their homes during the harsh winter. During this trip, we chopped wood to supply months of heat for a wood stove, and transplanted trees to build a break wall to protect our elderly friend’s house from the cold wind. We also built raised garden beds for an 87-year-old woman which, by preventing bending to reach the ground, will allow her to extend her backyard gardening hobby. This connection between my life goal and service to address immediate human need was incredibly valuable to me. I hope to answer future calls to extend care and connect with others.

Matthew Abeyta is a senior from Arnold, Missouri, majoring in exercise science and physics of medicine. He loves watching and playing sports and enjoys effortlessly trouncing Matthew Bergman in NHL on the XBox.

When I first got to Rockhurst I had no idea where I would be by the time senior year rolled around. Senior year has now hit, and I am doing things I never would have thought I’d do. The biggest one would have to be the calling I received to enter the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA). For everyone who does not know what that means, RCIA is the process through which I am pursuing full communion with and confirmation in the Catholic Church. Rockhurst has really helped me get to this point. Last year I attended Retreat on the Rock and learned so much about myself. This retreat helped me grow spiritually and personally. Experiencing the retreat with my friends provided comfort that allowed me to be vulnerable with myself, others, and God. Being allowed to take things at my own pace and not being forced into anything, yet still getting the support from so many people, was probably the highlight for me.

Coming back after the retreat, my friends invited me to join them at mass. My favorite part about this is that mass is always an invitation. Having friends there to support me and walk me through the stages of mass makes me feel more confident in myself. From this confidence I went to talk to campus ministry about doing RCIA and they helped me fully realize this was the time for me. I knew I would have the support of my friends but what I did not realize was the amount of support I would get from faculty and students I have never met before. Having all this support made me realize that Rockhurst is a home to me, and I am grateful for the people who are part of it.

Kaylie Meyer is a junior from O’Fallon, Missouri, majoring in Business Communications with a minor in Marketing. She also plans on getting her MBA at Rockhurst. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a balloon handler…it’s harder than you think… just ask Kaylie.

I remember stepping onto campus and getting moved into my room freshman year…fall of 2020. Wow, that seems like forever ago. Ever since I stepped onto campus, I have called Rockhurst University my second home. From the people I have met, to the classes I have taken, to the many organizations on campus, I knew this was a place I belonged. This was a place I could thrive and grow as a young adult. As I think about the core value and what it means to be called to do something, I realized that everyone is called to do something in life whether we know it or not.

As a member of the Orientation team at Rockhurst, I was called to welcome and make people feel welcome on campus. Orientation Leaders are the face of Rockhurst and the first people the new students meet when coming to Rockhurst. Being new to campus is hard, but by making students feel welcome, we show our classmates that we are all part of this incredible journey together and no one is alone. We are called to bring our students together and show them that they have a special place on our campus. No matter where someone is from, what they are studying, or what their interests are, we can make a difference in welcoming them to the Rockhurst community.

Noor Al Hamzawi is from Iraq. She moved to the US in April 2018. She is majoring in Business Administration and Pre-Dental with a minor in Spanish. Her favorite hobby is photography. She is the middle child and a fun fact about her is that she is afraid of needles!  

Contemplation in Action has given me a goal for whatever I do. Being at Rockhurst University has taught me a lot and has given me a chance to meet amazing people: professors who want to help as much as possible, peer coaches, student success coaches, and people who continuously wish me the best.  It feels like a family.

This past November, I was lucky to have a chance to go to Washington DC for the Ignatian Teach-In for Justice with VOICES for Justice, another part of my on-campus family.  It was an incredible experience. Raising our voices for justice and for human rights is the most important thing, in my opinion.  Having the ability to meet new people who are seeking the same path and engaging with them to accomplish the work together filled my heart. I met people who want to spread love, peace, and justice to make the whole world a better place. One of my favorite memories there was when we all went in front of the White House to honor/remember all the people who got murdered in El Salvador and many different places.  I believe that this seemingly small action truly honored the dead and gave me and others even more to contemplate.     

Kaleb Power is a sophomore who was born and raised right here is Kansas City.  He is majoring in Analytics and Technology with a minor in Criminal Justice, and he plays on the Rockhurst University baseball team.  A fun fact about Kaleb – his all-time favorite baseball player is Salvador Perez.

The act of doing service is integral to our Jesuit values here at Rockhurst because we are called to help care for the poor and those who are less fortunate. I believe all of us here would agree on that fact. The one thing not all may think about, however, is the impact that serving others will have on ourselves. I know I definitely forgot. I had gone a couple years without doing any form of service because I had always felt like I was too busy, or I didn’t need to do any because I wasn’t being told to do it anymore. I never really knew what I was missing, until I volunteered at Harvesters this past week with some other Rockhurst students. While there, we helped to make meal packages for kids who aren’t sure where their next meal will come from when they are not in school. I know each of us that were there developed a deeper appreciation for what we have and we realized, even just volunteering for the short time we did, that we would have a much bigger impact than we could imagine. We learned about a significant need not just in a community, but our community, and we answered the call to be agents for transformation in the areas of social justice and equality.  Possibly the biggest takeaway from this service, though, were the high spirits and upbeat mood from everyone there. While at Harvesters, everyone was excited to go out and be of service to others and we were all laughing and having a good time with each other. The awareness of addressing the scandal of food-insecurity in our community with my close friends will always stick with me throughout my time at Rockhurst.

Analiese Wilmsmeyer (boyfriend Sam Liberman on right) is from Granite City, IL, a small city right outside of St. Louis.  She is a Physics of Medicine and Molecular Biology double major on the Pre-Physician Assistant track.  She is a member of Gamma Phi Beta, ASBMB, and a Student Ambassador. A fun fact about her is that her least favorite movie is Jurassic Park because she has an irrational fear of dinosaurs.

Rockhurst has blessed me with experiences as a member of the Kansas City community and a member of this world.  Throughout college, I was told to put myself out there, make memories, gain experience in my field of study, and learn in the classroom. Something that I love about Rockhurst is that it encourages and fosters an inclusive environment that allows me to do all of these at the same time. An event that I attended this past week was the Troost Pilgrimage hosted by VOICES for Justice, where we walked along the street that we all know so well and learned about different stops along the way that support community and prosperity. This was an incredibly powerful event.  We were able to learn about service in our immediate area and those who are working hard to shine a positive light on the Troost community.  Something that struck me was that my professor attended the event with some members of my class and said that, “Our education should not get in the way of our education.” This shows that Rockhurst not only cultivates education in the classroom, but also that it is equally important to be educated about our community surroundings and members to whom we can give time and attention. What was previously a street that 1) signified segregation 2) filled me with fear 3) begged me to avoid it at all costs, is now a road where I see community, love, and yummy food.  If this one hour on a Tuesday afternoon could change the way that I view our community around Rockhurst, imagine what even more time focusing on the community would do for my ability to claim Troost as my home. We have the ability to change our own perspective, and by allowing ourselves to do that we can join others in becoming agents of transformation, especially in the areas of social justice and equality, along Troost!

Miriam Favela-Valles, a nursing major, serves as the vice-president for the Student Organization of Latinos (SOL) and as the social committee and service chair for the Commuter Club. She has one older brother and a younger sister. A fun fact about Miriam is that she dances in a Mexican folklore dance group here in Kansas City.

As I reflect upon this past year, I think about when I first decided to attend Rockhurst. Rockhurst was my first choice. I never wanted to attend school out of state because of how attached I am to my family. I was very excited to begin my time at Rockhurst, even though I was worried about how I would fit in. I went to a tiny high school where I knew everyone and even though Rockhurst might seem small to some people, to me it’s a pretty big campus. I was nervous to be around so many people I did not know. I didn’t think that I would be able to find people like me. I came to Rockhurst with the mentality that I would attend class and just hang out with the few friends I already had. Two of my best friends came to Rockhurst with me and I rekindled a friendship with a friend that I had lost contact with. I began to hangout and then slowly meet more people, even students who were outside of my major. Before I knew it, I had a group of friends with whom I began to create wonderful memories. We all joined the Student Organization of Latinos together and felt very welcomed. The feeling of doubt that I had about not fitting in went away when I found good people and a place to meet more people. I was thriving both academically and socially.  I began to feel a lot of happiness being here. When first starting at Rockhurst, I often doubted my decision of whether I chose the right place. I had a lot “what-ifs” going through my head. Now as I reflect, I firmly believe that I made the best decision in choosing Rockhurst, a place where I feel safe and most importantly welcomed. Being a first-generation student can be difficult.  Since our parents didn’t attend college we sometimes feel like we navigate this experience on our own.  Accessing resources can be difficult but I have managed all the challenges that have come my way. I have a great relationship not only with my friends but also with my advisor and other staff members. I reach out whenever I need help or have a concern. I look forward to my sophomore year, when I can hopefully help first-year students - who feel like I felt - to fit in, access resources, and thrive at Rockhurst. By doing so, I will take responsibility for my gifts, relationships, and talents to help build up the gifts and talents of others (Contemplation in Action).

This week’s Core Value is brought to you by Nhukim Nguyen, who is a junior here at Rockhurst University. She is majoring in Biochemistry and minoring in Psychology. She serves with Student Senate, the Honors Program, the Ambassadors Program, the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority, and the Orientation Coordinator team. Her hobbies are photography and videography. 

As I reflect on my time at Rockhurst University, ‘Contemplation in Action’ has been a prominent core value that guided my growth as a servant leader. During the beginning of freshman year, I looked up to the student leaders who used their voices to promote justice, positivity, and transformation– I was inspired to be like them one day. However, as much as I was passionate about service and advocating for others, I did not have much confidence in using my voice at the time. I knew I needed a community that would encourage me to step out of my comfort zone and be patient with me as I continued to learn.
A few months later, I found this community when I joined Rockhurst’s Student Senate. At each Wednesday night meeting, every spoken idea had the intention of creating a welcoming and equitable home at Rockhurst. We all shared the common goal of fostering unity for our fellow companions. Nonetheless, periods of silence were also important because it allowed time for reflection before taking immediate action. Throughout my journey of learning how to be a leader, I appreciated how Student Senate gave me grace and patience as I discovered my strengths and weaknesses. Though I wasn’t always the loudest in the room, I was confident that I was an effective listener and supporter. I wanted to motivate others to speak their perspectives so more ideas could be heard. However, overtime, I wanted to challenge myself to be more confident about speaking about my thoughts as well.

When I went to more events that Student Senate was hosting, I met new people and listened to their experiences at Rockhurst. I brainstormed several ideas to relieve student obstacles and I was excited to share it and collaborate with Student Senate. Soon, I realized how impactful my voice could be on transforming and serving the lives of others. By using the core value of Contemplation in Action, it motivated me to take action through leadership and service by using my voice. It is hard to believe that I started out as a nervous freshman and by sophomore year, I became President of Student Senate. But I believe this shows that having the passion to lead and serve others sets the foundation for stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

Chelsea Sims is a sophomore nursing major from St. Louis, Missouri. She is involved with Rockhurst organizations such as UNITY, VfJ, RCOG (Rockhurst Coalition of Gamers) and the BSU. She also likes to (slowly but surely) learn languages in her spare time.

In the past couple years, there have been multiple events that have called people to action regarding the issues of marginalized communities. As we move through this time of change, there is a need to not only acknowledge the wisdom, struggles and simple existence of those who have been ignored, but also to hold and uplift their spaces and voices. On a global scale, the Jesuits recognized this through one of their Universal Apostolic Preferences: Walking with the Excluded.  One way I have immersed myself into acting on this is by listening to people when they name their realities, which provides me an opportunity to empathize and an opportunity to grow in awareness of my own story and intersectionalities. 
 
Rockhurst’s community has opened me to these opportunities by hosting organizations that make space for those who feel passionately about who the world has left to the fringe. Last year, I found solidarity in the Black Student Union (BSU) as a black freshman. Rockhurst’s UNITY club has opened conversations about what proper representation in the media should look like and how allyship can operate while acknowledging the privileges we have, whether many or few. VOICES for Justice (VfJ) continues to create space for students to find a causes about which they can be passionate through education and volunteer opportunities in circles that deal with specified issues of interest. In this way, Rockhurst has enabled me to expand my worldview and incorporate this action into my daily life.
 
I am grateful to be a part of these organizations and contribute in the ways that I can. As they say, “showing up is half the battle”. However, my experience at Rockhurst has shown me what it means to not only to show up.  It has also invited me to realize the power of self-education/improvement and the advancement of justice in our community and world. 

Kendrick Ricketts is a Rockhurst University sophomore hailing from Kansas City, KS where he attended Sumner Academy.  He is a pre-med student majoring in Chemistry with a minor in biology. Kendrick serves as a resident assistant in Corcoran Hall and as an e-board member of the ACS Chemistry Club.

Rockhurst university has blessed me through the amazing and supportive community of students and faculty. I am grateful to continue the student core value reflection for this year’s core value: Contemplation and Action. I want to use this time to reflect on a quote that spoke to me, and I pray reaches to this reader as well.  It says, “In matters of social justice, we also have to see and to listen rather than imposing our ideas of what we think someone else might need. In service, the community being served often knows best what it needs. We have to learn how to see and to listen, cultivating relationships of equality and solidarity” ~ Mariana McCoy.

This means so much to me, because there have been many times when I have acted based on how I perceive something, without taking any time to reflect to see if my actions will truly benefit someone.  Through Rockhurst University, I have been able to have a position where I can interact, connect, mentor, and educate my peers on campus, and that is through my role as a Resident Assistant (RA). This will surely be a memorable year as I am working with our first-year students!  A strong part of this role is being able to build a sense of community with people who come from very diverse backgrounds. Part of this quote says, “the community being served often knows best what it needs.” I now have more of an understanding of what this means through this position. I realize that I can often spend so much time thinking about how to meet the needs of someone that I don’t truly reflect on making a conscious decision of how it will affect them.

Reflection, a key part in contemplation, is serious thought or consideration, deliberation, and meditation. I believe that before we can act, we must rest, truly reflect, and learn in our contemplation in order to truly be effective to our community and in our service to others. Because what you do does not just affect you, but everyone and those around you.

This week’s Core Value Reflection is written by Claire McCune, a junior at Rockhurst University. She is from St. Louis where she attended Lindbergh High School.  She is continuing to develop her skills in Business Administration as well as Nonprofit Leadership, while also working with Grounds Crew on campus. Claire is a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha. She is also the fifth (and last!) of her siblings to attend Rockhurst!

When I first started working on Rockhurst’s Grounds Crew a little over two years ago, I couldn’t have expected how much of an impact this job would leave on me.  I feel the best way to describe the Grounds Crew environment is simply by calling it a patchwork community, in that it consists of a whole bunch of people who most likely would not have known each other from just being students on campus.  Every so often we have a project on campus that requires all hands-on deck, the Birdhouse and seasonal tulips being examples. Many of us find good company in our coworkers to get through tough workdays, a concept that is evidenced by simply witnessing us at work and considering the sheer number of times we have stomped down plants in the trailer dumpsters, enjoyed a break laying in the grass, and journeyed to Einstein’s for coffee.  At this point I have willingly accepted Grounds Crew as a part of myself, largely because it is one of the few areas in which I truly feel like myself.  We also put a lot of trust in one another, especially considering the means of transportation we have around campus as well as the embarrassing content on our social media page.  By inviting me to trust, collaborate, and work creatively, my work on Grounds Crew is helping me to explore, contemplate, and imagine what the rest of my future may entail. I am grateful to experience such a positive work environment that I now know is such a crucial aspect of my well-being and success.  

This week’s Core Value is brought to you by Emma O’Connor who is a sophomore here at Rockhurst University. She is from Lee’s Summit, Missouri and attended St. Michael the Archangel High School. She has been involved in the ambassador’s program, is a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, was a student work study for Campus Ministry, a Frosh Get-A-Way retreat leader, and an orientation leader. Emma likes to hang out with her friends and family, travel, drink coffee, and bomb around town in her bright yellow truck.

Being a part of the Rockhurst community has been such an incredible experience. I came into college very nervous and scared for a new beginning around people that I didn’t know. I grew up in a small high school setting because my dad was the principal of that high school here in Kansas City. The atmosphere in that high school was always community based and it felt like I grew up in a family outside of my own immediate family. As I grew up and looked to pick a college, I was oriented towards this sense of a home away from home or a second family. When I found Rockhurst, I discovered that it was the community feel that I was looking for. I knew that I wanted to be a part of this community because it instantly felt like I was a part of a family from my first visit on campus. When I moved into Rockhurst I found it hard to be away from my family even though they didn’t live that far away. My roommate, the people in my building, and the staff on campus all helped put me at ease as soon as I got to campus.  I soon realized that I couldn’t even walk across campus without 15 people stopping me to say hi. It was so fulfilling to find a group of people that made me feel at home and feel welcomed. For this reason, I have made it my goal to make every person I encounter feel welcomed and included into the Rockhurst Community.  I strive to live Rockhurst’s Contemplatives in Action core value by taking responsibility for my gifts and talents (and leadership positions!) and helping to create a community in which others will feel comfortable enough to use their gifts and talents for others.

LaNeki Freeman is a sophomore who hails from Kansas City. She is the president of the BIPOCA Student Support Group and an SI for College Composition II. A little-known fact about her is that she writes poetry about different topics, but mostly about racism and social justice.  In this reflection, LaNeki chose to focus upon "Walking with the Excluded", which is one of the Society of Jesus' Universal Apostolic Preferences.

Over fall break I was fortunate and blessed to be able to attend the Civil Rights Solidarity-Immersion Trip to Alabama with a group of other students and some Rockhurst staff. I may not have known all that I would experience, but soon after getting off the plane, the meaning of Matthew 5:6, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for what is right,” became clear.  It was amazing for me to hear peers that looked like me and even ones that didn’t share my goal: making a difference in the world. In four days, I experienced amazingly detailed museums, read about and saw horrific events that our history books have tried to keep a secret, and met incredibly strong people who endured and witnessed abuse but continued to fight anyway. Matthew 5:6 felt the strongest for me when I walked the Edmund Pettis Bridge and truly reflected about the brutal attacks against racial justice that occurred not long ago. That walk allowed me to honor those who have died and were abused so that someone like me could live a life unafraid and able to have the same opportunities that my peers who aren’t of color have. I am forever grateful and will forever do my part to make sure that their fight wasn’t for nothing. I wish we could all experience how powerful the Civil Rights Trip really is!

Elizabeth Turner is a Kansas City native and proud alum of Donnelly College (a minority serving institution in the urban core of Kansas City, KS). She is a molecular biology major with aspirations for dental school. Following in the footsteps of her alma matter, and in the spirit of Rockhurst’s commitment to social justice, Elizabeth’s goal is to provide health care services to those who might not otherwise receive them. A fun fact about Elizabeth is that she, and her service dog Gabe, can be spotted around campus. They both see this as an opportunity to help destigmatize people living with disabilities.

As we wade into the third calendar year of the pandemic, Contemplation in Action is a value that seems to take increasingly greater amounts of focus and attention. Many decisions, once casually made without reflection, are now carefully weighed in a complex cost-benefit analysis of potential risk and reward. This delicate dance of attempting to discern between two or more often-equally-unappealing choices is one which took center stage in my life earlier this year.

In Mark 12:41-44, we read about a destitute widow who makes a seemingly paltry contribution to the Temple. She offers merely a few coins, yet this small gesture encompasses her entire livelihood.  Her small gesture is easily overshadowed by more robust donations of wealthier individuals. Jesus praises her donation to his disciples, saying that her money, given out of poverty, is of greater value than the larger sums given from people who gave of abundance. I often think of this parable when I reflect upon my role model and personal hero, my mother. She is a single mother to a large, blended family; poverty has always been a daily reality in our home. However, she is often the first person to offer to help another, even though she often has little to give.

Recently, we had an individual who lived with us as our guest for several years. Had he not been our guest, he would have been forced into a life of rough-sleeping indigency. He was a drain, rather than a faucet, on our families already strained resources. He required a great deal of assistance and personal care, as people in his circumstance usually do. It made me angry at times to see my already over-worked mother pour herself into what seemed to be an endless void of need, for little-to-no tangible reward. It took a great deal of effort to remind myself that we were blessed to be able to make such a difference in someone else’s life, and that the alternative (eschewing him into homelessness) was more unappealing than the inconvenience of having him in our home.

I am deeply proud of my mother for intuiting that it is more blessed to give than to receive. She brought her best (only?) resources to bear on the problem at hand.  As I continue my journey through life, I hope that I will be able to follow in her footsteps and give back to the communities which have given so much to me, even (or perhaps especially) when the reward is not tangibly apparent.

Cara Super is a first year student from Phoenix, Arizona who is majoring in Marketing Analytics. She is on the cross-country team at Rockhurst and is a member of SAB and Rakers. She enjoys doing outdoor activities, reading, and has a major sweet tooth. Fun Fact: She is a scorpion hunter in Arizona.

Aidan White is a junior who hails from Topeka, Kansas and who majors in molecular biology, with a double minor in psychology and leadership development. He hopes to someday attend UMKC’s dental school.  He serves as an RA in the THV 400s block and is involved in the Pre-Dental Club and the Respect Life Club. A fun fact about Aidan: he is a big football fan. 

This school year I applied to be an RA. I was nervous at first, not knowing what the job would entail or the new social identity I would be creating for myself. I came to training three weeks before classes started and was not very excited to have my summer break cut short, but in the long run this commitment has helped set up my most enjoyable year at Rockhurst so far. The major part of my role as an RA is to help guide and provide resources to students whenever they have a question or problem that they aren’t sure how to solve. This is where I journey with students who are in the exact same positions I was in last year, and begin to build relationships as we grow individually and collectively.  In this, I identify with the Society of Jesus’ Universal Apostolic Preference: Journeying with Youth. 

The most rewarding part of this is watching students brighten up, fall into their groups/clubs, have fun, and not worry about the restrictions that previously prevented them from seeing each other. It is beautiful to see the energy they give/receive as they finally experience the true Rockhurst, rather than the COVID-dampened version of our university. This is what makes my job worth it: to accompany others so they can feel at home while still looking forward to the growing opportunities our campus offers. 

LC Coldiron is a Junior from Omaha, Nebraska who is majoring in Spanish and Secondary Education with minors in Literature and Theology. She plans on attending grad school to earn her master’s in special education. She is the RA of Kateri Community, Vice-President of Voices for Justice, a Student Ambassador, a member of Theta Phi Alpha, and she is involved in Campus Ministry. A fun fact about LC: she is a trainer at a kickboxing gym and is starting MMA training.

My first interaction with Contemplation in Action was my freshman year at a Voices for Justice (VfJ) meeting. We had a night once a month dedicated to Contemplation in Action, or CIA. This soon became my favorite night of the month. While I greatly valued the information nights, CIA nights gained a special place in my heart as a time to join in community and reflect as a group upon all we had gained from our experiences of the month. This appreciation was deepened by the VfJ-sponsored visit to the White Rose Catholic Worker farm in November of my freshman year and was then solidified in my two trips to the Ignatian Family Teach In (IFTJ), my work with Cherith Brook Catholic Worker, and my time spent living in Kateri Community. White Rose introduced to me the concept of intentionality and simplicity, specifically with time. My freshman year I was on the soccer team, enrolled in 18 credit hours, active in 9 clubs, and applying for VfJ E-Board and RA. When we arrived at the farm there was an almost immediate culture shock. They operate completely off the grid, so when the sun went down work stopped and community time began. This mindset was something I had never experienced before, from the time I started playing soccer at age four and throughout my academic and athletic career I was running a hundred miles a minute from well before sunup to well past sundown. I never seemed to slow my pace and life kept adding more and more. In true LC fashion I came back from this self-reflective weekend and immediately dove headfirst onto a plane to Washington, DC for the IFTJ. I was suddenly surrounded by an entire conference of young people who also held social justice work as something sacred. The weekend was a whirlwind with very little time to sit and reflect. When we returned my head was spinning and I could tell my soul was aching for something deeper than simply adding more "action" and searching in my faith life. I applied to live in Kateri Community hoping for a community that valued the same things that I had found at White Rose. About a week after I found out that I was accepted into Kateri we left for spring break 2020 and, well, I think we all remember what happened after spring break 2020. During the pandemic I spent a great deal of time at home reflecting upon where I was giving my time and energy. I narrowed down my involvement to only the things that most fueled to my soul. I made some of the most difficult decisions I had at that point, including retiring from the sport I had loved for 16 years. When I returned to campus, I had made the resolution to incorporate CIA into my everyday life in as may places possible. Living in Kateri and going to Cherith Brook every week gave me the opportunities to deeply contemplate all that I was learning and living in ways that I never had before. I began to feel my past wounds, especially those regarding my faith, slowly begin to heal and my heart begin to open to the idea of a living and working faith. It has been a slow process, one that continues to be ongoing, but through faith-justice work and the reflective community that surrounds me, I can see so much growth. For this, CIA will always be my favorite core value.

William Schalley is a sophomore from Omaha, Nebraska, who is majoring in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. William is currently involved with Greek life, being a member of Pi-Kappa-Alpha, and is also involved with Campus Ministry, and Active Minds. A fun fact about William is that he is a massive Chiefs fan. 

We are all outcast in our own ways. There is always something that sets us apart from others, if that be our interest, opinions, or even ways of life.  This can lead to people losing a sense of belonging. I have personally struggled to find my sense of belonging. My freshman year of Rockhurst will be remembered as the year of COVID. With restrictions galore – online classes, fewer activities, less active student organizations – I struggled to engage with the Rockhurst community and adjust to college. On some days, I had to fight myself to simply emerge from my res hall room.  Granted, with time I slowly met some of my closest friends and have since gathered a feeling of belonging. But knowing how that feels will always stick with me. That is why I find it important to seek out people who are seen as outcasts or isolated from community. Last year I served at Jerusalem Farm in northeast KC, where a group of students cleaned a house that had been stuffed full of trash and other random garbage in order to create a decent living space for people experiencing housing insecurity. Over the summer I spent time helping people at Children’s Hospital by spending time with neglected kids who did not have an engaged parent figure in their life. This year I have been volunteering at Bishop Sullivan Center, a place that helps feed food insecure people and families. All these experiences connect me with people who are marginalized or seen as outcasts in one way or another. Everyone needs connection.  Everyone deserves a sense of belonging.  I feel that is what the Jesuits are at least partially getting at when they encourage us to “walk” with the excluded as opposed to “help” the excluded.

Will Kuenne, who hails from Imperial, Nebraska, is a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering with a music minor. He is involved in Ambassadors, Orientation Coordinators, Choir, Musica Sacra, and Joyful Noise. A fun fact about Will is that he plays guitar!

Over the course of nearly three and a half years of trying to learn the Jesuit mission at Rockhurst University, I continue to struggle with the following question: Am I good enough? I’m from a small town in the middle of nowhere Nebraska and have faced many educational challenges because of it. I can remember walking into my first biology class and being surrounded by students talking about how they scored a four or a five on their AP exams.  When they turned to me, I had to embarrassingly admit that my school didn’t even offer AP classes. While everyone was very kind, I could clearly tell that their high school biology courses were much more advanced than mine. Unfortunately, feeling insufficient didn’t stop. Mid-way through the semester, I was talking about this problem to a good friend of mine, J.T. Cornelius, and his response was, “You got into Rockhurst didn’t you? That’s an accomplishment in itself." That response rings through my head to this day and has really helped me to endure some of my tougher journeys at Rockhurst. Frosh Get-A-Way retreat was also pivotal for my journey of self-love. Frosh Get-A-Way was my first retreat. Consequently, I really didn’t know what to expect from it.  However, by the end of the weekend I knew my life had changed for the better. I could pick something out of each talk that I knew I needed to hear and really felt growth through that weekend. However, the theme of Frosh Get-A-Way’s Friday night prayer service will stick with me forever. That prayer service, based upon a famous prayer written by the French Jesuit, Fr. Pierre Teilhard de Charin (1881-1955), repeats the punchline: “Trust in the slow work of God”. It reverberated through my soul that entire weekend.  To this day, I repeat that phrase to myself during every hard test, 2:00am study nights, and when I look at a project that I don’t believe I can handle. It helps me bring my best resources to the table to address the challenge at hand.  While I might still struggle with self-confidence and self-love, I know that Rockhurst has placed people in my life for me to grow into whatever challenge may come my way.

Louis Angles is a senior at Rockhurst University in the Saint Luke’s BSN program. He lives in North Kansas City with his wife, daughter, and now-retired sled dogs. In his free time, Louis enjoys long-distance running, traveling, gardening, and BBQing at Chiefs/Royals games.

The opportunities presented to me at Rockhurst University have been nothing short of inspirational, motivational, and educational. As a nursing student, I have been granted the chance to help families and individuals in the greater KC metro area in multiple facets of their daily lives. Last fall, in my community health clinicals, I helped to load food into the cars of families for Thanksgiving at a local food bank. I specifically remember a young girl asking her mother if “they were going to be able to have a Thanksgiving that year” and the joy on her mother’s face, as tears of joy brought hope to her world. Even though it was a cold Saturday morning, I consider myself fortunate to warm the lives and spend time (socially distanced, of course) with members of our community who do not have enough to eat. These actions re-establish the paramount nature of helping thy neighbor in times of crisis and uncertainty. Taking the time to honor and journey with members of our community further develops the level of care and excellence that we can reciprocate in our daily lives. Leading by example, showing compassion for others, and selflessly giving back are just a few of the attributes that I have been able to develop during my time at Rockhurst. The core values, in addition to the plethora of venues to apply in practice, are not just aligned, but parallel to the values of nursing, which call us to bring our best resources to respond to challenges, problems, and suffering.  The lessons and values I developed at Rockhurst will help me to provide my patients with altruistic care and benevolent compassion.

Sarah Wilson is a junior who is double majoring in Biochemistry and Spanish.  She plans to attend medical school after graduating from Rockhurst.  She is the Vice President of Programming for Phi Delta Epsilon, a member of NSLS, and a member of Sigma Delta Pi.  She has been playing guitar for 12 years and is involved in Joyful Noise at Rockhurst.  She enjoys anything competitive and has a strong love for volleyball.  A fun fact about Sarah is that she got bit by a stingray while in Colorado.   

Throughout my life, I have felt called to serve.  It started at a young age, with simple tasks done for my family.  From there it morphed into class service trips.  As I began to grow and mature, serving others changed from a requirement to a longing. 

My thirst for service has never fully been quenched.  Every time that I embark on a journey to serve others, I feel a stronger yearning to fulfill my purpose on Earth.  My time at Rockhurst has been no different.  Recently, I was granted the opportunity to volunteer as a community resource intern at JayDoc, a free care clinic through KUMC. I have gained invaluable experiences in medicine and have learned what helping underserved populations means within the United States. This clinic seeks to be an agent of transformation, especially in the areas of social justice and equality: JayDoc does not turn anyone away and embraces non-English speaking persons and undocumented citizens.   

During a recent night at JayDoc, I had the pleasure of meeting a man who was particularly uncertain about life.  There were moments where he cried to me, overwhelmed by his circumstances, and moments in which I was able to pull a smile from him.  He spent hours with us, talking with medical students, attending physicians, and myself.  He told me, at the end of his visit, that he was leaving with a sense of relief, due to my help.  Although I was unable to resolve his problems, I felt a warmth within my heart because of the care that I was able to provide.   

I’ve lost my way many times while at Rockhurst, yet, without fail, God reminds me of what He has called me to do.  God can be seen in the faces of those that have suffered great injustices - in the faces of those I meet and serve.  Through these encounters I am reminded of God’s unfailing love and constant invitation. 

Ayraka Straws is a junior at Rockhurst University studying Exercise Science and is enrolled in the Doctoral Occupational Therapy program.  She hails from KC, MO.  A fun fact about Ayraka: as a child she played the upright bass.

It has taken me every bit of my past three years at Rockhurst to find my place and have confidence in my journey. The first step in the process was finding myself and loving every bit of it. This wasn’t easy at a place like Rockhurst since my identity falls under several minority categories. I have flowed through different organizations and leadership roles at RU such as being a resident assistant and orientation leader. I have made many different friends who have taught me many lessons since my first day at RU. However, no matter how much I tried I did not fit into the groups and roles I originally tried to pursue. Feeling “out of place” paralyzed and isolated me. This was because I had not yet arrived at a place of self-acceptance and self-love. I was still trying to partially conform to some of the norms here at Rockhurst that were not meant for me.

Midway through my third year at Rockhurst was when a big shift of true self-acceptance took place. Once that began, I found myself falling into the leadership roles that were right for me. I have been in UNITY and BSU since my first year and I am now the vice president of both. Taking on leadership in these clubs has been one of my greatest achievements and means the world to me. I also led in the planning of last year’s Rockhurst MLK Day celebration. This was a major step for me as I not only helped plan it, but I performed on a stage for the first time in my life, which is something the old me would have never done. I am a firm believer in the saying “Unity in Diversity”. I have used this to drive how I lead: take responsibility for my gifts and talents and help build up the gifts and talents of others.  I feel like I am at a place where I am fully able to do what I love most which is celebrate what makes people unique and make them feel good about themselves.

Damian Hood is a junior at Rockhurst University studying Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. He hopes that he can use his college experience to help preserve human dignity and the common good. He really enjoys staying athletic, writing poetry, and loves being able to assist other diverse organizations like UNITY (Rockhurst University LGBTQ+ community) and SOL (Student Organization of Latinxs).

My life at Rockhurst has drastically changed from freshman year to my current (Junior year) 2021 Fall semester. I think this is important to state because I believe my journey to “find myself” started towards the end of my 2021 Spring semester. During my Catholic Social Teaching class that semester with Father Curran, I was invited to contemplate where my future was going to start in helping other people. Towards the end of that semester, I concluded that there were certain things, people, and organizations that I needed to either remove or draw closer if my life was going to have more purpose. Not only for my community but for my own personal perspective of myself.

I understand I am still discovering myself as I type this right now. Even though I had a lot of fear (would things work out?), I moved forward. I took action.  I knew going into this year I had to make major changes to my lifestyle with courage. For example, I am now the Service Chair for BSU; which has placed an amount of responsibility onto my shoulders than I never previously had in my academic career. I get to be a part of a large change on campus and get to work with an organization that strives to be agents of transformation in the areas of social justice and equality. As an organization that students on campus could perceive as a gift to their lives, BSU encourages it members to share talents that neither they nor the community have ever recognized. It’s not just the students that reap the benefits and inspiration: as I tabled during Alumni/Family weekend, a 25-year alum came up and said, “I love what you all are doing, and I hope you guys continue doing great things for this campus.” The amazing thing that I contemplate daily is: Our organization (and myself!) are still in the beginning stages of making changes for the better.

Lidcia Solis-Najera is a sophomore studying International Business and Spanish. Lidcia is from the small rural town of Lexington, Missouri. Along with being a Spanish tutor at the Learning Center, Lidcia adores dogs, loves traveling, and enjoys spending time with family and friends. A fun fact about Lidcia is that she can touch the tip of her nose with her tongue.

Our lives are constantly on go-mode and many of us often forget to take the necessary time to rest and reflect on what we are doing. Most importantly, we forget to reflect on why we are doing things. Ignatian Spirituality says that without taking the time to stop and look at what we are doing and why we are doing it, our everyday actions can become mindless or unaccompanied by meaning. No matter how small an action is, it can represent an effort to do and become better in many aspects. However, in order to better execute an action-filled life with meaning, taking the time to contemplate will make it that much more impactful.

I came to Rockhurst University with a growth mindset, and I continue to possess it. Being here, I have become a better person surrounded by great people. However, with a growth mindset, I know that I must continuously work on myself and my goals. While being here, I have learned so much about myself and our world. I have always had an interest in social justice for various reasons, but I wasn’t fully aware of how to bring about change and be an activist in my own way. My first semester here, I joined VOICES for Justice (VfJ) to become more knowledgeable on social injustices. Being in VfJ has only further inspired me to take action. This year, I was even presented with the opportunity to attend the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ).

The IFTJ is an annual social justice gathering which takes place in November in Washington, D.C. This gathering encourages attendees to pray, learn, network, reflect, and advocate together. The theme for this year's IFTJ is, “Imagining a Path Forward.” When initially presented with the opportunity to attend IFTJ, I took the time to contemplate the benefits I would gain if taking part. Although attending IFTJ meant I would miss a day of classes as well as a few shifts at work, I concluded that the benefits outweighed what was holding me back; I signed up! Taking the theme into consideration, by attending the IFTJ I hope to better become an agent for transformation in social justice.

Katie Portell is a junior studying Biochemistry and Psychology. She plans to attend St. Louis University School of Medicine after graduation.  Katie, who hails from Troy, Illinois, loves outdoor activities, watching movies, and reading.  A fun fact about Katie: she is scuba diver certified!  After high school she was offered a job to lead scuba tours in the Virgin Islands but she turned it down to attend Rockhurst!

Growing up, I was told that practice makes perfect. I strove after this when I was young, however, as I matured, I realized the impossibility of this statement because nothing is perfect. My religion also taught me that God is an all-perfect being. When I was young, I never doubted this. However, I began to question as I grew. How can God be perfect when nothing is perfect? If he was perfect shouldn’t the world he created be perfect and free of suffering? This caused me to question my faith. It was not until my experiences in college that I found my faith again.

When I arrived at Rockhurst, I continued to struggle with my faith. My first Campus Ministry event was volunteering through Jerusalem Farm, during which we cleaned out a house where the previous owner had been a hoarder. The current tenant had been living in those conditions because it was all she could afford. I once again wondered how God could let something like this be someone’s reality. A reality that was far from perfect.

My second event with Campus Ministry led me to Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House, where I helped to serve a meal for food and housing insecure people.  I watched and visited with people as they arrived from the community. It was heartbreaking. These people were visibly hungry and had nowhere to call home. I asked God once again: “Where are you in the lives of these Kansas Citians?!” It was not until I sat and talked with some of the guests at Cherith Brook that my faith in God took on new strength.

These people had so much hope and love in their hearts. It was this hope that changed my life forever. I arrived at a deeper peace with questions like:

“If suffering is here to stay how can God be perfect?”

“Though humanity is responsible for so much of what ills our society, if God were perfect, why wouldn’t his ‘perfect’ mercy bring relief.”

The hope shared by my new friends at Cherith Brook inspires me to be the change I want to see in the world. Furthermore, their hope showed me that God was not distant from pain and suffering.  He never will be. Combining contemplation with action is helping me to become who I want to be within my faith as someone who loves the world and everyone in it.

Emily Dickson is a senior nursing student with plans to work as an oncology nurse when she graduates. She is a Midwestern transplant from Seattle and a lover of dogs and time out on the trail. You can catch her at VOICES for Justice on Thursday nights, Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (process through which people enter the Catholic Church) meetings on Sunday afternoons, the rock-climbing gym on Tuesdays, and probably not any other day of the week because she’s most likely at the hospital… 

In March this year, my faith was shaken in a way it never had been before. It was 2am and I was praying for my patients in the dark, as I often do.  As a nurse intern and as a person from a multi-faith background, I also pray for God to light my way.  That night I was moved in an instant to convert to Catholicism, as I received revelation of Christ’s life, passion, and death for me and all humanity. It was at that point, after tentatively asking for the intercession of Mary and St. Agatha (a patron of nurses), that I believe God came to prepare me for great loss. On May 20th, 2021, I held my best friend Sam’s hand as she died from cancer. When she was diagnosed in October of 2020, I doubted God’s existence. I was angry at God for the first time in my life. Months later, I thought that losing my best friend would lead me again into intense desolation, but instead, I found it drawing me closer and closer to God.  

I have known the Gospel my entire life, but it wasn’t part of my story until this year. Likewise, during my education at Rockhurst, I have always known the definition of “contemplation in action”, but I never truly understood it until I recently read Fr.  James Martin’s My Life with the Saints. In his chapter on St. Ignatius, or Iñigo of Loyola, as he was previously known, Fr. Martin talks about how Ignatian spirituality invites us to become contemplatives in action. Being contemplative is to live a life of immersion in prayer, reflection, and discernment, something I thought was only for cloistered monks and nuns. St. Ignatius was revolutionary in that he called regular Christians to do both: be contemplatives, but live lives of action too.

In nursing school, I have always had the action part down. I knew from the beginning that I wanted to help sick people heal. I attend class, do my assignments, work through clinicals. Contemplating my career against an infinite horizon, however, leads me to believe God is calling me to teach later in my life. Someday, with years of experience under my belt, I want help to change nursing school in the U.S. My experience, and that of others, has shown me that nursing schools across the country suffer from a crisis of poor didactic models and non-evidence-based, racist curriculum. We need change!

Regardless of what the future holds, I know that the best thing I can do is pray. Constantly. I look forward to finally being baptized and receiving the Eucharist, which I know will only multiply the fruits of my prayer and life mission. But as Ignatius of Loyola has taught me, I can pray constantly, discern what is for the greater good, and also live a life of action. By grace, through faith, we are able to love others by doing.

Mia Martinez is a sophomore majoring in psychology. She enjoys skiing in her home state of Colorado and cuddling chickens at Cherith Brook Catholic Worker.  

I never knew about all of the opportunities that Rockhurst had to offer until I started joining clubs and getting involved. I am from Colorado and it was important for me to try to build a community and find a home away from home. Going to a college out of state can be a scary experience but it also gave me the opportunity to grow.

I volunteered through Campus Ministry at Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House.  That opportunity has changed my life and the way I look at the world.  My first time volunteering I felt nervous and clueless.  However, upon arrival I realized that the other volunteers/Cherith Brook community members were selfless and willing to welcome us. They devote their time to make sure that people who are experiencing homelessness have at least a warm dinner and other needed supplies during the cold winter months. Initially, I was uncomfortable and unsure what to talk about with the people coming to the shelter for dinner. I watched the other volunteers engage in normal conversations with our guests; they expressed genuine care. This helped me to realize that people who visit Cherith Brook for a meal or a shower or shelter from the cold are still people even if they look different or are struggling a lot. Chatting with our guests and asking them about their lives slowly became more natural for me.  A night that really changed my life was when there was a man who was extremely upset sitting outside crying and one of the volunteers sat with him and hugged him until he was okay. The volunteer was nothing more or less than what they were called to be: a shoulder to cry on.  I can feel the good energy and love that is being shared when I volunteer there. When I leave I know that I was able to nourish people with food and with my presence. 

Volunteering at Cherith Brook has not only helped me to find and build community for myself.  Through it, I have helped to build community for others.  During the weeks and months of slow contemplation that have followed my visits to Cherith Brook, I feel more confident in my ability to “walk with the excluded”, which is one of the Jesuits’ Universal Apostolic Preferences.  This is a true blessing.

Eleanor Fortier is a junior focusing in English and Spanish. She feels a little weird talking about herself in third person but she is just going to roll with it. Some of her interests include philosophy, meditation, environmentalism, Kurt Vonnegut, and bothering stray cats.

The term “Contemplation in Action” can be a bit misleading at first. It implies an immediate doing. “In Action”. But before any action can be initiated, we first are asked to stop. Simply to stop and look at the world around us (and the world within) and to hold space for it. Through this pause we are then able to reflect upon what we find.  It is from this new state of quiet, reverent awareness for what is that we can finally begin to move.

Two years ago, when the whole world was thrust into a strange version of this first step, I was wholly unfamiliar with the idea of stopping and looking. Of seeing. My first semester at Rockhurst was a tumultuous time with little room for pause, and I was far too lost within my feelings of disconnect and reticence to even think about opening up to any sense of community the school had to offer. Only when the pandemic ushered me home to St. Louis to face the first truly quiet moments I had known in months, did I appreciate what was, painfully ironically, now miles and miles away. These connections I had taken for granted at Rockhurst and the community I had struggled to feel close to were now profoundly real and meaningful to me through their absence. The value of things I had written off, the “campus life” I had told myself I wanted nothing to do with, was now glaring. This forced time of pause was the first step on my journey of Contemplation in Action.

After this period of reflection, my experience of Rockhurst completely changed upon returning to campus. I turned contemplation into action by simply living in this new appreciation of the community, taking up many opportunities Rockhurst offers and feeling more driven to be an active part of the whole. I’m hopeful that this next semester will mark the slow beginning of rediscovering the closeness so many of us took for granted in the past, and I am beyond excited to dive even deeper into this community-based action as I continue, with gentle curiosity, to find my place. My time here has been one of test and transformation; I move forward with anticipation of further tests and further growth. This experience of reflection and response has been invaluable to me, and after all the time we have spent in pause over these past two years, I’m more than optimistic that the coming schoolyear will lead us into new journeys of Contemplation in Action with a fuller understanding of community and what we mean to one another.

Lidia Fekadu is a second-year student majoring in Health Science and minoring in Political Science. She hopes to someday work with the policy/legislative side of health care in either East Africa or the Middle East. On campus, Lidia works as a resident advisor in the THVs and is on the E-board for Intervarsity and Black Student Union. She also serves on the special events committee for SAB and is active in LEAP and VOICES for Justice. In her free time, you might find her buried in a Colleen Hoover novel.

I've always challenged myself to be a renaissance woman. To be a renaissance woman, I feel called to constantly question myself, my behaviors, and what motivates me. This requires perpetual self-reflection and self-awareness. Being at Rockhurst has provided me many opportunities to lead and be led, allowing me to grasp the significance that my words, actions, and service carry. That self-awareness allows me to make my behaviors as well as the impact they leave more effective and positive. However, quarantine and the time away from campus and my responsibilities are what really allowed me to reflect upon my first-year experience. I like to write out my prayers and worries in my prayer journal. During quarantine, I took the time to slowly review my prayer journal. This exercise reconnected me with what I was feeling and how I recognized God moving in my life. It reminded me of my own inner strength and resilience and invited me to greater gratitude for God's grace and unconditional love. Coming into this fall semester with so much uncertainty is easier now, thanks to the peace that reflection and discernment offers.

Tori Dickson is a sophomore from St. Louis, Missouri and is majoring in Nonprofit Leadership Studies, though which she hopes to make the world a better place. At Rockhurst, she is involved with Alpha Sigma Alpha, Campus Ministry, and is an Ambassador. She enjoys cool weather, taking care of her growing plants, and spending quality time with family and friends.

A Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn writes that “our true home is the present moment, the miracle is not to walk on water. The miracle is to walk on the green earth in the present moment.”

Prior to arriving on campus, I was struck with anxiety, fear, and a lot of uncertainty concerning how this year was going to compare to my freshman year at Rockhurst. I had so many expectations built in my mind of how each year of college should play out according to my plan. It was difficult to truly know what to expect, but I knew that classes and campus activities would be different than what I had in my mind.

Reading this quote stopped me in my tracks. It was exactly what I needed to hear because I had been so caught up in my expectations rather than taking a moment to step back and be present. Reflection and discernment, one of our core values, became very present in my day to day living. On a family trip to Yellowstone National Park, the beauty and sights of nature allowed me to refocus my outlook on the coming months at RU. I took moments to truly reflect on the great gift it is to have the ability to be back on campus having classes and making new types of memories with friends. Although this year may be different, I was filled with gratefulness knowing that returning to campus is a blessing. Reflection is not always for the big and troubling moments in life, but can be a daily practice to help lead a present life.

Raeyonna Craig is a sophomore from Raytown, Missouri. Here at Rockhurst she is a member of the Kateri Community Sustainability/Eco-Spirituality floor. She studies political science and pre-law with plans of later attending law school to gain the knowledge to become a criminal lawyer. In her free-time you might find Raeyonna hanging with her friends or listening to Duke Ellington’s Satin Doll.

If one truly wants to be successful, I believe that it is key for one to be able to step away and reflect. For me, this means being able to assess the life that I am living and disconnect the pieces to gain a deeper and better understanding of who I am and what I am meant to be. Upon arriving on campus last fall, there were many things that were new to me and to which I needed to adjust. I vividly remember being taught the values that Rockhurst holds deep in its heart. One of the values that particularly gravitated to me was reflection and discernment and since then, I have made it one of my goals to keep it with me. This has been helpful in dealing with almost all of the problems into which I have stumbled. It has been important for me to take any stress that I am dealing with and think or reflect as to why the situation is stressful and what led up to it. Then I discern what judgments I can make to result in a better outcome. Both of these have worked in my favor because I have learned that reflecting has been both informative and helpful in terms of lessons learned. Specifically, I have learned what my personal core values are. I have gained an understanding as to what shapes the person I am today.

Clare Devine is a senior from Columbia, Missouri. She is majoring in Biology and minoring in Psychology. Clare plans to take a gap year and work in the NICU at Boone Hospital Center (Columbia, MO) and then attend medical school. She is interested in pediatrics and family medicine. During her time at Rockhurst, she has been dedicated to her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, Love Your Melon and Phi Delta Epsilon. She is excited to soak up this time in KC and make the most of her senior year.

As freshman in college, I was joined with a new group of people, all coming from different backgrounds, different families, different situations. College, and Rockhurst especially, helped broaden my awareness of the world by introducing me to students with varying experiences. I gravitated towards a group of people who were like-minded and it was gratifying and reassuring to find this group with similar beliefs. Outside of my comfortable high school bubble, I was able to find others like me, who share similar goals and have a moral compass like mine; this has enhanced and fortified what I believe. I am incredibly thankful for the friends I have made. I know God placed them in my life for a reason and they have kept me grounded. They have served as my rudder through all of the curve balls life has thrown me these past three years.

Rockhurst has also allowed me to have difficult conversations, to sort out differences, and to unearth the root of a disagreement, which has made me more empathetic and understanding. I have learned that it is most important to be respectful of others, even if I cannot comprehend their belief rationale. We all have a voice and we all have the freedom to use it. That’s what is so beautiful about this country.

I am grateful for my professors who have challenged me far beyond my self-conceived capabilities, for my parents who made this journey possible, and for those who have opened my eyes to thoughts, beliefs, and experiences that were previously foreign to me. They have shaped me into who I am and who I am destined to be. The Prayer of St. Francis invites us to "not so much seek to be understood as to understand..." Similarly, Rockhurst has taught me to start by listening, pondering, and struggling to understand: essentially to reflect and discern. I know this core value will serve me well throughout my life.

Connor Berry is a senior from St. Louis Missouri. He is the Vice President of Alpha Delta Gamma, an avid participant in Rockhurst’s Theatre and Film department, and a former Frosh-Get-Away Coordinator. He is currently studying data science and applied mathematics and is in the process of discerning between the Jesuit Volunteer Corp or pursuing a master’s degree in data science after graduation. In his free time, you can normally find Connor hanging out with friends or watching Survivor which he claims is the greatest show of all time, by far.

I’ve always been a pretty prayerful person. In fact “cradle catholic” is a term that I would often use to describe myself. So, when I came to Rockhurst as a freshman, the idea of diving into Jesuit values was incredibly appealing to me, and I latched onto the core value of reflection and discernment. Whether it was an Ignatian Examen, a rosary, or just taking some time to myself, I tried to incorporate it into my daily routine. However, I fell into a trap of always focusing on the negative over the positive. “Improvement” became a pattern of focusing on failures. Whether it was a bad grade, not getting that coveted position in an organization, or the uncertainty of who I really wanted to be, I found much of my focus being self-deprecating. I also would constantly compare myself to others, especially in my faith life. I believed that I was not good enough. The funny thing is, there was so much good in my life, whether that be my friends and family, getting an A on a project upon which I worked really hard, or just the ability to be a student in such a welcoming community. And in terms of my faith life? I am realizing that comparison in this area leads to shame, which leads to growth in neither individual faith nor in faith communities. I wish that I could say there was a huge moment that changed all of this, but there wasn’t. Sometimes change occurs slowly, and I learned to "trust in the slow work God" (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, SJ). I’ve learned that reflection isn’t about developing a self-improvement plan. Rather, reflection helps me to appreciate how God is steadily molding me into the person I was created to be.

Carrie Spanton is a senior at Rockhurst University. She is a peace and international studies and public policy duel major. On campus, Carrie sits on the executive board of Alpha Sigma Nu and is in the honors program. Carrie has participated in the Research for Undergraduates (REU) program in the ecology and evolutionary biology department at KU, was president of Phi Theta Kappa at MCCKC, and received a Campus Election Engagement Project fellowship. She is currently a UN online volunteer as a news division team lead for SODEIT in Cameroon and conducts GPS crowdsourcing to combat female gentile mutilation in Tanzania. Carrie works as a freelance writer specializing in social issues. As a nontraditional student, she lives in NKC with her two dogs who are the only bosses of her. Carrie hopes to continue her academic work to obtain her master’s degree and dedicate her life to service of others.

Twenty-twenty has been a rough year. Amidst all the chaos, I cannot help but feel deeply grateful. I have been given the gift of time. Time to deepen my spiritual practice. Time to improve my health and well-being. Time to examine my priorities and how I choose to spend my time. Time to reflect on which lens I use to perceive the society in which I am a part. I have been blessed with the space and privilege to consider my role and responsibilities in society.

There have been many times when I have noticed misalignment between my value system and that of society. The more I learn how abuse of power works through the institutions many of us take for granted, the more I become aware of how I benefit at the cost of others. I am aware that systemic abuse works through me. This awareness through reflection renders me unable to morally justify the capitalization of mass incarceration, police brutality, criminalizing asylum seekers, or stigmatizing those who suffer addiction. I cannot justify the policies that give one group of people access to basic human rights, such as healthcare, access to education, housing, or the right to live and love naturally- but not others.

Instead of classifying our elected officials as crooked, I must understand that is I who put them into office by ensuring their seat with my vote, or allowing someone else to vote for me if I chose to opt out of the process. Here, I can rely on my spiritual practice. Instead of getting upset or throwing up my hands, I breathe, sit with, and reflect upon this frustration. Instead of allowing it to churn into blame or hate, I can slowly ask myself, “What can I do to change this?” and discern positive movement.

One way I can make a difference is to vote for elected officials that most closely reflect my values, especially at the local level. That is where I can see real policy in action and have a chance to engage personally with representatives. Community engagement is a way to discern for myself what practices hold value for my community, which do harm, and why. Am I benefiting at the cost of another? Just because the structure around me has been in place or a long time, does that make it just?

The spiritual and academic guidance that I have received at Rockhurst has helped me to understand how and why it is important to be an active participant in the brand of governance under which I consent to live. As the 2020 election draws closer, I will continually reflect upon the validity of my perception and my values. Are they just? Are they true? My choices must come from a place of connection and love to achieve the harmony in society that I seek.

Alison Delgado is a senior from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, majoring in Biology and Spanish in the Honors program. She is happily involved in the Student Senate, Student Organization of Latinos, SEEK Interfaith club, and is a Spanish tutor at the Learning Center. She loves tasting hot chocolate and coffee from all over the world, with her favorite coffee being from Guatemala!

Con solamente un mes antes de las elecciones, las noticias, redes sociales, y las conversaciones comunitarias, están saturadas con el tema de votar: por quién votar, por qué votar, por qué una persona es buena, porque una persona es mala. Suelo discernir cuáles problemas siguen mis valores y si mis valores reflejan los intereses de esta nación. Los eventos para registrarse para votar en Rockhurst, las organizaciones estudiantiles, la facultad, y los líderes de la comunidad, me han hecho reflexionar sobre la importancia de usar mi voz para votar y apoyar a otros a votar también. En una era, cuando la pandemia margina a los grupos que ya están marginados (como los pobres, los vagabundos, los encarcelados, y los indocumentados) la importancia de votar por líderes y leyes que son inclusivas para cada individuo sin importar los antecedentes tienen un poder impactante. Ser intencionalmente complaciente sería negar mi poder a mejorar las vidas de otros. A través de la educación , tengo que cuestionarme quienes no son representados y que serían las consecuencias de las intenciones de los líderes y medidas electorales. Durante estos tiempos, recuerdo los consejos de San Ignacio de Loyola en 1546. Una parte es ser lento a hablar. Para mí, esto significa que debo escuchar atentamente otros puntos de vista. A veces me encuentro asumiendo y haciendo conclusiones rápidas, y responder sin reflexionar. Este recuerdo me inspira a ser silenciosa, en mi corazón y mente, y escuchar más para obtener una idea completa de una opinión. Otro consejo que trato de incorporar en mi vida es a considerar a todos los puntos de vista, sin ser atado a mis propias opiniones. Es fácil ser guiado por lo que veo en la vida cotidiana, de mi familia y mis amistades. Trato de ser intencional con separar estos intereses propios de los intereses ajenos. Estoy agradecida de mis experiencias en Rockhurst por introducirme a estos principios ignacianos. Me han hecho ser más intencional en mis decisiones porque por medio de la meditación, tengo más confianza en ellas.

With twenty-eight days remaining before the election, the news headlines, social media posts, and conversations are saturated with voting: who to vote for, why to vote, why one person is good, why one person is bad. I am constantly discerning what issues go along with my values and if my values reflect the best interests of this nation. The voter registration events held at Rockhurst, promoted by student organizations, faculty, and community leaders, has made me reflect on the importance of using my voice to vote and supporting others to vote as well. In a time when the pandemic further marginalizes the marginalized, like the poor, the homeless, the incarcerated, and the undocumented, the importance of voting for leaders and laws inclusive of every individual regardless of their background, is more impactful than ever. To purposefully remain complacent would withhold my power to better the lives of others. Through educating myself, I must also question who is not being represented and what the repercussions are of every leader’s intentions and ballot measures. During these times, I am reminded of advice that St. Ignatius of Loyola gave to the three Jesuits who attended the Council of Trent in 1546: be slow to speak. To me, this is to listen intently to another point of view. If I don’t pause, I may react rather than reflect and respond. This invites me to be silent (with my mind and heart) and listen more to gain a fuller picture of an opinion. Another tip I try to incorporate in my own life is to consider all perspectives, without being overly attached to my own opinion. It is easy to be guided by what I see on an everyday basis and by my family and friends. To separate these self-interests from the interests of everyone else and the issues faced is something about which I try to be intentional. I am grateful for my Rockhurst experiences for introducing these Ignatian principles. They have made me more intentional in my choices because through further deliberation, I gain more confidence in them.

Allison Bobo is a senior from St. Louis majoring in Exercise Science. She has goals of becoming a Physical Therapist and dedicating her life to helping others. On campus she is involved in the Honors and Ambassador Programs as well as in Orientation, FSL, Active Minds, and P.U.R.P.O.S.E. In her free time, she can normally be found hanging out with friends and/or watching reality TV. Alli hopes to someday return to El Salvador to celebrate and learn even more about the rich culture!

My most reflective moments seem to manifest when a chapter in my life is nearing a close. As a senior this year, I have found this personal phenomenon especially fitting. Years ago, when I decided to attend Rockhurst, my decision was solely based on a prestigious academic program the university had to offer. As I reflect on this practical reason that was completely valid for an 18-year-old first generation college student to hold dear, I realize how much more I have gained from my experience here at this university. In addition to reaping the benefits for which I originally aimed, I have grown in ways I never expected. In reflecting on this growth, my service trip to El Salvador this past March really sticks out. During the trip, my companions and I got to both live and learn in solidarity with the people of El Salvador. Through immersing myself in the culture, I felt more in tune with my purpose as a person blessed to live on this earth. I have always felt called to a vocation in which I could care for and love others, however this trip solidified this for me. My eyes were opened far wider than ever before in realizing just how universal the concept of love is. Even though there was a language barrier between my host family and I, there was nothing stopping the spirit of love and connection shared between us. This was shown in sharing wonderful meals together, playing soccer with the kids, sharing photographs with one another, etc. It was then that I realized love is something that can leap with ease over any boundary that seemingly separates two different people. Through recognizing this unlimited potential to love one another under any circumstances, my craving to carry this aspect through in my life has strengthened. As my time here at Rockhurst ends, it comes time to discern what path I will follow next. In addition to thinking practically in this decision (like I had years ago), I know I also need to keep in mind these deeper values I have fostered during my time here. Reflecting on what is next for me, focusing on how I can best love and care for others is on the forefront of my mind.

Jessica Umulisa is a second-year student from Saint Louis who is majoring in Biochemistry. After obtaining a bachelor’s degree at Rockhurst University, she plans to attend medical school and eventually become a pediatrician. Outside of classes, Jessica is involved in Voices for Justice in which she serves as a fundraising chair, Student Activity’s Board as a Spirit chair, and the Black Student Union. Aside from her involvements on campus, Jessica enjoys spending time with people that she cares about and trying new adventures that challenge her to step out of her comfort zone.

To be honest, I was never a fan of reflection and discernment. Coming to Rockhurst, I was certain that I would interact with all the core values, except for this one. I had no idea what the future held!

Every single time I set aside some time to reflect, even if I don’t feel completely ready, I realize unexpected growth. I can never seem to escape it. Early last year, I attended the Frosh Get-a-Way Retreat; it was an amazing experience. Although, I had a great time, I did not open myself fully. I held back. I kept my walls up to an extent and kept pushing through the semester.

My second semester, spring of 2020, was the most challenging period of my life. My growth, my faith, and my identity were being tested like never before. Although, I knew exactly what I had to do (spend some time with myself to reflect on what was happening), I felt that I could not afford to take that time in mid-February. When Campus Ministry reached out to my friends and I about Retreat on the Rock, I remember my brain thinking “this is a trap, don’t do it”. Despite my anxiety spiking after I was told that this retreat would invite me to go even deeper that Frosh Get-A-Way, I signed up.

Retreat on the Rock ended up being one of the most transformative experiences of my life. I have had a few life-changing experiences, and that retreat was added to my list. It forever changed my perspective on reflection and the power of spending time with myself and my thoughts. Also, supporting members of my small group as they shared their lived experiences created friendship and helped me to sort out elements of my own life.

Setting aside time for reflection, whether it be an entire weekend retreat or short times during the day, remains a challenge. However, the more I say “yes” to living the examined life, the more I grow. Maybe someday it will become easier!

Lucy Hoffman is a sophomore studying business and art aiming to be a copywriter after graduation. She is a member of Zeta Tau Alpha and the assistant editor of the Sentinel along with being the founding campus correspondent for RU’s HerCampus chapter. Favorites include Cheeto puffs, the color yellow, and roller skating.

My second year at Rockhurst has given me many opportunities for which I am grateful, but the biggest gift I was given was being able to “settle in.” While the phrase holds an average to negative connotation in most meanings, settling in at Rockhurst has allowed me to enjoy moments with the most amazing people, free of expectation.

Freshman Lucy was concerned with making all the friends, having a brag-worthy college experience, and getting good grades (unfortunately in that order). Sophomore Lucy is currently savoring her time cooking soup with a few close friends and making the most of her two in-person classes. Upon reflection, Sophomore Lucy is miles ahead of Freshman Lucy when it comes to happiness.

Despite my freshman year being more “instagrammable” and “brag-worthy,” none of the things that consumed my time were internally fulfilling, and I was catering solely to other people to ensure they thought I was cool enough. Reflecting upon authenticity and happiness led me to that insight. At the beginning of this school year, I turned my focus toward people who made me feel alive, not who made me look good. I asked the “stupid” questions in class without fear of students laughing. I stopped eating like a rabbit so people would think I was “healthy”. Everything has changed. Striving to live authentically has invited the people who have the same energy and goals to stick around; the ones who were there for the facade ditched.

By truly reflecting on the way Freshman Lucy did Rockhurst (hint: poorly), she was able to turn it around and introduce Sophomore Lucy to the community. My problem didn’t stem from Rockhurst like I initially thought it did; it stemmed from me being an imposter because that’s what I thought people wanted. I kept waiting to find my place here, but as soon as I stopped my fake people pleasing, I settled in and found comfort in the community. In a world seemingly obsessed with finding the next adrenaline rush, I’m surprised yet content that a constant sense of comfort with a few hawks is what has made me the happiest and has helped me to more fully grow into the person I was created to be.

Forrest Roudebush is a senior who was born and raised in KCMO. He is studying economics and public policy and works with the Kansas City Area Development Council as a Business Development and Research Intern. He is also the president of student senate and PKA. Forrest spends his free time serving coffee at the Chiefs games, exploring KC, and hanging out with friends (with masks and socially distanced!). Forrest loves his coffee; feel free to consult him to find KC’s best coffee shops.

Over the past couple of months, I have been paying close attention to the election and interviewing for jobs post-graduation. Both of these experiences have led to me one conclusion: the world needs to learn the principles of Ignatian conversation. These attributes are: be slow to speak; listen attentively; seek the truth in what others are saying; disagree humbly, respectfully, and thoughtfully; and allow the conversation the time it needs.

I find that we like to reward the quick “Twitter” answer rather than the thoughtful one. It has become convenient for us to condense complex ideas into 140 characters which causes us to value the popular view rather than the scholarly one. During the chaotic time of elections, social unrest, and a pandemic, we should look to be empathetic to each other’s views. Fr. Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, S.J challenges us to , “to discern what is really happening in your life and in the lives of others, to find God there and to discover where God is calling you, to employ criteria for significant choices that reflect Godly values rather than narrow, exclusive self-interest.” The best way to go about understanding the challenges that others face is by truly listening to them. Focusing on our shared humanity allows me see the person before the label.

In the spirit of Reflection and Discernment, I have been trying to reflect on how my action of voting not only impacts me but those on the margins whose voices are not heard. The Magis Activity Center has a quote from Pope Francis that reads, “To change the world, we must be good to those who cannot repay us.” Voting in this election is an act of love for others, in particular those whose voices are not heard. Unfortunately, many Americans have been disenfranchised and forgotten in our democracy. I hope that voting and staying civically engaged beyond the election (even as the final ballots are counted!) will help promote the voices of the marginalized.

Jerrit Payton, III is a sophomore hailing from Naperville, Illinois. He is pursuing a Marketing Degree and a Film Acting Minor. He is involved in numerous clubs and organizations on campus including Black Student Union, Intervarsity, Joyful Noise, RU Podcasts, and the Student Advisory Council for the Office of Diversity Inclusion and Equity.

As a sophomore in college, I reflect back on the time when I announced my commitment to attend Rockhurst. Ever since then, our environment has been ever-changing. From my Chicago roots to our home in Kansas City, nothing is the same. With that being said, the ideals behind reflection and discernment mean more than ever. Prior to COVID-19, I was a freshman who took pride in connecting with new people and organizations. I had a lot to keep myself occupied and rarely did I take time to sit back and enjoy time for myself when it was necessary. This was amplified as soon we all moved out back in March of this year. For my fellow students and faculty members at the Rock, it meant saying goodbye to the way of life we all knew and loved. My level of enthusiasm was beginning to sink and I needed to do something about that. If there’s one good thing about the Stay-at-Home order and solitary confinement, it brought me many opportunities to reflect. I’d think about everything that made me who I was up until that point; my faith in God, my grades, the people I associate with, and my desire to make change. It was excellent for me to find outlets during these times to reflect. Going on walks and exploring the new area of Chicago that I moved to was imperative for me. Throughout this time, one thing became very clear to me. I was generally dissatisfied. I was not doing enough to accomplish my goals. I watched my values slip away from me and instead of accepting accountability, I originally blamed the Pandemic.

At some point, if one hopes to grow, they must become upset at the thought of complacency. For without desire, there is no growth. Reflecting allowed me to realize that I was scared to change and be better. Many of us have waited patiently for things in the world to return “back to normal”. I had an epiphany that showed me that it was time to set my intentions on a new vision. This meant adjusting to the new way of life that COVID has brought upon us all, maintaining opportunities and relationships accordingly, and continuing to act with compassion for ourselves and others. Reflecting on a consistent basis has allowed me to keep growing through the good and bad. I thank God for the lessons that I’ve learned through reflection and discernment and I plan to build on my success during 2021.

Mario Cuevas is a first-gen LatinX student at Rockhurst studying Civil Engineering. He is also serving his second term as President of the Student Organization of Latinos (SOL), an organization aimed to provide a community for other POC, especially other LatinX students. He is born and raised in KC and hopes to be able to give back to his community, specifically, the historic northeast.

Oftentimes I have run into situations where I have to ask myself, “What am I supposed to do now?” I get anxious and realize how full my plate always seems to be. There is always another assignment, another meeting, another commitment that needs attention. It then becomes difficult for me to understand my, “why.” Why am I doing this? Why am I here? Why why why? I seem to run into the same set of questions every now and then but I always seem to find a way to keep moving forward, or as my mother and I like to say, “para seguir adelante.”

I remember taking a course with the amazing Dr. Rocio Duncan where we watched Latin American films and analyzed the films thematically. For our final project in the class, we were asked to construct a short film that detailed some sort of social injustice. My project consisted of detailing the life of my mother and I. My goal of the project was to highlight the different perspectives of a first-generation LatinX college student, and a first-generation migrant. The short film dug into my mother’s personal struggles, which include having to work endlessly to support a family of 4, caring for my older brother with special needs, and doing her best to make sure we could live out our dreams. From my perspective, I shared about the difficulties of being a first generation LatinX student at a predominantly white institution (PWI), having to forge a path on my own, and having to deal with the “burden” of making sure I reach success so that my mother’s sacrifices would be worth it. I placed the word burden in quotes because when things get tough, I have to remind myself that I am not just here for myself. I am here because I want my mother to know that all of her hard work paid off and I want to prove to myself that I can and will be the first in my family to graduate from college. I have people I want to make proud, I have people that look up to me, I have ambitions and goals that I hope to reach one day. Creating that film taught me so much about myself, but only because I was willing to really reflect upon where I am and how I got here.

My mother and I love to throw the phrase, “para seguir adelante,” around because we know that there is always something at stake. Which brings me back to my “why.” I am more than grateful for where I am at the moment. When things do not seem to go my way, it helps to remind myself of who I am here for, who I am called to be, and what I am called to do. I know I will do what it takes to keep moving forward.

Natalia Kruszczak is a senior from Omaha, NE. She is studying physics of medicine and psychology on the pre-med track. She plans to take a gap year before medical school, continuing her job at KU Medical Center. On campus, Natalia is involved in Student Activities Board, Student Ambassadors, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Phi Delta Epsilon, and works as a Learning Center tutor. In her free time, she enjoys crafting and spending quality time with family and friends.

One of the greatest gifts Rockhurst has to offer is the opportunity to become involved on campus. This enhances the experience as a whole and promotes growth towards a life for and with others. I have been very fortunate to engage as a student leader during my time at Rockhurst, and one experience in particular has greatly contributed to my personal development. Student Activities Board holds the mission to create diverse and inclusive programming that targets current students’ needs, allowing them to truly find their home at Rockhurst. Serving as the SAB president during a unique year has been one of the most challenging and fruitful opportunities I could ever ask for. It has pushed me to embrace what it means to reflect and discern.

Through reflection and discernment, I continue to ask myself, “What can we do better? What needs to be changed to accommodate new students in this new environment? How does this affect all types of students?” At the surface, this task is intimidating and feels destined for failure. But striving to create a space where students are welcome to share their experiences provides me with a sense of guidance; we succeed together. This has allowed for more intentional and fulfilling programming, upon which our organization is built. I find reflection and discernment incredibly beneficial as we in SAB strive to welcome and advocate for all students, regardless of circumstances. This is a mission rooted in humility that allows me to continue my journey of becoming who I am meant to be at Rockhurst and beyond.

Kat Dolan, to the horror of many, left Georgetown halfway through her junior year. She got a therapist and spent a few years as a studio assistant and failed painter before attending The Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Canada. For over a decade, Kat worked and travelled as a pastry chef in Vancouver, Charleston, New Orleans, Austin and Kansas City. Fifteen months ago Kat enrolled at Rockhurst. Since then, she purchased and renovated a home in Brookside, got a second pug, and completed her degree in psychology. Kat recently married a man named Eric on her front lawn in a ceremony officiated by Professor Glenn Young. Kat should find a paying adult job soon, but she is going to start panicking about that in January. She would like to thank Dr. Stack, Dr. Clune, Dr. Brown, Dr. Nicolai, and Dr. Young who, whether they know it or not, kept her from succumbing to doubt that first semester.

The coming of Christmas means that Catholics are currently in the midst of Advent. A season which prepares to celebrate the birth of a messiah. These four Sundays are often sermoned as a journey toward Bethlehem. Presaging rituals to come, the name Bethlehem translates from Hebrew as “House of Bread”; a place of both safety and sustenance. It is these perennial facets of the Nativity story that I have chosen to incorporate in this reflection. At its worst, private education consists of Herodian kingdoms from which many find themselves escaping, exiled, excluded, or extinguished. At its best, private education serves as an intimate refuge for birth and transformation. In this manner, Rockhurst has been a Bethlehem in my life.

In January of 2019, I showed up to campus for an appointment with Kylee Soucie, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions at Rockhurst. I was a 35-year old woman looking to transition out of restaurant work by finishing a long-abandoned bachelor’s degree. I felt terrified and foolish, but, as Kylee sat across a fluorescent lit conference table quietly explaining the ways she felt it was feasible, I believed her. I went home, submitted the application, and was accepted. I received notification of scholarships which meant I could afford attendance. Kylie spent months tracking down pre-computerized course descriptions from basement file cabinets on the East Coast to ensure my credits transferred. In July, I was enrolled in summer school. By September 2019, I was a full-time student. This month, I am graduating. All of it born from a single act of welcome; a single innkeeper saying yes. I will forever hold the administration, faculty, and student body of Rockhurst in the grip of my heart.

I wish I could tell you what happens next. Like many soon-to-be grads, I have few ready answers for the questions of who am I called to be and what am I called to do - such questions may take me a lifetime. I know only that as I grow older, I am made far less uncomfortable by uncertainty. Cooks usually get off work between midnight and 1 am. For 12 years, I ended a shift exiting a restaurant’s back alley door to find my way toward the next day in the dark. I journey less at night now but still toward cloaked destinations guided by constellations of faith. We are each of us propelled by the pace of our own need, fleeing our own foes, listening for the sounds of magi.

Maggie Gerards is a senior studying Economics, Spanish, and History. She is originally from Omaha, NE but considers herself a KC local at this point. She works as a part-time Innovation Associate for a company in Omaha and is also the Executive Vice President of Student Senate. Maggie spends her free time with her roommates watching endless cycles of ER, exploring new coffee shops, and hanging out on her porch with friends (with masks of course!) If you ever want to talk about life, true crime, or gardening, Maggie is your gal.

This past year has been a full of exploration and growth. Like everybody else, I have had to learn to live in a “new normal” (although I don’t love that phrase) and adjust to changes in my life. This year has also been a challenging year for my mental health. Last winter, I was struggling with anxiety and was diagnosed with depression. It changed the way I approached my day-to-day life and my interactions with the world around me. When March hit and we moved everything online, I was given a moment to stop, slow down, and reflect on life around me. The months before had been a flurry of being overwhelmed with schoolwork, trying to stay on top of my mental health, and just the general rush to find a summer job. I now had more free time and a chance to focus on what made me happy and what didn’t. I found a new therapist and I worked with her to reflect on things for which and people for whom I was thankful, even in the darkest moments. I had an incredible support system of friends and family who were there for me, I was in classes I enjoyed, and I had a job for the summer that wasn’t working retail (woo!). It can often be difficult to find joy and gratitude in times when everything seems chaotic and topsy turvy, but I found that taking even five minutes to stop what I am doing, and pause has been incredibly beneficial. I have never been a big fan of reflection (I find it kind of awkward) but I have learned over this past year that reflection does not necessarily mean meditation. It can look like making a cup of coffee and not thinking about anything else, or it can be crocheting while listening to my favorite podcast. As long as it is a moment to step away and change the course of my thoughts, it is a moment of reflection to me.

Amy Morgan is a junior from St. Louis. She is majoring in Elementary Education and Spanish and will student teach in the fall. She is also president of Rockhurst’s chapter of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship and is passionate about engaging in conversations about God. When she’s not working as a tutor, she enjoys finding animals to pet and exploring new hiking spots.

At the very beginning of my Rockhurst experience, probably a couple of weeks into my Intro to Education class freshman year, Fr. Curran visited as a guest speaker. He gave us lots of good teaching advice, but what really stuck with me was his encouragement to reflect daily. As a future teacher, I knew reflection over my job would be incredibly important for growing as an educator, but that wasn’t all Fr. Curran talked about. He suggested we keep a daily journal with prompts of our own making-- anything that helped us find key takeaways from the day. I took this advice to heart and began with 9 different prompts, trying to write all these different things and go in-depth on all of them. However, as is the story of many journaling attempts, I couldn’t keep up with it. I seemed to be drowning in all those entries and trying to force every little detail from my day. Finally, I changed the prompt to one simple sentence starter: “I am thankful to God for…” Instead of trying to hold myself to an overly high standard of reflection, I found that simple gratitude at the end of each day did wonders for my positivity and relationship with God. Even on bad days, there was always some way I had been blessed. God walks with us through the mountains and the valleys. He is always faithful to his promises, even when we can’t see it. Most of the time, it’s only a matter of actually looking for it— and reflection is a tool that helps us do that. Remembering the times when God has been faithful helps remind us that he will continue to be. Reflection doesn’t have to be a grand thing or a single profound moment in one’s life, it can simply be taking the time to stop and thank God for something he is doing. Now, when I look back at all the blessings God has showered down on me, I can thank him again and again for his faithfulness.

Ryan Barber is currently a Junior at Rockhurst, studying Political Science, English, and French. What he will do with these is unknown at the moment, but he’s confident that he’ll figure it out sometime Senior year. He’s lived in Kansas City his entire life and would ideally like to find a job here after college. Other than school, he spends his time hanging out with his friends and family or working as a catering team member at his local Hy-Vee. Ryan wants to thank friends, family, as well as many professors, including his advisors Dr. Ringenberg, Dr. Barnett, and Dr. Madigan for helping him in one of the strangest semesters he’s ever had in school, and he hopes that everyone has a great second semester of the school year.

I vividly remember deciding to enter college as a student with no set major path. While that level of uncertainty was certainly scary, I knew deep down that it was the right decision. However, that meant that my first year of college required a lot more than just going through the motions in class. This initially taught me what it means to truly reflect on the importance of everyday life. I evaluated every class I took at the end the day and asked myself if that might be what I want to pursue in the future. Luckily, I was not alone in this journey, which is one of many misconceptions I held when entering college undecided. Specifically, Rockhurst faculty and staff provided me with a lot of help, and even the new friends I made encouraged me to follow the movements inside my heart.

Nevertheless, I knew that, ultimately, the choice of a major would be mine to make. This knowledge invited me to even deeper reflection, as I discerned what path might provide me with the greatest sense of purpose and would facilitate both personal fulfillment and allow me to advance the common good. I would love to say that this story has a clean, tidy end, but my life still contains a lot of uncertainty. I’ve successfully discerned, with the help of many professors and other faculty, what majors I want to pursue, but I’m not fully sure what I want to do with them at this point. I feel as though this is important because it shows that reflection and discernment aren’t just isolated acts in which a person reflects, discerns, decides, and that’s it. Rather, we spend our entire lives reflecting and discerning whether we realize it or not, and it is through this process that we’re able to figure out better options. Whether it be after doing service, after working, or simply after attending class, I always find myself reflecting on my experiences and discerning how I can use them to make life better for myself and those around me. Therefore, the value of reflection and discernment is one that I cherish greatly; every day I spend at Rockhurst only makes me cherish it more.

Anthony Gurera Anthony Gurera is a senior from Kansas City, majoring in Finance. He plans on working in the financial services industry upon graduation in May. He is also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha. Anthony is a proud dog dad and enjoys watching the Chiefs in his free time.

In this fast pace world, it is easy to get caught up in the day to day. We can become robotic, cycling through the same mundane routine between the rising and setting of the sun. While I believe it is important to have a daily rhythm, for me it is just as important to spend time stepping outside of that routine to reorient and recharge. This is where intentional reflection enters my life as a Rockhurst student. During the school year, I balance many little things: Greek life, work, relationships, social interaction, and actual schoolwork. Self-assessment made me realize that I was unable to gracefully balance it all. I would intensely focus on one area only to neglect another important item. I realized I was pushing to finish one chore and then, without pause, I’d proceed onto the next. I was not truly enjoying anything. I operated as a checker of tasks, methodically completing responsibilities from my always filling to-do list.

Solving this problem was not something I did overnight. My first attempt to solve this problem: reduce the number of activities in which I was involved. Turns out that just left me with a significant case of FOMO. I realized the successful areas in my life were areas to which I brought intentionality, thoughtfulness, and head/heart attention. This is how I realized implementing reflection into everything I do not only helps me achieve the task at hand but allows me to be in the moment and enjoy my surroundings. Ferris Buehler (from the classic 1980’s movie, Ferris Buehler’s Day Off) once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Does anyone know if he’s a Rockhurst grad?

Kate Ludwig is a senior at Rockhurst, studying Political Science while minoring in environmental studies and economics. In her free time, she enjoys crafting of all kinds but specifically making stained glass. Kate also loves being outside with her dog honey and going on lots of walks.

Upon my arrival at Rockhurst, I was unfamiliar with all things Jesuit. I knew nothing about the history of the Society of Jesus, their widespread mission in today’s world, or the values and vision that guide the Jesuits and their institutions. As my time at Rockhurst continued, my eyes were quickly opened to a different kind of living: intentional living. Over the years, I have come to learn that Jesuit intentionality demands and is directly linked to reflection and discernment.

When becoming aware of the impacts that result from the embodiment of these values, the idea of intentional living soaked into my heart. Now, when going about my daily life, I regularly reflect upon events, conversations, feelings, and people. A specific area in which I have been invited to reflect and discern is within my work on the university’s Sustainability Committee. Within the Sustainability Committee, I have had the opportunity to reflect upon climate change’s disproportionate impact upon marginalized people. This injustice informs our committee work and has inspired/encouraged me to devote my life to addressing the intersectionality of environment degradation and equity. Through practicing reflection & discernment, I am becoming the most intentional version of myself and will be able to better serve others and advocate for change.

Katia Rubio is a first-generation student from Heber Springs, Arkansas. She is currently a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering with the hope of becoming a biomaterials developer who works with prosthetics and living tissue.

I have never felt like I truly belonged somewhere. I do not say this just to be quirky and unique. Even in high school with my close friend group I still felt like an outsider. That is why I was so scared to come to Rockhurst. Coming from a small town with only two traffic lights to a major city is a bit overwhelming. I feared that I would feel like such an outcast and not have any friends, especially in a pandemic when we are required to keep six feet apart and cover half of our faces.

My first day at Rockhurst found me lost and scared. I knew nobody and just felt so alone. When Orientation came around I finally started meeting people and realizing I have so much in common with others. After the first week I connected with people, especially two people. I really felt like I belonged here at Rockhurst. As the semester continued, I found myself picking up habits from my friends that made me grow as a student and overall as a person.

My college years will likely play a major role in shaping me and determining my future, as crazy as it seems. That is why being in an atmosphere that allows me to develop and become a successful individual is essential. Surrounding myself with supportive, affirming, and positive people is crucial. I pause and reflect every few months to focus on where and who I am to seek confirmation from God that I am on the path to more fully becoming who I was created to be. It was a huge jump for me to come to Rockhurst, and it took courage to put myself “out there” during Orientation, but combining risk-taking with regular reflection is turning me into a better person. As hard as it can be to set aside time to reflect, it is worth it.

Khiara Cox is a freshman here at Rockhurst. She is undecided on a major, yet she is involved in many facets of the Rockhurst community: women’s soccer, Student Senate, ASA, and the university’s Sustainability Committee. When asked what her favorite animal is, her answer is dragons.

As humans, we all have an instinct to find and fulfill our purpose. The thought of missing out on that opportunity brings regret and madness to one’s mind. Often times we look to God or to our passions to be able to reach our goals and have a content life. As stated in my biography, I am undecided on my major. I felt constant internal pressure because of it. Not knowing my future affected my attitude and clogged my ability to seek greater knowledge. I have learned that finding and fulfilling my purpose is a lifelong journey and it is okay to be unsure of it. That is why I decided to be in the small percentage at Rockhurst that is in the “undetermined” category. The environment at Rockhurst welcomed this decision. No one here has pressured me; I have only received helpful energy. This is the place where I found the importance of reflection. As someone who likes to stay busy, I never took the time to understand the value of being able to look back and learn from my past. This is the key to understanding my future and growing as human.

As I began to embrace reflection as necessity, I contacted Career Services to get a grasp on where my head was regarding my future. I took a handful of tests and I enrolled in a course that would explore career choices in depth. While taking these assessments I had to reflect on myself as a person, Christian, friend, and so much more. I never took the time to do so and by doing this I learned so much about myself and the opportunities that could lead me to my “purpose.” I am beyond grateful to be on a campus where the community views uncertainty as opportunity and has the people and resources to foster my ability to reflect, discern, and grow.

Anyae Williams is a junior from Belleville, Illinois, majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Psychology. She plans to further her studies by attending medical school in the pursuit of a Doctor of Medicine degree. Her end goal is to become a Neonatologist, but for the time being she loves spending time with close friends, exploring the city, and binge watching Netflix.

When I first came to Rockhurst, I was beyond nervous and maybe even a bit scared. I still remember getting out of the car and just staring at my mom. She asked me what was wrong, and my answer was quite simple, “I’m scared”. I had ever been on my own before, but what I soon came to realize was that being at Rockhurst never made me feel alone. Coming from a high school with more than two thousand students, it was normal for me to feel overlooked and invisible. Here, I never felt invisible.

Being a freshman all over again, at not just a new school, but a new state, was as exciting as it was terrifying. I have so many memories that I hold dear to my heart that trying to talk about them could lead to my own personal book: A Great Life at Rockhurst University. But one experience that is forever on my heart and mind is Retreat on the Rock. I entered the retreat with no expectations, never expecting the profound change that was about to occur. The retreat gave me the opportunity to meet and bond with new people and to discover myself in faith. That weekend was when I really realized what it meant to reflect and discern. Reflecting on myself, my community, and my academics has really changed my life for the better. Sometimes I experience moments in which I feel overwhelmed; having learned how to pause, survey my situation to gain perspective, and express gratitude is truly a blessing.

It took a lot of self-reflecting and deep-rooted discernment to become the woman that I am today, but to be completely honest, I do not think I would have progressed nearly as far without the love, friendships, and faith that Rockhurst has granted me. Here I am today, a junior, surrounded by an amazing group of people who look out for me as I them. This network of loving and caring people makes the hard times not as hard and the bad days not as bad. It all makes me beyond grateful to attend Rockhurst University!

Kelsey Klipfel is a freshman from Lee’s Summit, Missouri. At Rockhurst University, she is part of the Rockstar Program, the RU Ambassador Program, and is the President of Nurses Christian Fellowship. She is majoring in Nursing and plans to work as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurse after graduation. Kelsey loves listening to country music, running with her dog, and spending time with her family and friends on a nearby lake.

In June of 2010, at the tender age of eight years old, I experienced a tragic loss that defines who I am today. On that fateful day ten years ago, I learned that the baby brother I was eagerly anticipating with my family was unexpectedly stillborn at eight months gestation. The loss of my baby brother turned my faith and my life upside down for many months. It is a grief like nothing I have ever experienced. While time has helped heal some of the deepest pain of this profound loss, I have found a gift from my brother’s brief life that is far greater than the passage of time could ever provide. I continually look to that fateful day as a benchmark in my life for who I am called to be and what I am called to do. That day consistently gives me pause to reflect and consider nearly every decision I make. I want to see my brother again and I want to give his life meaning through the choices I make in my own life.

My brother’s death is the defining point in my life that started my journey to pursuing a career in nursing and led me to Rockhurst. His passing also helped me realize that there is a large community that has kept quiet on the subject of stillbirth. Despite the fact that approximately 24,000 babies are stillborn in the United States each year, discussion of stillbirth is considered a taboo subject. It makes people uncomfortable to talk about the reality that babies can die deep into a pregnancy. My own experience with stillbirth has made me comfortable with this uncomfortable topic. I can appreciate the need for families to talk about their loved one and to say their dead child’s name. I can be a compassionate listener and wear my heart on my sleeve. I can advocate for more research, awareness, and funding on pregnancy and infant loss. Simply put, I can, and am called, to do hard things (like study microbiology!). Life is short and personal experiences have shown me that it can be over before it even really begins. I honor my baby brother each day through my actions, words, and deeds. My love for Connor calls me to nursing as my passion. Supported by my faith, he is my life compass and Rockhurst’s core values are my guide.

Jalea Scott is a first-year student from St. Louis, Missouri majoring in Nonprofit Leadership. When she’s not dreaming about/planning for the establishment of her future homeless shelter, you might find her watching her favorite childhood movies and shows.

Growing up, my family and I struggled to make ends meet. We eventually became homeless. During this unfortunate period of my life, we moved into a local homeless shelter. Being homeless showed me that the world can be cruel a place. Most people believe that all homeless individuals do absolutely nothing to change their life for the better. But, that is not always the case. Being homeless is a traumatic experience and people need the best resources to help them get back on their feet for the rest of their lives. From my experience, underfunded homeless shelters cannot provide effective services to individuals and their families. When people do not have those services in their communities, they neither thrive nor persevere. Eventually, the conditions of my environment overwhelmingly drained me physically and mentally. I began to lose all hope. I could not envision a successful future. I realized that I could no longer carry this heavy load of pain. I eventually took back control of my life. I decided to use my experience of suffering as inspiration.

The only thing that kept me going was the idea of attending college at Rockhurst University and starting my life over. I would not allow anyone or anything to stop me from getting my diploma. I did whatever it took to finish high school because that was not the life that I was supposed to be living. I made this promise to myself: once I graduate high school and earn my Masters’ degree in nonprofit leadership, I will fight to help families who struggle. I will build my homeless shelter. The homeless shelter will offer on-site job training, financial management classes, and, most importantly, support groups to help individuals get through tough times because no one deserves to live like that. Furthermore, during my time at Rockhurst, I hope that I can encourage others to listen to the voices of people experiencing homelessness and invite them to discern how they might be called to respond. Maybe they can work or volunteer at my homeless shelter someday!

Santiago RodriguezVillegas is a junior hailing from Bogata, Columbia. He is a member of the varsity tennis team, lover of meditation and a Philosophical Phanatic!

The philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “any human being who does not wish to be part of the masses need only stop making things easy for himself”. And, without a doubt, he was right when he said so. That is the reason so many people are getting out of their comfort zone nowadays. Nevertheless, the fact that he was correct does not imply by nature that he was happy.

Happiness, as I have learned through reflecting upon my journey at Rockhurst, is something much deeper. In my early years, I did not choose to make things difficult, but circumstances in my family or origin ensured that my life was not easy. I was born and raised in a house that was lacking a dad. This because my dad on Earth was and is an alcoholic. Through reflection I have come to be grateful for the growth that this has provided me. I feel like my childhood is helping me become the person that my heavenly Father intends for me to become: a person of true happiness. As my mom (the wisest person there is on Earth) always says, “humanity is going through a change of era”. This message is beautiful, just like my mom is. Because of this simple fact, I wish that every person at this sacred college will develop the deep character to understand that society has the wrong definition of happiness. For me, happiness has to do with connecting with my inner consciousness which leads to acceptance, openness, and charity. Through reflection, I can see that I am on a path toward this true happiness.

Grace Komaromi is a graduating senior majoring in Exercise Science, and in June she begins Physical Therapy school at Mizzou. Faith, the joy of the gospel, and her mission as a disciple of Christ to love others and strive for sanctity are her biggest pursuits. In her free time, she enjoys staying active and getting outside, reading, baking/cooking, going on adventures and spending time with loved ones.

Coming to Rockhurst has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. We are so often unaware of the possibilities and growth that await us with new opportunities—unexpectant of what beautiful transformations are to come. Before a great adventure, we may have dreams or hopes of what we envision will happen, but we cannot know what awaits us until we come out the other side. I came here unaware of the masterpiece that God had in mind in these transformational 4 years at Rockhurst. Each day might not have felt like much had changed or that I had grown, but God was working extraordinary things in my heart. I went through many challenges, as we all do, but there was always a helping hand, a kind friend, a warm embrace, and most of all Jesus there to comfort my heart and pull me through. If I can impart anything to you as we close out the year, it is that you are so loved. You are so good, and you are meant to be here. College is a scary time of growth and change, but it is in these moments where we can most surrender ourselves to Jesus on the cross and unite our hearts with him. Look for the light and the love; lean into the graces so readily available to you. Jesus wants to shower you with his friendship and affection-he marvels at the goodness of your inimitable soul. The challenges we face in this life have been redeemed by Jesus Christ’s offering of himself on the cross, and the suffering of this world is transformed into joy and the sweet taste of eternal life with God in eternity. “May you see tomorrow for what it really is – God’s home; a truth more certain than the taunts of fear and chaos, a promise that whatever tomorrow brings, it’s held in the womb of Love.” -Commoners Communion

Maria Schaefer is a first year student majoring in nursing. After college she hopes to become a nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit. Right now she loves spending time with her friends and family and being outdoors.

When deciding on a college, I was torn between Rockhurst University and another Midwestern college. Both schools had what I wanted in terms of major, so choosing wasn’t easy. I couldn’t determine if I wanted to travel hundreds of miles away or stay close to my family in Kansas City. Deciding where I wanted to attend school invited me to reflect on what I desired in a university and what path I wanted to take.

I (obviously!) ended up choosing Rockhurst. However, I felt at some points that I made the wrong decision because the first semester didn’t come easily. I didn’t have a solid group of friends which made it more difficult. Additionally, one of my best friends from high school ended up attending that other Midwestern school; I felt separated from her and I almost regretted my decision to not accompany her. Over the course of the first semester and winter break, I reflected upon and discerned the possibility of transferring.

During my Christmas break reflection and discernment, I considered many factors and prayed over many aspects of my college experience. Eventually, deciding to remain planted at Rockhurst gave me an inner peace. Ignatius would call this Consolation. It didn’t come fast, but I came to know that there are many growth experiences for me at Rockhurst. Reflection and discernment are important elements of college life. I believe that if I take the time to engage tough decisions, an opportunity to choose “the better” will likely arise. Ultimately, I am glad I stayed here at Rockhurst because I have made some of my best friends and made some amazing memories!

Trinity Hodges is a junior from St. Louis, MO pursing a double major in Business Analytics and French along with a minor in Theater/Film Arts. She is very active in the Theater department and Rockhurst's Black Student Union. In her free time, she loves to go to the park and discover new music.

My time at Rockhurst has brought me some of the most amazing people in my life; I’ve bonded with so many students here. Even though the pandemic curtailed relationship building with my peers, I was able to engage in reflection while I was separated from campus and my friends. This time last year I was at home, in St. Louis, and I genuinely didn’t know when I would be coming back. However, the extended period of time during which I didn’t get to see anyone made me really appreciate the people I have in my life. Reflection has helped me see the truth in people, acknowledge what relationships are truly important to me, and nourish/strengthen those bonds. This has affected how I treat those around me, and I believe it has helped me become a better person overall. Not only was I able to reflect upon my relationships, but upon myself as well. Spending time by myself allowed me to really know myself and the aspects of myself upon which I would like to improve. I considered how I interact with others and sat with the question, “Why do I sometimes struggle to genuinely get to know people?”

I remember my first and only in-person 2020 fall semester class. I brimmed with happiness because I finally had human interaction! Seeing my class of about 14 people boosted my mood immediately and I actively began cultivating my relationships with those in the classroom. I feel that now as we are getting closer and closer to being back to normal, the reflection and related adjustments from my pandemic solitude are helping me to engage in more meaningful relationships.

Sarah Barkofske is a graduating senior who is studying nursing. She originally hails from St. Louis but will be staying in KCMO after graduation to work as a NICU nurse at Overland Park Regional. Sarah enjoys springtime walks, coffee on the porch, and any song by Van Morrison. Fun fact: Sarah was named after the Triceratops in “Land Before Time!”

If there ever was a “perfect” year to have Reflection and Discernment as our core value of emphasis, this year is it. The past year has been nothing short of hectic, disorienting, and stressful. Reflection has played an important role in helping me find balance through this all. As this is my last year here, I have felt very reflective about my time at Rockhurst. I am incredibly thankful for the community that Rockhurst has given me: the friends, mentors, and teachers. Furthermore, as I reflect back on the past four years, I have come to realize that Rockhurst has shaped me into the person I am today. I have grown in both faith and character. I have come to treasure and prioritize the Jesuit Core Values. They have played an increasingly important role in my life as I prepare to head into my future career and post-grad life. As I reflect on my new job as a NICU nurse, I feel that Rockhurst and its Jesuit Core Values have shaped how I am approaching my career and the people I will care for. I am ready to “go forth and set the world on fire!”