Wow, it seems like yesterday when I arrived on the campus of Ave Maria University for my first New Staff Training with FOCUS. My thoughts going into FOCUS were that I was going to be a missionary for two years, leave, get a traditional job (or get married and be a stay-at-home mom) and move on with my life, post-FOCUS. Clearly that is not what happened! I truly fell in love with the Great Commission and couldn’t see myself leaving this amazing organization anytime soon! Now here I am, entering my 7th year with FOCUS and feeling greatly blessed by the Lord in all He’s accomplished through me and given me these past 7 years. 

My first 2 years on campus, I served as a missionary at the University of Wisconsin – Platteville. After eating enough cheese curds to last a lifetime, I moved back to the great state of Minnesota and served at Winona State University. I was getting good at my job as a missionary and was also becoming comfortable in the role. That’s when the Lord invited me to take a step in leadership and asked me to be a Team Director. I can’t say ‘no’ to the Lord, so that’s how I became the TD at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) for 2 years. My last year at IUPUI, I met my husband, Jacob, and discerned the Lord was asking me to step back from campus-life for the sake of family-life and move into a remote role.

My new role is Program Director for the North Area. I get to now work on the North Area Team under the supervision of my Area Director and alongside 6 Regional Directors and 2 other Program Directors. We are a remote team serving 33 campuses and 3 parishes in an 8-state area (MN, WI, IA, MO, MI, IN, IL, OH). I am like the mom of the Area (along with my two other PD’s) – we do a lot of the behind the scenes work that you don’t realize happens until you enter into that role. Then you’re like, ‘Oh wow, that didn’t just magically happen; my mom did all those things for me to set me up for success and make my life a little easier.’ Essentially, my role is summed up by this beautiful quote by St. Teresa of Calcutta: “Do small things with great love.”

By the grace of God, I encountered Jesus through the presence of FOCUS in college while attending North Dakota State University. I was blessed to be nurtured and brought up in a strong, Catholic household, and I knew that I wanted to keep Jesus as a part of my life and to learn more about my faith as I went off to NDSU. FOCUS taught me to invite Jesus to be the center of my life and into everything I do. I discovered the importance of a personal relationship with Christ and Christ-centered friendships.

Through much prayer, the Lord called me to be His missionary by giving back to the Church through service on college campuses. Because I have experienced His love, joy, and peace, my heart desires to let the Lord use me so that He can reach out, through me, to the students He’s entrusted to me and they can, too, experience His love, joy, and peace.

When I answered the call to join FOCUS, I made the decision to rely on the spiritual and financial support of mission partners to help me through this mission. I’ve been blessed with the most amazing people who have journeyed with me as I serve on campus. If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know of the best way to reach you and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you. Thank you so much for your generosity! God bless! 

“Some give by going. Some go by giving.” –St. Therese of Lisuiex (Patroness of FOCUS)