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What extra-curricular activities are you involved in at school and what do you enjoy doing in your spare time? I am a full time student at NDSU, pursuing a degree in nursing. I am also involved in a few organizations on campus. I am the president of Alpha Gamma Delta sorority and am serving as the president of the College of Health Professions Ambassadors. I am a part of Order of Omega Honor Society and Bison Ambassadors as well. I love all of these organizations and I have grown as a leader through my involvement on campus. I am also working as a nurse assistant in the critical care unit at Essentia Health in Fargo. This job has allowed me to learn about my future career as a nurse.
What or who has inspired you in your life and in your faith? One person who has inspired me in my life is my mom, Dawn. She has always been a role model for me, especially in her faith.
What experiences in your life have impacted you/your faith and what have you done with that? During high school, I had the opportunity to go on two mission trips through St. Joseph’s. These two experiences were turning points in my faith as they showed me the importance of serving the less fortunate. These experiences also helped me grow in my faith through the programming that occurred in the evenings. My fiancé, Ben, went on both of these trips as well and I believe they helped us find a focus on God in our relationship. Some of our favorite memories were made through those experiences.
This is your second year as a youth minister. What do you hope to teach the youth? As someone who was involved in St. Joseph’s youth ministry through middle and high school, I have seen the important role that youth ministers play in the lives of the students. I desire to leave a positive impact on the lives of the students and serve the Lord through my work. I am motivated by seeing the students grow in their faith and develop as children of God.
What does stewardship mean to you? To me, stewardship means leading others to be the best versions of themselves in every aspect of life.
You are currently a college student at NDSU. What is next for you? I am planning to graduate in May of 2020 and I am not 100% sure what I will do after that. I plan to relocate after graduation to be with Ben, wherever the Army places him. I hope to work as a nurse for a few years and then eventually go back to school to become a nurse practitioner.
What is stewardship to the youth as a youth minister like? Being a youth minister for St. Joseph’s has been a blessing. I have met so many incredible students and grown as a child of God myself. Serving the church in this way has been very rewarding but also difficult at times. Leading a group of fifty 6 th and 7 th graders isn’t always the easiest! But I have grown in my passion for Christ, my patience, and love for serving the youth. The youth ministry program at St. Joseph’s is unlike any other. Melissa does an amazing job reaching out to all of the youth and helping them get involved in the church. My favorite part of youth ministry is spending time at youth group on Wednesday nights with the students. They are all very fun to be around and it empowers me to grow deeper in my faith when I see how invested they are in their own faith. Overall, I couldn’t be more thankful to have this opportunity to serve the Lord and the youth of our parish.