Hometown
Cleveland, OH

Undergraduate Institute and Major
The Catholic University of America, Theology and Religious Studies

Current Position
Theology Teacher and Drama Director, St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, OH

My Experience
My most meaningful class has been Franciscan Spirituality with Sr. Meg Guider. I loved this class because it so excellently combined Church history, spirituality, and ministerial practices. It was one of my first in-person classes at the STM, where each student was given the opportunity to be vulnerable, pray together, and learn a lot about a tradition that often goes unnoticed at a Jesuit school!

Why STM?
The STM has allowed me to pursue a rigorous theological education rooted in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition while actively applying what I learn in the classroom to my ministry. I am so grateful that I could continue my fulltime work in ministry while also deepening my craft with students all over the world.

Hometown
Vienna, VA

Undergraduate Institution and Major
University of Notre Dame, Majors: Music & Spanish, Minors: Education, Schooling, and Society & Catholic Social Tradition 

Why STM?
STM is a place where I can flourish intellectually and spiritually within a community that supports me as I discern how I will enact change in the Church and the world. The expertise and mentorship of professors, the rich student life, and the commitment of the STM to justice in ministry inspire me daily and make the STM a place I love to be.

My Experience
I had the opportunity to complete a directed readings course with three STM faculty members that was a very meaningful experience for my personal and professional development at STM. It was incredible to be able to develop a syllabus, dive into important topics, and engage in this learning with faculty members drawing from their expertise in dialogue with the course materials. Throughout the process, I felt so supported in pursuing scholarship that mattered to me, and I will continue drawing from this experience in my future work.

Hometown
Stamford, CT

Undergraduate Institute and Major
University of Notre Dame, Theology and Spanish

Most Meaningful Experience
The most meaningful experience I've had in my time at the STM (so far!) was accompanying a group of BC undergraduates on an immersion trip to El Salvador in April of my first year. As a graduate assistant with the Arrupe International Immersion Program, I had spent countless hours making spreadsheets, sending emails, and getting to know the students I would travel with. It was incredible to see all this hard work come together on the immersion. Seeing hints of the Holy Spirit at work in an experience that I had helped to create for students still leaves me without words - but with the conviction that I'm on the right path.

My Experience
Besides the top-notch people, what I like most about the STM is that my academic coursework is paired with hands-on experience. For me, that experience comes through my graduate assistantship, teaching confirmation class, and practical components of some of my classes (such as giving homilies in Preaching and acting out conversations in Pastoral Care and Counseling).

Community
I love the community at the STM! Even after a year and a half, I am still astounded by how good the people are here. I appreciate that community time is blocked out in the STM schedule on Thursdays so I always have a chance to spend time with people. Mass, lunch, Student Forum, spikeball...the perfect Thursday routine with the best people.

Hometown
Pensacola, FL

Undergraduate Institute and Major
University of Notre Dame

Most Meaningful Course
Fr. Dunkle's Trinity in the Early Church course was fundamental to my academic formation. It was challenging and rigorous, but I was completely engaged in the material. Its intellectual rigor challenged my mind to its full extent; furthermore, the course reminded me that what the Trinity and other more "abstract" dogma should never be divorced from the lived experience of Christianity. This class and others have been an inspiration to pursue a doctorate in theology.

My Experience
The STM is a great fit for me because it emphasizes community without sacrificing any academic rigor. When applying for a MTS, a major priority for me was forming mentorships with faculty and students who take seriously their studies. In both respects the STM has fulfilled this desire. Faculty are strongly invested in the academic and overall career success of their students, and I have met wonderful students who inspire me to consider how my academic vocation will positively impact the life of the church. Along with this, the great breadth of courses available to students through the BTI, and especially the main campus, provide students many options for coursework. With this variety, students can tailor their degree to the theological interests and engage with doctoral classes and students, both at BC and across Boston.

Community
STM events, and especially the lunches following Thursday liturgy, have been a great way to foster community for me. Perhaps even more formative for me, though, are the casual and informal conversations and friendships I have formed in the classroom, walking by others in the library, and around campus. In these interactions, It is always encouraging to see familiar faces from the classroom in the library as we all try to journey in our learning together.

Hometown
Wantagh, New York

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Boston College, Philosophy and Psychology

Experience
My favorite course at the STM has been “Screening Theology,” where I was given the opportunity to see theological ideas come to life within popular films and television shows. Each student brought with them a different interpretation of the films we watched, allowing varying perspectives to raise new understandings within my own context. I thoroughly enjoyed the community created within the course as well as the newfound ways to see the content offered to us. 

Why STM?
The STM offers me the chance to learn and grow within my friendships between myself and other students. I have learned so much from my classmates and the experiences they bring with them, awakening me to nuance and diversity in thinking about theological concepts. I am grateful that the STM offers spaces both within the classroom and outside the classroom for open dialogue and conversation to commence, leaving me with a glimpse of how others see God at work in their lives. With every new conversation I have, whether that be with someone from a different place or different time in their life than myself, I am awakened to how I can expand my vision of God, Theology, and Ministry. Each new perspective I hear enriches my own, allowing a newfound joy and holiness to emerge within my life.

Community
Community at the STM is found in the genuine kindness of the students here. Everyone I have met at the STM has been profoundly compassionate and open, allowing friendships to flourish and create a comfortable space for so many individuals. I remember sitting outside my classrooms during the first week of school, and so many older students smiled at me and asked me how my day was going so far. Some of them even offered me their contact information in case I needed any help adjusting to graduate school. It is the little moments of care where people here go out of their way to ensure others are feeling safe and comfortable that truly make the community here so vibrant.

Home Country
Nigeria

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Catholic Institute of West Africa, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Bachelor's in Theology

My Experience
All classes were uniquely meaningful and enriching to me. The three key parts in Jesuits education: Being attentive, being reflective, and being loving, made a profound impact on me as a student of theology, and as a religious of the Sisters of Our Lady of Fatima whose spirituality is to seek first the kingdom of God in all things.

Hometown
Puerto Varas, Chile

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Theology, Pontifical Catholic University of Chile

My Experience
I have only been at the STM for one semester and I have already been able to build deep and meaningful friendships. I found people within the STM community that share many of my interests and attractions. This past semester I attended a doctoral seminar in the “Theology of Edward Schillebeeckx” where I encountered, not just classmates, but friends. A relation born out of shared theological concerns and passion for research.

Home City and Country
Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Kenyon College - Philosophy and American Studies

Why STM?
Through its curation of a robust and engaging academic experience, the STM has nurtured my calling to serve others and helped me to understand my vocation within the context of my faith beyond levels that I thought were possible.

My Experience
Having student life centralized in Simboli Hall is a huge part of what makes me feel part of the larger STM community. Just by going to class, I end up crossing paths and getting to catch up with all of my peers and instructors on regular basis, so feeling included and at-home aren't things that I have to strive for. They're both built in to the STM experience.

Hometown
Massapequa Park, NY

Undergraduate Institute and Major
University of Notre Dame, Theology

Current Positon
Ph.D. Student in Systematic Theology, BC Theology Department

Community
STM's Liturgy and Lunch is often the highlight of my week. I love praying together as a community of faith at St. Ignatius, witnessing the various gifts and ministries expressed in our worship together, and connecting with my classmates and professors over a shared meal afterward, celebrating who we are as the body of Christ.

Why STM?
STM takes seriously its mission as a school of theology *and* ministry in service of the global church. The community of scholars and ministers integrates rigorous intellectual engagement with pastoral experience, is rooted in the Catholic tradition and committed to ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, promotes intercultural learning and attention to social justice, cultivates Ignatian values and principles of discernment, and prioritizes spiritual formation, evident in the school's vibrant liturgical life. After my M.T.S., STM continues to nourish my deepening call to theological study and ministerial presence in service of the church. I am now pursuing the Ph.D.-S.T.L. as a joint program with the Theology Department, which will provide me with the theological background and pedagogical competence for teaching, research, and advising in various institutions of higher education and ministerial formation.

Most Meaningful Course
A highlight of my time at STM was a three-week summer course in the Holy Land called "In the Footsteps of Jesus" with other students from STM, Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, and Boston University School of Theology. At École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem, we learned from renowned Scripture scholars, and we traveled across Israel and Palestine to explore the culture, history, and topography of the biblical landscapes. Now, I cannot read Psalm 121:1-2 without recalling the majestic, rolling hills of the Judean desert or John 21:15 without thinking of the rocky shore of the Sea of Tiberias in the morning light.

Hometown
Solon, Iowa

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Loras College, B.S. in Biological Research

Meaningful Course
I really appreciate Sr. Barb Quinn's steady sense of hospitality and inclusivity that she extends to every student. I take Spiritual Formation with her and benefit from her wisdom inside the classroom, but I'm also struck by her example of doing ministry well as she loves the people around her so well.

Why STM?
The STM's academic environment is one where all of us are genuinely excited to be there, and the result is a vibrant classroom environment where you are learning from a diverse number of perspectives that really value the learning community they are a part of.

Home City and Country
Beijing, China

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Philosophy

Current Position
Project Manager at the China Historical Christian Database with Boston University

My Experience
My most meaningful classes are the ones through which I saw the beauty of the Catholic Church in a deeper way both in light of its respective historical context and of our global society today. One of my most profound experiences was when I was led to see the beginning of Genesis through a class on Buddhism that added greater appreciation of the Scripture and our Tradition. And I will be forever grateful for the many friends, especially the priests in formation, religious sisters and brothers whom I have shared a part of our journeys together. It is easy to take for granted a diverse student body in the U.S., but we shouldn't, especially not at STM, for we have so many totally consecrated lives to God from all over the globe. I've been greatly encouraged by how they have responded the callings and blessed to share prayers, liturgies and meals with them fostering our spiritual friendships.

Hometown
Dayton, Ohio

Undergraduate Institution
Boston College

Current Position
Senior Director Ethics, The Catholic Health Association of the United States

Most Meaningful
The most meaningful event was meeting my wife. The experience that helped me the most professionally was the willingness of professors to open my eyes to the wonderful ministry of Catholic health care.

Why STM?
STM does an outstanding job of building community for the students, faculty, and staff. The weekly Mass with lunch was an opportunity to break bread with one another and to have discussions that went beyond the syllabus of the classroom.

Hometown
Portland, OR

Undergraduate Institution and Major
University of San Diego; Biology and Theology and Religious Studies

Current Position
Medical Student; Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Georgia Campus

Why STM?
STM worked for me because it provided a space of exploration for academic and personal growth. As a medical student, so much mental energy is spent learning about anatomy, physiology, and pathology that you rarely have the space to reflect on the influence of illness on a person outside of these contexts. The classes I took on bioethics, ecology, suffering, death, sexuality, HIV/AIDS will undoubtedly make me a better and more compassionate physician. They provided me the space to reflect, debate, and learn about illness and institutions in a way that has been that I have been able to easily transfer into my medical education and practice. 

My Experience
My most meaningful class at the STM was Death and Dying with Melissa Kelley. As a medical student, I’ve spent the better part of the past three years learning ways to prolong my patients' lives and hopefully enable a certain quality of life. In Dr. Kelley's class, I learned how to talk about death as an experience of life that people approach, find meaning in, and cope with, in countless ways. Now I have a set of tools through which I may provide my patients and their families more compassionate care. Although early in my practice of medicine, I am already incredibly grateful for having learned at the STM how to better serve my patients as they encounter death.

Home City and Country
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Stonehill College, Religious Studies

My Experience
Thanks to the many courses at STM that opened for me a new perspective of theology, I now understand that learning theology is to learn how to know, love, and serve God in humanity, especially in the vulnerable and the poor who are also the image of God and the gift of God on the earth.

Hometown
South Bend, IN

Undergraduate Institute and Major
University of Notre Dame, Program of Liberal Studies

Most Meaningful Course
Popes and the Papacy with Professor Cathy Mooney and six other students. It was a challenging and fast moving class. I'm grateful I took the class during my first semester at the STM because it offered invaluable context and perspective on the Church and the way it has transformed over its 2000 year history. Additionally, our small class allowed us to get to know each other and develop a great rapport. Each of us were encouraged to explore our interests and share them with each other, and we built a learning community of curiosity and healthy skepticism. I also have some great Cathy-verified dinner party anecdotes about the papacy ready to pull out whenever the need arises.

My Experience
Everyone at the STM comes with unique experiences and goals, but the desire to do good in the world and continue to discover our vocations is there for everyone. The students, faculty, and staff share a common goal of discovering, recovering, and reimagining what the Church can be. 

Community
Before applying to the STM, I had never been to Boston and had one friend in the city. I anticipated that my first semester would be lonely and that I would primarily spend time with those in my MDiv cohort and my housemates. To my surprise, I was also welcomed by professors, administrators, and students from every degree program and graduation year. This spirit of hospitality continued throughout the semester, in and out of the classroom.

Hometown
Denver, CO

Previous Institutions
Creighton University - B.A. in Theology, with Co-Majors in History, and Justice & Peace Studies / University of Notre Dame - M.Ed. / STM - M.A.T.M.

Most Meaningful Experience
My personal spirituality and professional teaching style have always been incarnational and Ignatian, so Dr. Griffith's "Theological Anthropology and the Body" and Dr. Ryliskyte's "Pastoral Care as Theological and Transformative Practice" helped me explore both more intentionally. They helped me recover sacred parts of Scripture and Tradition while applying them to my current ministry and academics. I also developed a directed readings course, "Queering the New Testament," with Dr. McDargh from the BC Theology Department. Through this experience, he and the STM empowered me to examine my own spiritual life and my future ministerial and doctoral work.

My Experience
My academics, ministerial work, and relationships all inform, support, and strengthen each other. I learn a concept in class, apply it in my work with BC undergrads, and then get to explore where that integrated theology takes me next. Sometimes, that meant developing unique directed reading courses with generous STM professors, while at other times it meant exploring courses and building new relationships throughout the BTI.

Community
My experience of community at STM was continually expansive. My friendships with my classmates, colleagues, STM faculty and staff launched me into meaningful work in and with the BC undergrad community. These, in turn, helped expand my horizons across the community offered in and through the BTI. I now have friends at Boston University and Harvard Divinity School, and beyond. (Also, my mom loves showing off her new stickers and sweatshirts from each school - makes birthdays and Christmas a cinch!)

Hometown
Fremont, CA

Undergraduate Institutuion and Major
University of San Francisco, Theology and Religious Studies

Current Position
Religious Studies Teacher, St. Francis High School (Mountain View, CA)
 

My Experience
Although my time as a student has mainly been online due to the pandemic, I am grateful for having had one Summer at the STM. Dr. Hosffman Ospino's class on Teaching Theology and Religion was a memorable experience. Having taken two of his courses throughout my time at BC, I was excited to be in-person for this class. The experience of being in Dr. Opsino's class felt warm and inviting. Amidst the rigor of the class material, I felt a sense of community, where each student saw each other as colleagues with valuable contributions to our field of study. 

Why STM?
The ability to take classes asynchronously, while being a worker in "the vineyard of the Lord" creates new opportunities for me to make immediate connections between classroom content and my ministerial work. What I have loved about the classes at the STM is that the pastoral sense of ministry is balanced with a rigorous theological insight, the two things I was looking for when discerning Master programs in Theology.

Hometown
Philadelphia, PA

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Fairfield University, American Studies and Religious Studies

Most Meaningful Experience
I took a class on theology, ethics, and race in the BC Theology Department with a group of students from the STM. The ability to study with world class scholars, to learn from master teachers, and to grow in relationship with fellow students is invaluable. In that class we built a community that extended beyond the classroom; we shared our hopes and challenges. We learned concrete lessons and reworked what we thought we knew previously through the lens of authors often overlooked in the academy. Studying with peers in dual degree programs, on the ordination track, and with a variety of lived experiences has enriched my learning experience and blessed me with a diversity of relationships that I cherish far beyond the classroom.

My Experience
The STM has provided a fertile ground for me to ask theological questions and to hone my sense of academic inquiry. The professors I've had have modeled what it means to "do" theology and encouraged me to do the same. They have mentored me and also urged me to develop a sense of collegiality. We learn together in the classroom- asking questions about theology and practice. Answering those questions is a community effort that draws off of varied sources. The STM works for me because it provides a space for growth on both ends of the theological spectrum. Students are encouraged to build relationships and to discover the answers that can be found in deep conversations and thorough study.

Community
The STM is a community growing and learning together. It is a community filled with support and striving to build relationships for the life of the world and for the future of the church. The community at the STM prays together, learns together, and ultimately grows together. It is a community with heart that enriches the mind and nurtures relationships of the soul.

Hometown
Manila, Philippines, and Jakarta, Indonesia

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Boston College, B.S., Double Major in Management and Theology

STM Community
One of the most meaningful experiences that I have had at STM is working as a Graduate Assistant for the Admissions Office. In applying to STM, I knew that I was interested in the school's many graduate assistantships because I wanted to take advantage of all the learning opportunities possible and gain as many ministerial and professional skills as I could during my time in graduate school. Receiving a graduate assistantship felt like an affirmation that the school recognized and believed in my potential as a future minister, and it has been a joy to be able to work with such a thoughtful, insightful, and caring team to practice ministry through an administrative lens and support prospective students in their discernment from the other side of the application process.

Why STM?
STM has been the right place for me to study because of its holistic view of theology and ministry and its commitment to forming the whole person, which have left a mark on me academically, spiritually, socially, and professionally. I have grown so much from the intentional application of academics to ministry, investment in cultivating the spiritual and religious life of students (like through our weekly community liturgy), kind and supportive community, and opportunities through the M.A./M.S.W. dual degree program.

Hometown
Middletown, Pennsylvania (PA)

Undergraduate Institute and Major
New York University (NYU), Philosophy Major and Religious Studies Minor

Most Meaningful Experience
My most meaningful experience at the STM has been the openness and availability of the faculty. Whether it is support during challenging times or a conversation about an interesting idea, the STM faculty wants to sit down with you about it. They want to hear your voice, get to know you, help you, see where a thought leads. With that, the STM has created a crucial space for the Church’s next generation of scholars and ministers to develop their self-confidence, maturity, and wit.

My Experience
The STM works for me because I feel free to pursue my intellectual and personal projects with the resources of the STM at my back. I feel comfortable to grow, ask questions, and entertain topics, knowing that my peers and professors will assist me in that venture. I know that I will be a better version of myself as a scholar at the end of my time at the STM. And this all occurs within a top-tier institution, at that.

Hometown
Wallington, New Jersey

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Fordham University; Theology (major), Spanish Studies (minor)

Current Position
Teacher, Religious Studies Department at Brophy College Preparatory

Meaningful Course
Two of my favorite classes were the seminar on Teresa of Avila with Fr. Andre Brouillette, S.J., and Classic Wisdom on the Discernment of Spirits with Fr. Bart Geger, S.J.

Why STM?
STM was like my Hogwarts, and who doesn't like Hogwarts? It's a home for all people who, in their diverse ways, desire to serve and minister for the sake of God's greater glory. As someone who hasn't experienced meaningful community in college before attending STM, this common desire to grow in knowledge and love of God made me feel at home, and a part of a greater good. I met many amazing people I wouldn't ever have come across had it not been for the STM.

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Fresno State University, Hispanic Literature

Experience
The accompaniment and mentorship of my academic advisor has been key for my educational success while at the STM. Dr. Hosffman Ospino has been a great support helping me to transition from my pastoral ministry background to academic scholarship, discerning my research project, broadening my network, and strengthening my research and writing skills.

Community
The STM is intentional providing spaces for community building through the liturgy, students-led groups, and cultural celebrations. Additionally, the program cohorts are small allowing us to connect at a deeper level with our peers. My Ph.D. cohort has become my family and primary support in the academic struggle as well as in life challenges.

Hometown
Milwaukee, WI

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Marquette University — B.A. in English/B.A. in Spanish Language and Literature (minors in Theology and Political Science)

Current Position
Associate Professor of Christian Ethics, Xavier University

Why STM?
STM opened my eyes to a depth and breadth of theological inquiry I never knew was possible. Each person I encountered was so deeply invested in serving the church. The diversity of the STM community helped me appreciate what it means to be catholic and Catholic; I learned so much from every classroom discussion, the feedback I received from professors, and the opportunity to work as a GA in BC Campus Ministry. My education at STM opened the doors that helped me pursue my deepest desires, personally and professionally, in service to the academy, church, and society. 

My Experience
Every professor invested in me; they showed me cura personalis, offered warm support, and meaningful challenges. They shared their passions with me and helped me discover new horizons in theology, moral formation, and its pastoral applications. I am still connected with many STM classmates, professors, and staff; one classmate is a godparent for my son. In addition to providing me an ideal preparation for my profession, my time at BC STM forged bonds that I will savor for the rest of my life. If pressed, I'd say my favorite class was Richard Lennan's course on The Church -- it almost made me want to be a systematician instead of an ethicist. My very first course was his Foundations of Christian Theology class and right away I knew: I am exactly where I want to be, doing exactly what I want to be doing. (It's also hard to pick against class with Dan Harrington. That was truly extraordinary.) 

Hometown
Aboh Mbaise, Nigeria

Community
The STM community is a true Christian community where i have experienced, personally, the warmth and the love of God.

Why STM?
The first is the great funding, otherwise I couldn't have been here.
Secondly, faculty-students relationship is superb.
Thirdly, the STM promotes diversity and encourages every voice to be heard.
Fourthly, the classes and course I learnt were profound and inspiring.

Hometown
La Crosse, WI

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Luther College, Religion and Music

Current Position
High School Religion Teacher and Campus Minister

Meaningful Relationships and Courses
Andrew Davis (OT), Richard Lennan (Rahner, The Church), my dear friends from the Newman House

Why STM?
I am well-prepared to articulate Catholicism worth believing in with my students.

Hometown
Atlantic City, NJ

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Georgetown University, Economics

Most Meaningful Experience
One of my most meaningful experiences was taking a preaching class with fellow Jesuits and lay classmates. Focusing so immediately on preaching the Gospel and having the opportunity to pray together through the readings made that class such a powerful experience. It provided the space for glimpsing what the Church can be like when we work together as the People of God.

Hometown
Providence RI

Current Position
Resource Manager for TENx10 for Fuller Youth Institute

Why STM?
It allowed me to grow pastorally, spiritually, personally, and professionally in ways I had not yet. It also allowed me to see the intercultural and intersectional realities of faith, justice, and theology come together in ways that were proactive for the local and regional community. 

Hometown
Jakarta, Indonesia

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Southeast Asia Bible Seminary, Bachelor in Theology

Most Meaningful Experience
STM has a very dynamic and diverse learning environment. I love how each professor has their own distinctive way of imparting knowledge in a way that is not only educational but also beneficial to my spiritual formation. The assignments give me the flexibility to make the connection with my own research interests. Also, as an international student in the class who speaks English as a second language, I value the professors' consideration for me and how they give me an opportunity to voice my opinions.

My Experience
As a foreigner who just came to the US, I found STM to be a warm and welcoming community. My most memorable experience was the GA orientation, where it was the first time I met some good friends of mine. Also, I particularly enjoy the weekly mass and community lunch because it allows me to meet different kinds of people, including the faculty members, who turn out to be really approachable.

Hometown
Rice Lake, Wisconsin

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Gonzaga University, English and Secondary Education

Most Meaningful Experience
As a lay woman in the MDiv program, half my cohort is made up of Jesuits. It can often be difficult navigating authority as a young Catholic woman, but the friendships I've built with the Jesuits in my cohort have been very healing and life-giving. It's like I've adopted ten new brothers! The pickup soccer, meals shared, cups of tea poured...I love them, and I know they love me. It's incredible sustenance for the journey.

My Experience
In my first semester at the STM, I was blown away by the support I received from my professors. Every class, I would think to myself: "Wow, these folks are at the top of their field(s), and they really care about who I am and what I have to say." The STM works for me because Christian love is intentionally incorporated into the classroom experience. I couldn't be more grateful for my wonderful professors.

Community
Our MDiv cohort is very close. We have a group chat that is used regularly to connect, plan get-togethers, and encourage each other throughout midterms and finals. It's so special to have a little family within the greater STM family!

Hometown
El Paso, TX

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Boston College, Philosophy and Political Science

Current Positon
Ph.D. Student in Systematic Theology, University of Notre Dame

Community
I experienced community at the STM in the classroom and in the chapel. I was always most struck and astonished by the way the community at the STM both studied and prayed together. Pope Francis says that the best theology is done on our knees and I think that the STM really embodies that on a communal level.

Why STM?
I knew I was considering a Ph.D. from before my time at the STM, but I was not sure how or what. The M.T.S. program at BC is flexible and allowed me to engage deeply with multiple different topics and subjects. I was able to build my own project that I was then able to use to get into Ph.D. programs, including Notre Dame. Professor Hosffman Ospino's mentorship on my Master's thesis is, to this day, one of the most important building blocks for me in my professional and personal vocation.

Most Meaningful Experience
My time at the STM was marked by a personal growth in my own vocation as a Latina Catholic minister and theologian. It was at the STM, through my relationships with peers and professors, both from Latin America and Latine from the US, where I came to understand the broader implications of my being bilingual and how that intersected with my interests in Theology and my own baptismal vocation. I worked at Formación Continua, the Spanish-speaking Continuing Education, and also got to engage in events such as masses for Our Lady of Guadalupe, altar building for Día de muertos, and bilingual preaching and liturgies.

Hometown
Rifle, CO

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Regis University; English, Religious Studies

My Experience
I have made wonderful friends through graduate assistant positions, as well as in the hallway in between class periods, in the library during finals week, and in the happenstance of sharing the same path as others when walking home from school. Although I can't fully name how this process works, it points to a desire among STM students to live a shared life of community and service to and with one another that is intangible, yet obvious and powerful once you experience it.

Why STM?
STM is grounded in the realness of the church and world: the intersecting contexts of the Catholic church, Boston, academia, diverse neighborhoods, and more, create an atmosphere where students are invited to comprehend theology and ministry as necessarily connected to the realities in which we hope to minister in the future. While this can present unique challenges, students experience the realness of joy and conflict in ministry, which are essential in our formation as ministers who can serve a church grounded in the real.

Hometown
New Orleans, Louisiana

Previous Institutions
Undergraduate: Communication (Advertising), Masters: Pastoral Studies

STM Community
I really appreciate how the community (both staff and students) supports each other. I have found the STM to be a space filled with smiling faces, encouraging words, and thoughtful prayer and reflection. It is a space that does not simply focus on grueling academics, but it also knows the importance of joy and laughter.

Why STM?

The STM offers a unique opportunity to study the past, present, and future of the Catholic church with exceptional theologians.

In addition, as a woman with a focus on preaching, I was drawn to the STM’s wider Catholic imagination. This goes beyond scholars with deep knowledge and appreciation for the Church's history to those with a practical and intentional awareness of the Church's present needs.

The STM reminds me daily that God's revelation is upon us, not behind us.

Hometown
Issaquah, Washington

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Gonzaga University, English Writing and Religious Studies

Current Position
Staff Chaplain, Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford

Most Meaningful Event at STM
Meeting my spouse!

Community at STM
My community at STM primarily had three different lenses: through the wonderful community I experienced with the other lay students in my M.Div. cohort, through singing in the STM Schola Cantorum, and as an active member of Gaudete, our LGBTQ+ affinity group. Each gave me a different taste of life at STM and each was invaluable for my own sense of growth and community.

Hometown
Gaithersburg, MD

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Loyola University Maryland, English

Current Position
Associate Director of Campus Ministry for Liturgy and Music at Loyola University Maryland

Why STM?
Attending STM was a transformative experience for me; I now recommend it enthusiastically to any of my students who are considering pursuing a life of ministry. At STM, I benefitted from robust academic preparation, deep spiritual formation, compassionate professors and staff, and a vibrant community of students from around the world.

My Experience
When I first came Accepted Students' Day at the STM, I knew within a few hours that I was going to attend this school. Why? The word that I kept hearing over and over again in my info sessions was: community. And my experience lived up to this promise: the community of students, staff, and faculty at the STM are unmatched. From lively discussions in the classroom, to making friends with students from all around the world, to vibrant formation and recreational activities, the community at the STM made me feel at home right away. I graduated from the STM with lifelong friendships and colleagues in ministry, connections that will benefit me personally and professionally for many years to come. 

Home City and Country
St. Charles, MO

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Saint Louis University, Theological Studies & Philosophy

Current Position
Theology Teacher, Loyola Academy & Instructor, Loyola University Chicago

My Experience
As someone moving across the country to attend the STM, the Community was absolutely central to my experience. I made lifelong friends and connections that continue to support me in both personally and professionally.

Hometown
Co. Tyrone, Ireland

Undergraduate Institution and Major
University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, Hospitality Management

Current Position
Task Group, Irish Synodal Pathway, Youth Coordinator for the Archdiocese of Armagh
Assistant for Formación Continúa Courses

My Experience
The STM and the community there has opened doors, created a global network and community that has helped me carve out a pathway that I could never have imagined. Synodality and formation in practice of Synodality is central to my vocation and Ministry.

Why STM?
The STM has given a world class education and widened my horizons. The community at the STM and it’s multicultural community has challenged me to look at who I am and discern how I can serve the Church.

Hometown
Cleveland, OH

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Xavier University, Theology and English

My Experience
The opportunity to bond with my M.Div. 1 cohort has been very meaningful to me as we explore our vocations together and challenge each other spiritually and intellectually. Members of my cohort created a day-long retreat for us during which we spent time in reflection and shared intimate details of our lives for the sake of growing together in faith and resilience. I treasured that opportunity.

Why STM?
STM works for me because I get to study what I love while building intentional community and also being critically formed as a minister, a friend, and a person of faith.

Hometown
Los Angeles, CA

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Loyola Marymount University, Psychology & Theological Studies 

Current Position
Religious Studies Department Chair at Marymount High School, Los Angeles

Why STM?
There are countless reasons as to why the STM worked for me however what stands out is their practical approach to graduate studies in Theology. Especially with the M.T.S. degree, studying theology often times stays in the theoretical. Now as a high school teacher, I frequently hear my students comment on how Scripture and/or Tradition can at times seem obsolete. Therefore it is my job to challenge my students in seeing how compatible our Catholic faith is with what is transpiring in our world today. I owe this skill to what I learned back at the STM.

Community
Thursday liturgy and lunch! This would often times be the highlight of my week. It was both a formative and restorative time set aside as an opportunity for worship and connecting with my peers and of course, free lunch! Who doesn't love a free lunch?

Hometown
Fairhaven, MA

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Providence College, Sociology & Theology

My Experience
My most meaningful experiences at the STM has been learning alongside students with a diversity of backgrounds. Most of my classes consist of students from various cultures, occupations, and stages of life, which is incredibly enriching when it comes to conversations regarding how our theology is perceived and lived in different contexts.

Why STM?
Not only does the STM offer phenomenal classes and a close-knit community, it also offers generous scholarships and work opportunities, which made it possible for me to afford to pursue a degree in theology.

Hometown
Atlanta Georgia

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Saint Mary's College, Philosophy and Political Science

My Experience
So far, my most meaningful class has been Politics and Spirituality in the United States with Callid Keefe-Perry, where we studied public theology. We had conversations in that class that I am still sitting with and I am confident will influence me for the rest of my life. We were able to explore ideas and events, and ask questions, that were challenging and immensely important to figuring out how one can fully and authentically live out their faith today. The class dealt with the very questions that brought me to the STM in the first place, and I'm grateful for the safe space to fail out loud and wonder together with other people who are passionate about the intersection of faith and public life.

Why STM
I quickly got the sense that the STM is full of individuals, both professor and student, lay and clergy, Catholic and Protestant, who have a deep love for the Church and are therefore willing to dive into difficult issues and histories in order to help the Church and its people better embody Christ's love. It's really inspiring to be surrounded by people who are so committed to their faith and serving others.

Hometown
Maynard, MA

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Boston College, English and Secondary Education

Current Position
Assistant Director of Boston College's Church in the 21st Century

STM Community
I experienced community with my classmates through the STM retreats, study sessions, group projects, ice cream outings, and most especially the El Salvador Immersion program.  We were able to not only learn alongside one another, but also celebrate our successes and walk together through our struggles. The STM community gave witness to our greater faith community and how we can live alongside one another!

My Experience
Working on my creative thesis on The Spirituality of Children's Literature became an extremely communal experience. My advisors, Colleen Griffith and Tom Groome guided and encouraged my vision, my friends at the STM read my work and inspired me to keep going, and my family and now wife were supportive as well. What started as a personal idea became a mission in light of a greater need and showed me how connected we all are with one another.

Why STM?
STM affirmed my desire to work with students and others, and I was fortunate enough to do the program as a full-time student while having a graduate assistantship. The placement program had me serve with Emmanuel College, which expanded my work with students from a ministry lens. Overall, the program taught me more about my faith, how to walk with others experiencing their faith, and the many ways in which we can serve one another.

Home City and Country
Newtown Square, PA

Undergraduate Institute and Major
University of Notre Dame, English

Current Position
Campus Minister for Liturgy, St. Louis University

My Experience
I had the company of wonderful peers, lay and Jesuit, in the classroom, in special projects like clericalism discussion groups and planning creative liturgical experiences, and in Gaudete, our LGBTQ+ student group. I also made dear friends, who picked me up from the airport after job interviews, prayed for me on retreats and pilgrimages, and goofed off with me for non-theological movie nights. These moments of joy sustained me through the piles of books and papers to write. To this day, my former classmates will pick up the phone to talk through a tough pastoral conversation, fact check an obscure liturgical question, or just catch up and laugh with each other.

Most Meaningful Course
Sr. Meg’s Ecclesial Ministry course served as a wonderful capstone for my MDiv. With a class of almost entirely lay students, we grappled with what it means to be lay people going forth to work in the church plagued by clericalism. I was asked to write an integrative theology of ministry paper, and found that when asked to write it down, my theology of ministry was really about how I spend my days, and with whom I spend them, about being proximate to those on the margins.

Hometown
Houston, TX

Undergraduate Institute and Major
St. Edward's University, Social Work and Catholic Studies

Most Meaningful Experience
My most meaningful experience at the STM has been getting to know my classmates, especially those who are Jesuit Scholastics. Before coming to the STM, I was nervous about what my classes would look like working alongside men who would soon become ordained. As I have gotten to know them both inside and outside of the classroom, I have found that they add a new perspective to the way I view my faith and my understanding of the Church. On top of meeting them, I have also found that the STM is a conglomerate of people who want to make a change in the Church and world, while maintaining a sense of joy and hope. I know I can always turn to a friend when I am struggling with my faith and find comfort in their humor about God and their resilience with the faith.

My Experience
The STM works for me because I am able to work in ministry alongside my studies. I am a graduate assistant in Campus Ministry, where I work with undergraduate students in the 4Boston service program. I also do my supervised ministry at Boston College High School, where I help teach 8th grade religion. Both of these positions allow me to use what I learn in the classroom and apply them to the communities around me. 

Community
I experience community at the STM through our M.Div. cohort meetings. It is through these meetings that I find solace with being a graduate student, a woman in the Church, and how hard it can be to be a minister today. The community of fellow M. Div. students ground me in my faith and bring joy to my every day life.

Hometown
Ringoes, NJ

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Georgetown University, Justice and Peace Studies

Current Position
Staff chaplain at Brigham & Women's Faulkner Hospital and St. Elizabeth's Medical Center

STM Community

One of the most important sources of community I found was my M.Div. cohort, specifically the lay students. For the first one or two semesters, we had almost identical schedules so we could really rely on each other for academic support.  I also became very close with my coworkers in Campus Ministry. 

Even now, much of my community continues to stem from my experiences at the STM. I regularly spend time with a few friends I made at STM and half my bridal party is comprised of classmates. One of Jesuits in my cohort is even celebrating my wedding mass. At work, I continue to find STM alumni everywhere, which makes me feel all the more at home. I'm so grateful for the many communities I was and still am a part of thanks to the STM.

My Experience
One overarching theme that stands out to me still are the experiences I had with women at the STM. Professors like M. Shawn Copeland (now Professor Emerita), Melissa Kelley, Sister Meg Guider, and Colleen Griffith were all individuals that made me feel seen and empowered both in and outside the classroom. Hearing Sr. Guider tell me at the end of my synthesis exam that I had learned to “think theologically” was simultaneously one of the proudest and most humbling moments of my degree. The relationships I built with women classmates were, in large part, what sustained me during times where self-doubt threatened to get in my way (and God’s way).

Why STM?
Generous financial aid and access to on-campus jobs reserved for STM students made it possible for me to even consider moving to Boston and pursuing the M.Div. 

The most impactful way in which the STM worked and still works for me was helping me find my way into a career in healthcare chaplaincy.  The connections I made at STM were such a huge part of what helped me get into a CPE residency after graduation and even the jobs I hold now. The STM played a huge role in helping me discern and pursue what I now consider my vocation.

Hometown
Westminster, MD

Undergraduate Institution and Major
University of Delaware, BA in Environmental Studies

Current Position
Director of Faith Formation, St. Ignatius of Loyola Church, Chestnut Hill, MA

STM Community
Community was at the heart of my experience at the STM. As a Graduate Assistant, I spent a lot of time in Simboli Hall in addition to my classes each week, and some of the most wonderful people I met during my time happened because of this. I enjoyed stopping in at the Service Center to chat with Mary Magennis and the other GAs, in between classes and at Repast with other students, meeting with professors during office hours, and talking with folks at the front desk at the TML. No matter where I went in the STM, a kind soul was there to greet me with a lovely conversation. These were moments of grace for me and reminded me that God is truly present in the people around us.

My Experience
The Practice of Ministry with Youth & Young Adults with Dr. Theresa O’Keefe solidified my desire to work with youth and young adults in a ministerial setting, and challenged me to reevaluate my own understanding of how young people learn about and understand their faith. This class gave me the tools and a lens to better understand how youth learn and grow developmentally, socially, and relationally in their faith.

Why STM?
STM offered me a chance to explore different aspects of theology and ministry in a time where I wasn’t sure what area of ministry I wanted to work within. The relationships I developed, conversations held, and classes during my 2 years of studies expanded my worldview of my faith and what it means to be Catholic. This was also a space I felt comfortable enough to ask deeper questions of myself, particularly related to my sexual orientation. The STM gave me the tools and lens of social justice to grow as an individual and see myself as a minister in service to a larger community.

Hometown
Scranton, Pennsylvania

Undergraduate Institution
University of Scranton

Current Position
Religion Teacher, Boston College High School

Meaningful Course
Ecclesial Ministry has been one of the most formative courses during my time at STM. Sr. Meg Guider facilitated the classroom in a way that welcomed and embraced the diverse perspectives and experiences from classmates. This made what we were learning each week practical and grounded in the reality of the Church in the 21st century. I found myself reconsidering what my role within the Church would be and how I might serve others in a sustainable way that genuinely takes my experience and identities as a 1st generation college student and second-generation Salvadoran-American into consideration. Ecclesial Ministry left me believing that my compass for ministry is better oriented towards where I will best serve others and God.

Why STM?
Learning goes well beyond the classroom at STM. I am grateful to be able to work in ministerial settings as a full-time student. While not every course I have taken has had a direct impact within a particular ministry setting, I have been surprised by which courses and topics have come up in day-to-day work. For example, I did not consider how Christological controversies in history and contemporary views about who Jesus, God and the Spirit are would present themselves in retreat settings, 1-1 student check-ins, and at mass. The impact of what is learned within the classroom dialogues with the world and, in return, this informs how I read articles, write papers and pray and worship. My time at STM has helped me learn to remain attentive and sensitive to the movements of the Spirit beyond my study sessions in the library, in the classroom or within my own head.

Hometown
Cleveland, OH

Undergraduate Institute and Major
Saint Louis University; majors in English and Spanish; minors in Urban Poverty Studies and Latin American Studies

Most Meaningful Experience
My MDiv cohort retreat this year was incredibly meaningful and formative. In graduate studies, I am so often stuck in my head, and so taking an afternoon to be with God in my heart and in community. One of the gifts of the STM is the opportunity to study and be in community with Jesuit, religious, and lay students. This cohort retreat, in which my Jesuit and lay classmates and I had the opportunity to pray and faith-share together, was an invaluable break from the busyness of everyday life. I'm grateful that my spirituality is constantly being enriched by the diverse members of this cohort and the life experience they bring to the table.

My Experience
The STM works for me because our professors not only allow, but actively encourage my classmates and me to bring our previous experiences into dialogue with our theological and ministerial studies. I have been able to try to make some sense of the experiences of suffering, poverty, community, and hospitality I experienced during my year of service in Ecuador in my studies of scripture, Christology, pastoral care, and ecclesiology, to name a few. Theological studies at the STM are grounded and enfleshed in lived human reality.

Community
I have been so blessed by the community of wonderful people that beholds me here at the STM. Countless classmates have become close friends throughout my time here, as we've bonded over shared experiences of faith-based service, international encounters, and genuine passion for ministry in the Ignatian tradition. Students, faculty, and administrators at the STM really want to get to know you and hear your story, which is reflective of the caring and close-knit nature of this environment.

Hometown
Gonzales, LA

Undergraduate Institution and Major
Spring Hill College, Theology

Experience
The most meaningful experience I have had in my first semester at the STM is singing in the choir with my fellow classmates and colleagues for our Thursday Liturgy. It is beautiful thing to hear and be part of many voices from all over the world creating harmonies and a unique sound praising and worshiping the Lord.

Why STM?
The STM atmosphere is open, welcoming, and there are so many opportunities for us to meet new people not only in our cohort. There are many socials throughout the semester, whether a Thanksgiving gathering or a bakeoff. Each weekend it seems like we go hiking or go to each other's apartments to watch a game, or play soccer, cricket, football, spikebill, etc. In the classroom, I am able to give my thoughts on any topic, which I really appreciate and many discussions are filled with questions, potential answers, and dialogue. I did not want to come to a school where professors talked at me and here at the STM professors really do walk with us with our conversations, discussions, and papers. For that I am grateful.

Community
Since I am the Liturgy GA for the STM, Thursdays are quite hectic for me, with Mass at St. Ignatius and making sure we have all of the supplies and resources to celebrate together as a whole community. Thursday nights are the time for me to relax and reflect through Praise and Worship. There are spontaneous conversations and prayer, laughter, dancing, and whole lot of singing. Building a community through Praise and Worship is truly one of the most important aspects of my time here at BC.

Home City and Country
San Dimas, CA

Undergraduate Institute and Major
St. John’s University (MN), Theology

Most Meaningful Relationship
It has been a joy to work alongside the STM’s new dean, Mick McCarthy, S.J. As the STM Diversity / Equity / Inclusion graduate assistant and student representative to the Committee on Race and Ethnicity (CORE), I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Dean Mick as we reimagine what community can look like at the STM. Dean Mick exemplifies the Ignatian phrase “cura personalis” by taking proactive steps to ensure that I am first supported as a person. I can’t even begin to count the many times Dean Mick has counseled me, showed genuine concern for my health and well-being, and supported me in my journey to become my best and most authentic self. I am truly grateful for the relationship we’ve been able to cultivate in such a short time, and I look to my future at the STM with excitement of joys yet to come.

My Experience
The STM has blessed me with the opportunity to play at weekly liturgical celebrations, prayer services, open mic nights, and praise and worship. There is nothing like cultivating lasting bonds with my peers through this sacred gift. Music has the power to unite all God’s people. Musical harmony has its fair share of consonance and dissonance, and in an era characterized by discord, I believe it doesn’t hurt to lift your voice and share that song God placed on your heart. I hope you’ll join me.