Jake and Mikayla Avard

Team Director at the University of Arkansas. Helping men and women grow in freedom and evangelize.

Where We serve

My family serves at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville! We are blessed to work with Saint Thomas Aquinas University Parish to fulfill the great commission.

Our Story

Our story is ultimately a story of how Jesus pursues each of us personally and then calls us into mission together.

Jake grew up in Texas and first encountered Christ in 2012. He was baptized in 2016, but for years his faith, remained unsettled. He desired to follow Jesus, yet he found himself wrestling with sin, alongside deeper questions about truth and the Gospel. In 2019, one question changed everything: “What is the Gospel, really?” That search led him through prayer, study, and honest conversations into the rich tradition of the Catholic Church. When he encountered Jesus in the Eucharist, faith became more than conviction; it became communion. After years of discernment, he entered full communion with the Church and was confirmed in 2023.

Mikayla’s journey looked different. Raised Catholic, she encountered the Lord throughout her childhood, but it was during college that someone intentionally walked with her and showed her how to truly live the Gospel. That person was a FOCUS missionary. Through discipleship, prayer, and authentic accompaniment, her relationship with Christ deepened and transformed her life. Experiencing firsthand the impact of missionary discipleship ignited a desire to help others encounter Jesus in the same way.

God brought our paths together, and we were married on May 13, 2023. Shortly after our wedding, we began serving with FOCUS, and in March 2024 we welcomed our first daughter, Lucía, into our family. In June of 2026 we welcomed our second daughter Josephine. Together, we have had the privilege of serving students at Texas A&M University and now at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

Though our backgrounds are different, the Lord has used both of our stories to reveal the same truth: lives are changed when someone takes the time to walk with another person toward Christ. Today, we serve on campus because we know the questions, struggles, and longing that many students carry. Some are searching for truth, like Jake was. Others simply need someone to show them how to live the faith they have received, like Mikayla did.

Your Impact

Your partnership makes it possible for our family to accompany students, proclaim the Gospel, build authentic friendships, and form leaders who will spend the rest of their lives making disciples. We are grateful to be on mission together and thankful for everyone who joins us in bringing Christ to the next generation.

Give Now

If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].

Find other missionaries

FOCUS brings the joy of the Gospel to colleges and parishes across the United States (and beyond)!

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FOCUS Find A Missionary Know Love Serve God Monstrance

Know, Love and Serve God

We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

Build Virtuous Friendships

By building genuine friendships, we meet students on a deeper level.

FOCUS Find A Missionary Teach Others Share Christ Smiling

Teach Others to Share Christ

We teach students how to share the gospel, who in turn teach other students how to pass it on.

Host	Retreat Type	Start Date	End Date
Tulane University	Way of the Disciple	09/05/24	09/07/24
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Sanctifier	09/13/24	09/15/24
Parish Outreach	The Father’s House	09/16/24	09/18/24
Kansas State University	The Father’s House	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of Delaware	Rec	09/20/24	09/22/24
University of South Carolina – Columbia	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24
St. Francis University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Nicholls State University	The Father’s House	10/04/24	10/06/24
Northwestern State University	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
University of Memphis	The Father’s House	10/11/24	10/13/24
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
Ohio State University	The Father’s House	10/18/24	10/20/24
University of Dallas	The Sanctifier	10/24/24	10/26/24
Central Connecticut State University	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Universidad de Monterrey	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
California State University – Fullerton	The Father’s House	10/25/24	10/27/24
Sts. Anne and Joaquim, Fargo, ND	Way of the Disciple	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Krems	Men’s	11/01/24	11/03/24
University of Mary	The Father’s House	11/08/24	11/10/24
DePauw University	Rec	11/08/24	11/10/24
Philanthropy Engagement	Way of the Disciple	11/15/24	11/17/24
University of Passau	Rec	11/21/24	11/23/24
Texas A&M University	The Sanctifier	02/07/25	02/09/25
FOCUS Greek Southeast	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Midwest	The Father’s House	02/14/25	02/16/25
Worcester Polytechnic Institute	The Sanctifier	02/14/25	02/16/25
FOCUS Greek Southwest	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
Wayne State University	The Father’s House	02/21/25	02/23/25
University of Illinois-Chicago	The Sanctifier	02/21/25	02/23/25
Queens College of the City University of New York	The Father’s House	03/07/25	03/09/25
Nicholls State University	Way of the Disciple	03/07/25	03/09/25
Grand Valley State University	The Father’s House	03/28/25	03/30/25
University of Northern Iowa	Way of the Disciple	04/03/25	04/05/25
University of Nebraska Lincoln	The Father’s House	04/04/25	04/06/25
Arizona State University	Men’s	02/07/25	02/09/25
University of Nebraska at Kearney	Rec	09/27/24	09/29/24