Brandon McCollum

I am a FOCUS missionary at MIT.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Together, we can change the world!

“Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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Where I serve

I am currently serving at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with an additional focus on student athletes. My teammates are Kayla, Maura, and Ben.

05.31.2026 PlacementDay JO 19

My Story

I grew up in a vaguely Catholic household. We went to Mass most Sundays, but that was the extent of it. In June 2023, I was asked in a YouTube video, “If you truly believe that Jesus rose from the dead, shouldn’t he be the center of your life?” This question hit me hard, and God dropped a boatload of grace on me. I decided that day that I needed to figure out the truth. I dove into Scripture and continued watching people preach on YouTube, and I began to realize that this was the truth, and I began living more fully. I began to care about the people around me. A non-denominational Christian group found me that fall, and I began attending their events to learn more. There was a lot of good, yet there was something missing.

Later that fall, I found out about the Catholic center at our college, and I learned about daily Mass and Adoration (Jesus in the Eucharist, visible on the altar for prayer). I began going to daily Mass and praying for an hour a day, and my life kept getting better. The Eucharist was what was missing. At the same time, I started going to the Thursday night events at the Catholic center, and it was there that I met FOCUS missionaries, who invited me to the SEEK winter conference that year. There, I learned the importance of the Rosary, and the great impact that asking the Mother of God to pray to Jesus on our behalf can have. One of the FOCUS missionaries also began to lead me more intentionally, and it was through him that I truly learned how to be a brother to those around me. After receiving my Master’s of Engineering in Chemical Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, I am joining FOCUS to give back what I received – to bring people to Jesus through Mary and to help men become better sons, better brothers, and, one day, better husbands and better fathers.

Your Impact

Thanks to the prayers and support of people like you, my mission becomes possible. I can dedicate myself entirely to the students at MIT, bringing them home to Jesus and helping them become good men. You, too, get a place on our team.

“Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” Luke 6:38

Will join us?

Feel free to email or call if you are interested in hearing more.

[email protected]

(513)-999-0783

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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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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.

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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