Rachel Olszanski

Hello! My name’s Rachel and I’m a FOCUS missionary!

“Do not waste time bothering whether you “love” your neighbor; act as if you did. As soon as we do this we find one of the great secrets. When you are behaving as if you loved someone you will presently come to love him.”

— C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity —

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Where I serve

God has called me to serve a second year at the United States Military Academy at West Point! Go Army!

I am so excited to serve the cadets who will go out and serve the country for another year.

This past year at West Point has been incredibly rewarding. I’ve had the privilege of connecting with numerous cadets through a variety of events such as brunches, dinners, Bible studies, and retreats. These opportunities have allowed us to build strong relationships and foster deep discussions about faith and purpose.

It’s been especially fulfilling to see the impact of our efforts—we’ve welcomed 20 new individuals into the Church, and I’ve witnessed remarkable growth in their faith journeys. This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of prayers and financial contributions from people like you!

Looking ahead, I am excited to continue spreading the message of hope and faith at West Point. The connections we’ve made and the transformations we’ve witnessed inspire me to further invest in the spiritual well-being of these future leaders. Together, we are shaping a community rooted in love, faith, friendship, and a shared commitment to service.

My Story

I grew up in an amazing family, full of love and support, with Christ at its heart. But it wasn’t until college that I began to live out the faith loudly and joyfully. It turns out that living out your faith on a college campus in a secular world is hard…. who knew!? Luckily for me, God led me to the Catholic Center on my campus where I met the FOCUS missionaries there. The zeal I witnessed from the missionaries during my freshman year at the University of Vermont was a pivotal moment for me and pushed me to live out the Truth courageously. It was through these missionaries and friends that I saw the importance of going out to spread God’s love to each person on campus.

Your Impact

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 the best way to reach you and I will schedule an appointment. I’d be honored to share this mission with you. God Bless!

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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