Alexa Smith

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord”

Luke 1:38

Where I serve

The Lord has called me to serve my first year at the University of Virginia! I am so blessed to be moving back to my home state and excited to see what He has planned for UVA. GO HOOS!

Pictured below is my team! From left to right is Jess, Kristian, myself, Lindsay, and not pictured is Owen! I am so thankful to be able to serve the Lord with them.

My team featuring Fr. Joseph Hagan our chaplain!

My Story

Growing up cradle Catholic, the church was always a constant in my life. No matter where life took my military family, the Church was always a place of familiarity and community. But while I identified as Catholic and attended Mass regularly, my faith was largely routine and lacked a real personal relationship with Jesus.

Everything began to change when I moved across the country to attend college at the University of Colorado Boulder (sko buffs!). At our Catholic campus ministry, I encountered FOCUS missionaries and students who did not just practice their faith out of routine, but who genuinely lived in relationship with Jesus Christ. I saw joy, authenticity, community and a deep love for the Lord that I had never experienced so personally before. I started to realize that faith was not just about checking boxes or attending Mass every Sunday. It was about knowing Christ personally and allowing Him into every area of my life. During the summer between my sophmore and junior year, I went on a FOCUS mission trip to Indonesia. It was there that the gospel pierced my heart and where I was asked to make the Lord the center of my life. I made my first radical yes to follow Him deeper than I ever had before. I started to pray daily, attend daily Mass, became a bible study leader, and started to walk with women in discipleship.

Through these experiences, the Lord transformed my faith from something routine into a relationship. He began revealing His immense love for me and inviting me to trust Him more fully. Looking back, I can see how God was patiently pursuing me all along, using the people and opportunities He placed in my life to draw me closer to His heart.

Your Impact

“Some people give to the missions by going, others go to the missions by giving. Without both, there are no missions.” – St. Pope John Paul II

I became a FOCUS missionary because I have experienced firsthand how discipleship and authentic Catholic community can transform a life. Just as my FOCUS missionaries at CU Boulder helped me encounter Jesus Christ in a personal way during college, I want to accompany students at UVA on their own journey of faith and help them discover the joy found in a relationship with Him.

By saying YES to becoming a FOCUS missionary, I also said YES to relying on spiritual and financial support from mission partners. It would be such an honor to share more about my mission with you and invite you to join me in reaching students for Jesus Christ. Please reach out to me by phone number (571-585-8456) or email ([email protected]) if you are interested in hearing more about how you can join me on mission. I can’t do this without YOU! 🫵

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