Coming into my freshman year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, I had no real concept of who Jesus Christ was. I grew up in an atheist household, and for the years before coming to college, I had grappled with my belief in God, slowly moving closer and closer to Him.

As I got on campus, I had a desire to learn more about who Jesus Christ was. As an overzealous freshman with a head full of dreams, though, I let my pursuit of Christ fall by the wayside as I got caught up in college life. I was in a great fraternity on campus, I held renowned leadership positions on campus, I had internships and jobs that people envied—on paper, my life was great. But deep down, I was so empty. The long nights, the rough mornings, they wore me down. I really desired community—to be known for who I was, not by the mask I put on day in and day out. 

By the grace of God, I was blessed to live with a good friend who was Catholic during my junior year. It was through interactions with him that I really began to ask myself the deeper questions: “Who is God?” and “Who am I in relation to Him?” As I reflected, I found myself desiring deeper truth, which led me to the Catholic Church. As I sat in adoration and began attending Mass regularly, I began to see my life change. I felt a deep love and belonging that I never felt before in my life; I felt seen, I felt known. I officially joined the Church in Easter 2025, and I have desired simply to pursue the Lord with all my heart since then. 

That journey led me to pour into the men in my fraternity, desiring to show them the love and mercy of Christ. Over the course of my senior year, I saw miracles—beautiful stories of repentance and mercy that words alone cannot describe. As I witnessed the change in other men, I saw something stir in my heart—I desired to pour out more. Over the course of my last year, I turned down multiple job offers and made the decision to join FOCUS as a Campus Missionary.

Now, I’m beyond blessed and excited to share the mercy and love that God has with the men around me, especially those trapped in the vices of fraternity life.