I am beyond excited and grateful to share that I will be serving at Columbia University in NYC as a FOCUS missionary!

The 2026-27 Columbia University FOCUS Team: Nelly, Anne, Fr. John, myself, and George.

Did I always think I would be a FOCUS missionary? Nope… Did I always live a faithful life? Well, it’s been a journey, to say the least.

I grew up in Northport, NY, in a loving Catholic family, for which I am truly blessed. From a young age, I received my sacraments (thank you, Mom and Dad!), something I now know played a major role in my life, as God’s grace was always present, providing for and protecting me. I had a sense of God, but I did not know Him personally; I had my own goals! I graduated from Five Towns College with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2021 and quickly dove headfirst into the work-hard-play-hard mentality. This was the mindset I adopted throughout my teenage years and into my early twenties. The world, cultural norms, and the college experience often identify success based upon status, achievements, careers, and wealth.

While it is important to work, provide for yourself and loved ones, and enjoy the little things in life, I found myself looking for purpose, peace, and pleasure in all the wrong areas. No amount of achievement, pursuit of temporal goods, or passing experiences was fulfilling what I was longing for… You see, ultimately, we are human beings who are made for relationship, and the “God-sized hole” in our hearts, which we try to fill with worldly things, cannot provide the purpose for which it was made: loving communion with God, the Creator of all. I did not know how to love until I first experienced the greatest love of all: our Heavenly Father Himself.

After a major spiritual conversion in 2024, I left my career, moved to Rome in 2025 to study theology at the Angelicum, and now in 2026, I am becoming a FOCUS missionary. Through it all, I’ve wanted to share the love and joy of Christ with others. God is calling me back to the college campus, a place where I had lost some of my footing. It is my hope to let young men know that they have purpose, and that whatever they do in life, if they do it with Christ, it will be meaningful.

The greatest part is that we can all participate in God’s plan for humanity. You, yourself, can impact the lives of others by giving to this cause. As a FOCUS missionary, I am entirely dependent on the prayerful and financial support of my mission partners. With your donation, you are allowing me to give all of myself to my students. It would be an honor to do this with you, and if you are interested, please feel free to contact me by email ([email protected]) or phone (631-897-8030). I am grateful for your willingness to join me on this mission, and I cannot wait to begin this journey with you.