Elena Niese

Hey! My name’s Elena. I’m a FOCUS missionary!

Where I serve

After serving the cadets at the United States Coast Guard Academy the last two years, God has now called me to serve the students at Central Connecticut State University for my third year on mission. More Lord!!

CCSU Placement Day JOE! My teammate Simon and I welcoming our new teammate Joe on placement day!

My team from left to right: Maddie, Me, Simon, and Bri (plus Joe pictured above!)

My Story

Although I was raised Catholic, it was not until I encountered the mercy of Christ through the Sacrament of Confession in early high school that I made my faith my own. This experience transformed my life and instilled in me a deep desire to not only pursue the heart of Jesus myself, but also to invite others into His heart the same. As I started college in the fall of 2018, this desire only continued to grow. In the face of the college culture and lifestyle, my heart began to ache for each person I encountered to know that they are seen, known, and loved. Despite not having FOCUS on my campus, after attending FOCUS’s annual conference known as SEEK, I started my own bible study and began investing intentionally in the lives of the women around me. I also became an active leader in ministry on campus, teaching other students how to be missionary disciples in their daily encounters with friends and classmates. Through each of these experiences, full of both trials and joys, Jesus brought me deeper into his heart and taught me what it truly means to trust in Him. Little by little, He was orienting my heart towards saying “yes” to His call to be a full-time missionary.

I know from my own experience that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the only thing that truly satisfies the deepest longings of the human heart, and I want nothing more than to help all my students know this love and mercy the same!

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. It is solely through the generosity of my mission partners that I will be able to serve students on campus. As Mother Teresa said, “Some give by going, others go by giving,” and I would be honored for you to join with me as I embark on this journey to serve souls on college campuses! If you are interested in partnering with me, please let me know and I will schedule an appointment with you. I would love to share with you more of my story!

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Know, Love and Serve God

We encounter God in an intimate relationship through daily prayer, the sacraments and the Scriptures.

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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