Emily-Anne Santiago

“If we love enough, we are going to light a fire in the hearts of others. And it is love that will burn out the sins and hatreds that sadden us. It is love that will make us want to do great things for each other. No sacrifice and no suffering will then seem too much.” – Dorothy Day

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Where I serve

This year I have the great privilege of serving as a missionary at New York University. I am beyond blessed to serve alongside the great NYU team.

05.31.2026 PlacementDay JO 8 (left to right: Landon, Sophie, myself, George, and Fr. Vincent)

My Story

Our Lord has been blessing my life since the beginning. I was raised in Broward County, Florida, as the youngest and only girl of the family. Growing up, the biggest blessing I received was the sacraments at a young age. The graces of the sacraments, particularly from Confirmation, prepared me for the next 8 years of my life. After my school community experienced a tragedy, I entered the political realm with one goal: to save lives. For the next six years, I worked full-time in politics, passing bills, working on Capitol Hill, leading organizations, and speaking at events. I had taken the graces from my confirmation and directed them towards politics, but in doing so, I left our Lord out of my vision of the future. My identity was my achievements; I was utterly lost despite being successful on paper.

October of my sophomore year at The George Washington University, while working in the US Senate, I reencountered the Lord in a profound way. Learning to balance my faith while working in Politics was a hard challenge that I learned how to handle with the support of the GW Catholic Center. Through the following years of my college career I continued to grow not only in my leadership in politics, having been named a Truman scholar for my work in public service, but I was also able to grow in how I practiced the faith. Entering my senior year, I knew there was nothing I loved more than leading others to feel the love of Christ that had saved and continued to save me on a daily basis.

During my Senior year, I had a profound sense that the Lord was inviting me to slow down, to follow Him, and to show others their goodness. I wanted to offer Him my achievements, my internships, my grades. But it was clear that He didn’t want that, He just wanted me. In approaching the Lord, I offered him my sin, I offered him sorrow, and He gave me back love. After much discernment I finally said yes to the question He asks us; are you willing to follow me.

In graduating from GWU, I am beyond blessed to have the opportunity to pivot my work to a new type of public service: the salvation of souls.

Your Impact

We all desire to be seen, heard, and loved. We were made in the thumbprint of the Lord, and no human thing could fill that desire. As a missionary, it is my desire to lead people to the Lord, to the only one who can fill their hearts. With your support, both spiritually and monetarily, we can reach more people, touch more souls, and together fulfill the great commission.

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If you have any questions or need help setting up your gift, please contact us at [email protected].

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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