WHAT SENIORS SAY ABOUT BENEDICTINE ENVIRONMENT

CORAD SENIOR ESSAY CONTEST, FALL 2010

Seven St. John’s and St. Ben’s college seniors entered an essay contest sponsored by the Benedictine Institute in the 2010 fall semester. The contest highlighted both Benedictine awareness and sense of vocation under the auspices of Corad, the campus vocations project funded by the Lilly Endowment. The question was how the Benedictine environment of the colleges had influenced the students’ sense of vocation in thinking about their own careers and their plans and dreams for the future.

Three of the students were from Saint John’s, four from the College of Saint Benedict. Prizes were awarded in early December by a jury of three readers who did not know the identity of the writers. In recognition of the quality of all of the entries, those not awarded a prize were given honorable mention.
Here are excerpts from each of their essays.

“’…they live by the labor of their hands,’ reads the Rule of Benedict number 48, reiterating the value of the Dignity of Work in appreciating God’s creation. I think of my own hands, and what they will do for a lifetime: write fervently; pray loyally. But more than imagining my own hands and their journey, the Benedictine Values beckon me to watch others’ hands and understand their labor in order to more fully understand my own; beckon me to seek a balance between what my hands have the opportunities to do, and what hands like [South African student] Lalitha’s are given.”
Emily Bina, New Brighton, majoring in Communication.

“I signed up for this experience [in a Men’s Spirituality Group] as an opportunity to talk – to share and process my own personal thoughts. As a senior student, I have remained in this group as an opportunity to listen – to learn more about this amazing community of young men and how other people’s views differ from my own. Beyond practicing the value of listening itself, this experience has allowed me to gain much insight into other young men’s reasoning for pursuing their unique vocations.”
Alex Brehm, Eagan, majoring in Communication and Hispanic Studies

“Throughout my nursing education here, we are constantly being reminded of the Benedictine values. Our program’s core is based on these values; listening, respect for persons, dignity of work, hospitality, stewardship, and the common good especially. In taking care of others and helping vulnerable individuals, we are constantly provided with opportunities to uphold our values. In nursing, we also come across many ethical situations regarding what may be best for individuals’ lives. Ethical issues are not easy to deal with and nursing is not an easy profession; there are continuous challenges to face and difficult situations to get through. It can be a very sad field, but also so rewarding knowing you can help make a difference for someone. My education here at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University has helped me to prepare for my future and be confident in upholding the importance of the Benedictine Values they have stressed to us.”
Jaclyn Imdieke, New London, majoring in Nursing


“Life is a song, sing it. At the beginning of my sophomore year, I was feeling rather lost and alone. One of my strong Christian friends introduced me to Praise in the Pub for the first time. The rest is history. Every Wednesday night, I forget my anxieties; I look to the Lord, and re-center myself—all through singing. I wasn’t blessed with the voice of an angel, but that’s not important. Singing, something I never thought I’d enjoy, draws me nearer to God. Noon prayers with my Benedictine friend serves as another way I draw nearer to Him through singing. I truly could not imagine college anywhere else; without my Wednesday night Praise in the Pub or my noon prayers with Sister Rosemary. I am aware of God through the ordinary event of singing. His divine presence is everywhere, and on Wednesday nights, He is alive in Brother Willie’s Pub.”
Delaney Lundeen, Duluth, majoring in Hispanic Studies and Nutrition



“Since the summer before my sophomore year I have felt called to ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church. When I was first exploring this calling my Companions on a Journey group was the first place I felt comfortable sharing this call. In this group I was supported, affirmed, and able to explore what God has in mind for me and how I can live out God’s love in the world. . . . I can confidently say that my experience at St. Ben’s has created and refined my idea of vocation. . . . I cannot imagine what my understanding of vocation would be like had I not gone to St. Ben’s and I am grateful for what I have learned and how my relationship with God has grown in the past four years. I conclude with an encounter I had at the Episcopal House of Prayer. The Sister I met there looked to be approaching her mid-eighties yet was preparing for a three day vision quest. As I discern my vocation and where God calls me to be I realize this is an evolving call. However, I know that as I leave St. Ben’s, I leave with the goal to love as much as I can each day and be Christ to others as they exemplify Christ to me—a goal I believe I will hold constant for the rest of my life.”
Shannon Preston, Savage, majoring in Biology


“Acceptance into the community and making one feel at home is what I loved about the people from Saint John’s , be it a monk or a refectory worker, I felt at home right away. The following experience still lingers in my mind, and I am very thankful to a few individuals who have actually helped me to strengthen my faith as a Muslim and encouraged me to pursue my religious practices although I was literally a hop, step and jump away from the abbey church and the monastic community housing many monks. During the international student luncheon, Fr. Douglas Mullin came up to me and asked if I had all the necessary amenities to fast during the month of Ramadhan. He encouraged me to fast and advised that spirituality is integral to one’s life, and he even expressed his willingness to help me to form a Muslim student association. Our conversation lasted for a few minutes only, but during the conversation, I was left speechless for the fact that he was encouraging me to pursue my faith despite being monk and the Vice President of Student Development. After all, I was one of the many thousands of students who walk in and out of Saint John’s, but I was given personal attention like I was the only student on campus. I felt honored and fell in love with the people and community of Saint John’s for the mere fact that hierarchy was not a determinant for interaction.”
Shafak Mohamed Samsheer, Sri Lanka, majoring in Management


“Growing out of this self-knowledge is a new kind of stability I hadn’t known before. Despite being a senior with a wide-open future a mere six months away, I feel a new stability and trust in the future. Though I don’t know where I’ll be one year or five or ten from now, I am comfortable knowing in broad strokes that I want to serve my community. Thanks to my experiences here at St. Ben’s and St. John’s, I know that I have the skills and ability to succeed in life and in service to others. I know myself well enough to see what potential mistakes to look out for, and as the future makes its way toward me, I trust I will be able to meet it.”
Aaron Sinner, Cody, Wyoming, majoring in Political Science