DePaul University Was Not My First Choice

Whenever people ask me why I chose Depaul University I am a bit hesitant to tell them my story. Many people had this moment where they just knew this school was the right one for them, just like when Louise was discovering her purpose. I have been attracted to Lousie because of her luminaire moment. She knew she was more than just a mother and a wife. So she pleaded to God to show her the way and guide her steps to her next path. Then in an instant, God gave her a vision of what she would be doing in her future. She saw that she would be living with other like-minded sisters and she also saw herself serving the poor. This moment was a turning point for her because she was able to see what her future held and it was a guiding point for her life. She knew that her purpose was much bigger than what she had been previously doing. I was attracted to this story because, in most people’s lives, they realize their purpose in very different ways. I think that finding one’s purpose in life happens over time. I know in my years at DePaul I never had a Luminaire moment. There was an accumulation of events that has and has continued to help me develop what I want to do in this life. Even my story about attending DePaul is not typical.

Everyone I know tells me their story of just knowing Depaul was the right place for them because of the community, opportunities, or the mission. I reluctantly tell them that DePaul University was not my first choice and if I had to do it again I still do not know if I would have chosen this school. Eventually, I began to open up and tell people that coming here was a last-minute decision because my dream school messed up my financial aid. Depaul was the last school to take me in with open arms and I would say even that was the start of my Vincentian journey.

During my freshman year, it was easy for me to join communities and clubs because I am an extroverted person. I quickly got involved with CRU campus ministries, the Sign language club, and other organizations. As the month went on I started to find my place and friends that I felt connected to throughout Depaul University. As spring rolled around I did not want to go back to Ohio so I began to see what I could do to fill my spring break. I happen to walk by a flyer in the Schmitt academic center advertising a service immersion for spring break. Serving others is one thing I am passionate about so I knew that this was perfect for me. This was the start of my knowledge of Vincentianism. During the winter quarter, I started all the pre-trip meetings and was all set to do my service immersion during spring break. This pre-trip planning was quickly halted when the news was brought up about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Much to my surprise I still was able to participate in a service immersion the upcoming December; except this time online. During this service trip, I learned what it meant to serve others even during a pandemic. This was the first time I realized that the daughters of charity stood for justice. At the same time, we were standing for justice by learning about the social justice movements that were happening at the time. This encouraged me to get out and spread awareness of the injustices in my community.

Being involved in Meet Me at the Mission eventually led me to participate in the Vincentian Heritage Tour. It was amazing to walk in the footsteps of all the Vincentian Leaders before my time. Although I have traveled to France before, this trip was different for me because I was able to see where the movement all started. I felt like I was being transported back in time when some of the stories were being told. I did not have an “arrival at the center moment,” instead I had a center of clarity moment. I found out that many of these Vincentian leaders have been put on high pedestals. However they are humans just like the rest of us, so many of their stories are flawed. Still, I was able to learn how the mission has been and was being lived out in France. This helped me reflect on what I wanted my own mission statement to be. We all know the Vincentian mission of “What must be done,” but I wanted to tweak that statement slightly into “How must I live my life.” I think that if I live my life the way that Jesus did I would be able to have a more fulfilling journey. So, the question of how I must live my life encourages me to seek social change for the betterment of the world around me and the improvement of myself. I think if I live more like Jesus, I will live in more of a loving way. If I love people more I would want nothing more than to help the people around me. Loving people pushes me to answer the question “What must be done?”