When Anna left her home country to begin college, she carried more than suitcases. She carried uncertainty. She was stepping into a world that looked and sounded different, a place where she quietly hoped to find people who would understand her, support her, and help her feel at home.
Everything was unfamiliar.
The language.
The culture.
The expectations.
But from her very first visit, the Newman Club on her campus changed everything.
She wasn’t just greeted.
She was welcomed.
“I felt seen the moment I walked in,” Anna shared. “Everyone was so open and caring. They made me feel like I belonged right away.”
Over time, those warm introductions grew into friendships grounded in prayer, encouragement, and faith. She found other students who were striving to know God, love the Church, and live with purpose. They became the people who walked with her through challenges, celebrated her wins, and reminded her that holiness isn’t meant to be lived alone.
“We always say we’re all called to be ‘saints’ together,” she said. “The Newman Club feels like my second family.”
Why Stories Like Anna’s Matter
Every year, thousands of students step onto campus without a community to receive them. Some come from across the world like Anna. Others simply feel lost in the transition from high school to college or military service. Without a supportive faith community, many drift quietly away from the Church—not because they reject it, but because no one is there to welcome them.
This is the gap the Faith Forward movement is closing.
Through Newman Connection, students are connected by name to their campus ministries before they ever arrive. We help them find what Anna found: a home, a friendship, a lifeline of faith.
When students are known, invited, and welcomed, everything changes.
Every Student Deserves a Community Like This
Anna’s courage to step into a new country led her to a place she could call home. A place where faith became friendship and belonging became a way of life.
Her story is one of thousands—and with your help, thousands more will find their way to a community that welcomes them by name.
