When Claire left for college, she wasn’t searching for faith; she was chasing the kind of chaos everyone told her she “should” want. After a friend joked that she wasn’t “crazy enough” for Arizona State University, she spent the entire summer before freshman year pushing every boundary she could. Nights blurred together. Drinking became normal. Blacking out became expected. And even though she was surrounded by people, she felt startlingly alone.

Deep down, Claire wasn’t looking for wild stories; she was longing for real friendship.

Everything changed the night she ended up at a Newman barbecue.

She didn’t go looking for God. She didn’t go looking for community. She simply showed up. And in that unexpected moment, she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long time: people who genuinely cared about her. People who wanted to truly know her, not use her. People who welcomed her without judgment.

So she went back.
And then she went again.

Bit by bit, her priorities shifted. The friendships she formed through the Newman Center at ASU became stronger and far more meaningful than any night of partying ever could. She began to rediscover her faith, diving deeper into prayer, Scripture, and the person God was shaping her to be. Slowly, her life moved from chaos to clarity, from noise to belonging, and from drifting to purpose.

Where Faith Forward Begins

Claire’s story mirrors the heart of the Faith Forward movement—because every year, thousands of students arrive on campus searching for something real. Many step onto college grounds hoping to fit in, belong, or be seen, but without a strong faith community to welcome them, they drift toward whatever seems easiest.

Newman Connection exists so students like Claire don’t have to navigate that moment alone.

Through Faith Forward, students are connected—by name—to campus ministry communities that are ready to receive them with joy, friendship, and the hope of Christ. These connections change lives, shape futures, and help students rediscover who they were made to be.

A Final Word of Hope

Claire went to college expecting parties. Instead, she found purpose.
And today, countless other students are searching for the same sense of belonging.

Through Faith Forward and Newman Connection, you help them find it.

May Claire’s story remind us that every season offers a chance to welcome students into the hope of community, because every invitation, every act of kindness, and every connection made has the power to bring a student home. As Claire shared, “When I walked into the Newman barbecue, it was the first time I felt like people really wanted to know me. That moment changed everything.”