Newmanite Profile: Joe Rose

What's your best Newman Center memory?

My favorite memory for the Newman Center is when a group of us lighted Fr. Bill's office. The whole thing started after we found that there were seven strands of lights left over after the Newman Center was decorated for Christmas. Several people who happened to be early for Wednesday night Mass and dinner were joking around about what we could use the lights on. Finally someone came up with the idea that we should string the lights all over Fr. Bill's office like you would TP a tree. The plan was to wait until Mass and then commence the operation. As Mass started, several people joined in the act of placing lights all over the office from the couch to the sealing fan. By the end, the lights were everywhere.

As Mass was going on, we were wondering if Fr. Bill knew something was going on because you can see the window of his office from the chapel. At the end of Mass we all came in smiling only to realize he had not figured out what had happened. Everyone sat down to enjoy dinner. As people started to finish dinner, Fr. Bill had to go to a meeting so he had to leave early. He finished saying goodbye in the chapel and walked to his office to grab some stuff. Fr. Bill then noticed that his door was shut. His door is almost always open. He walked to the door and as he opened it, he was greeted by the light of hundreds of Christmas lights, and several people laughing behind him.

Being as Fr. Bill was a good sport about the activity; he left the Christmas lights hanging in his office from the ceiling, walls, and even on his desk until he left for Christmas break. As he took the lights down, I am sure he realizes that they will once again make a return this Christmas. The tradition of messing with the Priest's Office has been started.

What was it like to leave your comfort zone and get involved with Newman? 

As an incoming freshman you are basically told that you should already know exactly what you want to do in your life. Who ever came up with that logic definitely does not think like me. As I enter my junior year, I am planning on graduating with a degree in engineering; however the key would is planning, because I still don't know what I really want to do in the future.

At the present moment, I am making plans to be an engineer, and hopefully work for a scuba diving company designing and improving equipment. This would involve two of the things I like doing the most, designing stuff and scuba diving. A smart person once stated:

"if you do something you love to do you will never work a day in your life."

What would you tell a potential Newmanite? 

For all the people who are new to the Newman Center, my advice would be TO STAY! The door is always open to leave, but give us a chance and I think you may be surprised. I had an image of what a church was when I first came to Newman. I was surprised to see that my image and what actually was happening at Newman were not exactly the same.

In addition don't be afraid to come up and say hi to someone especially someone on the leadership team. Most people at Newman are glade to talk with you. You will be surprised to find that people from all majors attend the Newman Center. If you have questions or need someone to talk to, they will be glad to help.

So my advice for a new person to Newman would be to stay and find someone and talk to them. Who knows; you may become good friends with them.