Newmanite Profile: Jackie Josten

I applied to ECU as an afterthought; I really wanted to go to Indiana University or Louisiana State, but ended up getting a brochure in the mail for ECU's school of music, and my Dad suggested I apply, so I did. It ended up being the only school of music to accept me, so I had no choice but to come here. It ended up being an absolute blessing, and I'm more than glad that I came. I chose to go to the Newman Center because both of my parents insisted on it. My Dad told me about the Newman Center at his college, South Dakota State, and how it was like a safe haven--he went there for church, to do homework, to meet and hang out with friends, to pray, and so on. He said that it helped him get through some of the darkest times in college. My mother didn't go to church very much in college because her college didn't have a Lutheran campus ministry (she became a Catholic some years later), although she had gone frequently when growing up. She told me that she missed it so much, that when she began going again after college, she was so overwhelmed with relief and comfort she was moved to tears. She felt like she was finally home again.

My best Newman Center memory would absolutely have to be the 2008 Fall Retreat, at Emerald Isle. I decided to go because I hadn't been on a Newman retreat yet, but heard that they were a lot of fun and were good for meeting people. I hadn't talked to very many people at Newman, despite having been there an entire year, and I was also craving a weekend of talking to God, so I signed up to go on the retreat as soon as I knew I could go.

I ended up having one of the best weekends of my life! I was still somewhat shy at first, but after playing frisbee and going for a walk on the beach with some people the first evening, I began to feel much more comfortable. I was amazed at how kind and welcoming everyone was. I can't think of one activity the whole weekend that I didn't enjoy, and not a minute of free time was spent bored or lonely.

I not only grew closer to the people on the retreat, but to God. The past few months had been especially difficult for me, and though I didn't know it, the following months would also be filled with tests and big decisions. The retreat weekend was a much-needed respite; I was able to stop everything and focus on my God and our relationship, which had only just begun to become an important part of my life. I talked to God, and perhaps more importantly, I listened to God. I remember silently praying with everyone before confession of Saturday night, in a room lit by only one candle and the full moon; God's presence in the room was so tangible, and I was overwhelmed with love and admiration for my God, that I found myself crying out of happiness for the first time that I could remember.

By the end of the retreat, I had began making some valuable friends, and had become acquainted with several other people, who I would later get to know through other Newman events, especially the Alternative Spring Break. It was the first step out of my proverbial shell.

I would tell a potential Newmanite that, even and especially if you are shy like I was, that the Newman Center will always welcome you. I knew that if I didn't make myself go to the Newman Center for weekly Mass, I wouldn't end up going to church at all, and I wasn't going to let that be an option. I needed more than ever to hold onto my faith, because I knew it would be what got me through the first few months of school.

We are all friendly people, and you are guaranteed to find someone with some similar interests that you can talk to. If you don't meet people right away (goodness knows I certainly didn't), don't get discouraged, get active! Go on the retreats, go to Newman week, join the Bible study or a devotional group, come to daily Mass! You can even stop by Newman in between classes to watch TV, do some homework, or relax otherwise; our door is open and the couches are comfortable.