Franciscan University holds commencement
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STEUBENVILLE -- "Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire," Curtis Martin, the commencement speaker, told the 71st graduating class of Franciscan University of Steubenville Saturday.
Martin, who is the president and founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students and 1993 alumnus of the school, was quoting the words of St. Catherine of Siena.
Martin spoke to the students about how their faith would not always be easy or seem logical at times, but would lead them to the right place if they listened.
"What Christ asks of you is not always going to make sense," he said.
Martin said that he was not always the man that stood before the crowd at the Finnegan Fieldhouse.
He talks in his bio about his life as an undergraduate student.
"I spent all my time pursuing fun because I believed the lie that fun leads to happiness," he wrote.
It was in those early years, that he found his way back to his faith and eventually lead him to pursue a master's degree in theology at Franciscan.
It was during that pursuit that he, with the help of his theology teacher, Scott Hahn, Archbishop Charles Chaput and fellow alumnus Edward Sri that Martin formed the idea for FOCUS, a Catholic missionary organization for college students.
Per Martin, FOCUS started the group in 1998 with two part-time staff members and 20 students -- they now have more than 800 full-time employees at over 150 campus es -- and are reaching more than 60,000 young people.
The Rev. Sean O. Sheridan, university president, said Martin is so effective with the students because "young people are hungry for the truth. They want wisdom. They long to live lives full of meaning and purpose."
Martin encouraged the graduates to adhere to "radical discipline" when it comes to their faith.
"Now go set the world on fire," he concluded.
Several of the students graduating Saturday were ready to go just that.
Alyssa StaAgueda, who was getting her nursing degree, said her time at the university was "unexpectedly extraordinary."
"You have growth in every aspect of your life," she said.
Fellow nursing graduate Isabella Velasquez said, "This day is more about the people that got me here – my teachers, parents, friends and the lord."
Marketing graduate Paul Radatovich said he had both a "spiritual and educational growth" at the school.
James Bolyog, International Business graduate, said he first came the school to take advantage of the commuter grant for local high school graduates, but stayed because of so much more.
"(It was nice) to be close to my family, but I got a great education," he said.
The following area students graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville:
Bloomingdale: Lori Ann Balvin, Jacinta Marie Roberts, Rebecca Marie Roberts and Nicholas Joseph Zimmerer.
Burgettstown: Celene Helen Jedrzejewski and Amber Marie Prebeg.
Cadiz: Brianna Nicole McCune.
East Liverpool: Brittany Lee Bailey and Melissa Glover.
Follansbee: Allison Marie Buczynski, Joseph Jack Cionni and Aaron Kyle O'Nan.
Hopedale: David Michael Forrester, Daniel William Gray and Joseph Kolbe Miravalle.
Jewett: John-Francis Marie Ellis.
Martins Ferry: Laura Elizabeth Molter.
Mingo Junction: Teresa Nicole Busick, Gabriel Joseph Gessler, Sarah Kelly Keenan, Alicia Marie Libetti and Madison Nicole Sims.
Richmond: Maximilian Michael Harris.
Steubenville: Joseph Patrick Antoniello, Noemy Banuelos, Michelle Barragan-Camacho, Elizabeth Anne Bennette, Jacob Robert Borden, Brendan Michael Bosanko, Dale Robert Brewer, Joshua Kent Bullard, Carly Lahaina Burke, Matthew Christopher Cahill, Sarah Elizabeth Cahill, William Dean Clark, Micheal Alan Cosby, James William Craig, Christina Marie Creek, Gregory-Stephen Cuccari, Gregory James Demary, John-Paul Dombrowski, Mary Michaela Drasin, Carlo James Fabian, Katrina Nicole Fabian, Shannon Marie Foley, Sydney Ann Ford, Demi Victoria Garza, George Christopher Garza, Benjamin Michael Girone, Jasper Tyron Gonzalez, Heather M Grimes, Alayna Nicole Heilman, Katrina Jane Herlambang, Alyssa Lan Hermann, John Henry Hostetler, Emmanuel Igwe, Samuel Anthony Ivkovich, Dean Lawrence Kovacs, Shibin Kurian, Anthony Patrick Lee, Eric Robert Loster, Madison Nichole McCalister, Rebecca Ann McCue, Ana Beatriz McNamara, James Joseph Mello, Frances Booker Messa, Mary Bernadette Miravalle, Marshall L Myers, Andrew Michael Nese, Mary-Frances Chiamaka Nwokedi, Trinity O'Neill, Cyriacus Amamchukwu Okoro, James Maduabuchi Onyenani, Sharon Elizabeth Orndorff, Andrew Leonard Ouellette, Gabrielle Nicole Peterson, Claire Robin Richard, Amanda Logan Roscoe, Monique Christine Sammut, Briana Nicole Santana, Kathleen Frances Sliva, Richard John Sole, Kateri Beatrice Spencer, Mark Andrew Spinnenweber, Casey Marie Stone, Abel Joseph Thomas, Ruben CaÒas Veloz, Christine Judith Marie Venditti, Hannah Rose Ward, Caeli M Welker, Benedict Dennis Martin Willey, Andrew William Yaskanich, Joseph Michael Young and Christopher John Zedick.
Toronto: Mary Kathryn Bender, JohnPaul Vincent Dougherty, Dillan Jessup Gault, Shannon Lee Hull-Corsi, Amber Nicole Lewandoski, Kyle Austin Lewis and Brandi Lee Scalley.
Weirton: Jenna Marie Bain, Jason Andrew Kuhn, Jasmin Latoya Prudlo and Raegan Marie Stead.
Wellsburg: Karen Gail Sacks, Andrea Lynn Stein and Katelyn Nichelle Swager.
Wintersville: Christopher Michael Allietta, Rebecca Antonelli, James Joseph Bolyog, Bryan Patrick Brown, Adam Jacob Freshwater, Samantha Marie Giannamore, Aidan O'neil Gotta, Cameron James Lamatrice, Brittany Michelle Lazasz, Brianna Nicole Leas, Christopher Kevin McGurn, Stevie Rae Montgomery and Alyssa Marie Mosti.