Campus ministers from St. Ambrose University in Davenport and Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, work on a mission statement at a retreat earlier this year. Pictured are, from left, Nicky Gant, Elyse Keefer, Kate Tyler, Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, Father Polycarp Hagan and Father Dale Mallory.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — At St. Ambrose University, offerings of retreats, service, Bible study and Mass are sent out to all students at the school.
“We are so blessed to be able to send to all students,” said Tammy Norcross-Reitzler, director of campus ministry. “We are part of the campus. Not just located on campus,” she said. “We send out a message to all students about what is going on and they are invited — no matter their faith or no faith at all.”
The campus ministry department’s mission is to “accompany students of all faiths and help them grow.”
The service component draws the most non-Catholics. Students know the importance of serving others, she said.
Peer campus ministers
Several years ago, campus ministry started peer campus ministers. Those selected students live in the dorms and help get the word out about campus ministry. They are able to reach out to students living in the dorms — which campus ministry staff do not have access to. This year, two of the 12 peer campus ministers are non-Catholic. “Originally I never envisioned this would happen,” Norcross-Reitzler said. “But they are wonderful, help us out a lot and have very deep faith. They are good examples for others.”
Having peer campus ministers in addition to offerings outside the chapel building itself takes campus ministry to a new level, she said.
Bible studies have grown throughout the campus. “This builds community and takes the Word of God outside the chapel.”
She said one Bible study group meets at the health sciences building off campus. That group, primarily physical therapy students, meet there as their schedules are different. Some athletes have also started Bible study groups with teammates. “It is a powerful experience for some,” Norcross-Reitzler said. She hopes more students involved in sports will do studies as a group together.
Another student has shown the series “The Chosen” in a classroom setting with multimedia technology. Being outside the chapel draws some non-Catholic students to sessions like this.
Service opportunities are offered throughout the year at St. Ambrose, but the spring break choices often draw a good number of students. That might involve river cleanup, helping to build or fix houses in an impoverished area near a big city to helping single mothers.
Father Polycarp Hagan, chaplain at Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Nicky Gant, coordinator of service and justice at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, work on ideas for campus ministry at a retreat earlier this year.
St. Ambrose-Mount Mercy
As progress on the strategic combination (not a merger) between St. Ambrose in Davenport and Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, continues, so is sharing.
At the campus ministry level, Norcross-Reitzler said the two universities are working together to do some shared events, bounce ideas off each other and see what other opportunities can come about. Norcross-Reitzler, along with Kate Tyler, director of campus ministry at Mount Mercy, and Amelia Blaton Hibner, chief mission integration officer for both campuses, work together on the future of campus ministry. A mission statement draft for the two campuses was drawn up this past spring.
“Amelia is a big picture thinker on how to grow our ministry,” Norcross-Reitzler said.
The campuses started to share resources and she expects this to grow over time. The two campus ministers continue to meet and the whole campus ministry staffs meet together as well. “We see where we can collaborate with each other,” Norcross-Reitzler said. “We are just beginning.”
Last school year was the first time the ministries did some sharing. A joint student leader retreat went well and another will be held this year. Norcross-Reitzler hopes to offer more retreats and service opportunities for the campuses to be together.
She admitted some activities may not work on the other’s campus, but both are open to ideas.
At St. Ambrose last year, someone suggested everyone attending Mass wear a name tag for the first few weeks to get to know people. “That worked well. This year Mount Mercy is going to do that.”
“We have more communication with one another, more ideas with plans to expand,” she said.
One big collaboration project is for the two campuses to send students to SEEK 2027 in Columbus, Ohio. St. Ambrose has sent students the past two years. “We are both committed to this great experience and let’s make it happen.”
SEEK is a five-day experience for prayer, adoration, the sacraments and speakers at the college level to come together. Around 15,000 people attended in Columbus last year in addition to another 15,000 young adults in San Antonio, Texas. Information will go out to students once the new school year starts later this month.
“We have good momentum for doing things together,” Norcross-Reitzler said.
