Alumni and students explore faith in unique Catholic fellowship programs.
Not too many people can say they lived in a former German castle or studied at a Vatican university in Rome, but for four members of the Saint Leo University community, these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities have become a real and memorable part of their life stories.
After being accepted into highly selective fellowship programs, these students, some now alumni, were not only able to travel and explore the world during their time at Saint Leo, but grow in their Catholic faith and more.
Engaging in Interfaith Studies at Vatican Institutions
It was an interest in interfaith studies that led Iris Semer ’16, ’19 and Gloria Guisbert ’18 to pursue prestigious fellowships at Vatican institutions in Rome, Italy. While students at Saint Leo, the pair served as fellows in the university’s Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies under the leadership of the center’s director and associate professor of theology, Dr. Matthew Tapie. Their exposure to conferences and events organized by the center helped them to learn about the importance of building relationships and dialogue between people of different faiths.
Semer, who had just graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Saint Leo, was able to secure a fellowship with the Cardinal Bea Centre for Judaic Studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Guisbert, who was pursuing a bachelor’s degree in theology, obtained a fellowship with Angelicum: Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas. Both of these institutions are highly selective. Hundreds of people apply to participate each year, but only a few are accepted.
As part of the fellowship, Semer spent two years living in Rome. She was able to make friends with people from different nationalities and was exposed to new ways of thinking. One of her most memorable experiences was visiting the largest Jewish synagogue in Rome.
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“It was exciting to observe the prayer taking place and see all the voices saying prayer and doing the liturgical practices we learned about,” Semer said.
Guisbert’s studies in Rome were slightly different due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While she did not have the opportunity to study in Rome for the full two years, she was able to spend some time there and partake in a similar experience as Semer.
“As part of the fellowship, I had the opportunity to go to Israel and see Jewish life,” Guisbert said. “That helped me understand more about the conflicts between faiths.”
Today Semer is a teacher at St. Peter Claver Catholic School in Tampa, FL, where she takes the time to listen and understand her students, who come from different backgrounds, and does her best to model Christ-like behavior.
“My professors at Saint Leo were really invested and cared about my success as a student,” Semer said. “It was a good model for the teacher that I wanted to be.”
Semer recalls how passionately her professors taught. She said they were not just researchers, but educators who she could tell invested time into how they presented information.
As for Guisbert, she has plans to continue on a path toward learning, obtaining her master’s degree in theology. “I’ve had a love for theology since I was young,” Guisbert said. “I’ve always wanted to be a missionary, so pursuing a degree in theology just made sense.”
Developing a Catholic Worldview in Germany
Last summer, University Campus seniors Rafael Soto and Jeremy Bobowski had the opportunity to stay in a former castle in Schloss Wissen, Germany, as they participated in the Catholic Worldview Fellowship. Each year about 30 students from colleges and universities across the United States enroll in the fellowship to learn about the Catholic faith, while also earning college credit, in an engaging experience that includes a weeklong trip to Rome.
“It was an opportunity where I could grow as a leader, grow in my faith, and then have the experience of traveling to different parts of the world,” said Soto, who graduated this spring with a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Soto learned about the opportunity through Saint Leo’s University Ministry Department. He said the fellowship included a mix of classes where they explored ethics and philosophy, as well as took day trips that allowed them to study architecture and history. Overall, he said the program gave him great perspective about being a Catholic leader in today’s challenging world.
“No matter what spiritual or religious journey you are on, it takes effort — one step at a time,” Soto said.
Like Soto, Bobowski, who is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in religion, also enjoyed the opportunity to travel overseas and engage with others. After graduation, he would like to pursue priesthood.
“We did so many things together as a group that it made it easier to learn and engage in spirituality and prayer,” Bobowski said.
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Dr. Daniel DuBois, assistant professor of history, is serving as the 2022-2023 president of the Florida Conference of Historians. The organization is dedicated to promoting scholarship and collegiality among historians teaching history in Florida’s colleges and universities. In February, Saint Leo University hosted the group’s 2022 annual meeting at University Campus. The conference featured panel and individual presentations on a wide variety of topics from state, national, and international history. Additionally, DuBois was recently selected as one of only 20 participants from hundreds who applied nationally for a weeklong summer workshop on teaching American Civil War history, led by Dr. Gary W. Gallagher, author and professor emeritus at the University of Virginia.
Dr. Kathryn Duncan, professor of English, is the author of Jane Austen and the Buddha: Teachers of Enlightenment, a work of literary criticism recently released by McFarland Books. Duncan was inspired by a realization that the popular English novelist Jane Austen and the religious teacher and thinker had ideas in common about human nature and happiness. Duncan became a faculty member in the English Department in 2001.
Dr. Phillip Neely Jr., director of the Doctor of Criminal Justice program, recently published a book entitled, When the Watcher Becomes the Watched: The New Policing. Released by Paramount Publisher, the book delves into how technology, such as the cameras worn by police officers, has fared at law enforcement agencies and examines if its use has been effective. Prior to becoming a faculty member at Saint Leo, Neely worked in law enforcement for 21 years, serving in progressively responsible leadership and field positions at local agencies.
Dr. Matthew Tapie, associate professor of theology and director of the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies, is co-editing a new series at The Catholic University of America Press, entitled Judaism and Catholic Theology. The Judaism and Catholic Theology series aims to further Catholic theological reflection on Judaism and the Jewish people for scholars, the lay faithful, and interreligious leaders. The first of several books in the new series was published in February 2022. Additionally, Tapie is co-editing a collection of 14 essays on the challenges of theological dialogue for the Catholic University of America Press. The essays were originally presented at the Center for Catholic-Jewish Studies’ online symposium in 2021.
Gianna Russo, assistant professor of English and creative writing, recently published a new book of poetry entitled, All I See is Your Glinting: 90 Days in the Pandemic. The book features poems and photographs that document each day of the last quarter of 2020 during the pandemic, capturing the small and meaningful moments of daily life. The book is available through Madville Publishing. Russo, who was named the inaugural Wordsmith of the city of Tampa in 2020, will wrap up her work in the role at the end of 2022.
Dr. Moneque Walker-Pickett, professor of criminal justice, was selected as one of 38 American Council on Education (ACE) Fellows for the 2020-2021 class. The ACE program is the longest-running leadership development program in the United States and offers participants interactive learning opportunities and visits to campuses and other higher education-related organizations. Walker-Pickett joins other ACE fellows from institutions such as Georgetown University, Purdue University, Ohio State University, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and more.
