The Conversation:

JohnPaul Pascale, Olivia Schlater, Anna Schlater

These NHS leaders go to college together!

Me: “JohnPaul, what made you decide to run for office in NHS and for the specific position you chose?”

JP: “Ok, let me think about it for a sec. This is really interesting. Honestly, I would say that Will, Susanna, and Liesel, who were the officers before, did an incredible job. And they led it very well. It was very orderly. And I thought it would be really cool to be a part of that and I would say that William especially, definitely inspired me to be able to go be a good leader and I thought, ‘oh this is something I can do.” I don’t know, honestly, I would just say that I was really inspired by the work that Will had done the year before. Just how well he led us all not only to be a successful chapter but also to be pretty oriented towards our faith and I thought I might as well step up. I prayed about it, and I decided to do it. And then I was elected! And there we have it. I got elected.”

Me: “That is awesome! And then, Anna, what were the responsibilities that you had and the position that you had?”

Anna: “Yeah so I was VP, so the main responsibilities were, okay wait I am blanking. What did I do? (looking at JP and Olivia) Running the socials, which was fun!”

JP: “You made sure that everyone went to all the meetings and did attendance.”

Anna: “Yeah, did all the attendance. So, I made sure everyone went to the meetings and was keeping up with their requirements for the chapter. And then also, with ISP approval. So,
basically, just making sure that everyone did their ISP’s and GSP’s and making sure that both were up to chapter standards, which was fun. And then also just helping with answering questions and communicating with members.”

Me: “That is so fun! Okay, so Olivia, you were the secretary, why did you choose to run as secretary? Why not another position?”

Olivia: “I think that because Anna was doing it that really inspired me to do it because I thought that being in a community was pretty cool. That you had a bunch of people who were coming together to strive for the four pillars. I just thought it was cool that there was a community of students who were striving toward all these good virtuous things together.”

Me: “Yeah, awesome! Okay so the next one is for anyone of you guys or all of you guys. How was it running NHS together? And did you work well together?”

JP: “We worked really well together. I won’t even lie.”

Anna: “Yeah.”

Olivia and Anna: “Yeah. We did.”

JP: “We had a lot of fun together.”

Anna: “I don’t think there was ever any tension between us.”

Olivia: “Yeah. We just had a good time!”

Me: “That is so great! Then, what is the main reason each of you chose to go to Franciscan?”

Olivia: “I think it was just where I could see myself growing the most and becoming closest to the Lord. And especially with wanting to study nursing, I really valued the fact that their
program aligns with the Catholic Church. So, I would say that those were the two main reasons; growing with the Lord in prayer and the sacraments and then also just the amazing quality that is being made here.”

Anna: “I would say that what was most attractive about Franciscan to me was definitely the community. For me it has always been the saying, ‘you’ll become the 5 people you’re around the most.’ It has always just been so crazy to me. Just be intentional about the people you surround yourself with cause you will start to look like them. And just the radical way of virtue on the campus is so unique, so beautiful, and so present every day and every minute. The community is something I want to be a part of, and I want to look like the people here and I want to grow in virtue. So, definitely the community, and then also just the Catholic education that you can’t get everywhere.”

JP: “And I would say much of the same points, honestly, going to a college that wasn’t going to give me an education that was just soaked in the Catholic truths and that would not teach me things that would benefit me in a successful life and that would not make me a better person was just not an option, so I had some college options that were all authentically Catholic but what made me decide upon Franciscan was, just like Anna and Olivia said, the community here. It is just so incredibly unique. There’s a joy here which I would say I have never experienced anywhere else. And I don’t know if I will want to leave when it’s time to leave. But what I do know is that I’ll definitely take it with me, and I know that the friendships that I am developing here, right now, are just so valuable and I don’t think a lot of people get that so I would say that all of us are very blessed to be here, because it is a great place to be.”

Me: “Great answers! Okay, how has it been being at the same college as each other after being in online school with each other and running NHS together?”

JP: “Honestly, it has been amazing! It has been so much fun to finally meet them!”

Olivia: “It’s been awesome! So great to finally put faces and personalities to names!”

Anna: “It has been such a blessing to have known JP (and Olivia of course hahaha!) through MODG and now to be close to them at Franciscan!”