Summary
A few years ago, Archbishop Shawn McKnight of Missouri floated an idea to host a Catholic local conference for college students in his diocese. However, limited resources and other commitments made this idea fall through the cracks until Emma Johnson, a senior majoring in hospitality management at the University of Missouri (Mizzou), pitched her own plan. Faced with convincing Maureen Quinn, Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Jefferson City, Johnson managed to get support from Quinn and started organizing. A year and a half later, this conference is scheduled to take place on February 28 at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Jefferson City. Initially aiming to involve students from all three local Newman Centers — Mizzou, Truman State University, and Missouri Science and Technology (S&T) — the organizers have recruited over 40 student volunteers. Quinn emphasized that involving these young adults helps ensure the event’s success by aligning it with their needs and experiences. The conference aims to bring together students across Missouri for a day of leadership development and community engagement, with Quinn hoping this project, initiated when Johnson was still in high school, will now come to fruition.
Key Topics
University, Missouri, Johnson
