Essay Contest Paper Reading

Yesterday at lunchtime I attended the Student Board's Paper Reading at Catholic University. Shannon McAlister, the 2006-2007 Student Board Chair, arranged for the room, publicity and catering, and coordinated the scheduling with the presenters and the MC.

Brother Ignatius Schweitzer, Student Board Representative from the Dominican House of Studies and a former winner of the Essay Contest, servas Master of Ceremonies. He introduced the winners and kept track of time, so the event ran smoothly.

The first speaker was Janel Baker, who presented her essay, Visible Unity: The Public Mission of the Church (PDF full text here).

The second speaker was Laurie Mellinger, whose essay was A Distinctively Evangelical Spirituality? (Full text here).

Each winner spoke for 15 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of Q & A. Faculty and students of Catholic University's School of Theology and Religious Studies, as well as friends of the presenters, visited before and after the event, sharing lunch and fellowship.

Here is a current grad student with two CUA-STRS professors, Fr. Wiseman and Fr. Granfield. As it happens, I was a research assistant for both of these professors during my own days at CUA, so it was very nice to see them, as well as Fr. Ford, who contributes to this blog and also chairs the Consortium's Ecumenism Committee, which sponsors the Essay Contest.

Thanks to everyone involved in this event!