A Home for Faith at Drake: The Evangelizing Student Mission of St. Catherine of Siena
by Diocese of Des Moines | July 13, 2026
By Clare Heinrich
Evangelization is at the heart of the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and Student Center at Drake University. Campus ministry creates a welcoming environment for young adults to ask questions and grow in their Catholic faith.
The things that set St. Catherine of Siena apart are its numerous opportunities to encounter Christ. Through organizations like DU Bulldog Catholic, campus ministry provides a variety of prayer and social events to both Drake and Des Moines community students. From swing dancing to pickleball to daily prayer, there is always something new to experience. Each event seeks to build community, reminding young adults that God is always present in their lives.
At Drake University, students are not only trained through an academic lens. Through a regular connection to the sacraments, they engage in a variety of opportunities to fall in love with the Eucharist. The Holy Spirit lights a fire in them and, as a result, they grow in confidence, building the Church.
“We want to inspire them to take their faith outside the church and back onto campus,” said Megan Schultz, campus minister at St. Catherine of Siena. “Students want to look to their right and left and see others like them! Faith is not something we can do alone.”
Most importantly, St. Catherine of Siena knows that a personal relationship is the way in which God speaks to us. The students themselves, along with the Holy Spirit working through them, are the source of evangelization within their communities. There is an openness to dialogue—peers often invite each other to participate in faith-focused events, like attending candlelit Mass together. Peers encourage each other to live out their faith, and their bonds of friendship provide community which can last for years to come.
When asked what inspires hope in campus ministry, Schultz emphasized the importance of finding a faith community. We don’t simply experience our faith in a vacuum, but we are shaped by our surroundings, our peers, and our experiences. When we have the courage to ask difficult questions and choose to wrestle with the deeper mysteries of our faith, our faith becomes our own and we are stronger for it. She is inspired by those who choose to enter the Church, following the quiet voice of God.
Campus ministers at St. Catherine of Siena strive to meet each individual where they are at and to walk with them on their faith journey. They share in both the pain and joy, and they serve as a resource for any questions or ideas they may have.
“We are the home for anyone who does not have one,” said Schultz. “We each have the power to help lead others to Christ. Young people aren’t the future of the Church—they are the Church now.”
To learn more about St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church and Student Center, please visit https://stcatherinedrake.org for more information on both the parish and campus ministries.