Dave Armstrong: A Decade in Campus Ministry
It’s been a decade since Dave Armstrong first walked on the Avila University campus, just one year after upgrading from its "college" status. Amid a shelf filled with books on faith and spirituality and pictures of family, hangs a banner from another university: University of Saint Mary, where he worked as campus minister from 1996 to 2002. Hired as Avila’s campus minister 10 years ago, Armstrong, outfitted in a dress shirt and slacks with graying hair that speaks more of wisdom than age, recalls tough beginnings in bringing about a campus ministry program structured toward success.
"When I got here, there were only two participants" Armstrong stated with a look of reflection on a program that now has 37 active members. His biggest obstacle was working in a system hurting for money, and trying to encourage students to join. He reiterated that every student on campus is a member, but that it’s up to them to actively participate. His goal is to help students "discover meaning for their lives as adults ..." in both human and spiritual aspects. Developing leadership within its members, Campus Ministry is active in 3 areas: liturgical and retreat programs, social events on and off campus, and service to the local community events. Aside of active participation, Campus Ministry also provides "Performance Grants" to selected students to assist with education costs. In addition to his leadership, his real success is his connection with young people, but his biggest struggle is getting male participation.
Another goal of Dave Armstrong is to increase the current demographics of Avila’s Catholic populace. "Currently," he says, "Avila’s Catholic population is only around 30%," up from 27% a decade ago. Aside from working with the Campus Ministry program, he travels to Catholic high schools as far away as St. Louis, Missouri or Omaha, Nebraska recruiting students in hopes of increasing the number of Catholics attending.
Armstrong has solid plans for the campus ministry’s future, especially providing service to the community. During spring break, March 10-17, he is taking a group of students to Bethlehem Farm in southern West Virginia to do a week of retreat, fellowship and service to the local community. The retreat is designed so that each member leaves the farm each day for some level of assigned community service, such as reconstructing homes for those in need. Armstrong hopes to bring that service to Kansas City in the upcoming year, an event that will eventually be open to anyone who wants to make a difference to their community. After a decade of development, Campus Ministry appears alive and well.
"When I got here, there were only two participants" Armstrong stated with a look of reflection on a program that now has 37 active members. His biggest obstacle was working in a system hurting for money, and trying to encourage students to join. He reiterated that every student on campus is a member, but that it’s up to them to actively participate. His goal is to help students "discover meaning for their lives as adults ..." in both human and spiritual aspects. Developing leadership within its members, Campus Ministry is active in 3 areas: liturgical and retreat programs, social events on and off campus, and service to the local community events. Aside of active participation, Campus Ministry also provides "Performance Grants" to selected students to assist with education costs. In addition to his leadership, his real success is his connection with young people, but his biggest struggle is getting male participation.
Another goal of Dave Armstrong is to increase the current demographics of Avila’s Catholic populace. "Currently," he says, "Avila’s Catholic population is only around 30%," up from 27% a decade ago. Aside from working with the Campus Ministry program, he travels to Catholic high schools as far away as St. Louis, Missouri or Omaha, Nebraska recruiting students in hopes of increasing the number of Catholics attending.
Armstrong has solid plans for the campus ministry’s future, especially providing service to the community. During spring break, March 10-17, he is taking a group of students to Bethlehem Farm in southern West Virginia to do a week of retreat, fellowship and service to the local community. The retreat is designed so that each member leaves the farm each day for some level of assigned community service, such as reconstructing homes for those in need. Armstrong hopes to bring that service to Kansas City in the upcoming year, an event that will eventually be open to anyone who wants to make a difference to their community. After a decade of development, Campus Ministry appears alive and well.
Another goal of Dave Armstrong is increase the current demographics of Avila’s Catholic populace. “Currently,” he says, “Avila’s Catholic population is only around 30%”, up from 27% a decade ago. Aside from working with the Campus Ministry program, he travels to Catholic high schools as far away as St. Louis, Missouri or Omaha, Nebraska recruiting students in hopes of increasing the number of Catholics attending.
Armstrong has solid plans for the campus ministries future, especially providing service to the community. During spring break, March 10-17, he is taking a group of students to Bethlehem Farm in southern West Virginia to do a week of retreat, fellowship and service to the local community. The retreat is designed so that each member leaves the farm each day for some level of assigned community service, such as reconstructing homes for those in need. Armstrong hopes to bring that service to Kansas City in the upcoming year, an event that will eventually be open to anyone who wants to make a difference to their community. After a decade of development, Campus Ministry appears alive and well.
