Amid a world filled with distractions and ongoing challenges to religious faith, 86 Catholic college students from Conway and Fayetteville made the journey to Salt Lake City to attend the SEEK25 National Conference.
The conference, organized by FOCUS Ministries Jan. 1-5, featured chaplains, religious and young adult men and women, Catholic speakers and artists. More than 17,000 college-age attendees participated in educational talks, workshops, eucharistic adoration, confession and praise and worship sessions.
Tachia Awbrey, director of Catholic Campus Ministry in Conway, said students expressed an interest in attending when finding out more than 70 students from Fayetteville would be attending the conference in Salt Lake City. Students were even more intrigued when hearing that they would get to learn about evangelization on and off campus, mission work, vocations, preparing for the new semester and that several renowned speakers, such as Father Mike Schmitz, would be in attendance.
She said students held a bake sale at St. Joseph Church in Conway to raise funds for the trip.
“The students put in a great deal of effort through fundraising to make this event possible,” Awbrey said. “It was a privilege to take 16 students from the central Arkansas area. There was no denying the Holy Spirit was the driving force behind making this happen.”
Founded in 1998 by Curtis Martin at Benedictine College, FOCUS was established in response to the Church’s call for a new evangelization. Today, the Catholic outreach organization is dedicated has 860 full-time missionaries at 216 locations, including at campus ministry site at the University of Central Arkansas and the University of Arkansas.
This year’s theme was “Do not be afraid.” It was the first year that SEEK sold out.
Awbrey said taking the students to the conference is part of an ongoing effort to let young Catholics know that living out their faith is more prevalent in the world than a secular society would lead them to believe.
“Catholic college students often feel isolated on their campuses, but this conference made them realize that they are not alone in this journey,” she said. “For young Catholics, especially those living in areas where the faith may not be as prevalent, connecting with others nationally can help affirm their Catholic identity. It can also reinforce their sense of belonging to the larger Church, fostering a sense of being part of a global community of believers.”
Awbrey said these opportunities are especially important to young Catholics in states like Arkansas, “so they do not feel alone.”
“The future of the Church depends on the next generation of Catholics being well-connected, educated and motivated to lead. National gatherings and interactions provide opportunities for leadership training, spiritual formation and deepened discipleship, ensuring the future of Catholicism remains vibrant. In an increasingly secular society, it can be difficult for young people to stay rooted in their faith. Meeting others who face similar challenges and who are passionate about living out Catholic values can provide the strength and resolve to persevere in faith.”
John Schaller, a senior at Hendrix College, said, “SEEK gave me the inspiration to go and share my faith on my campus. Seeing so many young Catholic people excited about the Church and her mission was infectious.”
“I was able to witness thousands of Catholics across the U.S. worship, kneel at the sight of Jesus present in the Eucharist, and the Church is not dying,” said Nancy Ramirez, a senior at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton.
Caroline Snyder, a sophomore at the University of Central Arkansas, described the event as “truly life-changing.”
“It strengthened my faith in countless ways and opened my eyes and heart to the possibility of joining a vocation,” she said. “I’m beyond grateful for my CCM family and the relationships that I deepened. We often feel isolated on our campuses, but this conference made me realize that we’re not alone in this journey.”
The event even attracted students outside of Conway and Fayetteville.
Gabriela Ramirez, a senior at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, said, “Coming from a small town and a small parish, it made a huge impact on me to be alongside so many young Catholics. SEEK was a truly amazing experience. With about 17,000 Catholics in attendance, the atmosphere was so filled with the Spirit of the Lord all week long.”
Abbie Flake, a first-year graduate student at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville, originally attended UCA for her undergraduate degree, where she was involved in Catholic Campus Ministry. During undergrad, she had attended a SEEK conference and was eager to attend again.
“I actually grew up in a Catholic school. I’m a cradle Catholic, so I’ve been surrounded by a Catholic community my whole life,” she said. “…I feel like it’s a really pivotal time, especially being young and in college and on your own for the first time where you’re making those decisions for yourself. Even moving to Fayetteville, not really knowing a whole lot of people in the area, I knew that it was still a priority for me to get involved with other people my age going through the same experiences that also had that same value in their faith life.”
