Katie Romano
Hello Everyone,
I am so blessed to have had this experience, to have had the opportunity to advocate for the students, and to bring changes to the campus based upon your feedback.
This position taught me many things, but the most important thing I realized this year is the community we have at Rochester University. This school is incomparable to anywhere else!
When I think about the community that is present on this campus, I think about God’s love. As followers of Christ, God calls us to love him and love others. This is so clearly displayed here on campus and that is what makes us a unique, strong and supportive community.
One aspect that always stands out to me is when someone is filled with the love of God. These people tend to shine and have a joy in them that everyone wants and can only be fulfilled by accepting God. Our campus is filled with these bright lights that shine, and this is what makes us unique.
The community here is constantly shining God’s light and love, making our campus brighter, having us stand out as both a group when we are together and as individuals when we are apart. This is where we can see our school motto “Rise together, stand apart.”
As a community that trusts, discusses and loves God, we are able to rise in our relationship with him together and stand apart from other communities as we shine his light and love. This motto can be interpreted in many different ways, but for me personally and my experience, this is what it embodies. This unity of rising and strengthening our relationships with God happens together through opportunities like classes, chapel and service opportunities. With God all things are possible, and he is stronger than all things, so having him as our foundation strengthens us and helps us to conquer all of our battles.
Our community is also supportive of one another. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 discusses the parts of a body and how each body part is needed equally; not one part is more important than the other, just as each person is essential in building the body of Christ and using his or her God-given gifts to help and serve him and others.
Knowing, understanding and using these gifts is significant to and creates an encouraging community. We support each other’s gifts in several ways, such as attending sporting games and competitions, theater productions and other various campus-wide events.
We, as a community, recognize that all individuals and their gifts are needed to make us who we are. RU would not be RU without all of the amazing, gifted, loving, strong and supportive people who make up our campus.
All of these things are seen now more than ever as we battle the coronavirus and all of the challenges it has presented to us. Our community during this time is rising together as we stand 6 feet apart and trusting God to guide us through this unpredictable time.
I am honored to say that I am part of such a unique, strong and supportive community and that I have had the privilege of leading and representing a group of people who shine God’s light and love constantly.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 reads, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing,” and my prayer is that Rochester University continues to display this forever.