Celebrating Faith Formation: USD Hosts Steubenville Conference

Celebrating Faith Formation: USD Hosts Steubenville Conference

Perla Cruz had a great weekend of faith formation at the University of San Diego. Spending time on campus during the month of July has been the norm for her each of the last three years. Cruz has come to USD to nurture her passion for God and being Catholic as a member of Immaculate Heart of Mary, one of 153 parishes and schools in attendance for the annual Steubenville San Diego Catholic Conference July 29-31.

Steubenville 2016

This year’s events drew another capacity crowd of 5,000 high school teens throughout California as well as Oregon, Nevada, Arizona and Texas.

"It's wonderful to reconnect with my faith family at this amazing and beautiful place," said Cruz about USD, which has hosted the Steubenville conference each summer since 2012. Cruz first attended as a rising junior, but this year, having just graduated from high school, her presence represents the beginning of a significant transformation — later this month she'll return to USD for Olé! Weekend orientation as an incoming first-year college student.

"(Steubenville) is really where it started for me to come to USD. The first year I came it was the most amazing experience I'd ever had. The adoration, confession, praise and worship, everything that went with Steubenville. Just being on this campus really helped me get more out of it."

Cruz said attending her final Steubenville conference as a youth participant this past weekend was "bittersweet." Knowing, though, that she'll attend USD, a private Roman Catholic university, she was inspired to relish this experience while also preparing for what's ahead. "It feels so much better because I know the campus really well now. I've visited many times. I'm really excited to be sharing this (weekend) with my parish of people here with me. It's amazing because I get to tell them all about the university."

Cruz's deep Catholic faith and Steubenville experiences will carry over immediately at USD. She will live on campus and be part of USD's Faith and Reason Living-Learning Community, one of eight LLCs that gives first-year students an instant connection to fellow new students upon arrival.

"I'm excited," Cruz said. "When I saw there was a Faith and Reason LLC, I knew it was for me. I looked at the other LLCs, but I had my eye on Faith and Reason from the start. I really think having that during college is very important and it will always help me stick with my faith."

Working Together

While Cruz and thousands of students enjoyed the festive programs, workshops, guest speakers, inspired music, wore specialized t-shirts to express their devotion to God and Catholic faith, there was an equally committed group of people making sure everything went smoothly.

The teamwork displayed by USD's Auxiliary Services and campus partners such as Hospitality Services, Facilities Management, Public Safety, Undergraduate Admissions, Mission and Ministry, Parking Services, University Center, Residence Life, Athletics, The Immaculata Church and others was seamless. USD worked closely with All for God Youth Ministry to host the event.

"The West Coast is the largest of Steubenville's conferences," said Merrill Marker, director of conferences for USD's hospitality services. "There are a lot of logistics involved and it takes a number of departments on campus to make it all work."

Creating meals each day for 5,000 guests including options for vegetarians and those who are gluten-free, utilizing just about all available on-campus lodging and having facilities such as the Jenny Craig Pavilion and Hahn University Center ready for use takes tremendous organization, communication and solid execution by all. The energy and power displayed throughout the weekend — from fun chants to numerous beach balls bounding in the air inside the JCP — consumes the teens and that feeling is extended into a sense of pride that USD employees — both staff and students — have in their roles.

"We understand that people's lives are being changed this weekend," Marker said. "With Steubenville everyone comes together and everyone wants to make it work because you see something really good happening here."

Added Kevin Reading, USD’s director of hospitality services who led the effort to bring the Steubenville conference to USD after it had been at San Diego State: "It's really neat to see the impact Steubenville has on the staff. It's an exhausting time, a lot of work, but everyone is positive and it's amazing how it makes you feel."

— Ryan T. Blystone

The 2017 Steubenville conference is set for July 28-30 at USD.