“Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” – Romans 15:7
It began with a simple invitation. Mass. A shared meal. Fellowship. It was spring 2025, and St. Ambrose and Universities were working behind the scenes to bring the two storied institutions together following the announcement of a strategic combination. And students, who are often the first to lean into what’s next, were curious about the opportunities taking shape in front of them. So, they took a leap of faith.
“Change can be scary, but you don’t know what blessings change can also bring,” said Maria Ferraro ’27, Mount Mercy junior and peer minister.
The idea was simple: reach across I-80 and invite the peer minister group from Mount Mercy in Cedar Rapids to St. Ambrose in Davenport. They would celebrate Mass together, share a brunch, and just be college students – playing games, swapping stories, and sharing their love of Jesus.
“My faith grows more when I hear about others’ experiences,” said Grace Tallman ’26, St. Ambrose senior and peer campus minister. “So, I think just hearing from other people that are strong in their faith helps me strengthen my own faith.”
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing so some have entertained angels without knowing it.” – Hebrews 13:2
And so, a lasting relationship between these students from two universities began.
The Mount Mercy students arrived eager and a little nervous, one group stepping onto another campus, unsure of what to expect but open to what God might do. There were small gestures signaling something sacred: doors held open, welcoming eyes, and greetings as they made their way into Christ the King Chapel. The morning light caught the stained glass, and voices rose in prayer. And as the liturgy moved forward, anxieties faded and the two groups became one community united in worship.
“That is what the Church looks like at its best,” said Rev. Dale Mallory, St. Ambrose chaplain, who helped facilitate the gathering and attended alongside the students. “Students choosing welcome. Students choosing community and letting faith do the rest.”
After Mass came brunch, and students moved from welcoming conversations to genuine connection. Thee tone shifted from “meeting” to “belonging.”
“We were laughing all the time. People were making jokes,” Tallman said. “It was just a very pleasant experience all around, a very amazing experience.”
For Ferraro, the joy of the day wasn’t just the fun, it was what the experience revealed – a future filled with collaboration and learning.
“Oh, it was so much fun,” she said. “It was really cool to get to know St. Ambrose's peer ministers…and spending time with each other, and in some ways, just breaking down any walls that may have existed previously between us, just because this is a new situation for all of us.”
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4
These student leaders are from different places, backgrounds, and even faiths. There are education majors, nursing majors, athletes, and musicians who serve as representatives for each university’s Campus Ministry. Some live in residence halls and provide special support to students navigating college life. They provide guidance for students who are exploring their beliefs or simply seeking companionship – with warm invitations to events such as faith sharing and prayer.
Their work is personal, relational, and often quiet. It happens in hallways and lounges, late-night conversations and moments of doubt, when a student needs someone close by who says: you belong here. And because these student leaders understand the power of that kind of welcome, they recognized what was happening that day wasn’t just a meet-and-greet, it was ministry expanding.
“When students come together like this, they gain more than friendships,” Fr. Mallory said. “They gain a deeper understanding of Jesus – that faith isn’t meant to be lived alone. It’s lived in community.”
As the strategic combination between St. Ambrose and Mount Mercy moves forward, students will be among the first to experience its benefits through additional academic and social opportunities, expanded networks, and broader community.
“It was part of one of the workshops we were doing, talking about how people come from different faith experiences and faith backgrounds,” Ferraro said. “We got to kind of dive into our own faith experiences and some of our own personal struggles, and then we were able to kind of empathize with each other.”
Soon, the collaboration grew. As both Campus Ministry teams prepared to train student leaders, they recognized an opportunity to do it together, building confidence and connection beyond their own campus borders.
For Luka Konovalov ’25, ’28 MBA,’28 MSW, another SAU peer campus minister, it was clear that the rhythm of “meeting here and meeting there” wasn’t just symbolic – it was necessary.
“I just think we’re doing the necessary steps of meeting with each other, going there, them coming here, and really trying to do as much together as we can so that we're not separate – because we're not anymore, which is a good thing,” he said.
At the heart of both universities is faith and a deep commitment to Catholicism. St. Ambrose, a diocesan university, and Mount Mercy, founded by the Sisters of Mercy. Different histories, one Church. And for these students called to ministry and drawn to Catholic higher education, the combination offers something rare: a wider community in which to grow.
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” – Romans 12:4–5
In the end, it comes back to a simple beginning. Mass. A meal. Fellowship.
And if the story of this combination is ultimately about the future, these students are already living it – choosing welcome, unity, and trusting that God will bless what they build together.
It’s the power of WE, and Christ is at the center of it all.
