Diocese of Kalamazoo
Jennifer Tennant
Echo Class:
Echo 20 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
Diocese of Kalamazoo
St. Joseph Catholic Church (Battle Creek)
Hometown:
Spring, Texas
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
University of Notre Dame, 2023
Applied and Computational Mathematics and Statistics
What kinds of things will you be doing at your Echo placement?
I will be leading children’s RCIA, organizing events for our young adult ministry, leading the breakfast and trivia portion of an event we have for your youth called Breakfast with Jesus, participating in Jail Ministry, and already have been organizing a trip with our youth to Indianapolis for NCYC 2023.
What do you hope to do after Echo?
I want to go into Data Analysis and build up my skills in gathering, analyzing, and modeling data. Ultimately I want to use these skills I’ve developed to serve the Church either at a diocesan level or working for the USCCB or CARA to analyze, model, and make predictions based on trends in vocations, sacraments, etc. and their connections to financial, political, social, and demographic information.
Bridget Hahn
Echo Class:
Echo 20 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
Diocese of Kalamazoo
St. Monica Catholic Church
Hometown:
Medina, Ohio
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
Walsh University, 2023
Theology, Accounting
What are your favorite hobbies and activities outside of your ministry/teaching work?
I enjoy running and baking. I ran throughout highschool and undergrad before getting into marathoning, and I’ve been baking since I could read. I especially enjoy making sourdough breads and decorated cakes!
What kinds of things will you be doing at your Echo placement?
At St. Monica, I have the opportunity to work not only with the parish but also spend some time in the two schools associated with it. I’ll help form a young adult ministry, facilitate RCIA and CCD classes, and work with campus ministry!
Sarah Catherine Jeffries
Echo Class:
Echo 20 Parish Apprentice
Echo Placement:
Diocese of Kalamazoo
St. Mary Catholic Church
Hometown:
Raleigh, North Carolina
Undergraduate Institution & Area(s) of Study:
Baylor University, 2022
History, Anthropology; Spanish (minor)
What attracted you to Echo and helped you decide to join the program?
I knew I wanted to study Theology and serve the Church, especially because I received amazing formation in undergrad and wanted to pass that on, but I didn't know to what end. I am very excited to explore all that parish ministry has to offer over these next two years and to continue to discern where the Lord wants me long term!
What advice would you give to Echo applicants?
Don't focus too much on developing a life plan (trust me; I'm one who has made several of those that have fallen through). Focus on experiencing everything that comes your way in Echo (or whatever your one next step is) and seeing where the Lord may lead you on this journey.