This week, Scholars from across the country will gather in Chicago at DePaul University for one of the most meaningful events of the year for the Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic Educational Foundation, our annual Summer Symposium.
For many Scholars, this is the only time of year when they can come together in one place. They arrive from different universities, different states, and different backgrounds, but they share a common bond. Each is pursuing a degree from one of our Catholic college and university partners while discovering and using their gifts in service to others. The Symposium gives them the opportunity not only to learn, but also to grow together as a community of faith.
While the Foundation is often known for providing scholarships, the Summer Symposium reminds us that our mission extends far beyond financial support. Sister Thea Bowman believed deeply in the power of education, but she also understood that true formation requires faith, mentorship, community, and lived experience. This gathering brings all of those dimensions together in a way that is both intentional and transformative.
This year’s theme, Let Justice Roll Down, frames the week’s reflection and discussion. Scholars will engage with Catholic leaders and educators who will challenge them to think more deeply about justice, faith, and the call to serve. Sessions led by Bishop Joseph Kopacz, Dr. Andrew Prevot, Dr. Craig Ford, and Boston University doctoral student in theology, Stephen Nicholson will explore the life and witness of Sister Thea Bowman, justice and mercy in Scripture, Pope Leo XIV’s teachings on justice, and the ongoing conversation about Catholic social thought and reparative justice through the lens of lived experience.
The Symposium is not only academic. It is also deeply rooted in encounter and service. Through participation in Labre Ministry, Scholars will engage with and serve individuals experiencing homelessness, putting faith into action and encountering the realities of poverty and human dignity in a direct and personal way. These experiences ground the week’s theological reflection in lived reality, helping Scholars better understand what it means to accompany those on the margins.
Equally important are the relationships formed throughout the week. Shared meals, prayer, conversation, and informal time together create space for connection and encouragement. For younger Scholars, it is an opportunity to learn from peers who have already navigated the challenges of college life. For Scholars who are rising seniors, it is a chance to give back, offer guidance, and strengthen a network of support that extends well beyond the Symposium itself.
Daily prayer and reflection anchor the entire experience. Each morning begins with a reminder that education is not only about academic achievement, but about vocation, or, discerning how God is calling each person to serve in the world. In a time when young people are often pulled in many directions, this rhythm of prayer, study, service, and community provides clarity, grounding, and encouragement.
None of this would be possible without the generosity of our donors and supporters. Your investment in the Foundation does more than make college possible. It creates spaces like this where Scholars are formed intellectually, spiritually, and personally. You are helping to cultivate leaders who will carry forward Sister Thea’s legacy in classrooms, hospitals, churches, businesses, and communities across the country.
As our Scholars gather this week in Chicago, we ask for your prayers. We are deeply grateful for your partnership in this mission. Through your support, lives are being shaped, faith is being strengthened, and a new generation of leaders is being formed. This is done one Scholar, one encounter, and one opportunity at a time.