Incoming freshman Jacob Kristine was just selected the winner of the Cardinal Newman Society’s Essay Scholarship Contest for his essay on the benefits of attending a loyal Catholic college.This is the second year in a running that an entering Christendom freshman has won this competition, following rising sophomore Sarah Davis’ victory last year.
Kristine, who believes that college is more than just time in the classroom, but also time spent “living in community with like-minded Catholics,” is excited to attend a genuinely Catholic institution where he will learn the Truth, practice the Faith, and prosper as a Catholic.
“My siblings most definitely had an impact on my decision, along with a few other factors that played a part,” says Kristine, who is the fifth member of his family to attend Christendom. “Attending the Best Week Ever [high school summer program] was amazing. I remember coming home and talking to my mom about it on the way to a cross-country practice. She asked me a question about the week, and I think I talked all the way there about how important a Catholic education would be for me. I am excited to go to a school with the kind of interaction between professor and students that I participated in that week.”
Kristine addressed the benefits of attending a devout Catholic college in his article for the Cardinal Newman Society, emphasizing the academic, spiritual, and social life and how this differs from what is available at other secular universities.
“My siblings have bestowed upon me the great riches of understanding what gifts a truly Catholic college can impart to a young person,” wrote Kristine in his essay. “I have seen firsthand how this pursuit of Truth leads to a life that is Good and wholesome and sincerely promotes seeking the Creator of Beauty. I want to be immersed in that experience. In the fall of 2023, I will embark upon the path forged by my brothers and sister in seeking the True, embracing the Good, and drinking in the richness of the Beauty of a Catholic education.”
Kristine’s article delighted the Cardinal Newman Society judges, who praised not just his passion for authentic Catholic education but also the quality of his writing. His efforts have resulted in a $5000 scholarship for this fall. Despite the fact that the Cardinal Newman Society can only pay the first year, Christendom will generously extend the scholarship for the next three years.
Kristine will begin his liberal arts studies when he comes on university, with the objective of eventually majoring in either history or political science and economics. He also intends to participate in rugby and basketball. Most importantly, he anticipates the lively Catholic culture at Christendom, where he will be able to explore Truth, Beauty, and Goodness in a community firmly focused on Christ.
“I have realized that the college experience is more than time spent in a classroom,” concludes Kristine. “It is the experience where living in community with like-minded Catholics encourages virtuous living and is a place to seek Truth and Beauty.”
Christendom accepts outside scholarships such as those the Cardinal Newman Society and the newly created St. Robert Bellarmine Fund offer along with others — learn more about the college’s own generous financial aid and scholarship offerings here.
