By Nicholas Gallo
Contributing Writer
Ross Chamberland, O.F.M., was appointed special assistant to Bernie Valento, vice president for enrollment, at St. Bonaventure University.
Fr. Chamberland will work alongside Valento to recruit students while continuing his role as executive director of the Lateran Center for Catholic Identity. They have already started their work on a project involving three catholic schools.
“Roger Bacon High School was our first school we wanted to build a relationship with,” Fr. Chamberland said. “Through Roger Bacon, we have also developed a relationship now with Padua High School and Oldenburg High School.”
Students from these schools will visit St. Bonaventure’s campus the week of Sept. 30, for St. Francis Week. Students will participate in prayer, liturgies and sacraments,and hear testimonies from students and faculty about their experiences attending the university. In addition to the visit, the students will have the opportunity to spend one night at Mt. Irenaeus.
“For the students, it is a retreat which will be housed and guided,” Fr. Chamberland said. “Part of being a Franciscan is to build new relationships and that is what we are trying to do.”
Fr. Chamberland believes when prospective students visit campus, they know that St. Bonaventure is where they want to go. “I have talked to many current students and they have told me that before visiting the campus they had no idea if they were going to come here or not,” Fr. Chamberland said. “After visiting the campus, many students have committed to attending here [St.Bonaventure] to not only achieve their academic goals, but their mission religiously.”
“Father Valento is a rain maker and is all around awesome,” said Fr. Chamberland. “I have learned an enormous amount from him since coming here five years ago. Over the years since being here, he has developed a great team and I am grateful for Bernie for welcoming me and helping me.”
Fr. Chamberland loves St. Bonaventure and believes it is a special place. His next steps are to prepare for visiting students coming to campus Sept. 30.
