The Association of Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASACCU) has awarded its Best Practices in Mission Integration Award in the category of “Diversity & Inclusion” to Aaron Voth ’05 for his work with the Interfaith Leadership Team (ILT), a function he created in 2020 within Campus Ministry at the College of Saint Benedict.
“The Interfaith Leadership Team is a group of students passionate about celebrating religious diversity on our campus and in our world by fostering inclusive dialogue with students from all faith backgrounds,” said Voth, a Saint John’s University alum who returned to campus in 2018. “We seek to learn more about ourselves and others through education, dialogue and service. Inspired by our Benedictine values such as Hospitality and Community Living, we have tried to create space and opportunities for students to learn from each other the ways in which their spirituality impacts their identity, and how we draw strength from our similarities and differences to create a better world for all people.”
According to the ASACCU website, “As the voice for student affairs professionals in Catholic higher education, ASACCU annually presents the Best Practices in Mission Integration awards to highlight and recognize best practices in various student affairs areas. The programs that are recognized each year intentionally articulate Catholic identity as an integral part of a student affairs program. Through the mutual sharing of ideas and their practical applications, ASACCU hopes to foster dialogue to deepen our members’ understanding of the interplay between Catholic identity and the ever-changing complexity of contemporary circumstances and student experiences on our campuses.”
Voth will make a presentation on the ILT ministry at the annual ASACCU coming summer conference, June 27-30 in St. Paul.
“I am incredibly humbled at this recognition of our work by ASACCU,” Voth said. “Having the privilege to present our ministry to other Catholic colleges is an amazing opportunity to highlight the incredible effort and passion our students have put into creating this program. I am very proud of what we have built the last three years, and I hope other schools have similar success in meeting the spiritual needs of all students.”
Students gather around a campfire for a Bridge Night event as part of Campus Ministry at the College of Saint Benedict. Students from all faith backgrounds are welcome to join in for discussion and cameraderie to promote mutual understanding between students at Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s University. The events are part of programming instituted by the Interfaith Leadership Team, which has received an award from the Association of Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities.
Aaron Voth, who in addition to serving as director of Campus Ministry at the College of Saint Benedict also became director of the Student Activities and Leadership Development program, will represent Saint Ben’s in receiving an award at the summer conference for the Association of Student Affairs at Catholic Colleges and Universities in St. Paul, Minnesota.