College Councils Newsletter
www.kofc.org/college
NEWS FOR COLLEGE KNIGHTS
SUMMER 2015
“You Shall Be My Witnesses” College knights to celebrate College Councils Conference with focus on evangelization
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n preparation for this year’s College Councils Conference, the Supreme Council selected the theme “You Shall Be My Witnesses.” Taken from Acts 1:8, this year’s theme echoes our call to be global missionaries in the new evangelization. The annual conferences provide a dynamic program of inspiring speakers and leadership training, offering participants insight on how to better their councils and move forward with the mission of the Church and the Knights of Columbus. This year’s theme continues in that tradition, addressing a responsibility faced by all Catholics and preparing college Knights for their work in the year ahead. Pope Francis reflected upon Acts 1:8 during Lent this past spring. He said of the Church: “Her mission is to bear patient witness to the One who desires to draw all creation and every man and woman to the Father. Her mission is to bring to all a love which cannot remain silent.
Knights Gear A
re you looking for ways to promote your Knights of Columbus membership on and off campus? Check out www.knightsgear.com for all of your Knights of Columbus apparel needs. From t-shirts to athletic shorts, pens to golf balls, Knights Gear has lots of clothing and accessories to choose from, many of which can be personalized with your council name and number. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Email us at college@kofc.org and we’ll work with Knights Gear to develop your desired item(s). Knights Gear merchandise also makes for great gifts, so make sure to tell family and friends!
The Church follows Jesus Christ along the paths that lead to every man and woman, to the very ends of the earth (cf. Acts 1:8). In each of our neighbors, then, we must see a brother or sister for whom Christ died and rose again.” Supreme Knight Carl Anderson has elaborated upon this message of caring for our neighbor in his monthly Columbia columns, most notably in the May 2015 issue. In it, Anderson notes: “In his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, Pope Francis called for a new missionary spirit among Catholics. This challenge has particular resonance for Knights of Columbus, especially throughout North America and the Philippines where we have benefited in so many ways from the devotion and sacrifice of countless missionaries.” The supreme knight further remarked: “In Father McGivney’s day, people too often viewed Catholics through the lens of prejudice and bigotry. He had a simple answer: Live the principles of charity, unity and fraternity in ways people can see so as to overcome self-centeredness, greed and cynicism. Pope Francis similarly challenges us today with even greater determination to be, in his words, ‘neighbors who care for each other.’ This is truly the Knights of Columbus way of life.” In this time of adversity, when many of us bear witness to the struggle of defending the practice of faith, both on our campuses and within our communities, this charge to renew a missionary spirit among ourselves and our fellow classmates is particularly relevant. Over a century ago, Father McGivney faced many difficulties in his efforts to serve a Catholic community often scorned by the prejudices of his time, but through strength and compassion, his example served to influence others and change the local negative conceptions directed at the Church and her faithful. So, too, through our example must we show the world the value and humanity of a civilization of love. SEE WITNESSES, PAGE 3
Reflecting Back and Looking Forward I
n the midst of summer, with another fraternal year behind us, it is a good time to reflect and plan for the future. Many of our brother Knights have graduated and are beginning their careers or preparing for future studies. They have already made important decisions about their future, and we look forward to the fruits of their continued membership and brotherhood. For the rest of us this summer is a time for reflection and planning. I encourage everyone to read Father Kalisch’s column (page 3) about taking advantage of the freedom that summer offers. Here in New Haven, the College Councils Department continues to make plans as we look forward to this new fraternal year. But before we move forward it is important for us all to reflect on how momentous our past year has been. Last fall at the College Councils Conference, I challenged each council to make 2014-2015 a growth-oriented year, specifically in membership and charitable outreach. I am pleased to report that many councils answered this call through their fraternal activities. Thanks to your efforts, over 2,700 men became new members of the Knights of Columbus through the college program this year. While all councils contributed to this growth, 20 took a strong lead and recruited 20 or more new members. It’s our goal that every college council welcomes this number or more into their ranks each year. Our presence on campus also grew through the development of new councils. This past year 22 new college councils were chartered, including nine in the United States. The Supreme Council staff looks forward to working with these councils and visiting their campuses in the year to come. Councils also continued their strong commitment to programming with 68 councils earning the Columbian Award, up from 34 last year. Additionally, 44 councils earned the distinction of Star Council status. We hope that councils will continue their great programming efforts and continue to make Star Council their ultimate goal. These impressive achievements have made the 2014-2015 fraternal year one of the most successful years in the history of the college councils program! With our eyes toward the future we have begun to plan for an exciting year. To aid recruitment efforts, we will be sending out new recruitment kits to each council. These will be useful in organizing a fall recruitment campaign. Each council that uses this kit should focus on recruiting 5-10 new brother Knights in September or October. If every council participates we can grow the college program in the U.S. and Canada by 1,000 new college Knights this fall alone! In a special way we celebrate the 50th College Councils Conference, to be held Oct. 2-4. This milestone is a true testament to the success of the college program. During the conference council leaders will have an opportunity to thoughtfully reflect on our roles as Gospel witnesses on college campuses. Council officers should communicate this summer to decide which members would best represent their council and carry back the conference’s important lessons. Attending the conference allows a council to learn directly from brother Knights from across the country and to more fully appreciate the scope of fraternity and charity that the college program provides. This issue concludes our first full year of the relaunched College Councils Newsletter. Our aim is to continue to bring you the most relevant news and ideas that help your council grow and succeed while inspiring all of us to advance the Order’s mission of charity and fraternity on and off campus. Throughout history our fraternity has built up good and ordinary men and transformed them into great men capable of extraordinary actions. As the spiritual sons of Father McGivney we ask his intercession as we strive to continue to offer a compelling witness and challenge to all Catholic men. Thomas Perretta Jr. Manager of College Councils & Young Adult Outreach
Update Your Contact Information Did you recently graduate? Have you moved recently? Is your dorm room from freshmen year still listed as your address? Do you have another email address besides your school email? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should update your contact information by visiting www.kofc.org/en/about/contact/address_contact.html. 2
COLLEGE COUNCILS DEPARTMENT Mail College Councils Department 18th Floor 1 Columbus Plaza New Haven, CT 06510-3326
Email college@kofc.org
Phone 203-752-4671
Visit Us On facebook.com/collegeknights @collegekofc @collegekofc
Looking for Contributing Authors and Stories Your council plays an important role in fostering fraternity and acts of charity within your campus community. Don’t let your good works go unrecognized. By sharing your council’s story, you can be an inspiration to your brother Knights, providing ideas for activities and encouraging others to follow your example. Please allow us to give recognition to your charitable and fraternal projects by featuring your council in future editions of this newsletter. To submit, simply send us a few sentences detailing your project (including the when, where, what, who, why and how of the activity) and photos to college@kofc.org. If you have any questions about sending in photos, you may call the College Councils Department at 203-7524671. Your stories can be of inspiration to other college councils throughout the Order, so we look forward to sharing them.
The Freedom Summer Offers F Father Jonathan D. Kalisch, OP
Director of Chaplains and Spiritual Development
or many students, it paradoxically may seem easier to live our Catholic faith at school than back at home. Surrounded by friends who easily and attractively volunteer with you, Mass and confession schedules that are user-friendly, and homilies that engage, living the faith on campus has become a way of life. At home and during the summer vacation, we have to try harder to be men of faith. There are the usual distractions of summer, the vices we fall into out of sloth or absentmindedness, and perhaps the irregular example of our families. Luigi Giussani, founder of the lay movement Communion and Liberation, recognized this tension, as well as the freedom it offered students. He wrote:
“Vacation time is the noblest time of the year, because it is the moment when one becomes as involved as he likes in the value he recognizes as dominant for his life, or he doesn’t get involved in anything at all, and then he is, as I said, a fool. ... Man’s highest value, his virtue, courage, energy, what makes life worth living, lies in gratuitousness, in his capacity for gratuitousness. And it is in free time that gratuitousness truly comes out and affirms itself in an amazing way. The way one prays, one’s faithfulness to prayer, the truth of one’s relationships, one’s self-dedication, enthusiasm, humble approach to reality, emotional involvement and compassion toward things, all this is much more evident during vacation than during the year. “On vacation one is free, and if he is free, he does what he wants. This means that vacation is important. First of all, it demands attention in the choice of companions and place, but above all it concerns the way one lives: If vacation never reminds you of what you should remember more often, if it doesn’t make you better toward others, but makes you respond more to instinct than to reason, if it doesn’t teach you to look at nature with profound intention, if it doesn’t make you make sacrifices joyfully, then your time of rest has not achieved its purpose. Vacation should be as free as possible. The criterion of vacation time is to have some breathing room and, if possible, room for breathing deeply.” So as you embrace this noble time of life, to what do you desire to give yourself? Where are you increasing your capacity for gratuitousness, for mercy, for generosity and love? How will your courage, energy and embrace of everything that makes life worth living draw you to become a man of prayer, friendship, truthfulness, dedication and compassion this summer? How you respond to the freedom summer offers says a lot about the man you are and whose disciple you have become. WITNESSES, FROM PAGE 1
In a recent address to the leaders of the Knights of Columbus, Supreme Chaplain Archbishop William Lori also addressed this theme: “The Knights are the strong right arm of the Church in many ways, but the principle way is in helping the Church to accomplish the mission the Lord gave her: ‘Go teach all nations and make disciples of them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.’ And where do we start in the work of evangelization? Pope Francis has told us two things. First, that all of us must be missionary disciples — that is to say, full-time Christians, real followers of Christ who have taken the Gospel to heart and undergone what Pope Francis calls a ‘missionary conversion.’ And second, he calls for this: that every organization in the life of the Church, whether it’s a parish or a school
or a Knights of Columbus council, must also undergo what he calls a missionary conversion. That is to say, the whole thing must be geared up, wholly given over to the work of spreading the Gospel of Christ and bringing people into Christ’s body, the Church.” As we prepare for the College Councils Conference and the fraternal year ahead, let us remember that our vocation to evangelize begins in the way we act toward our brothers and sisters. Let us live lives that truly bear witness to the Gospel so that we can be God’s living witnesses on our campuses. Registration for the 50th College Councils Conference is now open. For further details, please visit www.kofc.org/collegeconference.
Supply Order Reminders C
ollege councils receive free fraternal supplies from the Supreme Office. In order to take advantage of this benefit, grand knights and financial secretaries should submit completed Requisition Forms (#1) to college@kofc.org for processing. Please note, college councils still pay shipping on all supply orders. In addition to normal council supplies (candidate’s kits, membership cards, envelopes), be sure to check out our line of college-specific materials. We constantly strive to update and add to this list and welcome any ideas for materials that would be helpful to your efforts on campus. Contact us at college@kofc.org with any ideas or suggestions. College Council Brochure College Council Poster – Leadership Development College Council Poster – Be the Difference
Item # 4606 (English, Spanish, French) Item # 4733 A Item # 4733 B
College Council Poster – True Brotherhood College Council Poster – Spiritual Formation College Council Poster – Building a Better World A Prayer for Study
Item # 4733 C Item # 4733 D Item # 4733 E Item # 4791
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Supreme Knight Receives Pro-Life Award at Notre Dame
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t a ceremony held at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson and the Knights of Columbus were honored with the annual Evangelium Vitae Medal, one of the nation’s most prestigious pro-life awards.
superior general of the Sisters of Life; Helen Alvaré, professor of law at George Mason University Law School; and Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. The supreme knight was joined at the event by members of local Knights of Columbus councils, including Notre Dame Council 1477, the Order’s first and oldest college council. Notre Dame Knights assisted with the evening’s Mass as lectors, ushers and altar servers.
The supreme knight accepted the medal on behalf of the more than 1.8 million Knights worldwide at the April 26 banquet. Conferred by the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture, the citation for the Evangelium Vitae Medal lauded Anderson and the Knights for their long-time charitable outreach to “the most vulnerable members of society: the widowed, the orphaned, the disabled, the elderly and the unborn.” Named for a 1995 encyclical of St. John Paul II, the medal honors individuals “whose outstanding work proclaims the Gospel of Life by steadfastly affirming and defending the sanctity of human life from its earliest stages.” Past recipients include Mother Agnes Mary Donovan,
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For Officers
Developing a Plan for the Fall Semester W
hile enjoying your summer vacation be sure to keep in mind the upcoming fraternal year. Before you return to campus, your council should have a complete schedule of officer and business meetings, plans for a recruiting drive, and the dates of significant events. Additionally, it’s time to make plans to attend the College Councils Conference Oct. 2-4 in New Haven, Conn. Finally, your council should develop a budget to present at one of the first council meetings of the semester. To aid you in these important tasks, we have some advice and suggestions. Schedule Meetings & Events Every council should have at least one general council meeting and one officer meeting per month. Some councils may wish to have these meetings more frequently. These meetings should occur at regular intervals, such as the first Tuesday, second Sunday, etc. Plan these meetings out for the entire fall semester and note any conflicts caused by holidays or semester breaks, like Thanksgiving. Once you have the meeting schedule settled, share it with council members via your council’s Google calendar, Facebook page or website. While you may not know all of your council’s activities and programs for the coming semester, you should try to pencil in as many as possible. Does your council have any signature events that occur at the same time each year? Does your council have plans to celebrate Columbus Day? Will you organize a service project around Thanksgiving? Does your council host game watches for away football games or Monday Night Football? By penciling in events now, you can see what weeks lack activity and get an idea of what types of programs might be missing. Do you have lots of service activities but few fraternal or faith-based ones? Do you need to do more culture of life outreach? Planning today helps your council do more tomorrow.
Plan a Recruitment Drive Every council should plan to hold a recruiting drive at the beginning of the fall semester, and the key to a successful drive is preparing before your council returns to campus. Many councils find success by holding a Rush Week or Go Roman style recruitment drive. These recruitment drives begin with a promotional campaign that includes
Facebook posts, flyers, and announcements at student Masses that advertise a week of council activities leading up to a First Degree. Most councils try to hold a variety of activities that touch upon the major aspects of our Order, including faith, fraternity and service. Ideally, your council should host its own First Degree, however, if you do not have a degree team, now is the time to begin working with a local council to host a degree as part of your recruitment drive. Following the First Degree exemplification, your council should have additional scheduled events to keep up the excitement built during your recruitment drive. If your council can participate in club or activity fairs on campus, organizing your recruitment drive around that time may be wise.
Register to Attend the College Councils Conference One of the best ways to kick-start your council’s fall semester is to attend the College Councils Conference, which will be held Oct. 2-4 in New Haven, Conn. This year, the Supreme Council will offer travel stipends for two students, your council chaplain and your financial secretary. Each grand knight should have received his council’s invitation and complete details about the travel stipend policy. Registration is currently live at www.kofc.org/collegeconference. Councils that annually attend the conference and regularly compete for Star Council and other programming awards are those which make the greatest impacts on their campuses. Make plans for your council to attend today! Draft a Budget One of the best ways to plan for the year ahead is by drafting a council budget. For some councils this may be a regular activity, but for others it can be a daunting and unfamiliar task. A budget helps to keep your council financially stable while also ensuring that you’re working to support a variety of causes. In drafting your council’s budget you may realize that your council supports more national charities rather than local endeavors. Or, you may realize that your council supports numerous culture of life initiatives but few youth causes. A budget can be a valuable tool that guides your council to success throughout the fraternal year.
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Feb. 18-20, 1966 Realizing that college Knights could benefit from a discussion of their unique situation, Boston College Council 5278 hosts the first College Councils Conference. Over 70 college Knights from 11 councils attend the weekend seminar, during which several resolutions are passed, including the creation of a college council handbook and an annual College Councils Conference that will rotate between college campuses. Grand Knight David McCreesh and Conference Chairman William Higgins are critical to the success of this first conference.
December 1966 In preparation for the second college conference, Conference Chairman John Lawrence reaches out to the Supreme Council for their support and meets with the deputy supreme knight to discuss the previous year’s conference and plans for the coming year. In a letter to Supreme Director Leo Stark, the deputy supreme knight writes: “We certainly are stimulated by the deep-seated desire on the part of these college council officers and committeemen to translate their experience and training into a lay leadership through the Knights of Columbus that will be effective not only on the college campus but in the communities to which they will go following graduation from college.”
College Councils 1970 Supreme Council moves the College Councils Conference to New Haven, where it has been held annually ever since.
1971 College Knights tour the Supreme Council headquarters during the 1971 College Councils Conference. The college councils display shown here was used at the Supreme Convention.
March 7-9, 1969 University of Dallas Council 5656 hosts the College Councils Conference. Over 100 college Knights from 43 college councils attend. 1968 University of Notre Dame Council 1477 hosts the College Councils Conference.
Feb. 17-19, 1967 Niagara University Council 5504 hosts the second College Councils Conference. Over 100 representatives from 30 college councils attend the second conference. Also in attendance are several Supreme Council employees. In their report of the conference, Supreme Council staff note, “The concept of service so obvious in their deliberations indicates that these young Knights of Columbus, being trained in the operation of the Order, are eminently equipped to carry on the program of social action to which the Second Vatican Council assigned top priority in the apostolate of the laity.” 6
1977 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico Council 5923 wins the Outstanding College Council Award, the first and only college council outside the United States to win this award so far.
1973 Recipients of the Outstanding College Council Award receive trophies from Supreme Knight John W. McDevitt at the 1973 College Council Conference, held at the Supreme Office.
Sept. 17-19, 1982 The College Councils Conference is moved from spring to fall. The Supreme Council experimented with this to “allow more flexibility in planning seminars” and to “allow more college council members to attend.” The move results in a success and the conference has been held in the fall ever since.
1979 St. Anselm College Council 4875 wins the first of its record eight Outstanding College Council Awards. At the time, college councils competed for the award by submitting scrapbooks that contained photos, news stories and descriptions of council activities from the previous fraternal year. The process would be changed to a paper application process in the 1990s.
1979 Thomas P. Smith Jr., seated center, welcomes and registers attendees of the 1979 College Councils Conference. Smith, who was in charge of college councils at the time, is currently Executive Vice President and Chief Insurance Officer for the Knights of Columbus.
Conference Timeline 1984 Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant stands with Outstanding College Council Award winners at the 1984 College Conference
2001 Due to the proximity of the College Councils Conference to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the conference is canceled for the first and only time. U.S. Military Academy Council 8250 would receive its recognition for Outstanding College Council for the 2000-2001 fraternal year at a later date.
Oct. 3-5, 1986 Carl Anderson, special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, delivers the keynote speech to attendees of the 21st College Councils Conference. In his speech he discusses the conference’s theme, “Making the Grade Beyond the Classroom,” by stating, “Certainly technical skills are important, but who you are is more important. The quality of your decision-making, your performance on any job, ultimately depends upon the quality of your character— and character cannot be separated from the quality of all your past decisions and actions.”
Sept. 22-24, 2006 Supreme Knight Anderson addresses College Knights at the awards banquet. The awards banquet used to be held on the 22nd Floor of the Supreme Office Building until the conference outgrew the space.
Sept. 27-29, 2013 College Knights gather to pray around Father McGivney’s tomb in St. Mary’s Church in New Haven. Each year, Mass at the parish is part of the conference’s scheduled events.
Oct. 2-4, 2015 College Councils Conference celebrates 50 years. The theme “You Shall Be My Witnesses” was selected by Supreme Knight Carl Anderson for this conference.
2010 Supreme Knight Carl Anderson stands with the recipients of the Outstanding College Council Award for 2010, Air Force Academy Council 8200 (Colorado).
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C O L A L E G E
George Mason Hosts Spring Formal for Gabriel Project By Chancellor Daniel Tillson
pril 17 marked George Mason University Council 10806’s fourth annual Spring Formal and Fundraiser. Held at the Columbus Club of Arlington, since its inception the event has raised over $12,000 for the Gabriel Project of Arlington, a pro-life crisis pregnancy center. This year alone the event raised $3,144.50, which covers the cost of one childbirth! Over 200 students attended the night’s festivities. Most of the guests were from George Mason, however, a contingent of 30 students led by George Washington University Council 13242 (District of Columbia) also joined the fundraiser dance. Several guests were in attendance, including Paul Phillipino, young adult coordinator for the Supreme Council. Phillipino spoke on the importance of cultivating a culture of life, particularly within younger generations. Sr. Clare Hunter, F.S.E., director of the Respect Life Office for the Diocese of Arlington, accepted the check on behalf of the Gabriel Project and gave an inspirational talk on the ability of young people to change the tide of the pro-life movement. Also present were local District Deputy Bill Weich and State Advocate Stephen Kehoe. Finally, Gerald Curren, the council’s field agent, provided beats for the dance. Before becoming a field agent, Curren had owned his own DJ company, and he was stoked to spin the discs again! The council looks forward to its continued partnership with the Gabriel Project and to its fundraiser dance next spring, which hopefully more local college councils will be able to attend.
K N I G H T S in
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U. Tennessee Council Hosts Retreat in Smokey Mountains By Grand Knight Jay Quayle
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he Knights of University of Tennessee Council 14341 recently rented a cabin for a spring retreat in the Great Smokey Mountains. It was an exciting weekend for the members of the council, including a few newcomers who got to know all of the older Knights better! Knights spent the weekend playing pool, watching movies, hiking in the snow, sharing fraternal meals, and participating in faith-filled conversations outside in the hot tub. Overall, the weekend was a great bonding experience for the council and many memories were made. In total, 15 Knights participated in the weekend, including one of the FOCUS missionaries serving the Tennessee campus. The council asked for $20 from all who participated to cover the cost of the cabin rental, but members made sure everybody who wanted to go was able to attend regardless of the cost. The council at the University of Tennessee found a great benefit to holding the retreat, and we encourage other councils to plan similar types of events. If any nearby councils would like to join us in hosting a retreat or other event, we would be very interested in coordinating something with you as well!
SPECIAL OLYMPICS Southeast Missouri State Council Sponsors Special Olympics Free Throw Contest By Grand Knight Riley Bauer
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EMO Knights of Columbus Council 15294, with the help of Special Olympics Missouri (SOMO) Partnership Manager Mary Bauer, organized a free throw contest on campus to benefit the upcoming Training for Life Center. The Missouri Knights have accepted a campaign challenge of raising $1 million over the next five years to help benefit this project. This facility will be located in Jefferson City, Mo., and will give Special Olympic athletes access to free healthcare, speech therapy, job training, sports activities and so much more. In addition to council members, three SOMO athletes and several cheerleaders assisted in promoting the free throw competition, which was held at the campus’ Newman Center. Over 50 students competed in the contest, which had two brackets. Students could attempt 10 shots for $2 or 20 shots for $5. The individual who made the most free throws won a gift card to a local restaurant. The $5 bracket had a larger prize. The council also sold $5 lunches, with Deacon Tom assisting behind the grill. In total, the council raised $1,132 for Special Olympics Missouri during this fundraiser. The council and the athletes were ecstatic with the turnout for the first year of this event. The council looks forward to hosting this event again in the fall, with hopes of spreading awareness and raising more funds for SOMO!
Spike! For Special Olympics Volleyball Tournament Fundraiser By Grand Knight Chris Simon
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llini Council 2782 organized a volleyball tournament April 18, 2015, to benefit Special Olympics Illinois. In its first year, the tournament raised over $700 for Special Olympics. Teams of 6 to 8 members competed in pods (similar to World Cup format), playing each team in their pod twice. Games were played to 25 with rally scoring. Teams that won their pod advanced to single elimination bracket play. Unfortunately, the council’s team did not advance past pool play. Led by their financial secre-
tary, the council provided burgers, hot dogs, chips and drinks for participants. In total, 12 teams entered the tournament. The tournament allowed Knights the opportunity to interact with a variety of student groups, including those based on other faith denominations, major-specific organizations, and Greek fraternities and sororities. Overall it was a great success, bringing together different student organizations for good fun and a great cause. The council looks forward to sponsoring this event again in the future!
C O L L E G E K N I G H T S in
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C O L L A E G E K N I G H T S
Conception Seminary Continues Dominance of Annual Benedictine Bowl By Deputy Grand Knight David St. Hilaire
pril 26, Benedictine College Council 4708 (Kansas) and Conception Seminary Council 13750 (Missouri) once again met on the gridiron. And as it has the previous seven years, Conception Seminary left the field victorious. This annual flag football game began in 2008 as a fraternal event between the two schools with Benedictine roots. Several Benedictine Knights had previously studied at Conception Seminary and knew many of the seminarians there. They wanted to have a competitive, brotherly event and decided on flag football. The first game was played at Conception, while most recent games have been held at Benedictine. The format has evolved over the years, with the councils currently battling for twenty-minute halves. Although the teams play on the full size O’Malley Field, the councils only play eight men aside. Teams have four downs to move the ball 20 yards for a first down. This year’s contest was a defensive struggle for most of the game. Conception led 14-7 at halftime, and the close scoring continued into the second half. With three minutes to play, Conception led 21-14. That’s when Conception’s depth took over and they scored two quick touchdowns to seal the victory 35-14. One bright spot for
in
A C T Texas Tech Holds Annual I Barn Dance Fundraiser O K N 10
nights of Columbus Texas Tech College Council 14426 hosted their eighth annual Barn Dance April 18, 2015. The dance had an attendance of over 175 people, featured Texas-country artist Kimberly Dunn as the headliner, and raised $600 that benefited Catholic Charities. The dance is the largest fundraiser for the council, and plans for the 2016 Barn Dance are already underway.
the hosts was Donovan Templeton’s 80-yard scamper for a touchdown. Separated by less than 70 miles, this celebration of sport has led to a deeper connection between the two councils and their Benedictine roots. While they may be competitors on the gridiron, they always find a way to laugh and share a meal after the game. For many members of the council, this friendly competition is their favorite event of the year. It’s a great opportunity for a fierce but friendly competition among brother Knights and seminarians. Every year, both teams play a great game and everyone has a blast doing it. Although some of us will soon be graduating, we are leaving behind a few tips for Benedictine: For a win, the council will have to recruit quite a few more players (to battle Conception’s depth). They’ll also have to beef up their offensive line to protect the quarterback more effectively. Will Conception continue its dominance next spring, or will Benedictine finally break through and win for the first time in the series? Either way, next year’s competition is sure to bring fraternity and fun.
Contests & Promotions Wisconsin Wins March Madness Bracket Challenge University of Wisconsin Council 6568 won the inaugural College Knights March Madness Bracket Challenge. By correctly picking 44 out of 63 games (70 percent), Council 6568 edged out fellow Big Ten rival Penn State University Council 14047 for the top prize. The contest win is bittersweet for the University of Wisconsin, though — their basketball team fell to Duke in the National Championship, 68-63. However, when it came to college Knights, the University of Wisconsin came out on top! Sixteen schools and the Supreme College Councils Department entered brackets this year. We look forward to next year and hope even more councils participate!
Spring Recruiting Contest Winners
This past spring, college councils had the opportunity to win prizes for their recruiting efforts. From January through April, councils competed for the highest intake among four divisions based on council size. The top three winners in each division received prizes, including $200 and a custom council banner for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for first place. U.S. Naval Academy Council 14534 (Maryland) took top prize in Division I, recruiting 23 new members this spring. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Council 2782 placed second with 14 new members, and University of Notre Dame Council 1477 placed third with 10 new members. Division II was the most contested division. George Mason University Council 10806 (Virginia) placed first by recruiting 20 new members, followed by Loras College Council 9224 (Iowa) in second with 19 new members and Georgetown University Council 6375 (District of Columbia) in third with 18 new members.
Divisions III and IV had ties for third place, so both will receive the prize. University of Houston Council 15105 was the Division III leader with 15 new members, followed by University of Florida Council 13900 with 10. Pontifical College Josephinum Council 15009 (Ohio) and University of Nebraska Council 13015 tied for third with eight new members. In Division IV, Fordham University Council 6077 (New York) led the way with 15 new members. Southeast Missouri State University Council 15294 came in second with nine new members, while Indiana University Council 15859 and Georgia Institute of Technology Council 14496 tied for third with eight new members. Thank you to all of our contest participants! In total, over 80 college councils brought in at least one new member between January and April. As you make your plans for the fall semester, we hope you will make recruiting campaigns an important part of your calendar. We also hope you will participate in our Fall Recruiting Contest, which will be announced in the August College Councils Newsletter.
Campus Reminders As you begin to prepare for the fall semester, please keep the following in mind.
Report Newly Elected Officers Your financial secretary can report these changes via Member Management, or you can complete and submit the Report of Officers Chosen for Term (#185). Additionally, report your service personnel through Member Management or by completing and submitting the Service Program Personnel Report (#365).
Register for the College Councils Conference Your council should make plans now to attend the 2015 College Councils Conference. This year’s conference will take place Oct. 2-4 in New Haven, Conn. Each council will receive travel stipends to send two students, your chaplain and your financial secretary. For more information and to register, please visit www.kofc.org/collegeconference.
Scheduling Campus Visits We are now planning campus visits for the 2015 fall semester. If your council could benefit from a visit by a member of the College Councils Department, please reach out to us at college@kofc.org or 203-752-4671.
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50TH COLLEGE COUNCILS CONFERENCE Registration Now Open! Oct. 2-4, 2015 New Haven, Conn. For details and registration, please visit: www.kofc.org/ collegeconference