Stephen Blaha, a Marquette employee since 2007, was recently promoted to director of Campus Ministry after previously serving as assistant director.
Running Marquette’s Campus Ministry is not a surprising role for the true Marquette alum, affirmed by his love for the students, campus churches and Real Chili. This promotion comes after decades of dedication to Marquette’s Campus Ministry, and after his service as interim director since fall of 2023.
“I get my biggest joy accompanying other people on their faith journeys and helping them grow in relationship with God,” Blaha said.
Blaha’s connection to Marquette started when he attended to earn his undergraduate degree in theology and secondary education.
In true Jesuit spirit, after graduation Blaha then decided to serve as a full-time volunteer for a non-profit company in New Orleans. He worked at a Catholic high school and at a Covenant House, which is a runaway shelter for teens. He also worked in their drug rehab center, which focused on supporting gang members in recovery.
The next step in Blaha’s career trajectory required him to move halfway across the globe. He moved to Ireland and lived in a community focused on supporting adults with cognitive disabilities.
“That was a super powerful experience for me, very transformative,” Blaha said.
Blaha’s Marquette career
After Ireland, Blaha came home to Marquette, this time as the coordinator for student organizations.
“When I was working in student development, I was thinking, ‘I really love the experience of working with college students and supporting them on their journeys,’” Blaha said.
Blaha, having been involved in both high school and college settings, said that working with college students is particularly special.
“I love that college students have that openness to ask, ‘How is God calling me? How is God inviting me? What’s the next chapter in my life?'” Blaha said.
Inclusivity goals
As he steps into his new role, Blaha has plans to improve Campus Ministry in a variety of ways, with a particular drive for inclusivity.
Inclusivity means many things for Campus Ministry, including offering a plethora of church services and being mindful of all religious beliefs that co-exist here at Marquette.
“Marquette has such a rich Catholic and multi–faith community. We really want to highlight that. We really want to ensure to the best of our ability that all students are being accommodated on their faith journey,” Blaha said.
Blaha said a host of religious traditions are a big part of Campus Ministry. He wants to continue serving and bringing communities together along with fostering opportunities for collaboration. He cited serving all religious groups here on campus by hosting interfaith gatherings as on opportunity for students to engage in questions about faith.
Rev. John Thiede, S.J., vice president for Mission and Ministry, spoke about these efforts.
“The other thing I think that Steve is really good at is reaching out to those non-Christian sectors of our campus,” Thiede said.
Increasing student involvement
Blaha is inspired to uplift students in their skills and encourage them to take these skills to make tangible change in the world. He considers this a result of a Jesuit education.
“Students interacting and getting to know each other lays the foundations for people building a better world after graduation,” Blaha said.
For students who may be on the fence about church, Blaha wants them to know that Campus Ministry is inclusive and that no matter where someone is at in their faith journey, it exists for every student. The Campus Ministry office is located on the second floor of the Alumni Memorial Union with office hours being held Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Pablo Cardenal, assistant director for Campus Ministry, described his first interactions with Blaha as being reflective of the rest of their relationship.
“I came in for this job interview and when I came into this group interview, I was nervous, but Stephen was cracking jokes and lightening the mood with his humor, and just his presence gave me this sense of calmness whether I got the job or not,” Cardenal said.
Cardenal said Blaha’s passion and dedication to students made him a perfect fit for the job.
“He has this passion for students, passion for ministry, and that just radiates and spreads into the work that we all do as a team,” Cardenal said.
Thiede added that Blaha’s ability to collaborate, consistently put students first and be generous with his time makes Blaha the best person to oversee the religious sector of this campus.
Before hiring Blaha, Marquette Campus Ministry hosted listening sessions and received feedback from the Jesuit community, ultimately deciding that he would officially fill the role.
“I’m really pleased that after a year we were able to hire someone for the position. It was really a need and I’m happy that we found someone who can really engage with students and then has a vision for Campus Ministry going into the future,” Thiede said.
This story was written by Ruby Mulvaney. She can be reached at ruby.mulvaney@marquette.edu.
