Love requires sacrifice, and the more one loves, the more one is willing to sacrifice. Millions of military service members and their families make untold sacrifices every year to serve our country and protect our freedoms. Their love of God and country drives them to be leaders, but, unfortunately, they do not always receive the gratitude or appreciation that their sacrifice merits.
When the GI Bill began to be more closely tied with federal funding in 2022, Christendom was forced to look for different ways to financially support military service members at the college. Thankfully, generous men and women quickly stepped forward to cover that financial gap and keep the college 100% free of federal funding. These benefactors led the way for military service members and their families to afford a Christendom education through Christendom’s Military Services Scholarship, which replaces GI Bill benefits without the attachment to federal funding. This act of gratitude and sacrifice on the part of everyday heroes has changed the lives of numerous military-affiliated Christendom students, including Roarke Dooney ’24, Adam Rockwell ’25, and Michael Messing ’25.
Dooney served in the US Marine Corps Reserve from 2014 to 2020, and he transferred to Christendom in 2022 from “a college of a very politically liberal bent where questioning liberal political values in the classroom was punished academically.” His previous academic setting was marked by disdain for military service members and the embrace of a culture running contrary to Catholic teachings. In contrast, Dooney saw Christendom as an antidote to this troubling trend in higher education.
This story comes from the latest issue of Instaurare Magazine, the official magazine of Christendom College. Read more from Instaurare here!
“Christendom, on the other hand, offers the classical Catholic education that serves as a bulwark against these toxic ideologies,” says Dooney. “The professors maintain an academically rigorous environment while also making time to assist students outside of the classroom. Christendom also provides an environment extremely conducive to the flourishing of Faith, with attendance at Mass in our beautiful chapel being the norm, not the exception, and participation in the sacraments encouraged. Christendom is a truly unique and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students. For me, Christendom has been a blessing from God.”
Rockwell, a member of the US Army Reserves, came to Christendom as a freshman in 2021. He has continued his involvement in military service through monthly training weekends and annual summer training, finding the balance between school and service, supported by his classmates and professors. Recently, he participated in the Army Reserves Best Warrior Competition, an annual competition that includes various physical tests, practical simulations, written exams, and oral boards to assess soldiers’ knowledge, tactics, and leadership skills. After placing first in his brigade, he went on to the next level of competition, taking time off school to compete and ultimately placing fourth.
“Once I returned, I spent the next week catching up on schoolwork by meeting with professors and getting together with classmates to get missed notes and work,” says Rockwell. “With the low student-to-faculty ratio, I am grateful for the small class sizes, which allows for more personalized attention from professors and fosters a sense of community among peers.”
In Messing’s case, he first came to Christendom as a freshman in 2020, but he left a year later to join the US Army Reserves to help pay for his education. He was able to return to Christendom in 2022 thanks to the aid he received through the Military Service Scholarship. Like Rockwell, Messing notes that “a balancing act often occurs where I need to work with professors and make up any missed schoolwork” because of his monthly drill weekends. However, Messing has found great merit in the work he puts into this balancing act.
“I believe that Christendom has the capacity to be what you make it,” he says. “If you submit yourself with diligence to your Faith, then it will foster growth in you.”
Messing has truly made the most of his Christendom education, becoming a role model among his peers, participating in every event he can, and frequenting the sacraments available daily on campus.
Because of the sacrifice of men and women supporting the Military Service Scholarship, these students have been able to take advantage of everything Christendom has to offer. Familiar with sacrifice themselves, these students understand the great gift they have been given.
“Receiving the Military Service Scholarship to attend Christendom College has been a tremendous blessing in my life,” Rockwell says, “I am deeply grateful for the opportunity it has provided me. This scholarship has not only enabled me to pursue my academic aspirations but has also instilled in me a profound sense of gratitude and the importance of generosity.
Knowing that someone has supported my education through this scholarship has shown me the significance of giving back and supporting others in any way possible.”
Dooney agreed with Rockwell, calling the scholarship life-changing.
“I cannot stress how much this scholarship has changed my life,” says Dooney. “It has greatly reduced the amount of debt I will incur in obtaining an education, and it has opened up numerous possibilities for me. I am planning on attending graduate school next year, and receiving this scholarship will greatly assist my ability to finance that venture.”
According to Messing, “Without the generous support of the Military Service Scholarship, I would not be able to afford Christendom. As it stands now, I will be graduating with little to no debt and with both feet firmly planted. More importantly, the education offered by Christendom, coupled with the support of a faithful community, has enabled great spiritual growth in me.”
The sacrifices made, great and small, by benefactors to support these military service members at Christendom are truly laudable, changing lives and forming leaders. With more military students and their families attending Christendom next academic year, the need to sustain the Military Service Scholarship is an opportunity for the entire Christendom College family to stand with the men and women who sacrifice so much for our nation. To the many generous men and women who provided crucial support to these and the many other military-affiliated students at Christendom, Rockwell says:
“Your unwavering dedication to assisting those who serve our country and their loved ones is nothing short of heroic, embodying the true spirit of patriotism and charity. Your commitment to helping military personnel and their families pursue their educational aspirations at Christendom College is a beacon of hope and solidarity. Through your generosity, you not only provide financial assistance but also offer a profound gesture of gratitude and respect for their sacrifices and dedication to defending our nation’s freedom. Your contributions enable us to further our education in an environment that nurtures our Catholic Faith and prepares us to be leaders of character and integrity in our communities and beyond. On behalf of all the military personnel and their families who have been blessed by your generous support, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and profound appreciation.”
Written by Rose Llera.
Read more from Instaurare Magazine here.