In 2024, Christendom College launched its new Natural Science major, offering students a comprehensive education in the physical sciences while remaining rooted in the college’s liberal arts tradition. Longtime friend of the college and benefactor Stan Skowronski quickly became one of the program’s strongest supporters, with his generous contributions helping to strengthen the major and help make possible the construction of the college’s new science lab, Ven. Lejeune Hall. In this article for Instaurare Magazine, Skowronski reflects on what led him to Christendom College and why he believes faith and science are not opposed, but deeply complementary.
In a world increasingly shaped by scientific discovery and innovation, there is a growing need for students to engage deeply with the natural sciences through rigorous, well-rounded study. Responding to this need, Christendom College launched its new Natural Science major in 2024. Students in the program explore chemistry, physics, microbiology, anatomy & physiology, and bioethics, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the natural world. Guided by Christendom’s distinguished faculty, they are well prepared for careers in healthcare or the sciences. Among the program’s strongest supporters is longtime friend of the college, Stan Skowronski.
For Skowronski, it’s incredibly important for Catholics to understand that religious faith and scientific fact are not in conflict with each other, but rather complementary. He is frustrated by the myth that the Church is anti-science when, in fact, she has nurtured scientific discovery throughout the centuries. After all, Copernicus—the astronomer who proposed that the sun is the center of the solar system—had a doctorate in canon law, and Gregor Mendel—the father of modern genetics—was a priest. The new Natural Science major at Christendom is a testament to the harmony of faith and science.
This story comes from the latest issue of Instaurare Magazine, the official magazine of Christendom College. Read more from Instaurare here!
Skowronski has been a member of the Christendom family for decades, after his mother introduced him to the college. He remembers her as a deeply pious woman, raising thirteen children and working tirelessly for the pro-life cause. One of the bells in Christendom’s Christ the King Chapel is even dedicated to her memory, a testament to her love for authentic Catholic education and her friendship with the college.
Students in a biology class with Dr. Aileen Foeckler.
He also points back to the deepening of his own faith while he was an undergraduate at Harvard University. At the time, he was dating a young woman from an Episcopalian background. She was studying history, and Skowronski majored in physics, but they both enrolled in a series of theology courses in order to get to the root of their religious differences. Skowronski remained Catholic, and she is still a member of the Episcopal church, but he came away with a deep conviction about the importance of Catholic education.
Years later, after pivoting to a career in computer science and founding a successful company, Skowronski decided to support Christendom after visiting the campus and seeing firsthand that it was something special. He could tell immediately that the students were in love with Jesus Christ. He remembers that he was moved by their “serious but joyous faith” and by the strong community they were clearly rooted in. He also liked the mentorship professors provided for students. Here was a place where the Catholic faith was not only taught, but lived zealously and joyfully. Since then, he has enjoyed getting to know Christendom more deeply, especially through conversations with President George A. Harne, Ph.D.
Students observing a solar eclipse from Christendom’s observatory.
In Skowronski’s view, there are two major reasons to support the burgeoning science program at Christendom. He believes that a solid scientific education increases the intellectual credibility of Christendom graduates as they make their way in the world. But even more fundamentally, he knows through his own experience in the sciences that they reveal God’s creation and care of the world to man in a special way. Far from being opposed, the beauty revealed in the sciences can enhance one’s faith and appreciation for the Creator.
“Is the world, fundamentally, something that we can understand?” Skowronski asks.
For the Catholic and for the scientist, the answer is yes. Christendom students know this, and thanks to Skowronski’s generosity, they continue to learn about the natural world—and the supernatural one—in the classroom and the laboratory, glorifying God in His work.
Written by Abigail Miller
Read more from Instaurare Magazine here.