Meet the FOCUS missionaries – BHSU

The Fellowship of Catholic University Students, better known as FOCUS, are ministering to college students on the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Rapid City, and Black Hills State University, Spearfish, campuses. FOCUS was founded in 1998 and uses campus missionaries to invite college students into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ, equipping them for a lifetime of Christ-centered evangelization, discipleship and friendships in which they lead others to do the same. The goal is to have students take the skill, formation and encounters with Christ and share them for the rest of their lives. Missionaries are college graduates that range from newly graduated, to families, to adults who feel a call in their lives.

Andrew Noah
Hometown: Spencer, Iowa
Number of years with FOCUS: 5 

How did you become involved in FOCUS: I met my FOCUS missionaries my freshman year of college and became really involved, especially during my second year onward. I was encouraged to apply by one of the missionaries my senior year. I went to an application weekend and felt a lot of peace with joining FOCUS. I was like, “I’ll do two to three years and I’ll be done,” and here I am going on my fifth year. It was because of the missionaries I had, that I grew significantly in my relationship with Christ and understanding my own identity as a beloved son of God. That was life changing for me. I got to see some of my friends’ lives transformed in front of my eyes in Bible study. I thought, “this is incredible. I want to do this.” That’s what drew me in and really what continues to call me back – getting to see the transformation of the hearts and minds of the students I work with. I get a front row seat to that. It’s awesome.

What was your reaction to returning to BHSU: I love it here. I bought a home here. When I first found out that I was coming here, four years ago, I was stoked. I thought, “This is great! Small town, Black Hills. I grew up in northwest Iowa, so I knew about the hills and was very excited. I moved out to the University of Utah for a year after we lost FOCUS team in Spearfish, and I loved my time out there, but there was always that thought that I would like to move back to Spearfish. My now-wife and I both remotely took jobs here so we could date in the same town. I could help with the Newman center here on a part-time basis. Being here is our long term, at least five-year game plan. I know that I’ll be doing missionary work here for the next couple of years.

Can you speak to being a married missionary on campus: It’s a completely different path. My wife and I have been checking in with each other quite a lot as the school year gets going because she is my priority. My team and students come second and third and obviously God is at the top as well but there’s a different kind of priority that comes with that. There must be firm boundaries set. As a single missionary I could stay up later and hang out with the guys every night, but there comes a point where I have to say “I’ve been here a lot and I’m going home to my wife. I need to mow the lawn.” Within FOCUS, we talk a lot about preparing our students for leaving school and entering their lifelong mission, going into jobs, family, and home life while still living life on mission because we are all still called to that to some degree. I’ve been really excited to talk to some of the men and women about still living the life on mission and how to do that by not necessarily always being here but going home and serving my wife and being a good steward of the home.

What are you looking forward to the most this year: For me, it’s having a team here again. It’s getting to create a culture here at the Newman center of making missionary disciples and a culture of ownership. I want the students to take active roles. I’m excited that we’re here and able to change the culture not only on the Newman center but on campus; be able to do outreach to go after the lost sheep.

Sami Galuppo
Hometown: Orange, California
Number of years as a missionary: 1st year

How did you become involved in FOCUS: I had some older friends when I was in high school that were involved with FOCUS, and they told me I needed to get involved when I went to college. I encountered my FOCUS missionaries when I went to school my freshman year and they invited me to a Bible study. I went to some of the SEEK conferences and a mission trip with FOCUS, and it was there that my relationship with the Lord grew so much deeper. Last summer I did some summer projects with FOCUS, and I was able to see the transformation in college students, and that was my driving force as to why I wanted to be a missionary. I saw the effect that FOCUS was having on those students, and I wanted to be a part of that.

What was your reaction to being assigned BSHU: I did not in my wildest dreams think they were going to send me to South Dakota. When I opened my envelope telling me where I was going, I had to look it up. Graduating from a school of 40,000 to working in one with 3,500 students was a huge change. I would never have thought to move here. This has been the greatest adventure and I’ve loved every single second of it. While I was in college, I didn’t recognize people that I would walk past every day on my campus. I just became involved with my busy work and didn’t feel anyone was investing in any sort of deep relationship. I feel like my gifts are spending quality time with people and investing in people and being in a place where I can slow down and be more open with people on campus is exciting. 

What are you looking forward to the most this year: In a lot of people’s faith lives there’s this lightbulb moment where you think, “they’ve found the Lord!” I’m excited to be able to walk with the women and invite them into living life with Christ at the center and seeing what their lightbulb moment is. I get to watch them grow in their relationship with the Lord and ultimately that’s what I desire for all the women on campus — to be introduced to the Lord if they don’t know him and if they do to grow in that relationship with him.

Kailey Garrett
Hometown: Eugene, Oregon
Number of years as a missionary: 1st year 

How did you become involved in FOCUS: I did not have focus on my campus when I was in college. I encountered FOCUS through social media and through going to the SEEK conferences with other schools in the area that did have missionaries on campus. I didn’t really think I was going to be a missionary until I was close to graduating, and God was very clear that I needed to at least apply. I loved being able to serve the church through the Newman center and was very involved in the Catholic club that was on campus so I thought this seemed like another thing that I would love to do. Once I applied, I gave up what I wanted to do and let him work through me and I love it.

What was your reaction to being assigned BHSU: I generally thought I was going to somewhere in the South Dakota area because during the placement time, I was assigned with people who were already placed in South Dakota. I thought I would text a few people that I know in South Dakota and learn all the good things about it. One of my friends from Rapid sent me a picture of Spearfish and he said, “I think you’d be great here. You would be great at this school.” I had never heard of this place, and I didn’t think they had FOCUS, but I looked it up anyway. Soon enough I opened my envelope, and it said Spearfish and my jaw dropped. How did my friend know? I already have pictures to send to my mom! I wanted to go to a small town and slow my life down to be able to dive into it.

What are you looking forward to the most this year: Helping the women on campus know how much God loves, knows, and cares for them. We want to just pour into these students so they can feel that, whether it’s the Catholic students on campus or all the other students. I want them to have that opportunity to encounter Christ.