Welcoming College Students: How Your Parish’s Hospitality Can Keep Them Connected to the Church
College ministry isn’t new to me. I was a college student once. I led OCF at my university. I even got to serve on the national OCF board with greats like Fr. Peter Gillquist, Fr. Mark Leondis, and Fr. Michael Nasser. I’ve led The Relationship Project in multiple college settings. I feel like I ‘get’ campus ministry.
The Unexpected Challenge of Sending My Children to College
However, nothing could have prepared me for the gut punch of sending my two eldest children to college this year. I know, I know, I’ve been whining about it for a few weeks now. But I have to say, it was harder than I thought. The prayer my husband and I prayed more consistently than any other was that they would stay close to God, and close to His Church. The question we kept asking ourselves was, “Have we laid a strong enough foundation?”
A Moment of Relief: My Son’s Experience with a Welcoming Parish
This Sunday, I exhaled.
By the grace of God, my eldest son is near a parish that welcomes college students really, really well. And as you know, an intentionally welcoming parish can make the difference between a college student staying engaged in the life of the Church, or alternatively can leave them looking for community elsewhere.
When my son called from an Uber after Liturgy (his first Sunday away from home), he shared the phenomenal job the parish had done of welcoming him and integrating him into parish life and into relationships with people in the community. It was so great that I shared it with the team over here at Faithtree, and they insisted we document his experience.
Practical Steps: How St. George Made a Difference
I am sure your parish has its own beautiful way of welcoming college students. However, if you’re looking for new ideas or want to hear about the specific strategies that St. George in Upper Darby, PA, used to make a profound impact on my son’s life, here’s what they did:
The first thing they did was gather his information. When the priest learned my son was coming to the area for college, he asked for his contact information and reached out.
On the first Sunday my son attended, the priest asked all the college students to stand up at the end of the Divine Liturgy. He then asked the community to notice these students and make them feel welcome.
And here’s where it really gets good.After he asked the students to stand, he directed them to meet him after church where he would introduce them to “adoptive families” that he assigned to them. At this point, someone named Lucy (I love you, Lucy—more than you can imagine!) met my son and told him she and her family were going to be his home away from home. She offered him rides, the ability to do laundry at her house, and extended an invitation for him to eat at their families restaurant whenever he was hungry or felt homesick. (Like I said, I love you, Lucy).
My son literally said these words to me, “Mom. They are the most hospitable church ever. Like, ever.”
Exhale, indeed.
Making Hospitality a Priority
As a pastor, you already know how important it is to create a warm, welcoming space for everyone who walks through your doors—especially for college students who are often feeling a little lost in a new place. These small but intentional actions can make all the difference in helping them feel like they belong. I hope these ideas inspire you to think about how your parish can be that same kind of support for the students in your community. They’ll feel seen, valued, and connected—and that’s something they’ll carry with them for years to come.
A Word to Parishioners: Your Role in Supporting College Students
As a member of the parish, your kindness and hospitality can make a world of difference for a college student far from home. Whether it’s offering a ride to church, inviting them over for a meal, or simply being a friendly face on Sunday mornings, your involvement can be the connection they need to stay close to the Church. And remember, being a newcomer is hard—it may take a few invitations before a young person accepts. Keep at it!
Here’s an example that highlights just how important it is to make a lasting connection: A young woman attended church regularly, but each Sunday, people would welcome her as if she was visiting for the first time. Week after week, she received the same warm, "new visitor" greeting because no one remembered her name.
The lesson? Take the time to learn someone’s name and use it. It seems simple, but it can make a huge difference in helping someone feel truly seen and valued, especially when they’re far from home. That personal touch is often what turns a kind gesture into a meaningful relationship.
Let’s Learn from Each Other
If you have any successful practices that we can share with other parish leaders, please consider passing those along to us as well. Learning from the collective wisdom of leaders like you who respond so consistently to the needs of our students is a gift. Feel free to share your ideas and experiences in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!
A Game Changer for Our Family
As a ministry leader, I can promise you, I can’t wait to share the strategies my son experienced with my own pastor. And as a mom, I can promise you, I sighed a breath of relief knowing that Lucy and this entire community of faithful Orthodox had an intentional plan to welcome my son, integrate him into parish life, and to be a part of his college journey—in the Church. It was a game changer indeed.