As a business student who is also in Catholic Studies I have learned how easy it is to compartmentalize my life. I can study business and look at the world through the lens of dollars and cents and a few hours later be sitting in a Catholic Studies Class reading Pope John XXIII.

Not only is this dichotomy of thought unhealthy, it is also unwarranted. The Catholic Leadership Intern program this year really brought me to this realization. This year we, the Catholic Leadership Interns, looked at the topic of Catholic ideals in business. We have covered many different topics, ranging from changing the culture of a business institution, to the best way to structure a business in view of the Catholic Ideal.

With all of these topics covered, there was one theme that permeated through them all and stuck in my mind. This realization was that the way I view people should never change. The contrast in views I stated above should never happen when viewing another human being. The only perspective that should be held when viewing another person should be the Catholic view, which is stated elegantly by Pope Benedict XVI when he declared, “Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.”

The purpose of the Catholic Leadership Interns is to have our faith pervade  the way we deal with people every day, particularly as leaders. In covering the topic of leading in business there are many areas that can be addressed with relevance.

This entire year has been one of growth and better understanding for me and I think that our spring Institute in Chicago, Illinois will be a great culmination of our learning. We will see a number of people dealing with different topics. Hearing the thoughts of Francis Cardinal George and visiting the Chicago Board of Trade will be tremendous learning experiences both as a man and as a man in business.

This year has been a phenomenal time of change for me. The Catholic Leadership Interns program has helped me unify my vision of life and understand that my respect and love for fellow man should not go out the window when I put my business cap on. I feel that the Spring Institute will be a great culmination of all that I have learned and I could not be more grateful at its timing as I will be working in business with in a week of our return.

Daniel 
Entrepreneurship and Marketing Majors
Catholic Studies and Philosophy Minors