Johnnies receive service awards

Three Johnnie seniors have received the 2023 Extraordinary Service Award, recognizing their personal commitments to service that exemplify Benedictine Values. Benjamin Epper, Ethan Huber and Durran Thompson are the winners that have been selected out of a group of 17 nominees this year. According to the SJU Campus Ministry website, the award is intended to honor Johnnies who display “Caritas,” or “Christ-like love for others.”

Students, faculty and staff are all invited to nominate a Johnnie during the beginning of each spring semester. The nominees then submit an essay and resume detailing their service activities during their time at SJU for consideration. The selection committee has been reviewing these applications for the last month and made their announcement of recipients last week. Epper said he found out he was nominated by a friend, and he said the acknowledgement and congratulations he’s received in the last week are only a bonus in the grand scheme of his service work.

“That’s not why I do what I do,” he said. “It’s all about doing that service for others. So for me, it’s fun to be recognized, but it’s not necessary.”

Epper has done most of his service work through Magis Ministries, which he has been involved with since his sophomore year. His roles in the club are the Instructional Technology lead and the Bible studies coordinator. He was a retreat leader for both the FYRE and Trails programs at CSB+SJU, and most recently he’s worked with confirmation students in St. Joseph.

“When I think of service, it’s about having those personal one-on-ones…and getting to know someone,” Epper said. “My heart is oriented to service, and I’m just so happy to even have been nominated for this award.”

Huber’s nomination came from the relationship he fostered with Fr. Nickolas Becker, his sophomore year faculty resident, theology advisor and professor, who he said has had a profound impact on his experience at CSB+SJU.

“[Becker] actually wrote me a letter of recommendation for medical school…and he said in there that I was going to be his nomination for this award,” he said. “I was like, ‘Oh that’s really cool, I appreciate that,’ and didn’t think anything would become of it…and here we are talking about it.”

Huber’s service opportunities have taken place both on and off campus, something that he said is deeply important to him.

“The school does an incredible job. They always have an opportunity for you to find service on campus,” he said. “But at the same time, there’s a lot of people in the St. Cloud area that need our help.”

Huber serves on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), something he’s been a part of for four years, organizing events like the Kids Fighting Hunger Event held last Sunday and the Special Olympics swim meet, which is being held again this year in April. He also volunteers at the St. Cloud Hospital as a Speedy Transport Escort Pool (STEP) force member, escorting patients and their families through the hospital and providing support during appointments and other hospital visits.

“You realize how important it is to your experience, to your faith, to your education to continue to find ways to help the most vulnerable populations,” Huber said. “That’s what service is, trying to bring light to people’s day and be a leader.”

Thompson was nominated by three people for the award and said that his wide-reaching service work has come from being as involved as he could with organizations and activities at CSB+SJU.

“It’s been a crazy ride…and one of the most fulfilling things from doing all this service is seeing the impact you have on others,” Thompson said.

Thompson currently serves as SJU Senate president and has contributed to student-focused service by organizing events and projects like Mental Health Week and the Valentine’s Day Initiative. He was an E-Scholar and worked on an endeavor last year called Power Pack, which creates gift boxes for students featuring products created by Bennies, Johnnies and companies in St. Joseph. He also volunteers through Delta Sigma Pi and has been a resident assistant since his sophomore year.

“I just follow what I love,” he said. “I always want people to know that I’m a resource for them, especially with all this experience I now have because of what I’ve done the last four years.”

All three recipients expressed their gratitude for the award, and the humility that comes with being recognized for their service, since they all said they were aware they were a part of a large pool of deserving nominees. Thompson said that above all, the service that he and his fellow nominees and recipients took part in is a way to support others, something he thinks anyone can aspire to.

“I feel like everybody has the opportunity to possibly receive this award,” he said. “And regardless, everyone has the opportunity to give back and be a good person and see where that takes them.”