Magis Award recipient: Christina Haviland
Magis Award recipient Christina Haviland
Engineering senior Christina Haviland was named the 2008 Magis Award recipient at UDM's Honors Convocation, April 6. The award recognizes a student who enhances the Catholic identity of UDM.
"I am very honored and humbled to receive the Magis Award," she says. "The past four years at UDM have been a remarkable journey, one which I could not have made without God's loving Grace."
Nominated for the award by the University Ministry team, Christina was one of the key student leaders on the first-ever Kairos Retreat at UDM. Kairos was begun at the University at the initiative of David Uhl, a Jesuit volunteer on the University Ministry staff. Christina joined as part of the "front crew," facilitating the small groups and giving major presentations on the retreat. She assumed the leadership role for the second Kairos Retreat, coordinating all other student group leaders and presenters.
According to the University Ministry team, "Being a leader in these two retreats demanded a commitment of countless hours of preparations, service and leadership that certainly went far above and beyond the ordinary engagement level of most students; it was the 'Magis' being lived out."
Haviland also participates regularly in the 10 p.m. Sunday and weekday Mass and has encouraged the participation of other students. She engaged in her own spiritual development by participating in the Busy Persons Retreat and has served regularly as a Minister of Holy Communion at student liturgies. This year Haviland is a part of a Christian Life Community faith-sharing group, which meets regularly.
She is a member of Alpha Phi Omega Service fraternity and, for one semester, was in charge of the "Sandwich Bus" program, making and distributing lunches to the homeless. This year, she also participated in the alternative spring break (ASB) service-immersion trip to North Carolina to work on a Habit for Humanity housing project.
She has served as president of Pi Tau Sigma, the national mechanical engineering honors fraternity, and is a member of Tau Beta Pi, the Engineering Honors Society. Haviland also shared her UDM spirit as a Titans cheerleader for her first two years. As described in her Magis Award nomination form, "This required another major commitment of her time, energy and dedication (and) enabled her presence as a recognized Catholic leader to be known among (diverse) students throughout the spectrum of campus activities."
Upon graduation, she hopes to travel to Europe. "I'd like to incorporate visits to various Jesuit and Mercy communities throughout my travels," she explains. "Eventually I hope to start my engineering career in the nuclear industry, wherever that may lead me."
