WEBVTT 00:00:09.680 --> 00:00:10.000 Hello. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:14.580 I'm Michelle Drennen with Divine Mercy University in the alumni relations area. 00:00:14.905 --> 00:00:22.125 Had the joy while being here at the National Eucharistic Congress and wanting running into one of our current students, Ellen Amarante. 00:00:22.505 --> 00:00:26.525 And we're gonna ask her some questions about her journey so far. 00:00:26.825 --> 00:00:31.950 And so, I'm looking forward to her feelings and her thoughts, and her first few classes. 00:00:32.250 --> 00:00:32.750 Welcome. 00:00:32.890 --> 00:00:34.030 Thank you, Maricel. 00:00:34.730 --> 00:00:42.510 So tell me a little bit about what you're doing now in your career and what motivated you to go forward and take another degree. 00:00:43.695 --> 00:00:44.595 It's a big question. 00:00:45.055 --> 00:00:47.855 Well, I will I will say that I'm an educator by trade. 00:00:47.855 --> 00:00:49.235 I've always been an educator. 00:00:50.495 --> 00:00:57.315 Taught in public school, went to higher ed, and helped the next generation of teachers and forming them. 00:00:57.900 --> 00:01:03.600 But as I was working in higher ed, I was seeing so many students who were struggling. 00:01:04.140 --> 00:01:07.920 And I would sit in my office with them, and they'd pour out their heart. 00:01:07.980 --> 00:01:09.900 And I was I don't know the answers. 00:01:09.900 --> 00:01:12.705 I don't know how to connect with them. 00:01:12.705 --> 00:01:16.465 I see what the problem is, but I don't know how to present a solution. 00:01:16.465 --> 00:01:23.365 I can give them my heart, and I can give them what I think, but I also can't share about God because this is a private university. 00:01:24.065 --> 00:01:25.185 So how do I do that? 00:01:25.185 --> 00:01:30.490 How can I give them a taste of what I believe and what I know to be true about the human person? 00:01:30.490 --> 00:01:31.790 Like, how can I do that? 00:01:32.090 --> 00:01:34.750 And I just kinda filed that away in the back of my mind. 00:01:35.210 --> 00:01:37.130 And then it was it was later on. 00:01:37.130 --> 00:01:49.425 It was actually when I was randomly speaking about the need for for wellness, for mental wellness in our world that I thought, well, maybe maybe I can do something about that. 00:01:49.425 --> 00:01:53.505 So I did the research as as any as any good academic would do. 00:01:53.505 --> 00:01:53.745 Right? 00:01:53.745 --> 00:01:54.965 You gotta do the research. 00:01:55.265 --> 00:01:57.830 And I found DMU, and I'm so grateful. 00:01:57.890 --> 00:01:59.250 I'm so grateful that I did. 00:01:59.250 --> 00:02:02.370 So as soon as I saw it, I online searching. 00:02:02.370 --> 00:02:04.130 So the old Google worked again. 00:02:04.130 --> 00:02:04.450 Right? 00:02:04.450 --> 00:02:05.730 So I did find it online. 00:02:05.730 --> 00:02:07.330 I compared it to other programs. 00:02:07.330 --> 00:02:11.055 But as soon as I saw the meta model, as soon as I'm like, wait. 00:02:11.055 --> 00:02:11.215 Wait. 00:02:11.215 --> 00:02:11.375 Wait. 00:02:11.375 --> 00:02:17.235 They have an entire framework of how they see the human person and they're and we have classes in philosophy? 00:02:17.375 --> 00:02:18.755 You know, what's up with that? 00:02:18.815 --> 00:02:23.155 So as soon as as soon as I saw that, I knew that this was the place for me. 00:02:23.870 --> 00:02:26.150 So I know that when you work full time Yes. 00:02:26.350 --> 00:02:27.890 Got to be a little bit challenging. 00:02:27.950 --> 00:02:28.450 Correct. 00:02:28.830 --> 00:02:33.970 How have you managed to be able to be successful in the degree and work? 00:02:34.590 --> 00:02:39.170 What kind of, I know you have a very supportive husband who's a deacon, so that helps. 00:02:39.445 --> 00:02:44.585 But what were some of those kinds of things that you had to discipline yourself to do so far to do well in the program? 00:02:44.725 --> 00:02:50.345 Well, it didn't hurt that before I was working with future teachers at higher ed, I was teaching time management. 00:02:52.245 --> 00:02:55.050 So, you know, the I learned some of the tricks of the trade. 00:02:55.670 --> 00:03:00.710 But I was I was starting at DMU as full time, and that's what I really wanted to do. 00:03:00.710 --> 00:03:05.530 I wanted to get full time, see this through, get working on my on my counseling career. 00:03:06.315 --> 00:03:08.475 God sometimes has other plans for us. 00:03:08.475 --> 00:03:12.495 So during the full time work, that was, you know, that was my full focus. 00:03:12.555 --> 00:03:14.015 I was doing all of that. 00:03:14.075 --> 00:03:18.495 We needed to move, and that move necessitated a job. 00:03:18.930 --> 00:03:26.470 So I actually went back to my first love of education, became a principal, and needed to then back off to part time. 00:03:26.850 --> 00:03:28.770 So I appreciate that about DMU too. 00:03:28.770 --> 00:03:29.730 It's very flexible. 00:03:29.730 --> 00:03:33.315 They understand the the workings of the human person. 00:03:33.315 --> 00:03:34.115 Imagine that. 00:03:34.115 --> 00:03:37.175 And what we need and how important it is to have that balance. 00:03:37.475 --> 00:03:45.315 So now in full time work and coursework, you do need to be very careful about how you balance your time. 00:03:45.315 --> 00:03:49.340 There's not a lot of free time, but you still have to take time to recreate. 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:51.200 You still have to take time to pray. 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:53.680 When you're busy, you have to pray twice as much. 00:03:54.060 --> 00:03:55.660 That's that's what we need to do. 00:03:55.660 --> 00:04:01.325 But it's really it's really about prioritizing and sometimes recognizing the fact that more isn't better. 00:04:02.025 --> 00:04:11.305 So you have to really focus on what's most important to focus on, give that your full attention, do the best of your ability, get the main gist of something, and keep going. 00:04:11.305 --> 00:04:12.305 But that's what I could say. 00:04:12.305 --> 00:04:14.665 I could do a podcast on that time management system. 00:04:14.665 --> 00:04:15.810 That's great to do that. 00:04:15.890 --> 00:04:16.690 Happy to do that. 00:04:16.690 --> 00:04:17.570 So ding, ding, ding. 00:04:17.570 --> 00:04:19.510 Because that I didn't know that's what you did before. 00:04:20.210 --> 00:04:23.890 So I'd like to ask you, and this is just a a feeling. 00:04:23.890 --> 00:04:31.095 How do you think that the the bridges that can be built between science and religion, health care, and pastoral care Oh. 00:04:31.095 --> 00:04:33.975 Worked so efficiently in the bounds of divine mercy universe. 00:04:33.975 --> 00:04:34.795 Oh my goodness. 00:04:35.495 --> 00:04:37.515 You went for the the big one. 00:04:37.655 --> 00:04:38.315 I did. 00:04:39.815 --> 00:04:40.615 Well okay. 00:04:40.615 --> 00:04:42.875 So I'm a conduit to the faith. 00:04:43.420 --> 00:04:47.600 So as I was coming in, I found the theology of the body. 00:04:48.380 --> 00:04:54.540 And that really resonated with me because there was this educational component that snagged me right away. 00:04:54.540 --> 00:04:57.705 Like, we're learning about, you know, this is explicit instruction. 00:04:57.845 --> 00:05:00.825 We're all human persons, but do we know what that means? 00:05:01.045 --> 00:05:06.885 And have we taken that apart to understand what this purpose is for? 00:05:06.885 --> 00:05:08.985 Why why do we have this body? 00:05:09.750 --> 00:05:18.650 So I saw a health care connection there as well as an education, and then there's, of course, the the work of the mind. 00:05:18.870 --> 00:05:27.805 And I think DMU has taken that to the next level by introducing the theology, the philosophy, and the psychology into the CCMP. 00:05:28.505 --> 00:05:33.305 So, you know, I think that there's no way to separate any of what you said. 00:05:33.305 --> 00:05:40.240 There's no way to separate our health care from our belief system, from who we are as as human persons because it's all about integration. 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:41.920 Yeah. 00:05:42.380 --> 00:05:47.440 So what is your goal and what you will do with this degree once you're all completed? 00:05:47.580 --> 00:05:52.295 Do you have a a dream job or just tell me about what you think this is gonna do in your journey? 00:05:52.435 --> 00:05:57.975 This is the dream job that's kind of been just in my mind, and I'm about to announce it. 00:05:58.835 --> 00:06:03.960 I would very much like to work with our diocese, and I hope I hope the bishop will consider that. 00:06:03.960 --> 00:06:08.220 I would love to work in our diocese to to work with our Catholic school educators. 00:06:09.640 --> 00:06:29.295 You know, being in Catholic education, our teachers are so dedicated, and they are so mission forward, But this is not an area where they're getting proper pay, they're working ridiculously long hours, and all with this heart of mission, but they're being depleted. 00:06:30.075 --> 00:06:38.340 And so, my heart is with them, and I rather than be their evaluator and then telling them what to do all the time, I'd rather minister to their souls. 00:06:38.340 --> 00:06:49.400 And I try to do that as a principle too, but they need they need that because if they cannot be balanced and healthy mentally, how are they going to help our children who desperately need that as well? 00:06:49.655 --> 00:06:56.715 And you have that quality of mentoring with with caring and it it comes through and exudes every word you say. 00:06:57.255 --> 00:07:03.755 So are there any questions that I haven't asked you that you kinda wish I did or anything else that you'd like to share? 00:07:04.350 --> 00:07:05.330 That's a good question. 00:07:05.550 --> 00:07:06.030 Oh, wow. 00:07:06.030 --> 00:07:08.210 You must have taken a few classes too. 00:07:08.430 --> 00:07:11.570 Have I done have I addressed all of your needs today? 00:07:12.190 --> 00:07:23.375 You know, I think that for anyone considering, I don't know who the exact audience will be, but for anyone considering DMU, I would say you learn so much about yourself. 00:07:24.155 --> 00:07:32.335 You learn so much about how your mind works and and how the past and the present will are working together to form your future. 00:07:33.030 --> 00:07:34.070 You can't go wrong. 00:07:34.070 --> 00:07:44.970 Even if even if it never turns into a a career of any kind, you learn so much about who you are, who you are called to be, your vocation, your trifold vocation. 00:07:45.350 --> 00:07:46.650 Thank you, doctor Titus. 00:07:47.325 --> 00:07:52.545 That you just you find that you are becoming who you are meant to be. 00:07:52.685 --> 00:07:56.945 Such a common thread on that question that everybody says, you know, I found out more about me. 00:07:57.005 --> 00:07:57.505 Yes. 00:07:57.965 --> 00:08:00.360 I can't thank you enough for your gift of time today. 00:08:00.360 --> 00:08:01.110 Oh my goodness. 00:08:01.110 --> 00:08:06.109 It's been a pleasure to seeing your graduation and continuing to be in touch with you, and thanks so much. 00:08:06.109 --> 00:08:08.754 We're so glad to have you as a future alumni. 00:08:08.754 --> 00:08:09.399 Thank you. 00:08:09.399 --> 00:08:10.219 You're welcome.