Valerie Hanna, South Student Leader
Valerie Hanna, South Student LeaderWhy I Applied: OCF isn’t just another school organization. I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it a thousand times over. The opportunities provided by OCF are ones that teach, guide, encourage, and engage in ways I have never experienced in any other organization. There are things you learn in OCF that can be integrated into every aspect of your life. Having been challenged through so many different aspects of my faith alongside some of the best friends became one of the many reasons I applied to be on the SLB. I applied because I knew this would be one of the greatest decisions I would ever make (this has been proven true). In applying, I would be given one of the greatest opportunities in helping create events specifically catered to my OCF region. I knew OCF would always hold such a special place in my heart and now that I’ve had the blessing of serving on the SLB it’s more than integrated into everything I will ever do. To serve on this board has been one of my favorite adventures.
Favorite Moment: SLI, getting to help with College Conference, meeting new people at every event I’ve attended, and ultimately, gaining one of my best friends off of the SLB + so many more.
Biggest Takeaway: God’s love, grace, and kindness that radiates through the amazing people OCF has brought me whom I’ll be carrying with me through life.
Why Apply? Why not apply?
Anna Sobchak, Real Break Student Leader
Why I Applied: I really wanted to experience more of OCF at the national level because my favorite parts of OCF had been their national programs, most notably Real Break, as my current role may imply. Plus, as a senior I felt like it was my time to give back to this organization.
Favorite Moment: My favorite part of the SLB has definitely been SLI (the Summer Leadership Institute). It’s rare that you find a group of strangers from all over the continent that you instantly click with, and yet within mere days, I was absolutely in love.
Biggest Takeaway: My biggest takeaway…serving on the SLB has added depth to my faith. I joined the SLB because I felt like it was time for me to give back to the organization that had given so much to me already, but being a part of this ministry has taught me to be more intentional about my faith, to refocus and prioritize my life, and to appreciate just how rewarding serving in this ministry is.
Why Apply? Apply to the SLB because its just simply awesome.
Markayla Stroubakis, Southwest Student Leader
Why’d I Applied: I initially applied with some prodding and encouragement from the RSL before me. I figured it would be a cool opportunity, and just went for it, and here I am 3 years later!
Favorite Moment: In all 3 years I’ve had lots of favorite moments. But one of them has to be a rather humbling one. I planned a retreat and somehow on the day of, nobody showed up except me and the priest. I was pretty upset at first, and wanted to cancel it when I got the last text from a registrant saying they couldn’t come. But the priest told me we had to have the retreat, so when people asked, we could tell them how great it was. It was such a wonderful afternoon exploring my faith practically one-on-one with a priest. I learned so much about myself that day and it truly reinforced to me to always trust in God’s plan.
Biggest Takeaway: My biggest takeaway from OCF has been that this program truly changes you. Before I joined OCF, I was good about going to church and chanting and it was really nice. But that was it, just nice. Joining OCF has changed my attitude from feeling obliged to going to church to actually wanting to go to church. I read Orthodox books because I want to. I participate in and lead retreats and discussions not because I feel like I know the most about the Faith or the Church Fathers’ sayings, but because I want to learn from others and be that person who brings everyone together.
Why Apply: READ ABOVE ANSWER! Let yourself be open to having these experiences. If you’re on the fence, apply anyway because you truly will not know the difference that OCF will have on your life until you’re thrown into this position. You don’t have to be champion of Bible Bowl or chanter extraordinaire. Just be you. You’ll come out of this with a heightened sense of yourself as a college student, yourself as a leader, and yourself as an Orthodox Christian.
Quinn Marquardt, Mountain Student Leader
Why I Applied: I wanted to grow my region, grow my own chapter, and be able to make a difference on the lives of others.
Favorite Memory: I would say my favorite moment would just be SLI. Meeting the 17-18 board and opening it up to everyone was amazing. I met so many new people and made new lifelong friends.
Biggest Takeaway: I think my biggest takeaway would be that everyone is different. When I first joined the board, I was so shy and didn’t know what I would be doing. After being on the board, I have learned that everyone is different and when you reach out to someone, that can make all the difference.
Why Apply: Being on the board has changed my life for the better. I have made so many new friends, met new people, been able to get chapters up and running, and have had so many amazing experiences. If you apply, I know all of these will happen to you and hopefully even more. The SLB is such a wonderful thing and I know from experience, it will have a large impact on your life.
Spyridoula Fotinis, Public Relations Student Leader
Why I Applied: I re-applied because I just love the ministry of OCF so much and could not imagine transferring to a new school without a strong presence of OCF and the support of my fellow SLBers and well as all wonderful OCF peeps around North America.
Favorite Moment: Photo ops at SLI – We are totally weird and it’s great. Weird Orthodox SLBers.
Biggest Takeaway: Christ is Everything, and we need a strong community of peers to remind us of this and help us in our ministry to Christ in OCF and just in general, being strengthened by the wonderful people I serve with in all moments of life. They’re always only a phone call away.
Why Apply? There’s never a better time to serve Christ and His Church and your peers across North American than RIGHT NOW!! This present moment is incredibly important! It will be such a blessing in everything you do, and it’s always awesome how each new person brings so much to OCF. Just apply and trust in God! It’s gonna be great 🙂
Anastasia Lysack, Podcast Student Leader
Why I Applied: I applied because I wanted to serve the people who served me. I would not be the person I am today without my experiences in OCF, and I felt it was time to give back. Also, I had been involved with OCF for a while and loved the leadership position I already had in my chapter, so I felt that joining the SLB was the next logical step in my OCF involvement.
Favorite Moment: It’s so hard to pick one! That being said, one moment that is really sticking out to me as I write this happened last summer at the Summer Leadership Institute. The SLB had just spent an amazing two days getting to know one another and preparing for the upcoming school year, and now it was time for the other SLI participants to join us for the next several days. As many smiling faces trickled into the St. Iakovos Retreat Center, I was so impressed, not only by how joy-filled this group was, but how incomplete SLI was with only the Student Leadership Board present. Each member of OCF that I meet, whether they’re in a leadership position or not, inspires me in so many ways. It was then that I suddenly remembered that this was the reason I decided to apply for the SLB in the first place, and it helped me to see the rest of the Summer Leadership Institute in a different light than I did when I arrived there.
Biggest Takeaway: It’s true that OCF needs students to help run its regional retreats, Real Break, College Conference, public relations, podcast, blog, and social media accounts (this isn’t even everything the SLB does!), but I don’t think I realized when I first sent out my application how much I needed the SLB. College is a time when we are encouraged to focus on our personal goals, and while there is nothing inherently wrong with this, it is all too easy to put your own needs before anything else (and yes, you can be doing this while still going to church on a weekly basis and never missing an OCF meeting). Being on the SLB taught me that, if I can take several hours out of my already busy week to serve the Church during college, then I honestly have no excuse not to dedicate that same amount of time to the Church once I’ve graduated. After all, the ultimate goal of OCF isn’t to create students that are really great OCF students — it is to encourage students in their walk with God and their service to the Church. While it’s completely true that there are many ways to serve the Church (different people are called on different paths — and that’s perfectly okay), I would encourage you to get in contact with an SLB member if you’re interested in applying. We would be more than happy to answer your questions.
Why Apply? Make new friends! Gain experiences that your college isn’t going to give you! Take advantage of this unique opportunity to serve the Church!
Fevronia Koufogazos, Southeast Student Leader
Why I applied: I saw the impact that the SLB had on OCF when I went to my first regional retreat and that was definitely something I wanted to be a part of. As much as I loved being just a member of OCF, I knew there was so much more that I could do to contribute to helping other college students grow in their faith.
Favorite moment: Reading Ben’s notes after each conference call (yes? no? maybe?). SLI for sure. Spending a week at the St. Iakovos Retreat Center with an awesome bunch of people was the best way to end summer break.
Biggest takeaway: I’ve always wanted to serve our faith and our Church in some way and being a part of the SLB has definitely allowed me to accomplish that. This experience will prepare me for after college graduation when I want to continue my involvement in church ministries.
Why apply: Be a part of something bigger than yourself!! It is our job as Orthodox Christians to bring others closer to Christ, and being on the SLB is a perfect way to do that. Also, automatically having a group of 18 friends is pretty cool too.
Mark Saber, Media Student Leader
Why I Applied: Shoutout to Christina Andresen and Kathrine Sackllah for encouraging me to apply. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I had friends who were on the leadership board, and it seemed fun.
Favorite Moment: My favorite moments were definitely all of leadership training and college conference — since I got to meet some of the coolest people EVER.
Biggest Takeaway: My biggest takeaway from the SLB has been the friendships I’ve formed with people I’ve met through OCF.
Why Apply? Ya got nothing to lose my friend. If you like meeting awesome people, being in charge of stuff, and going to OCF events, then go! Apply like the wind! Still undecided? Please refer to this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXsQAXx_ao0
David Munkres, Northwest Student Leader
Why I Applied: I wanted to be able to provide the students of the Northwest Region with a space to grow in Christ! OCF has made me own my Orthodox Faith and has been one of the biggest blessings God has bestowed on me. I wanted to share that joy with others!
Favorite Moment: My favorite moment of my two years on the OCF board was attending College Conference (West and Midwest). I had a great time at both conferences meeting people from all over the nation!
Biggest Takeaway: I came away from the SLB is friends from all over the nation who I call brothers and sisters! The people really made the experience!
Why Apply? Apply because you want to have the experience of your life through OCF! OCF will give you what you put into it. Give it your all and OCF will change your life!
