Trishita Dey, Class of 2026, recently attended the National College ‘Dominican Preaching in Action Conference’ alongside fellow Spartans. Sponsored by the Dominican Youth Movement USA, attendees came from nine colleges/universities founded by congregations of Dominican Sisters and a tenth college founded by St. Katharine Drexel and the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament.
The Conference empowered students to put their faith into practice and awaken within them their call to be Preachers of the Good News. Focusing on the Four Pillars of the Dominican Order – Prayer, Study, Community, Service – students learned about Dominican traditions, various forms of prayer, the importance of responding to the signs of the times, ways to navigate the challenges of college life, and Dominican family connections.
Trishita experienced a Day of Service during the Conference, which included serving meals at a soup kitchen, learning the importance of developing solutions to environmental problems, stocking shelves in a food pantry, planting and landscaping at a community garden, and assisting with recreational activities for the Sisters at the Amityville Dominican Motherhouse. The conference experience connected Trishita and other attendees to the College’s Mission, Vision and Values , immersing them in the charism, spirituality, and commitment of the 800+ years of the Dominican Order of Sisters, Brothers, and Friars.
Reflecting on her experience, Trishita notes: “As someone from a Hindu upbringing, I found the conference to be incredibly informative, exciting, eye-opening, and amazing. I learned a lot from the presentations and prayer services and definitely my faith in the Lord grew stronger. Beyond that I had the opportunity to make new friends, a bond that I will always cherish. Truly it was a life changing experience for me.”
Trishita wrote a poem at the Conference about the shared experience of those gathered:
In the depths of my being, love blossoms truth,
A sacred bond that guides me through.
Amidst the trials and tribulations of life,
Faith in the divine gives strength to strive.
Though the path may be arduous, fraught with strife,
I hold steadfast, my belief in God’s light.
For in the darkest of nights, a spark divine,
Illuminates the way, a guiding sign.
Hurdles may rise, challenges may test,
But with faith in my heart, I stand unoppressed.
Love, the foundation, the anchor so strong,
Carries me forward, where I belong.
Life’s journey, a tapestry woven with care,
Each thread of faith, love, and God’s watchful glare.
Together, they form a resilient design,
Empowering me to face what’s ahead, divine.
Life can throw its turns and steeps,
it’s your battle to climb the
mountains and set yourself
free