New at Hurst

New+at+Hurst

Erin Almeter, Contributing writer

Professors and students are not the only new faces on campus. Mercyhurst University opened its doors again this fall, and Michelle Scully joined the Mercyhurst community as the new Campus Minister this year.

More accurately, we have welcomed Scully home. As a Mercyhurst alum, Scully completed a bachelor’s degree in Social Work and Religious Studies in 2016. She then went on to complete the Echo Graduate Service Program at the University of Notre Dame, where she earned a master’s degree in Theology.

Scully’s program has prepared her for years ahead. Alongside studying theology, she had coursework during the summers and worked for various Catholic parishes across the country during the year. Most recently, Scully ministered in a parish in Salt Lake City, Utah.

While completing her undergraduate degree, Scully was involved with Campus Ministry and Service Learning. She participated on the Mercyhurst Youth Retreats and Catholic Leadership Education (MYRACLE) team.

Through Service Learning, Scully lived at the House of Mercy and helped run the afterschool programs during her junior year.

While in Utah for the past two years, she ran the high school youth ministry and religious education in the parish as well as helping with campus ministry for the University of Utah.
She comes back to Mercyhurst with a wealth of experience that she is ready to share.

Scully is recently married and moved back to Erie to reside with her husband. Mercyhurst seemed like a natural choice for employment. It offered familiarity and excitement because of her time as a student here.

As a campus minister, Scully advises the MYRACLE team and Catholic Devotions, as well as overseeing the Carpe Diem retreats. In addition, she works with Campus Ministry’s day-to-day activities and events.

Scully is excited about this new job opportunity and the relationships to be made from it.

“I am most looking forward to interactions with students and being able to just be with students throughout the daily happenings of life,” Scully said.

In her free time, Scully coaches the high school rowing team at Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy in Erie. While in Utah, she picked up many outdoor hobbies such as hiking, skiing, camping and backpacking. A previous pastime of hers was riding a unicycle; however, after breaking her foot while riding, Scully has not been back on one.

When asked if she had any advice for Mercyhurst students, she wanted to inspire us with something that was not too cliché. Her advice: “Give yourself time to get outside and away from responsibilities once a week. Go somewhere and breathe, even if it’s just for half an hour a week.”

Scully notes that the mission of Campus Ministry is to create “a hospitable environment” and encourages everyone to stop in and say hi in the lounge of the Student Union.