By Tatum Oxenreider
Assistant Editor
A mere two miles away, nestled behind the popular downtown Steubenville 4th St., lies Franciscan’s new little brother, the College of St. Joseph the Worker.
This fall marked the inaugural semester of the new school, offering students the unique opportunity to seek a Bachelor’s Degree in Catholic Studies while learning a skilled trade and escaping the ever-growing student debt crisis.
The college differs from other trade schools which are typically two-year, technical training programs for a specific trade. At St. Joseph the Worker, students will receive training in four residential construction trades — carpentry, plumbing, HVAC and electrical — and a BA in Catholic studies.
Their unique six-year curriculum is designed to give the students what they need to achieve excellence in the “lay vocation” of work, family and temporal order.
They pursue this goal by requiring three types of courses: “Shop,” developing hands-on skills, projects and an understanding of how the world works; “Lectio,” consisting of in-depth classic readings; and “Disputatio,” engaging and discussing their readings in a seminar setting.
In their first year, students start on a path towards their degree alongside their broad training: “An education that inspires them to be thinking adults,” said Michael Gugala, the College’s vice president of enrollment. “And (it) prepares them to live the lay vocation to sanctify their family, workplace and community.”
In the next two years, students continue their Catholic studies coursework but begin to narrow their field of trade study to one specific concentration and work part-time on job sites to train and earn a wage as they progress, offsetting tuition costs.
For their final three years (for a total of six), students return to their homes to begin a full-time apprenticeship to further training and enroll virtually in a Catholic Studies class each semester to finalize their degree.
At graduation, they not only have a Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies, but are skilled in their given trade with a secure full-time job and are financially net positive — all uncommon results for any student.
Gugala highlighted the College’s goal of helping their students to live as faithful Catholics, “striving for sanctity in all aspects of their lives and encouraging and leading others to be intentional in this pursuit.”
“Practically speaking, we expect our students will be quality tradesmen who eventually start their own businesses, who understand the importance of community, and who are helping to spread the Gospel,” he added.
The bonding between our two Steubenville schools has already begun, with Franciscan’s carpentry club using CSJW’s workshop and their students using our beloved St. JPII library and participating in student life activities on our campus.
With the growth of the College of St. Joseph the Worker, Franciscan students can expect to see more opportunities for both schools to integrate within our growing town. Indeed, as Gugala said, “It’s an exciting time to be in Steubenville!”