Theresa LoCasio ‘17CPS

Major: Hospitality Management and Theology

Hometown: Hicksville, NY

Modeling God’s Love

What impact do you believe service will have on your future?
Service is linked with my faith. I hope to embody a vigorous, faith-filled life through acts of service, whether big or small. As for my professional future, whether I work in an office or out in the field, I want to emphasize the importance of service wherever I go. As Mother Teresa said, “Spread love wherever you go, let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.”

How often do you engage in service? 
Every week, I travel to Long Beach for the Sunday night Mass and teach Confirmation classes right after it. It is a wonderful experience leading people closer to their faith. In turn, I learn more about my own. Preparing the eighth graders for the sacrament of Confirmation is such a fulfilling and enlightening way to learn about its importance in my own life. I engage in other service opportunities whenever I can.

What is the most gratifying aspect of serving others? 
Being a Vincentian is much more than a title—it’s about always putting the needs of others before our own. When people are in need of your service, they’re usually at their most vulnerable. By helping them, I feel that, in some small way, it models God’s love for every one of us. We’re all broken, and we all need comfort and healing at some point. When we serve others, we pay back all those who have helped us with our own personal journey.