Penn Newman Leadership Team

General Team Expectations

To be on the Penn Newman Leadership team is an act of service to the Newman Community. The leadership team represents the wider student body at Newman, and works to ensure that our events and initiatives are effective and fruitful in enriching the faith life and Catholic community for every Penn student. As a leader and a representative of a Catholic faith community, there are certain guidelines and expectations that accompany the role.

  1. Every Newman Leader is expected to live in accordance with Church teaching, especially by attending Sunday Mass and making an effort toward daily prayer and regular Confession.

  2. Every Newman Leader is expected to attend weekly Leadership Meetings, except for the last Sunday of the month when we will have a bye week. Each leader is afforded one excused absence per semester, which they should clear in advance with the President or Campus Minister. Beyond that excused absence, absence from leadership meetings will result in one “wellness check” conversation, during which we will determine if that leader can still meet team expectations. In the event that they cannot, action will be taken to replace the leader on the team with someone more available to the role.

  3. Every Newman Leader is expected to nourish their personal faith life by participating regularly in at least one “grow” group or event offered at the Newman Center: Bible Study, Marian groups, Athlete or Latino group, Newman Night, or one-on-one discipleship or mentorship.

  4. Every Newman Leader is expected to be present at at least one “encounter” event each week: either Newman Dinner or an after Mass social. When present at these events, Newman Leaders are encouraged to remember their leadership role and be a welcoming source of encounter to new or fringe people.

  5. Every Newman Leader is expected to attend at least one of our major retreats during their term on the team, either the Fall or Spring retreat.

  6. Every Newman Leader is expected to attend the one-day parish Leadership Retreat, this year on January 18th, 2025.

These guidelines are in place because, in order to represent the Newman Community well, leaders must be invested and engaged in that community.

Roles and Job Descriptions

President

The President ensures the overall effectiveness of the Newman community’s mission by their faith and example, and through heading up the Leadership Team. Their responsibilities include:

  • Ensuring the weekly agenda is updated

  • Running the weekly leadership team meeting

  • Act as the Interfaith Representative for Penn Newman on Campus, particularly by fostering a relationship with PRISM and SPARC and attending necessary interfaith events

  • Working with the campus ministers to execute Penn Newman’s strategic plans.

  • Foster relationships with other members of the leadership team to help maintain morale and overall vision throughout the year; planning one team bonding event per semester.

  • Working with the Vice President to set the vision for this specific leadership team.

Vice President

The Vice President assists the President in the general leadership of the Newman community. Their responsibilities include:

  • Assisting the President in setting the climate and vision for the leadership team

  • Running the weekly leadership meeting in the event that the president must be absent

  • Communicating with campus ministers to execute Penn Newman’s strategic plans.

  • Fostering relationships with other members of the leadership team to check on morale and make sure that the team vision is maintained throughout the year.

  • Responsible for the treasury needs of Penn Newman, including attendance at SAFAC meetings, and collaborating with campus ministers to assist with budgeting and fundraising when necessary

Faith Formation Chair

The Faith Formation Chair helps the Newman Community to grow in their faith and relationship with Jesus through regular prayer, formation opportunities, and retreats. Their responsibilities include:

  • Planning and executing the Fall Retreat with the help of the campus minister, Engagement Chair, and appointed retreat staff

  • Assisting campus ministers in selecting retreat leaders, structure, and content. The Faith Formation Chair acts as the point person for retreats.

  • Leading the leadership team in prayer at the beginning of the weekly meeting, which can include a reflection, spontaneous, or rote prayer.

  • Supporting the leadership team in their spiritual health by establishing a weekly or bi-weekly prayer slot for the team to pray before the Blessed Sacrament

Engagement Chair

The Engagement Chair exists to bolster Newman programming with increased engagement and participation from the wider Penn student community. This role embodies some of the characteristics of the “Outreach Chair” and “Social Chair” on previous iterations of the Leadership Team. Their responsibilities include:

  • Recruiting help and engagement during these major seasons of the year at Newman: Fall Outreach, Fall Retreat season, Giving Tuesday, Lent & Holy Week, Spring Retreat, and Baccalaureate

  • Working with the Campus Minister and Newman Communications Director to promote important events

  • Collaborating with Drexel’s leadership to promote Penn engagement in major joint events like Lock-In, Open Mics, and Spring Retreat

  • Collaborating with the Faith Formation chair in the promotion of and recruitment for the Awakening retreat

  • Working with the Campus Minister and Newman President to ensure that the leadership team has strong ties and communication with each undergraduate class (Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, Seniors) by appointing “reps” for each class to help recruit and promote for Newman

Intercultural Chair

The Intercultural Chair, along with their committee, promotes unity among the different cultures and international students in the community. Their work enforces how the Penn Newman community is truly Catholic—especially in its universality. The work of the Intercultural Chair helps to unite all of the brothers and sisters from across Penn Newman as part of the One Body of Christ. Their responsibilities include:

  • Selecting a team for the intercultural committee

  • Ensuring the execution and promotion of Saturday cultural Masses

  • Collaborating with Drexel Newman for intercultural/international event opportunities

  • Fostering community among students from different international/cultural background.

  • Promote formation opportunities with regards to cultural education (e.g conversations/talks on racism, etc)

  • Serve as a communication pipeline to the large cultural groups at Newman such as the Latino and Filipino groups

Service Chair

Encounter. Grow. Serve. One of the pillars of our leadership is to serve. Service chair embodies the service aspect of the Leadership Team for we have come “to serve and not to be served.” The role includes:

  • Promoting and monitoring Christ in the City homeless outreach once a month. This can be by running the actual event, or by being in communication with the point person running Christ in the City

  • Promoting a culture of service among the leaders and the greater Newman community.

  • Working with campus ministers to make sure that Newman has diverse service opportunities throughout the year, such as Nursing Home ministry, individual service days, holiday-based service drives, and whatever other initiatives come forward that suit the mission of Newman

  • Collaborating with Drexel Newman Service Chair on Newman Center service initiatives.