Recent USF graduate Annette Wellman will be pursuing graduate studies in canon law this fall at Saint Paul University in Ottawa, Canada.
Ms. Wellman started her undergraduate career as a biomedical engineering major at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, and finished it as a theology major at the University of Saint Francis. "Since starting college," Ms. Wellman says, "my plans have changed drastically. But that’s sometimes the way life works when you are trying to do God’s work and follow His plan."
Ms. Wellman tells how she discovered her love of theology in her own words:
"In Fall 2008, I began studying theology at University of Saint Francis. I loved every minute of my time in my theology classes. Every reading, from the documents of Vatican II to Augustine's City of God, and every prayer, discussion, lecture, and reading widened and deepened my understanding of Christ and His Church and my relationship with both. I cannot tell you the innumerable conversations I have had with Catholics and non-Catholics alike about different elements of Catholic theology I have learned at University of Saint Francis, conversations bursting with a passion that easily and often drives those conversations into the early morning hours."
Jury duty in the Allen County Superior Court instilled in Ms. Wellman a deep appreciation of the legal system, leading her to a consideration of how she could combine law and theology in her career goals. The answer came after learning of canon lawyers in a ministry class at USF.
In addition to her theology and ministry classes, Ms. Wellman further prepared herself for her upcoming graduate studies by taking Latin classes at USF, participating in a USF study abroad program, and gaining employment in the Allen County Superior Court.
Ms. Wellman was also accepted to the canon law program at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. She applied to Saint Paul University’s canon law program at Bishop Kevin Rhoades’ suggestion, and has been offered scholarships both from the Faculty of Canon Law at Saint Paul University and from the Canon Law Society of America.
Summing up her expectations of the future, Ms. Wellman says, "I can hardly wait to see what the Lord has in store next."
Congratulations, Annette!
