There is a lot of competition to gain and keep the attention of teenagers, especially when it comes to their faith. Having the tools needed to encourage them to grow and practice their religious beliefs is something Hannah Wiand gained while attending Saint Leo University.

Wiand graduated in 2022 and has since become campus minister at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, where she shares the truth with them about God and life.

During her time at Saint Leo, Wiand learned that authentic relationships are very fruitful, and the Lord uses them. Proverbs 17:17 states, “A friend loves at all times,” and Wiand found some of those deep and lifelong friendships at Saint Leo.

“I was just in one of those girls’ weddings,” she said, when talking about the closeness students experience at Saint Leo.

Wiand pointed to two mentors who helped her to grow during her college experience. “I worked with both campus ministers at Saint Leo — Tiffany Fettig ’16 and Deidre Merrill — meeting with each of them one-on-one every week or so,” Wiand said. “The way that they led in our one-on-one meetings allowed me to feel very seen, known, and loved.

“They really desired my holiness and my growth,” she continued. “I try to apply what I learned from them, that feeling of being genuinely invested in.”

And that is something she tries to pass on as part of her job at St. Petersburg Catholic High School.

Wiand said she chose Saint Leo University for three reasons: The campus was “small, Catholic, and close to home.”

“Before I applied, I happened to go up to campus with a friend whose sister went there,” Wiand said. “She took us on an unofficial tour of the campus. I went straight home and applied. It is a small Catholic university and close, which worked great for me.”

Wiand double majored at Saint Leo in psychology, with a specialty in clinical counseling, and religion. She also holds a master’s degree in catechetics and evangelization from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH.

As a campus minister at St. Petersburg Catholic, she mentors students to help them become leaders in not just the school’s community, but also in the wider community. Part of that is teaching them to practice missionary discipleship.

Wiand said both her study areas at Saint Leo influence her work today, with her religion degree helping her to teach students the various aspects of theology and her psychology degree helping her to understand how to best interact with her students.