HAMBURG, N.Y. – After a national search, Jeffrey M. Papia has been named Director of Mission Integration and Campus Ministry at Hilbert College. Papia will begin his role on July 1, 2015.
“Jeff brings significant expertise in the area of campus ministry and has a strong background in mission integration and theological studies,” Hilbert President Cynthia Zane said. “His experiences at the College of Holy Cross, Boston College, and St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute will provide him a solid foundation to build upon at Hilbert.”
Papia has spent the last three and half years at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, where he served as a religion teacher and helped develop extracurricular activities pertaining to mission and ministry. He helped develop the Young Lasallians program to educate newly hired faculty on Catholic Lasallian identity and invite them into deeper appreciation and involvement in the school’s mission. He also coordinated and moderated “Ripples of Hope” lectures in ethics and social justice, managing endowment funds to invite speakers and plan related service opportunities on an annual basis.
Prior to St. Joe’s, Papia served as a peer minister at Boston College Campus Ministry and the Office of Residential Life. Papia was responsible for integrating and instilling the identity and values into the academic and residential lives of nearly 1,000 freshmen students. He managed a budget to create, coordinate, and implement new programs and events to promote spiritual, academic, and social formation within the residence halls at Boston College.
“I am very excited to begin serving in my role at Hilbert College,” Papia said. “I firmly believe in Hilbert’s mission and values. I look forward to playing a vital role in upholding the college’s Catholic Franciscan-based mission, vision, and values.”
Papia received his bachelor’s degree from Holy Cross and his master’s in theological studies from the Boston College School of Theology and Ministry. Papia and his wife, Maria, reside in the Town of Tonawanda.