Brother Victor Monette, CSC A desire to live a life of service drew Victor Monette to volunteer at a Navajo reservation in Arizona after he graduated college. Working with priests and sisters there led him to consider the religious life. And the Holy Cross missions in education, social work and parish ministry fit what he wanted to do. His first assignment after professing vows was teaching high school English and business law, but he spent most of his career as a fiscal officer for Pius XII Family Services in Chester, N.Y., and at the Notre Dame International School in Rome. Fifteen years ago, he joined St. Edward’s in the Office of Student Financial Services. For Brother Victor, who manages the student employment process at St. Edward’s, helping students obtain financial assistance is about more than discussing grants or loans. “I strive for and stress openness and responding to students’ needs,” he said. “I see daily how the Holy Cross charisms of service orientation, respect for the whole person and offering a welcoming atmosphere create a far less rigid setting than is the norm in most university financial assistance offices. Students and parents feel that difference and react positively to it.” It’s a revelation he shares with colleagues around the world. He recently completed a term as president of the National Student Employment Association, and in November, the organization honored him with its 2003 President’s Award for contributions to and advancement of student employment. “My role at St. Edward’s is about tearing down the financial barriers students face in their academic lives.”
I strive for and stress openness 23