Meet John Thrun (2017) and Mary Buzzanca Thrun (2018), two outstanding alumni of Ave Maria University. They were married nearly a year ago and currently live in London. In a recent interview, John and Mary share their thoughts on their time at Ave Maria and how those experiences shape their lives overseas.
How did you choose to attend AMU?
John: The Newman Catholic colleges run in my family. My older siblings had gone to Franciscan, Christendom, and Saint Mary Magdalen, but none of them appealed to me like Ave. Mary: I was drawn to the joy I felt on campus when I visited during my junior year of high school. You could really feel how happy and kind people on campus were. So, how did you two meet? John: I was working for campus security, finding any reason I could to go to the mailroom [where Mary worked]. Love at first sight is an understatement. After a year of dating, our trust and love for one another grew deeply. Mary went on a family vacation to Rome the following summer where I flew out and surprised her in her favorite parish—Santa Maria de la Scala. We then got engaged and after college tied the knot in St. Joseph’s Basilica in Massachusetts.
Mary: During my freshman orientation, President Towey said that 1 in 5 students find their spouse on campus. I thought, “Yeah right!” I worked in the mailroom and John would come in several times a day to get coffee, which he later confessed was an excuse to talk to me. It didn’t take me long to realize that I had to spend the rest of my life with him.
Mary, what service projects were you involved with at AMU?
Through the Mother Teresa Project, I was part of Habitat for Humanity and went on mission trips to Mexico City and Calcutta. I learned that no matter where I went in the world, people just want to be loved, and loving your neighbor as yourself is the first step to imitating Jesus.
John, how did AMU help you grow your faith?
AMU was instrumental to my faith journey. It is only now that I can truly look back and know that Ave was exactly where I was meant to be. The proximity of the sacraments was especially motivating to me and something I did not appreciate enough at the time.
Mary, how did you balance your faith and work in college and today?
They say that out of friends, good grades, and sleep, you get to pick two and that’s true in the sense that you learn very quickly what’s important and what’s not. A game changer for me was just getting up an hour earlier, to do homework, hit the gym, or grab coffee with a friend. John and I still get up early to pray together, and that helps our days get off to a positive start.
John, how did you find your starting job out of AMU, and how did you get to London?
I was referred to my first job with Gartner by my friend who is also an AMU grad, Christian Amland. They hired me and after one year in the Fort Myers office, I received a promotion with a move to our office in London. Mary and I live just outside London and both of us are now happily working for Gartner.
Mary, what are some new memories you’ve made since living in London?
Moving to England has been incredible! I still can’t get over the history (our local pub was built in 1500!) and London is breathtaking. It’s been really fun to be immersed in a new culture, even though I’ve been scolded for making tea the wrong way!
John, what were some of the exciting challenges related to the London move?
The visa process was not a walk in the park, but well worth the wait! Before we knew it we were on our way. After a bit of culture shock, it has now become routine in a way. We are very blessed to have this opportunity, and to live our dream of traveling Europe!
Mary, what were some of your favorite memories at AMU?
Some of the best times I had at AMU were at events, especially Country Night! But, my favorite memory is of attending Mother Teresa’s canonization in Rome. From seeing President Towey participate in the canonization mass, to watching the Pope ride by in the Popemobile, to eating gelato three meals a day, that was absolutely a trip to remember!
John, what advice would you give to prospective students looking at AMU?
Go, you won’t regret it! Ave is a vibrant, loving, growing, Catholic community and no matter what your background, you are invited to have a seat there. Definitely go and visit! You, like me, will be drawn to the joy, the education, and the faith. I can’t say enough how much I loved AMU. Oh, and the beaches are nice too!
