VAL J PETER SCHOLARSHIPS
Two New Seminarians Awarded the Val J. Peter Scholarship Zac Povis ‘15, Archdiocese of St. Louis
T
en seminarians at the Pontifical North American College received scholarships this year through the Val J. Peter Scholars Fund. Established in the name of Fr. Valentine J. Peter ‘60, C‘68, Executive Director Emeritus of Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home in Omaha, Nebraska, the Fund grants scholarships each year to seminarians at the North American College to assist them and their dioceses in meeting the financial needs associated with priestly formation. John Souder ‘17 (Lake Charles) is one of two members of the class of new men to receive the scholarship this year. One of six children, John graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2009 with a degree in chemical engineering. It was in the midst working in his professional field that he discerned that God was calling him to enter the seminary. He joins the community at the North American College after two years of pre-theology studies at St. Joseph College Seminary in Covington, La. John is joined by his classmate Matthew Nash ‘17, who comes to the College from the Diocese of Grand Island, Nebraska. Matthew spent four years at Conception Seminary in Conception, Mo. 32 The Pontifical North American College
(From left to right): Austin Gilstrap ‘15 (Nashville), Rev. Mr. Robert Rodgers ‘14 (Cheyenne), Tyler Bischoff ‘15 (Gaylord), Mark Horn ‘15 (Rapid City), Matthew Nash ‘17 (Grand Island), John Souder ‘17 (Lake Charles), George Elliott ‘15 (Tyler), and Steven Gadberry ‘16 (Little Rock). Not pictured are Joshua Neu ‘15 (Tyler) and Rev. Mr. John Henao López ‘14 (Tyler).
Among the students who have been awarded the scholarship in previous years are Rev. Mr. John Henao ‘14 (Tyler), Rev. Mr. Robert Rodgers ‘14 (Cheyenne), Mark Horn ‘15 (Rapid City), Joshua Neu ‘15 (Tyler), G.T. Elliot ‘15 (Tyler), Tyler Bischoff ‘15 (Gaylord), Austin Gilstrap ‘15
(Nashville), and Stephen Gadberry ‘16 (Little Rock). Rev. Mr. Henao was ordained a deacon over the summer back in his diocese. Rev. Mr. Rodgers was one of the forty-one men ordained to the diaconate in Saint Peter’s Basilica this October.