Get to Know Director of Campus Ministry Luis Melgar 

Luis Melgar was officially welcomed to the Assumption community this summer as the new director of campus ministry. Melgar is no stranger to Catholic liberal arts education, having over 15 years of experience in Catholic, Jesuit institutions, from his time at the University of Scranton where he received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science to Boston College for his master’s degree in divinity.  

Additionally, he served as a religious education teacher through the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Andahuaylillas, Peru, and, most recently, as a theology teacher at Boston College High School.  

Melgar has had a transformative journey through his educational and teaching career, switching gears to teach theology after originally pursuing a career in physical therapy. As the new director of campus ministry, Melgar brings with him a wealth of knowledge about faith, formation, and how to make theology more accessible to students, and has already begun to dive into his new role. Learn more about him and his journey below:  

What was the most meaningful part of your teaching career before coming to Assumption? 

• As a classroom teacher, I appreciated what I call the “art of daily formation.”  Given that I saw my students every day for class, the ways in which my students grew in their capacity to empathize and develop their critical consciousness was beautiful. While I wasn’t able to notice or measure their progress from one day to the next in the classroom in the same way that I would as a campus minister on a retreat or service immersion experience, the growth was there! 
• The way I had to be “on” or present with my students was different and challenged me to learn how to meet my students each day. I was with students whose interest level and appetite for theology and ministry varied greatly. I had to put on a “beginner” mindset as I developed my lesson plans, assignments and discussions because I would at times forget that I didn’t know what I know now at their age. Like a number of my students, I didn’t always appreciate what the Catholic Intellectual Tradition had to offer until it was presented in an accessible and relevant way. As a teacher, I sought to do the same, and I found memes, clips from contemporary shows such as “The Office” and “The Good Place” and journalling to be helpful in this endeavor. 

What made you change course and decide to devote your career to Catholic education rather than physical therapy?  

• My decision was informed partly by my time in the classroom reading about theologians, scholars, and academics that served the people that they would write about—namely the poor and marginalized of society. For example, in my Latin American Theology class, Dr. Will Cohen, a theology faculty member from the University of Scranton, encouraged our class to notice the intersection of faith and justice as we read about the lives of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Saint Oscar Romero, Rutilio Grande, S.J., and Gustavo Gutierres, S.J., among others. As I learned about El Salvador’s complicated history, I was able to appreciate both how their Faith and belief in a God that desires justice brought them tremendous consolation when confronted with structures of sin. Being able to not only name the dynamics of power in one particular moment in history, but to also identify and stand in solidarity with others experiencing similar struggles today was powerful. 
• While my path to Catholic education was partly formed in the classroom, it was also shaped by my experience of immersion and encounter. During the summer going into my senior year at the “U” (University of Scranton), I had the privilege of participating in a “SEND-like” immersion to Managua, Nicaragua partnering with the Jesuit University, Universidad Centroamerican (UCA). I saw and heard many stories that resonated with me deeply and made my learning ‘real’ and relevant in a way that I had not appreciated beforehand. For example, visiting coffee plantations and learning about the labor that goes into a cup of coffee was eye-opening. I didn’t realize how the earth and those that cultivate the beans work under taxing conditions that are often not compensated well. My understanding of the world changed, and I saw how intrinsically linked I am to others—perhaps in a particular way as a Salvadoran-American. I realized that the pain and suffering of my neighbor is also my pain and suffering. The opposite is also true. The joys and victories of my neighbor are also my joys and victories. I am mindful of where I purchase not only my coffee, but other products as well. This experience helped me appreciate just how much more there was to this “theology and ministry” world, and I longed to dive more fully into explicit ministry. I don’t think that one needs to do exactly what I did to pursue justice and truth (nor do I claim to do it well), but this just happened to be what I found to be the path that brings me the greatest joy and consolation. 

What makes you passionate about ministry at Assumption? 

• I am passionate about getting to know people and helping people see the goodness in themselves and in others. I see that most of my ‘work’ this year will involve relationship building, especially early on. 

What drew you to work at Assumption specifically? 

• I am excited to learn more about St. Augustine and the history of the Assumptionist order. After spending over 15 years in Jesuit institutions, it will be refreshing to exist in another context that is informed by one of the great doctors of the Church. 
• I was also drawn to the size of Assumption University as it reminds me of my alma mater (University of Scranton). I have missed higher education and the kinds of questions that young people are asking at this stage in their lives as they discover who they are and what they are called into. It feels familiar and—while I have many ideas for how we can support students in that—I want to get to know the community as our team discerns “what’s next?” for campus ministry! 

What do you enjoy doing in your free time? 

• I enjoy playing sports, specifically soccer and basketball. You will likely find me in the Plourde this upcoming semester playing pickup basketball or competing in intramural sports! 

What are you most excited for in the upcoming year? 

• I am most excited to return to a life of full time and explicit ministry. I have missed this after teaching high school these past two years. I know that I will learn a great deal as director and in administration, but I am excited to find ways of meeting our students where they are, as they are beyond my office space. Whether this is in our chapel through our liturgies and in our shared Sacramental life, in the Tinsley community room over food and board games and puzzles, or across campus between meetings or during athletic events, I am excited to get to know the community.