Nominate Someone You Know for the 2027 Radiate Christ Awards

Campus ministries across the country are seeing renewed interest from students attending Mass, faith formation, and community events. Wright State University’s Campus Ministry is no exception. Director of Communications at Raider Catholic, Kevin Heider, reports that, “When I started five years ago, having 45 students at a Wednesday evening Mass and fellowship night was considered a great turnout. Last year, we averaged 116 students every Wednesday.” The ministry is growing about 20% a year with no signs of slowing down. In addition to increased attendance, the campus ministry confirmed 13 students this past Easter and currently has another five in formation.

Campus Minister John Davis says, “Young people want so much more than the world can give them right now. Young people want this; they want things that are true, good, and beautiful.”

John and Kevin have built their ministry around being present to students. On nearly any day you’ll find John and Kevin at St. John Bosco Chapel in the heart of Wright State’s campus. This team acts as a constant presence on campus by inviting students into their space. Students drop into the chapel for coffee, studying, conversations, events, sacraments, and more. Their reach extends far beyond Catholics. Students from every faith background have found their way onto the chapel grounds to share discussion and fellowship.

Focus Missionary at Wright State, Serena Hilton, says: “They all support us so well as missionaries; it deeply impacts us, which then deeply impacts the students on campus. Students are drawn into the campus ministry because they see a group of people who have a lot of fun together. It is this consistent, joyful presence that has made Raider Catholic such a welcoming place for students, and it is also what earned John and Kevin recognition this year.”

This year, the Center for the New Evangelization awarded two staff members at Raider Catholic with Radiate Christ Awards for their work. Campus Minister John Davis was awarded the Young Adult Evangelization Award, and Director of Communications Kevin Heider was awarded the Communications Evangelization Award.

Every parish, campus, and Catholic community has people quietly transforming lives through their witness. The Radiate Christ Awards exist to recognize those faithful servants and share their stories with the wider Church. The awards recognize those who proclaim the Gospel through lives of joyful and faithful witness. Nominations are welcomed across five categories: Parish Evangelization, Marriage & Family Evangelization, Hispanic Evangelization, Young Adult Evangelization, and Evangelization in Communications. These awards are presented to awardees annually at the Center for the New Evangelization banquet each February.

Nominate for the 2027 Awards

The nomination window for the 2027 awards is now open and closes on September 30. If someone in your life has consistently radiated the love of Christ through their ministry or witness, we invite you to submit their name for consideration. While awards are never the goal of ministry, sharing these stories reminds us that God continues to work through faithful people serving every day. By nominating those who quietly make a difference, we ensure their witness encourages the entire Church. Please take a minute to nominate someone for the 2027 awards and view past winners on the page here.