The faculty and staff at St. Bonaventure University offer a strong support system for every student to be successful on campus. From the deans of each school to the maintenance workers who keep the campus clean and functioning, the professionals and workers on campus help build the unique environment that is experienced every day. Some of the people who do the most for students and the campus are often not given the recognition they truly deserve or are not fully known. One of those people who contribute above and beyond is Fr. Ross Chamberland, O.F.M.
Not only is Chamberland a friar, but he also holds the titles of assistant vice president for Student Engagement, executive director of the Lateran Center for Catholic Identity and adjunct professor of Theology and Franciscan studies.
“I was invited by President DePerro to consider this role in Student Affairs. My goals are many,” Chamberland said when asked about his role as assistant VP. “First among them was to grow in my understanding of the multifaceted elements of Student Affairs. Vice President Katie O’Brien has been an excellent mentor and partner in this work. Together, we expressed a priority goal of enhancing the work of multicultural student affairs and to raise the profile of the Damietta Center.”
Chamberland’s dedication to building and strengthening the campus resources for students is something to be admired among all of the areas in which he is involved. In addition to his official titles, Chamberland has also taken on the responsibility of planning and putting on the Transitus of St. Francis, held the night before the Feast Day of St. Francis. Among all his official responsibilities, Chamberland made time to practice with the students involved in the event, as well as provided an abundance of Domino’s to eat.
“I was interested in educational ministries having been a teacher before I was a friar. My Franciscan superiors invited me to come to St. Bonaventure University for a year-long internship,” Chamberland said about how he found Bonaventure. “During that year, I worked half-time in university advancement and half-time as a faculty member in Clare College. At the end of the year, Fr. John O’Connor (the provincial, or ‘Boss Friar,’ in New York City at the time) called and asked me if I’d be willing to remain at SBU.”
It was a lucky break for SBU that Chamberland took the offer. As fortunate as the campus was to welcome Chamberland to the community, he felt it was a special event in his life as well.
“I was very blessed to stay here to live and work. The experience of being at St. Bonaventure drew me into a deep love of the place, and that experience is best articulated as Franciscan community,” he said. “This is a holiness that binds Bonnies together in community, and I have always been drawn to that.”
It is obvious that Chamberland is dedicated to the students and is always there to talk with them. He often takes a post on the bench across from Café LaVerna, smoking a cigar and reading the newspaper, ready to greet and speak to anyone who passes by. The dedication he has to every student is deeply felt and appreciated.
“Fr. Ross has played a vital role in my spiritual journey, as well as many other students’,” said junior psychology major Tim Walter. “He truly understands how to relate to college students and meet them where they are, whether it’s with cigars on a bench or a 1 a.m. phone call.”
Although he keeps a low profile, Chamberland has made a big impact. His work and presence on campus is a great asset to the university. He is an example of what Bonaventure stands for and the goals for what students will become.
Chamberland is very reliable for helpful advice and offered this to students: “Foster a spirit of gratitude in your lives. You are in an amazing place, at perhaps the most formative time in our adult lives. God has brought you here and sustains you here…plug into that and be grateful. That way of living will affect you in countless positive ways.”
He has become a friendly face each student can count on, setting an example of how special this school and community is. His example is a testament to the values that St. Bonaventure stands for and how they can be lived out. The passion Chamberland has for the school and community is an inspiration.
“I am captivated by the student community and how it grows into a powerful alumnus,” he said. “I am grateful for my encounters in the classroom, in the Hickey, across the campus and on my bench. The Bonaventure family is part of me, and I love that!”
The campus owes a lot to the work Fr. Ross has done and continues to do. The campus would not be the same without him, making him a true hero, and more, a true Bonnie.
By Faith Topolski, Staff Writer
topolsfl17@bonaventure.edu
