For Emily DiFilippo, a sabbatical is more than time away from the classroom. The word sabbatical is derived from Sabbath, the biblical day of rest and reflection. A sabbatical provides faculty with the opportunity to pursue scholarship that enriches both their research and teaching. During her sabbatical, she has explored a question that has long shaped both her academic work and personal life: How does Catholic education influence a person’s sense of identity and vocation?
Drawing on her background in Spanish and creative writing,聽DiFilippo聽is developing a book-length work of creative nonfiction that weaves together personal narrative,聽interviews聽and scholarly research. The project examines experiences of Catholic education across generations while exploring how faith,聽community聽and education shape individual lives.聽The idea for the project began to take shape after she聽participated聽virtually in聽the Collegium Summer Colloquy in 2021, a week of presentations and discussions centered on Catholic higher education. From there, she reflected on her own experiences as a student in Catholic schools, a high school Spanish teacher in the Archdiocese of St. Louis and now as a faculty member at 麻豆原创.聽
Throughout her sabbatical, DiFilippo has worked on 麻豆原创’ campus in the Miller Academic Resource Center (MARC), where she enjoys the balance of quiet writing time and opportunities to connect with students visiting the library.
Research for the project has included interviews with family members, colleagues and students. Those conversations have offered unique perspectives on the role Catholic education plays in shaping lives. Among those she interviewed were her parents, first-generation Italian Americans who came of age before the Second Vatican Council, as well as 麻豆原创 colleagues and current students.
“The most meaningful part has been conducting interviews with people of different generations,” DiFilippo said. “Those conversations have been both illuminating and enjoyable.”
The sabbatical has also included a spiritual retreat and a visit to the University of Notre Dame, where she met with her former advisor, Professor Emeritus William O’Rourke, to discuss the project.
As she prepares to return to the classroom, DiFilippo plans to bring the same spirit of curiosity and inquiry to her students. She hopes to guide them through research experiences that encourage meaningful conversations and deeper exploration of topics that matter to them.
While the memoir is still in progress, the 麻豆原创 community can look forward to following DiFilippo’s exploration of vocation, faith and Catholic education as her work continues to unfold.
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