On the Hill

Finanacial Aid can help

Life can throw you a curveball.

Kristina Seipel was still paying off the debt she had accumulated from her undergraduate degree while working full time in her parish as the director of religious education. Then she realized she needed more education to be able to do her job better.

“When I decided I wanted to pursue my master’s, I wasn’t going to do it unless I could get the cost covered,” she says. Fortunately, her pastor was willing to assist with some professional development funds.

She inquired about classes in Saint Meinrad’s Graduate Theology Program and asked if any financial aid was available. She was put in touch with the financial aid director, Ruth Kress, who explained the options. Kristina qualified for a grant that matched what her parish offered and another grant for those who work in paid or volunteer ministry positions.

Kristina took her first class in 2016. Taking one class a semester, she graduated in 2021 with a Master of Arts (Pastoral Theology). “Without the financial assistance, I would have decided to not pursue my degree at that time because I did not want to go into debt again. I would have at least waited to finish paying for my undergraduate degree before starting my master’s.”

Then came more curveballs. “While I was a student, I met my husband, got married and we had our first child,” she explains. “None of that was on my radar when I started classes, but Saint Meinrad worked with me when I took time off for those life events.”

Today, Kristina has a new position, working as the director of discipleship and catechesis at Holy Family Parish in New Albany, IN. Her advice to prospective students? Make sure to ask what financial assistance is available for your situation. “Don’t just assume a master’s degree is out of your reach,” she says.

Saint Meinrad’s Graduate Theology Program offers a variety of financial aid options. For details, visit: www.saintmeinrad.edu/graduate-theology/financial-aid/.