Date published: Apr. 18, 2016
Mr. Jeff Hedglen ‘00, a youth minister at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church in Fort Worth, Texas and School of Ministry alumnus, describes himself as welcoming, dedicated and compassionate. “I was led to the University of Dallas,” he said, “because I wanted to take the next step in learning about my faith.”
Involved in youth ministry for 25 years, he credits his time at UD with taking his ministry to a new level. “It completely changed my ability to be an effective communicator of the Catholic faith,” Mr. Hedglen said.
After participating in parish-based Scripture study for about 10 years prior to enrolling in the master’s in theological studies (M.T.S.) program at the School of Ministry, Mr. Hedglen was drawn to developing a broader teaching base for his work with youth.
“The most important thing my M.T.S. taught me is where to look for answers to questions about the Catholic faith,” he said.
He remembers his overall experience at UD as an excellent one. So excellent, in fact, that a few years after earning his master’s he joined the Catholic Biblical School to continue learning. “It was fantastic! I received a snapshot of 2,000 years of biblical history in four years.”
As a seasoned minister, Mr. Hedglen said that “youth ministry is not a cookie cutter job,” and shares his three-tiered philosophy for working with young people.
First, give youth a positive experience at church. Second, offer a real encounter with the living Christ, and third, allow youth to put down roots in the Catholic faith. His aim in the beginning is to “let the kids know why they need a savior,” he said.
Mr. Hedglen’s greatest joy comes from conversion. “There is no greater experience than seeing young people meet the living Jesus in a powerful, life changing way,” he said.
As a result of his studies, he has seen expansion in his personal ministry and professional life. He is currently an adjunct instructor in the School of Ministry and has had the opportunity to teach Year One of the Catholic Biblical School, as well as the deacon formation program at the Diocese of Tyler. Mr. Hedglen also writes for the North Texas Catholic. None of which, he said, would have happened without his time at UD.
Mr. Hedglen concluded, “I am most passionate about assisting people in coming in contact with the love of God found in Christ Jesus. It is encountering God’s love that still drives me after 25 years in ministry at St. Bartholomew.”
Originally published in Tower Magazine, Summer 2011.
Aspiring drama (and perhaps also English) major Klemens Raab, BA '23, has been hanging around UD his whole life, since he only lives about a mile away from the university's Irving campus, and his parents (Klemens, BA '00 MA '06, and Gina (LeBaron), BA '99) are both alumni. He's already experienced the Rome campus, too, having participated in the summer High School Rome Program Shakespeare in Italy last year.
+ Read MoreThe University of Dallas Board of Trustees has added another alumna to its ranks: Mary Devlin Capizzi, BA '88 MBA '89, a one-time Spanish major who is now a partner at Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLP, a national, full-service law firm founded in Philadelphia in 1849.
+ Read More"I ended up at UD by accident," said Professor of Management Bruce Evans, who has taught at UD for 50 years now. Half a century ago, he and his brother were heading home to the East Coast from a camping trip and stopped by UD on a whim; Bob Lynch, dean of the newly formed Graduate School of Management (now the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business), hired Professor Bruce, as he is known by students, on the spot.
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