Catholic Cougars has been on campus for a very long time, but within the past four years, the organization has experienced a lot of growth. The organization aims to continue to inspire students to strengthen their relationship with God.

Typically, the Catholic Cougars membership stays the same, but this year is the first year that President Kaylee Toole and Vice President Diana Rossio have lead their group with roughly 25 members.

“I think the purpose of the Catholic Cougars is to give students the opportunity to be in a community, we do extracurricular activities to help others but the main focus is to get students to know other Catholic students on campus,” said Toole.

Catholic Cougars meet at 7 p.m. every Wednesday. During meetings they have mass, guest speakers, social and Bible studies.

“For me, being part of religious group allows me to meet people that are similar minded to me, who share pretty much the same values. It is cool to have someone who you have a lot of common interests with on a big campus even though this campus is not that big but sometimes college students feel small, and to know two people with that connection, it makes everything better,” said Rossio.

Catholic Cougars are always accepting new members, as their main focus is about the community.

“The first thing that we would like them [students] to think of is our community, it kind of sounds a little funny but being on such a big campus, it is crucial to have people to have fun and bond with.”

“[When people] come back, it is because of our community and the fact that their is such a solid base. Not only is it a community, but that community is built on something so much stronger, because we go deeper into that community,” said Toole.

Although the organization aims to focus on the sense of community, it is also about creating experiences that will have an impact on the members, both Toole and Rossio believe it has affected them in one way or another.

“I joined as a freshman because my brother was president, and I went and met Kaylee who is my best friend and also have met some other of my really close friends and it is just amazing to see how God lays everything out for you, and having that friendship built around faith is so helpful,” said Rossio.

As for Toole, she said, “I think Catholic Cougars gave me the opportunity to meet people who were serious about the faith. It was cool to encounter as a freshman older people, like seniors, and they really help me form my desire to really know my faith on an intellectual level.”

Catholic Cougars opens its arms to any student that wants to join. Currently the leaders of Catholic Cougars are now looking to rebrand themselves and create an image of the future of their organization.