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Light the Way: More than Enough
Always a stellar student, when Erika Richard arrived at Florida State, she was a bold and ambitious freshman, steeped in her studies and determined to make a name for herself as she prepared her way toward medical school. But something was missing. It had only been one semester and she was already not sleeping nor taking care of herself to succeed academically.
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Erika found herself exhausted and unfulfilled. “I was doing everything I thought I was supposed to do, but I kept coming up against the end of myself,” she shared. “I remember sitting in adoration, asking, Lord, why am I still so unsatisfied? And for the first time, I clearly heard Him say: I love you, and I have something even greater for you.”
​That moment—combined with the deep and authentic friendships she encountered at CSU—began to shift everything. Erika was drawn in by others whose joy and freedom were undeniable. “I saw something in them that I didn’t have, but I knew I wanted,” she says. “They were fully alive, and it was because they knew Jesus.”
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Through CSU, Erika’s faith deepened. She embraced daily Mass, found mentors who guided her, and began to discern how her talents and passion for serving others could be lived out in new and authentic ways.
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Instead of merely treating physical ailments, she felt drawn to healing hearts and minds through the power of faith. After graduation, she stepped into mission work—first with LifeTeen, then in campus ministry. Today, she serves as Director of Campus Ministry at Colorado State University, walking with students just as she was once guided.
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“CSU changed everything for me. It helped me see that my gifts weren’t just for my own success, but for something bigger—helping others encounter Christ.”
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This Lent, you have the opportunity to help more students like Erika discover their God-given purpose and live their faith with boldness.
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