Campus Ministry will host an open forum for students called “A Time to Talk.”

“It is a new ministry that we’re trying out for this year. It’s a way for us to get out of the office, and out onto the campus to be more accessible and available to the students,” said Sean Farry, Campus Minister.

The sessions are designed as an outlet for students to talk about anything they would like.

“Students can come and approach us, and they can talk about anything they want to talk to about,” said Farry. “It could be personal, academic, spiritual— whatever is on their mind that they feel like talking about, we’ll be there for two hours.”

Farry said staff will hold the meetings in different outdoor locations, weather permitting.

“We’re going to start by going outside to where the waterfall is. There’s a bench right below that area, so we are going to take a two hour period once a week and sit out there.”

The waterfall between Insalaco Hall and Banks Student Center is at the heart of the campus.

Open discussion is the central purpose, Farry said. There are no set topics; it is completely up to students to facilitate conversation.

“It’s kind of like being a ministry of presence for students, and its purpose is to make us more available to students.”

Though “A Time to Talk” is affiliated with Campus Ministry, it is not inherently religious. Students can choose to speak about their spirituality, but ultimately it is not the central focus of the meetings.

“If you can talk about anything,” said Rachel Hoover, a junior English major, “I guess I’d talk about things that maybe I found interesting in school or maybe like my struggles— like things you’ve got to get off your chest.”

Meetings will be held weekly for two hours.

“I totally think it’s doable,” said Hoover. “Once a week? Yeah, that’s not bad.”

Students can attend “A Time to Talk” at their leisure. They may show up whenever they have something they want to speak up about, Farry said.

Sophomore social work major Monica Milbut said she would attend, but her topic would depend upon who the facilitator was.

“I mean, it kind of depends. If it’s a priest, then I might talk about spiritual stuff, but then if it’s a professor then I might talk about academics.”

“A Time to Talk” will be held alternate Fridays and Thursdays, starting Friday, Sept. 8. Facilitators include Sean Farry and Father Alex Rosche.

The first location for “A Time to Talk” meetings is the bench at the foot of the small waterfall between Insalaco Hall and Banks Student Center.