St. Isidore’s will be welcoming a new member of the team this summer.

Marinda Johnson, a native of Mound City, Kan., will be returning to Manhattan to fill the job of stewardship director at St. Isidore’s. Johnson graduated from K-State with a degree in agricultural education in 2009 and she was a student employee at St. Isidore’s for a year while pursuing her degree.

Johnson is excited to begin this new chapter in her life at St. Isidore’s.

“I’m looking forward to so many things, but most of all, I look forward to working with the people of St. Isidore’s. From the quality staff to the K-State Catholic alumni to the supportive permanent community members to today’s college students. The people of St. Isidore’s really make St. Isidore’s a special place to be and to work,” Johnson said.

Johnson will start in the summer of 2010. According to Father Keith Weber, Johnson’s talents will make her a valuable part of the mission of St. Isidore’s.

“With her degree and experience in education, she knows how to plan group events and how to speak to large groups of people. When she was a student, she also worked at St. Isidore’s as a student office worker, therefore, she knows our computer programs and how the staff operates,” Father Keith said.

Mandi McKinley, who has served as the stewardship director for the last four years, believes that Johnson’s connection to St. Isidore’s and enthusiasm for sharing that message will serve St. Isidore’s.

“I have complete confidence that Marinda will be able to jump right in and continue to build on what has been done here,” McKinley said.

Father Keith agrees.

“Marinda is a great fit for our staff. She is a self starter, organized, upbeat, positive, creative and energetic. She also has a great love for St. Isidore’s and for the students,” Father Keith said.

In addition to planning and enhancing the annual Phonathon, one of Johnson’s biggest responsibilities will be continuing the capital campaign to build a new chapel and renovate the old one. The campaign, which has already raised $2 million towards the $12 million goal, will be put on hold for a year due to the Diocesan Capital Campaign. Johnson will spend a year planning for the future before restarting the campaign in 2011.

Some other stewardship goals include increasing awareness among students and permanent community members of the need to live as generous stewards of God’s gifts, increasing awareness among parents and alumni about activities at St. Isidore’s, and deepening the relationship between St. Isidore’s and its supporters.

McKinley is confident that Johnson will meet those goals.

“She is very conscientious of what needs to be done. As a student worker, she wouldn’t just do the work that was asked of her. She would look at how the system could be improved and made more efficient,” McKinley said.

Johnson is thrilled to begin her new job, and she plans to do all she can to help St. Isidore’s.

“My main goal right now is to learn as much as I can and to do my best to encourage support of St. Isidore’s,” Johnson said.