Always A Raven Podcast

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Dr. Jackie Harris, a 1998 Benedictine College graduate and Director of the School of Nursing, to reflect on a journey that brought her from student to nurse practitioner, educator, and leader at the college she never imagined would become home.
Jackie shares the unlikely story of helping build Benedictine’s nursing program from the ground up and stepping into its director role in March 2020, just as the pandemic transformed healthcare and education. Through uncertainty and growth, one thing has remained constant: a commitment to forming nurses who see their work as more than a career, but as a vocation rooted in human dignity, compassion, faith, and service.
As Benedictine looks toward the future with a new medical school and expanded opportunities for healthcare education, Jackie reflects on the potential to form even more professionals who will carry that mission into the world. Her story is a reminder that being a Raven means giving back what was first given to you — helping the next generation become who they are called to be and sending them out to make a difference.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with 2010 Benedictine College graduate Dominic Paolucci to explore a Raven story rooted in family legacy, faith, and an unexpected calling. Although Benedictine had always been part of his family’s history, Dominic originally planned to attend Gonzaga before a conversation with the Archbishop of Denver changed his course just days before classes began. That last-minute decision would ultimately shape his friendships, career, faith, and family in ways he never could have anticipated.
Dominic reflects on the experiences that transformed him during his years at Benedictine—from the brotherhood he found on the rugby field and professors who challenged him, to helping launch Holy Grounds and discovering what it meant to make his faith truly his own. A semester abroad became a defining turning point when a commitment to daily prayer challenged him to look beyond himself and reconsider what it meant to genuinely love God and others. That transformation eventually led him somewhere he never expected: FOCUS, an organization he initially resisted but has now served with since graduating, ultimately becoming a vice president overseeing hundreds of missionaries.
The conversation takes a deeply personal turn as Dominic shares his recent journey through a thyroid cancer diagnosis, two surgeries, radiation, and the uncertainty he and his wife faced while raising their seven children. He reflects on how decades of learning to surrender his own plans prepared him to encounter suffering through his faith—and how inviting others into that experience created unexpected opportunities for healing and connection. Through every chapter, Dominic’s story illustrates how the foundation built at Benedictine continues long after graduation: a lifelong call to grow in faith, community, service, and the person God is calling you to become.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes back legendary Benedictine football coach Larry Wilcox back to the podcast as he reflects on another remarkable milestone—his induction into the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame. With nearly five decades of leadership at Benedictine, Coach Wilcox looks beyond the awards to the people who made the journey possible, sharing stories of resilience, unforgettable personalities, and the countless players, coaches, faculty, and supporters who helped transform both a football program and a college.
Coach Wilcox opens up about the early years when Benedictine football fought simply to survive. From recruiting classes with almost no budget and coaching alongside lifelong friends, to building facilities by hand and navigating seasons filled with uncertainty, he reveals the perseverance, teamwork, and unwavering belief that laid the foundation for one of the NAIA’s most respected programs. Along the way, he shares hilarious behind-the-scenes moments, memorable comeback victories, and the philosophy that winning was never just about the scoreboard—it was about building men of character.
Looking back on thousands of players and decades of coaching, Coach Wilcox reflects on the greatest reward of all: watching former Ravens become leaders, fathers, coaches, business owners, educators, and faithful members of their communities. His story is a powerful reminder that the true legacy of Benedictine isn’t measured in championships or Hall of Fame honors, but in generations of Ravens whose lives continue to reflect the values, relationships, and spirit they first found in Atchison.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Father John Fincher, whose time at Benedictine College lasted only two years—but forever changed the course of his life. What began as a college search led him to a campus where authentic friendships, joyful faith, and a powerful encounter with Christ in the Eucharist awakened a vocation he never expected: the priesthood.
Father John reflects on how Benedictine became the place where his faith moved from routine to relationship. Through daily Mass, the sacraments, campus ministry, and the witness of those around him, he discovered that true fulfillment wasn’t found in having everything he wanted—it was found in saying yes to the path God had been quietly calling him toward all along. That decision ultimately led him from Atchison to seminary in Dallas, years of formation in Rome, and eventually to ordination as a priest for the Diocese of Tulsa.
Now serving the Church through Catholic education and parish ministry, Father John shares how the Benedictine values of hospitality, authentic community, and putting Christ above all continue to shape the way he leads, teaches, and walks with others. His story is a reminder that being a Raven isn’t measured by the number of years spent on campus, but by the lifelong impact of encountering Christ, discovering your vocation, and carrying that mission wherever God leads.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes Prior Leven Harton, a 2006 Benedictine College graduate and monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey, to reflect on the unexpected journey that led him from an uncertain college freshman to a life of prayer, teaching, and monastic leadership. What began as a search for a college and a chance to play tennis became the place where he encountered God in a deeply personal way and discovered the vocation that would shape the rest of his life.
Prior Leven shares how Benedictine’s professors, monks, classmates, and campus culture challenged him to pursue something deeper than academic success or career ambitions. Through philosophy, authentic friendships, and a simple but faithful commitment to daily prayer, he experienced a profound conversion that transformed not only what he believed, but how he understood joy, purpose, and the call to live for Christ.
Now serving as Prior of St. Benedict’s Abbey, Leven reflects on the beauty of monastic life, the wisdom found in community across generations, and the importance of living with intentionality in a world filled with distraction. His story is a powerful reminder that Benedictine is more than a place to earn a degree—it is a place where lives are transformed, lifelong vocations are discovered, and the pursuit of truth, goodness, and authentic relationships continues long after graduation.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes Willie de Gracia, a 2000 Benedictine College graduate who came to Atchison from Puerto Rico to play baseball and build a future far from home. Willie shares how a chance recruitment call, a welcoming campus visit, and the opportunity to continue playing the sport he loved led him to Benedictine — where he faced the challenge of learning English, adjusting to Kansas winters, and proving to himself that he could succeed.
Willie reflects on how Benedictine prepared him not only for a career in finance, management, and healthcare, but also for a life rooted in perseverance, ethical leadership, and service to others. From overcoming language barriers in the classroom to building a professional career in Puerto Rico, he credits the lessons he learned at Benedictine — especially business ethics and understanding the needs of others — with shaping the way he approaches every relationship and decision.
Baseball has remained a central part of Willie’s life. After playing for more than 18 years in Puerto Rico, he now owns a team and helps young athletes pursue opportunities of their own through clinics, mentorship, and community involvement. His story comes full circle as his son prepares to attend Benedictine and play baseball, carrying the Raven tradition into a new generation — a reminder that the welcome Willie first felt in Atchison continues to reach across distance, decades, and family.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz reconnects with Lisa Cotter, a 2005 Benedictine College graduate, wife, mother, author, speaker, entrepreneur, and longtime Catholic voice helping others encounter faith in a relatable and deeply human way. Lisa shares how a campus visit that unexpectedly felt like home led her to Benedictine — and how that decision became providential as she navigated her father’s illness, found a community rooted in faith, and discovered friendships and professors who helped carry her through one of the hardest seasons of her life.
Lisa reflects on how Benedictine formed not only her mind, but her heart — giving her a place where faith moved from something personal to something lived in community, friendship, study, and mission. From returning to campus as a resident director while her husband served with FOCUS, to later stepping into speaking, writing, and creating content for Hallow, she shares how God opened doors she never planned for and used her Benedictine formation in ways she never could have imagined.
Now through her books, speaking, and daily work on Hallowed Be Thy Day, Lisa continues to make the faith approachable, practical, and alive — helping others see the beauty of the saints, the richness of the Church, and the dignity of their own vocation. Her story is a reminder that being a Raven means carrying the lessons, community, and formation of Benedictine into every season of life — because once the Raven is in you, it never really leaves.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes Nick Porretta, a 2012 Benedictine College graduate, husband, father of soon-to-be ten, former FOCUS missionary, and longtime Snap-on professional, to share how a seemingly practical transfer decision led him to the place that would shape his faith, friendships, work, and family life for years to come.
Nick reflects on the immediate fit he found at Benedictine — a campus rooted in community, sacraments, friendship, and formation — and the experiences that expanded his view of the world, from mission trips to El Salvador to prison ministry with Father Bruce. Those moments helped him see faith not as something confined to campus, but as something meant to be lived through service, relationships, and the way we encounter people in every walk of life.
Now working in the business world with Snap-on, Nick shares how Benedictine’s values continue to show up in unexpected ways — especially in sales, where integrity, authenticity, and long-term trust matter more than quick wins. His story is a reminder that being a Raven means carrying what is good, true, and beautiful into every corner of life — whether as a missionary, businessman, husband, father, friend, or as Nick puts it, a “Snap-on Raven.”

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes Brian Carr, a 2003 Benedictine College graduate, decorated Army officer, aviator, attorney, and servant leader with more than 23 years of military service. As the nation approaches its 250th year, Brian reflects on the path that led him from Phoenix to Benedictine, from ROTC to aviation, and eventually into a career of leadership, law, and service to country.  
Brian shares how Benedictine helped shape his ability to think, lead, and serve with purpose — lessons that carried him through 9/11, combat deployments, law school while on active duty, and his work as a Judge Advocate. Through it all, he credits faith, family, and profession as the constants that have grounded his decisions, strengthened his resilience, and helped him lead others through pressure, adversity, and uncertainty.
Now preparing for a new role at the Pentagon as executive officer to the Army general counsel, Brian reflects on trust, patriotism, sacrifice, and the responsibility of forming the next generation of leaders. His story is a powerful reminder that being a Raven does not end at graduation, it continues through a life of service, integrity, courage, and answering the call to give back wherever God and country may lead.

On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz welcomes Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann to reflect on a life of faithful leadership, from his earliest encounters with Benedictine College to his decades of service as a priest and bishop. With deep ties to the college and a long friendship with President Stephen Minnis, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann shares how Benedictine’s renewed Catholic mission, devotion to Mary, and commitment to forming students for cultural transformation have made it a beacon of hope in the Church.  
Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann also opens up about his vocation story, shaped by his mother’s extraordinary faith after the tragic death of his father before he was born. From entering seminary after elementary school to experiencing a powerful encounter with God during an eight-day silent retreat, he recalls the moment he became convinced that the most important thing he could do with his life was help others encounter Jesus.
Across more than 50 years of priesthood, Archbishop Emeritus Joseph F. Naumann has served as a parish priest, pro-life leader, vicar general, auxiliary bishop, and Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas, walking with people through joy, suffering, crisis, and renewal. His story is a reminder that Christ never promises an easy path, but He does promise His presence — and that places like Benedictine continue to give hope by forming young people, families, priests, religious, and leaders ready to serve the Church and transform the world.