Always A Raven Podcast

Welcome to Benedictine College’s Always A Raven podcast! Join us as we connect through conversations of alumni, parents, and friends of Benedictine College. With captivating stories and remarkable careers these conversations travel from “where are they now” to “what was it like when.”

Always A Raven Podcast is a leisure podcast hosted by Benedictine College, with 69 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Benedictine College hosts Always A Raven Podcast, a leisure show with 69 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

• 

  Episode #17

  Sarah Wise

  Sep 29, 202638 minS2

  On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Dr. Sarah Weiss, a Benedictine College professor whose path to becoming a Raven began in an unexpected place: the softball field. From coaching and teaching to converting to Catholicism and earning her master’s at Benedictine, Sarah reflects on how God used each step of her journey to eventually lead her back to Atchison as an educator. Sarah shares how her experiences as a coach, missionary, and teacher have shaped the way she approaches her students today. Whether serving alongside Benedictine students on mission trips or preparing future educators for their own classrooms, she sees teaching as more than a profession—it is an opportunity to build community, show up for others, and help students recognize the gifts God has placed in their hands. Through personal trials, Sarah has also experienced that Benedictine community from the other side—learning to accept help, lean on others, and find joy even in difficult seasons. For her, “once a Raven, always a Raven” ultimately means family: a community that celebrates together, supports one another, and continues showing up no matter where life leads.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #17

  Kevin Cotter '05

  Sep 22, 202640 minS2

  On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Kevin Cotter, a 2005 Benedictine College graduate whose career has brought together two passions he first pursued as a student: faith and media. Now Head of Story at Hallow, Kevin reflects on the unexpected path that led him from Benedictine to missionary work, Catholic leadership, and ultimately helping create prayer content that reaches people around the world. Kevin shares how transferring to Benedictine during his junior year gave him the community and theological formation he had been searching for. Through friendships, professors, FOCUS, and the spiritual life of campus, he developed a deeper understanding of his Catholic faith and a desire to share it with others—formation that continues to influence how he approaches storytelling and digital evangelization today. From writing prayer experiences to working with voices from around the world and even directing a project in the Holy Land, Kevin sees his work as an opportunity to meet people wherever they are and help create space for an encounter with God. His story is a reminder that Benedictine can become more than somewhere you went to school—it becomes part of who you are, shaping the way you think, serve, create, and carry your faith into the world.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #15

  Rusty Welch Part 2

  Sep 15, 202638 minS2

  On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz reconnects with Rusty Welch to share the deeply personal story behind his enduring love for Benedictine College. Rusty reflects on the loss of his parents and sister in a tragic 2018 car accident and how their memory remains intertwined with the college experience his entire family came to embrace. What began with Rusty leaving Louisiana to play football in Kansas quickly became a family adventure. His parents traveled 12 hours for games, cooked meals for teammates, joined the Ravens on trips overseas, and became part of the Benedictine community themselves. Through those experiences, Rusty learned to step outside his comfort zone, take chances, and view setbacks not as failures, but as opportunities to find another way forward. Today, Rusty carries that legacy on through a scholarship established in his family’s memory, helping future Ravens pursue opportunities of their own. His story is a powerful reminder that Benedictine’s impact can extend far beyond one student — bringing families into the Raven community, shaping generations, and creating a connection that endures through both life’s greatest adventures and its deepest losses.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #14

  John Bishop '12

  Sep 8, 202636 minS2

  On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with John Bishop, a 2012 Benedictine College graduate and founder and executive director of Forge, an organization dedicated to building men, marriages, and families that are fully alive. John reflects on how Benedictine gave him the space to wrestle deeply with his Catholic faith, ask difficult questions, and ultimately discover a conviction that would shape his life and work. John shares how professors, friendships, and spiritual direction at Benedictine helped guide him through a period of questioning and back toward a deeper, more personal faith. That foundation eventually led him through graduate studies, seminary, years of service with FOCUS, and ultimately to founding Forge. Today, Forge is building communities of men through small groups, mentorship, and authentic brotherhood, helping strengthen faith, marriages, and families across multiple cities. John’s story is a reminder of the lasting impact of a Benedictine education: a place where questions can lead to conviction, formation becomes mission, and Ravens are prepared to carry their faith into the world.

  ListenShow Notes
• 

  Episode #54

  Beth & Claudio Ferraro '88 & '89

  Sep 1, 202643 min

  On this episode of Always a Raven, host Janelle Menz sits down with Beth and Claudio Ferraro, 1988 and 1989 Benedictine College graduates whose Raven story has grown into a true family legacy. From the unexpected paths that first brought them to Atchison to the friendships, faith, and community that brought them together, the Ferraros reflect on an experience that continues to shape their lives decades later. Beth and Claudio share how the seeds planted at Benedictine followed them into marriage, parenthood, education, healthcare, and a lifelong commitment to their Catholic faith. That legacy has now reached another generation, with all four of their children choosing Benedictine and going on to pursue careers in nursing, law, dentistry, and optometry while building lives grounded in faith and service. Looking back at how much the college has grown, the Ferraros see the same spirit that first welcomed them still at its heart. Their story is a reminder that being a Raven becomes woven into who you are, connecting generations through shared faith, lasting friendships, and a call to take what Benedictine gave you and carry it into the world.

  ListenShow Notes

Recent guests on Always A Raven Podcast. Study who booked and why before you pitch.

Based on semantic analysis of episode topics and host coverage, this show is a strong guest fit for executives in:

Industry fit is computed by PitchCentric using vector embeddings of the show's episode catalog.