Newman Ministry 
Newman Connection 
Newman Student Housing 
Called 
We Are Disciples Who Inspire Faith and Leadership
St. John Henry Newman
Patron/Visionary
St. John Henry Newman, our patron, was a man driven by a relentless pursuit of truth. Once a leading figure in the Anglican Church, Newman’s spiritual journey led him to embrace Catholicism in 1845. His deep intellectual curiosity and commitment to education are central to our mission at Newman Ministry. Through works like The Idea of a University, he emphasized the harmony of faith and reason—values we strive to embody.
One of the most striking stories about Newman is how, during his conversion to Catholicism, he lost many friends and endured harsh criticism, but his faith never wavered. His courage in the face of such adversity reminds us to stand firm in our beliefs, no matter the cost.
Matt Zerrusen
Co-founder and Chief Innovative Discipleship Officer
As founder and president, Matt has helped Newman Ministry become a national leader in thinking outside the box. Inspired by Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman’s vision, Matt has worked to fulfill the idea of creating faith communities within the secular realm. He has dedicated his work to the re-energization of the Church through youth and young adults. He has been featured in a variety of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and Our Sunday Visitor, and is a regular guest on Sirius/XM radio.
Bill Zerrusen
Co-founder and Chief Blessings Officer
Inspired by the work at St. John’s Catholic Newman Center at the University of Illinois, Matt and his father, Bill, decided they wanted to help campus ministry in a big way. In 2009 they started a nonprofit called Newman Connection, which has connected over 600,000 high school students to the campus ministry at their chosen college to date. In 2009 they also started a development company focused on bringing faith-based student housing to campuses, similar to the Illinois model. To date that company has 5 total properties in 3 states and has housed over 5,000 students. Alongside of serving as Chief Blessings Officer, Bill is also the President/CEO of his family owned printing company, Three Z Printing. Bill lives in Teutopolis, IL, is married with 5 kids and has 11 grandchildren.
Shaun Coleman
Chief Operating Officer, Newman Ministry
Shaun Coleman serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Newman Ministry, where he leverages a unique blend of business acumen and nonprofit experience to drive the organization’s mission. Overseeing operations for Newman Connection, Called, and the Newman Student Housing Fund, Shaun has played a key role in making Newman Ministry a national leader in creating faith-centered communities within secular spaces.
Inspired by the vision of Saint John Henry Cardinal Newman, Shaun brings innovative thinking and a disciplined leadership style that supports the organization’s core values of God, Family, and Country. His commitment to Catholic community-building and strategic insight enables Newman Ministry to expand its reach and make a meaningful impact on youth and young adults across the nation.
United in Faith. Committed to Progress. Achieving Success.
We strive to make faith an essential part of student life by providing leadership services and innovative technology to ministry leaders.
Joseph Hamaty
VP of Development
Lucas Wollschlager
Director of Marketing
Cassie Campton
Director Of Outreach
Patti Stenson
Director of Programs
Cooper Ray
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Katie Miller
Social Media Manager
Andrew Keogler
Email Automation Manager
Christine Turner
Customer Specialist
Sara Polito
Customer Specialist
Arthur Moore Jr
Designer
Sarah Harmon
Campus Minister Program Coordinator
Paula Lustig
Counter of Blessings
Chris Hopkins
Sr. Fullstack Engineer
Whitney Covey
Human Resources | Accounting
