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Asked in her First-Year Studies class to write about a sacred space, Pedryc immediately thought of the Parish of Saint Anthony of Padua located in her hometown of Gydnia, Poland. Inspired by its “uniqueness [and her] personal connection” to it, Pedryc set out to analyze its history, culture, and social symbolism over time to “express how [it became this] extremely sacred place in relation to its profane surroundings.”

“The parish was initially built before World War II [and thus] played the role of spiritual refuge throughout both the war and the long years of communism,” Pedryc said.

“My Sacred Space” was originally written as a final assignment for her First-Year Studies class. At the recommendation of an impressed Associate Professor of Religion Ben Zeller, Pedryc contacted the Franciscan Order, a local publication in Poland, to see if they would consider printing it. She connected with an English-speaking priest, whose interests in both theology and academic research opened the door to the publishing of her essay. After two months of work refining her paper, Pedryc’s essay was published in the Franciscan Order and can be viewed here.

While she has not yet declared a major, Pedryc is currently exploring different academic pursuits, including economics, psychology, philosophy, and international relations. She enjoyed being introduced to academic research and writing through her first-year class and feels she has gained a “beneficial set of universal skills” from her experience writing and publishing.