Madeline McKechnie

When Madeline McKechnie was in high school and needed a break from homework, she would escape by going online—to research apologetics, Church encyclicals, and saints. The middle sibling of three in a tight-knit Catholic family, Madeline began to embrace her faith more deeply as a teenager, and after graduating from high school, spent a year as a postulant with the Nashville Dominicans. While she discerned that her vocation was elsewhere, her heart was deeply moved by the formation she received from the sisters.

“Formally being taught philosophy and theology with the Dominicans brought a lot of life to me, both spiritually and intellectually,” she remembers.

Having heard about Franciscan University from several alumni who were leaders in her high school youth groups, Madeline decided to head to Steubenville, where she is now double-majoring in philosophy and theology.

On campus, she has thrived in the academic and spiritual formation she has sought since high school.

“My classes have been a major high-light, not only in being intellectually stimulating but also in forming me as a person,” she explains.

Outside of classes, Madeline has become very involved with Works of Mercy. Every Saturday morning, she drives a van into Pittsburgh and leads a group in praying the Rosary on the sidewalk in front of an abortion clinic. On Sunday afternoons, she can often be found at a nursing home, visiting residents.

Along with her intellectual and spiritual endeavors, Madeline is also an endurance athlete. She enjoys long-distance running, is currently training for the Philadelphia Marathon, and has played intramural basketball, volleyball, soccer, and flag football at Franciscan.

Perhaps her most unique athletic skill, though, is unicycling. She got her first unicycle for her 10th birthday, and now owns three: a six-foot tall one with a small wheel; a three-foot tall one with a big wheel; and her favorite, the small purple and white one she got when she turned 10. If the weather’s good, you might catch her pedaling around campus on one of them.

This past summer, Madeline honed her athletic skills even further as a counselor at Camp Wojtyla in Colorado, where she led campers in high-adventure activities such as whitewater rafting, archery, fishing, wilderness camping, high-ropes courses, hiking, and rock climbing.

“It’s been a great joy learning more and more to have a heart of service and truly learning what St. John Paul II means when he talks about self-gift,” Madeline says.

As she enters her senior year, Madeline has two main things she is considering doing after graduation. On one hand, she might enter religious life, as she is still discerning and is very open to going wherever the Lord calls her. On the other hand, she’s considering pursuing a master’s degree in philosophy or theology, with a concentration in bioethics.

“My heart is just drawn toward defending the dignity of life,” she says.

Either way, she’ll keep pedaling down the path God has prepared for her, with new adventures around every bend.