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Formed at Catholic Noles, Ready for What Comes Next
When Joe Arias looks back on his time at Florida State, one of the first things he says Catholic Noles gave him was “a true understanding of friendship.”
That may not have been what he expected when he first arrived at FSU. A senior from Stuart, Florida, Joe came to Tallahassee through what he now sees as a series of unexpected turns and closed doors. He never thought he would end up at FSU with a degree in Management Information Systems. Now, as graduation approaches, he hopes to begin a career in IT infrastructure, ideally in Orlando.
When he first came to campus, Joe knew Catholic Noles existed and intended to “take a peek” at it. Raised Catholic, he arrived with an open mind, but not yet with the deeper ownership of his faith that would grow later. His first impression came during Sports on Landis, before classes even began. He still remembers the fun and energy of that night, especially one unforgettable image: the student president in a gorilla costume, riding a tandem bike and chasing someone in a banana costume. It was funny and chaotic, but it also showed him that Catholic Noles was a joyful, welcoming place.
Over time, that impression deepened. Joe said Catholic Noles began to feel like home after friendships started to take root, especially after fall retreat and then during the spring semester of freshman year. A March for Life trip helped strengthen those friendships even more. What began as fun and community gradually became something much more meaningful.
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Joe said Catholic Noles meant different things in different seasons. At first, it was a place for friendship and community. Later, he began to realize how much the people around him were helping shape him. By junior year, as a men’s group leader, he started to see himself not only as someone receiving from the community, but as someone giving back. Senior year, as president ambassador, helped him appreciate just how broad the Catholic Noles community really is. Students come from many different backgrounds and personalities, he said, yet there is still a strong sense of unity because “we are all pursuing the same goal in life… living a Christian life.”
Still, when Joe talks about what mattered most, he comes back to brotherhood. Catholic Noles, he said, helped him understand the difference between surface-level connection and real friendship rooted in genuinely caring for another person. Those friendships also deepened his faith. Although he had been raised Catholic, he said that in college the same truths he had heard before began to take on new meaning. Through friends, mentors, the sisters, and Father Chris, his faith grew in depth and humility.
As graduation approaches, Joe says Catholic Noles has shaped much more than his college memories. It has given him a stronger sense of integrity and purpose, more confidence in his faith, and a habit of choosing joy intentionally. “Be intentional in choosing joy,” he said. That is one of the biggest lessons he hopes to carry with him.
If he could speak to his freshman-year self, Joe said he would offer a simple message: trust. Trust God. Trust yourself. Trust that you are capable of more than you think. “God’s got you,” he said. “And you’ve got way more in you than you think.”
Joe also wants alumni, donors, and friends of Catholic Noles to know how much their support matters. He described the ministry as “an invaluable source of formation” for students at exactly the right time in life — a place where young people can encounter God, grow in character, deepen their faith, and then help shape the students who come after them.
As he looks toward what comes next, Joe leaves FSU with more than a degree. He leaves with friendships that became brotherhood, a faith that became deeper and more personal, and a clearer sense of how he wants to live: with joy, gratitude, and purpose.
