The Newman Catholic Student Center, which is the Catholic church for NIU faculty, staff and students, will welcome two new pastoral associates this year.

Rose Drance, the coordinator of liturgy and music at the Newman center, started working at the church in July of this year.

She recently served as associate music director at St. Agnes Church in Arlington, Va., directed a children’s choir, a hand bell choir and an adult choir. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music with an emphasis on music education.

“The great thing about working here at Northern is that we get so many people from everywhere,” Drance said. “The reason I chose to come here was because I was looking for a position in a college town.

“I’ve been working at the church with the music since seventh grade and I studied music education in college,” Drance said. “The community here is very inviting and people get excited. Everyone here has been very supportive and encouraging to me.”

Anne-Marie LeBlanc is the other new pastoral associate. She has a Bachelor of Arts in religious education from St. Leo College in Florida and a Master’s degree in health sciences from Governor’s State University in University Park, Ill.

LeBlanc also served as Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry at St. James Catholic Church in Arlington Heights, Ill. One of her responsibilities at the church will include RCIA, which stands for Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

The RCIA is a way for people who have never been baptized to become baptized, or for people who want to renew their faith.

The Newman Center is located at 512 Normal Road in DeKalb. For more information call 758-6667.