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Alvarado to receive University of Mary’s first ever Lumen Gentium medal at event March 12-14, which is free and open to the public.

BISMARCK, ND — As a little girl living in Mexico City, Mexico, Maria Montserrat “Montse” Alvarado fondly remembers watching EWTN News regularly and the impact it had on her Catholic faith as a child. It’s parent company, EWTN Global Catholic Network, launched in 1981 by founder Mother Angelica, broadcasts 11 global TV channels in multiple languages 24 hours a day, seven days a week to over 400 million television households in more than 150 countries and territories. 

Alvarado became a US citizen in 2008, a year before starting her career with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty — a renowned nonprofit public interest group that defends religious causes legally at the U.S. Supreme Court and elsewhere. There, with a background in public policy and campaigns, she spent 14 years of her professional career in various roles helping promote and defend religious freedom and oversaw 12 Supreme Court religious liberty cases. Alvarado became vice president and executive director in 2017, and then later in March 2021, while in that same capacity at Becket, began to make her mark on the world stage as the founding host of the popular weekly one-hour “EWTN News in Depth” program discussing current events in the Church, politics, and culture from a Catholic perspective. Following the success of her “EWTN News in Depth” program, she became the new president and chief operating officer of EWTN News, Inc. in 2023. 

Alvarado is the keynote speaker at University of Mary’s eighth annual Vocations Jamboree, Wednesday, March 13, at 7 p.m. Also, during that time, Alvarado will be the first recipient of University of Mary’s Lumen Gentium Medal, (Latin for “Light of the Nations”), reserved for those whose worthy labors for the Kingdom of God reveal among us the radiance of Christ, the Light of the Nations, as the hope for which we yearn. The entire event, March 12 -14, is free and open to the public and people can visit www.umary.edu/Vocjam for a full schedule and free registration.  

Alvarado looks to Mother Angelica and of course the Blessed Mother for guidance during her personal life and professional work. As news director of a global enterprise that reflects the universal Church, Alvarado has the capacity to be a major influencer in today’s Catholic circles, including during her visit to the University of Mary, named after the Blessed Mother. 

“There is no better model of forceful, quiet, motherly power,” Alvarado said of Mary during her interview with the “Women of Grace” TV show. “Someone who transformed the face of the earth for generations to come. Literally the most powerful woman on the planet in the history of mankind. When you think about that, and who we can be, when we embrace our femininity, it is shocking.”

Vocations Jamboree is an opportunity for people to come together and meet members of religious communities from around the country, ask questions, schedule personal meetings with vocations representatives, and learn more about opportunities to serve God and the community. 

In her previous position and current role, Alvarado has met people from many religious communities. Alvarado now oversees the entire EWTN news media platforms, which include the National Catholic Register, Catholic News Agency, Church Pop, the ACI Group, and EWTN’s lineup of television and radio news programming, such as “EWTN News Nightly,” “The World Over,” and “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly,” with over 600 domestic and international AM and FM radio affiliates, and more. According to its website, EWTN is the largest Catholic news organization in the world, creating content in English, Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Italian. 

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Anyone who wishes to learn more about the University of Mary can do so at www.umary.edu or by contacting an admissions representative at enroll@umary.edu, or by calling (701) 355-8030. The University of Mary is one of only 15 Recommended Cardinal Newman Society Residential Colleges and Universities in the US. 

SWAG��Ƶ the University of Mary: True to its motto “lumen vitae”—The Light of Life—the University of Mary offers education for the whole of life through cutting-edge professional programs and graduate programs animated by moral courage and leadership in chosen professions and service to the community. A private, co-educational Catholic institution, the University of Mary welcomes students of all faiths and backgrounds.

A Christian, Catholic, Benedictine institution founded in 1959 by the Benedictine Sisters of Annunciation Monastery, Mary offers nearly 60 bachelor’s, 18 master’s, and five doctoral programs—in Business Administration, Education, Nursing Practice, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. The 20-sport Athletic Department adheres to its Greatness Through Virtue mission under the governance of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA), and the USA College Clay Target League. With more than 3,800 students, Mary has locations in North Dakota, Montana, Arizona, Rome, Italy, as well as vibrant online offerings.