Our Founding & Mission

Fr. Christopher Vaccaro, a priest of the Diocese of Arlington, saw the sheer number of Catholics who abandon the Church during their college years, and desired to do something about it. In 2011, he founded the Associates of St. John Bosco, named after a saint whose methods with the young our organization attempts to emulate. The ASJB is a Catholic 501(c)3 non-profit organization located in Virginia whose purpose is to assist high school and college students in fostering their faith as an essential part of their journey in college and to help them make a faith-filled transition into this next stage of life.

The two main divisions of the ASJB are the College Division and the Scholarship Division. Our College Division hosts our College Nights, which are interactive and faith-filled events located in different parishes around the Diocese of Arlington, in which we connect incoming college freshmen with other Catholic peers while also providing resources for them to grow in their faith while at college. Our College Division also provides a year-long internship called the Associate Program, in which college students receive formation and learn the essentials of working in the apostolate. Finally, we hold Pack Your Faith for College events held in Catholic high schools, which prepare seniors to graduate high school and take their next step with their Catholic faith.

Our Scholarship Division provides financial assistance to students who seek to serve the Church in some capacity after college, whether that be in a religious vocation or serving in a particular apostolate.

We are passionate about the Catholic faith and helping students live virtuous lives in college!