Before ever setting foot on campus, Dovan L. Geraldez-Martella’s journey with PUC’s vespers service program began. From Hanford, CA, she received a message from the vespers director at the time asking if she would join the team before her freshman year, and Dovan recalls immediately saying yes. “That is essentially how my love for vespers and everything that comes with it began,” said Dovan. “Throughout my entire freshman year, I looked forward to every Friday in Scales Chapel. I loved being involved, helping set everything up, and simply being part of the community that vespers created.

During her sophomore year, she served as the associate director of vespers, which gave her more leadership responsibility and involvement in program planning. Now a junior music major, her experience as associate director motivated her to take on the director role. Dovan’s priority is to create an environment and atmosphere where students feel God’s presence in the room. “We could have the most advanced technology, a full band or orchestra, and the best sound system, but if we lose sight of God, none of it matters,” she said. “I want every song, every welcome, and every word spoken from the stage to be intentional and ultimately point closer to God.”

How do you foster an environment of authentic worship? 

Last year, I had the privilege of speaking for one of our services. I remember standing in front of my closet for a good 30 minutes, trying to figure out what I was going to wear. Eventually, I realized that I wanted the audience to focus more on what I was saying about God than on what I was wearing on stage. I started asking myself, “Why on Earth am I so fixated on my wardrobe?” 

That experience inspired me to send out a mass announcement that evening: we were going to have pajama Vespers. I want to embrace the idea of “come as you are” and create an environment where we focus less on appearances and more on worship, the praise set, and God’s presence in the room. 

This year, I want to continue fostering that same welcoming, judgement-free environment from the moment students walk into Dauphinee Chapel. I encourage students to leave their worries at the door and worship in whatever way the Spirit leads them. 

Walk us through vespers. What does a typical service look like, and how many students attend weekly? 

For me, the vespers experience actually begins on Monday. I start by looking over our master calendar and emailing the participants scheduled for that Friday, reminding them to confirm with the people serving in their respective areas. Throughout the week, we exchange emails and messages as we finalize details and fill the various roles for the evening. I also scheduled a Thursday meeting with the Directors of Worship (Luke Garcia) and A/V (Matthew Peñate) to make sure everything is on track. I also made sure our Afterlight Coordinator has everything she needs. 

When Friday finally arrives, I usually show up around 7 pm, an hour before the service begins. I check in with our Graphics Coordinator (Reeko Catolico) to make sure they have everything they need, including lyrics, posters, and speaker slides. I also check in with the Audio-Visual team to make sure the vocalists and instruments have completed soundcheck. 

At 7:45, my Associate Director arrives and checks in with everyone one more time before the service begins. At 7:50, we start playing music and open the doors. At 8, we start a 5-minute timer and gather all the participants up front for a huddle. We go over the run sheet, talk through transitions, make sure everyone knows which microphones to use, and pray together. As soon as the timer ends, the program begins. For the first Vespers of the school year, about 200 people attended. 

After vespers, we always have Afterlight. We offer different treats each week, usually outside of Winning Hall between the two women’s residence halls, although the location can change from time to time. Once most of the crowd has left, we begin cleaning everything up. Eventually, I make my way back to my room, collapse into bed, and enjoy a very deep sleep. 

Tell us about your team. How do you work with your team to ensure students receive the best worship experience? 

My Associate Director this year is Esteban Piedra. I asked him to be my associate during his freshman year, and it’s been a pleasure working with him. He is always willing and ready to help whenever I need him, and he has brought so many bright ideas to the team that have contributed to the quality of vespers. 

I also have Carla Mariscal on my team. She is currently abroad in Spain through ACA, but before she left, she created all our run sheet templates and taught me how to use them. She has been a strong backbone for Vespers, and I genuinely don’t think it would be where it is today without her help. 

This year, Afterlight is under my leadership, so I have been working closely with our Afterlight coordinator, Taylor Martinez. She makes sure we always have treats available for students after Vespers, so they can leave not only spiritually filled but also with their appetites satisfied. 

I try to meet with these individuals as often as needed, although our schedules don’t always align, which is simply part of college life. Since this is my first year as Director, I feel like I am learning alongside my team. We constantly build off one another’s ideas and support each other in whatever ways we can. 

What do you enjoy the most about being director? What is the most challenging part of your job? 

One of the things I enjoy most about being Director is having the opportunity to work with so many different people, especially the Campus Ministries team. Many of the people on the team are already some of my closest friends, which makes fostering a fun, collaborative work environment come naturally. I also love seeing new names appear on my run sheets and watching students flourish as they participate in the service and radiate God’s love through what they do. 

Honestly, the most challenging part is keeping up with all the communication throughout the week—emailing and texting different people, scheduling meetings, and making sure every detail is prepared before Friday night. Thankfully, the people I work with are very communicative, so it usually isn’t too difficult. The moments that really test me are sudden last-minute changes or realizing I forgot to ask someone for something. That is usually when I start to panic a little bit. Everything always ends up working out, though, so I like to call it a “productive panic”. 

How would you describe spiritual life on campus? 

Spiritual life on campus has really blossomed over the past couple of years. I have noticed much more student involvement in spiritual life, and I have also seen more students step up to become spiritual guides and sources of encouragement for one another. 

Friendships are such a crucial part of the college experience, but having friends who encourage you to strengthen your relationship with God is incredibly important. I have been seeing more of that on campus, and it genuinely makes me happy to witness. 

How can students get involved with vespers and other worship leadership roles? 

As of right now, my vespers team is pretty much set for the year. However, the other Campus Ministries teams are always open to more student involvement. Students are welcome to stop by Campus ministries and talk with whoever is there, including myself. We are always willing to have a conversation and help students find a place to serve. There is always an opportunity to get involved, it is just a matter of letting us know what you are interested in and finding a way for us to help you use those interests to serve. 

How can faculty and staff support you and your team? 

So far, the faculty and staff have been incredibly supportive of us. Our Campus Chaplain, Pastor Arturo, has been nothing but supportive throughout this entire process, even during the summer. The pastors at the PUC church have also consistently shown up for us and surrounded us with their support and prayers. Whenever I have questions or need help from faculty or staff, they are always quick to respond and willing to help in whatever way they can. That support has made a huge difference for our team. 

What makes PUC’s spiritual life special? 

I think the size of our campus makes it especially easy for us to be spiritually present for one another. We see many of the same people every day, which makes it easier to develop meaningful friendships and support each other throughout our spiritual journeys. 

There are also so many opportunities to grow spiritually, including Bible studies offered at different times to accommodate different schedules. I think PUC’s spiritual life will continue to grow and create opportunities for students to encounter and grow closer to our loving Father. 

What do you hope students feel after each service? 

More than anything, I hope students leave Vespers reminded that God is always with them, not only during spiritual events and programs, but in the ordinary moments of their everyday lives. I hope they leave feeling blessed, spiritually fulfilled, and encouraged to carry that sense of God’s presence with them throughout the week.