In the span of two years, Vinny Marchionni, Jesuit scholastic and Saint Louis University Greek campus minister, lived and worked all across the United States and around the world.

During his two years as a Jesuit Novitiate, Marchionni said he lived in Bolivia, worked as a hospital orderly in the Bronx, N.Y., served the homeless in Washington D.C., and worked on Sioux reservation in South Dakota.

“I learned how to live out of a suitcase,” Marchionni said.

Marchionni was born in Pennsylvania and grew up outside of Philidelphia. He attended St. Joseph’s Preparatory School, a Jesuit high school for young men. Marchionni said his classmates were “bound together.”

“I remember that they were really smart guys that got along,” Marchionni said.

After graduating from St. Joseph’s Preparatory, Marchionni continued his Jesuit education at Saint Joseph University, located in the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Marchionni said that at this point, he had not yet had an interest in becoming a member of the Society of Jesus.

“I think that I was opposite of most people in that I was religious, but not spiritual,” Marchionni said.

Marchionni studied history at SJU, where he said he experienced a spiritual transformation and embraced the Society of Jesus. Marchionni also joined the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity where he served as the ritual master.

During the beginning of his sophomore year, Marchionni said he had a moment of divine providence. One normal day while Marchionni attended a speech at SJU concerning freshman move-in, he began reflecting. Marchionni said that a spiritual force moved him into making a life- altering decision.

“In a moment of clarity and providence, something hit me and I decided right there ‘I want to be a Jesuit,’” Marchionni said.

After graduating from SJU, Marchionni was accepted into the Society of Jesus in August 2008. He is currently engaged in the Jesuit formation, a 10-year procedure invested in educating Jesuits through service and academics. Once he was accepted, he went on his two year journey from Bolivia to South Dakota, as a part of his Jesuit formation. The journey was part of his first vows of poverty, chastity and obedience required as a novice Jesuit. Marchionni said that he had a lot of work to do during those two years.

“The best way to gain an understanding of God is to know yourself, and that is what we were doing during this time,” Marchionni said.

On Aug. 14^, 2010, Marchionni came to Saint Louis University to complete the next stage of his Jesuit formation –  becoming a Jesuit scholastic. Marchionni is in second year of studying philosophy and theology in his formation to become a priest. As a Jesuit scholastic, one is required to participate in extracurricular activities. Marchionni said that past experiences with Pi Kappa Phi influenced him to spend his activities as SLU’s Greek campus minister.

Marchionni said that his most formative experience was the Greek mission trip.

“I am blessed to work with the Greeks,” Marchionni said. “I feel that the mission trip is the best time to bring people closer to God.”

Marchionni and members of SLU fraternities and sororities traveled to Jonesville, Virg.,where they rebuilt houses. Marchionni said that during trip, he saw the students gain a sense of brotherhood while creating their own community through service.

Marchionni will be leaving SLU in 2013 to continue the next steps of the Jesuit formation, which will be filled with more travels, experiences and more living out of his suitcase.