Coming Full Circle: Kaitlyn Baysa ‘17 Returns to Guide the Next Generation of Marian Students

For Kaitlyn Baysa '17, returning to the Dominican Republic was much more than another service trip; it was an ongoing journey that began during her years at Marian. As a student, Kaitlyn embraced nearly every opportunity Marian offered. She competed in basketball and tennis, participated in clubs and honor societies, and was active in Campus Ministry. Each experience helped cultivate the leadership, compassion and confidence that have shaped her future.

Among those formative experiences was an immersion trip through Creighton University’s Institute for Latin American Concern (ILAC), an opportunity that sparked her passion for service. Inspired by her grandfather, a physician who volunteered with ILAC, Kaitlyn applied for the program during her sophomore year. "The greatest impact comes not from completing projects but from building relationships," said Baysa. That lesson stayed with her long after graduation.

After graduating from Marian, Kaitlyn was a Scott Scholar at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, where she studied information technology innovation and explored ways to make technology and computer science more accessible to Spanish-speaking communities. She continued pursuing opportunities to serve others, eventually dedicating a year to ILAC during the COVID-19 pandemic. Leading immersion experiences and working alongside local communities deepened her appreciation for cultural exchange, relationship-building and servant leadership.

Kaitlyn’s journey came full circle when she was asked to return to the Dominican Republic as a chaperone for Marian students participating in their own immersion experience. With years of experience at ILAC and strong relationships within the community, she served as both mentor and guide. She helped students navigate cultural differences, translated conversations, introduced them to sustainable agriculture initiatives, and encouraged them to engage with the people they met beyond the service projects themselves.

She watched students experience many of the same moments that had shaped her nearly a decade earlier and witnessed them grow in confidence, deepen their understanding of another culture, and recognize that service begins with listening, learning and being fully present.

Those lessons continue to influence the way Kaitlyn approaches everyday life. She believes servant leadership is found not only during international immersion experiences, but also in the small, intentional acts of kindness that build stronger communities. That commitment traces back to the foundation Marian provided. "The relationships I formed at Marian became a lifelong network of women who continue to support and inspire each other," said Baysa.

Years after first boarding a plane to the Dominican Republic as a student, Kaitlyn accompanied another group of Marian girls on journeys of their own, continuing a cycle of leadership and service that will undoubtedly extend to future generations.