The path from beauty queen to Catholic missionary might sound unlikely, but it makes perfect sense to Kathryn Kueppers. In fact, her time as Miss Minnesota prepared her well for her next role.

“It’s funny how God’s hand works in everything,” said Kueppers, 24, a 2016 graduate of St. Agnes School in St. Paul and a member of St. Joseph in West St. Paul.

As the new school year begins, the Mendota Heights native is getting to work at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, evangelizing the students as a missionary with the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. The campus outreach partners with Newman Centers at colleges and universities across the country. After a summer of training and fundraising, Kueppers finally gets to begin. She expected to help students move in and serve them free coffee Aug. 22, their first day of school.

Initially, Kueppers’ career plans centered on culinary aspirations — starting a bakery or working in a kitchen. Over time she shifted her focus to teaching culinary and life-skills, studying family and consumer science education at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

“I could either give men fish every day or I could teach men to fish,” she said. “I felt it would be more fulfilling to teach others these life skills — cooking, meal planning, budgeting.”

Then she was crowned the 2019 Miss Minnesota, a position that would gradually redirect her career aspirations. As Miss Minnesota, Kueppers crisscrossed the state, visiting people at hospitals, nursing homes and town fairs.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Miss Minnesota organization took the unprecedented measure of extending her one-year tenure to two. In sum, she tallied some 300 appearances.

Her approach — meeting strangers and striking up meaningful conversations — was not unlike the work of a missionary. “I found myself encountering people who really wanted to be known and loved,” she said. “I developed this love of getting to know people. And that’s part of the day-to-day of being a FOCUS missionary, taking the time to see, know and love each person as a child of God.”

Good questions

Over time she grew more comfortable meeting strangers. “Often you have to take that first step with good questions,” Kueppers said. “You never know what you’re going to find out about somebody.”

Those experiences reflected a core Catholic belief in the dignity and worth of each person.

“Everybody has an individual, beautiful story,” she said.

Dressed up and topped with a shiny, silver crown, the petite brunette amassed compliments for being beautiful. But Kueppers never made it about her. Her driving force was always to forge a genuine connection and let people share what was on their hearts.

All the while, she was being prepared for her next chapter.

“It sounds weird to say doing pageants prepared me for mission, but it did,” Kueppers said. “There are a lot of parallels. A big part of Miss Minnesota is service and education. FOCUS is going where people are and supporting them in their challenges. In many ways, I might not have had the guts to go and interview for it if I hadn’t had this opportunity for Miss Minnesota.”

Her former speech coach Stephanie Butler watched how the wide-ranging work at Miss Minnesota stretched Kueppers. “She stayed open, welcoming and accepting of new challenges, and I know she’ll take that same approach with her new adventure,” Butler said.

When the decline of COVID allowed Kueppers to return to Mankato for college, she participated in a Bible study led by a FOCUS missionary at the Newman Center. She and the other students involved were profoundly touched by the experience. It compelled one student to become confirmed in the Catholic faith.

Turning point

As her May graduation neared and it came time to begin seeking a teaching position teaching consumer science, Kueppers couldn’t quite picture it.

“Something in my heart was giving,” she said. “Here was an opportunity to become grounded in my faith and to help others. It was a wonderful series of events over two years, the Lord slowly knocking on my heart: ‘I’m going to call you to something a little different than your five-year plan dictates.’”

She decided to become a full-time FOCUS missionary after graduating. Soon she was training and fundraising, which will be the sole source of her salary. She mailed postcards, wrote emails and made phone calls, beginning with those in her circle.

“It got easier as I started to realize yes, I’m asking people for money, but I’m really asking them to join me in mission,” she said. Ultimately, their generosity provided for a $2,500-a-month salary that will allow her to live on campus and cover expenses for the activities she’ll host.

The new plan felt like a leap. Moving away from her family, friends and boyfriend requires sacrifice.

“God’s plan is always better if we can just humble ourselves to do it — to be open to hear it and willing to trust it,” she said. “Sometimes it looks like a scarier option. It was scary to think of fundraising my salary and moving who-knows-where versus taking a nice cozy teaching position. But now that I’m here, it’s so clear it’s where I’m meant to be. I have an abiding peace.”

Now she’s trying to find creative ways to reach out to students — snapping their picture with a Polaroid, inviting them to the weekly FOCUS meal, joining them in pick-up volleyball games. Once a connection is forged, she tells them about the FOCUS Bible studies and formation groups.

“We talk about the method modeled by the master. What did Jesus do when he was with the Apostles? He called them one by one, and he lived with them and ate with them and prayed with them,” she said.

It’s a time of growing in her faith. “I’m a little homesick, and I’m counting the hours till I can go to daily Mass because it feels like home,” Kueppers said. “One of the only consistent things I have right now is my relationship with the Lord and being able to participate in the sacraments. All you can do is trust in the Lord’s providence and grace. Daily prayer has been the secret ingredient.”

Those who know her say she has a gift for relationship building. As Miss Minnesota, she took the initiative to connect the local title holders for regular check-ins.

“She already has so many people within the Miss Minnesota Organization who look up to her,” Butler said. “The students of Miami University are now also so lucky to have her as a mentor in their community. She’s one of the best listeners I know, which makes her fantastic at fostering relationships. I think she’ll be able to provide such a helpful perspective to these students.”

So far, the rewards outweigh the risks of this career pivot. “I can’t imagine doing anything more fulfilling,” she said.

Her role is a two-year commitment — and then she’ll discern her next step. “I’m hoping to stay on as long as God calls me.”