I’m Matthew, a senior at UIC and a Head Barista at Cor Coffee. I wanted to share a bit about how working at Cor has helped me grow closer to Jesus, and why this place means so much to me. 

When I first came to the Newman Center, I didn’t really feel drawn to stay. I would go to Mass because my parents expected it, and then I would leave. I didn’t know anyone. I didn’t really know what it meant to have a personal relationship with Jesus. That came slowly, through people who were intentional with me, who saw me, and who stayed. Cor Coffee ended up being one of the biggest parts of that. 

Working behind the bar as a barista has taught me how to really see people. Not just take orders or make drinks — but encounter the person in front of me. Cor is different than other coffee shops because we don’t rush. We slow down. We care about who walks in the door. Sometimes that looks like a real conversation. Sometimes it’s just someone asking for water and feeling safe enough to come back again tomorrow. But it’s all relationship. It’s all heart speaking to heart. 

And that’s what helped my own relationship with Jesus grow. Learning to notice people helped me learn to notice Him. Being in a place filled with joy, prayer, and real community helped my faith become something I actually live, not just something I inherited. 

I’ve watched so many students experience that here — students who didn’t know anyone, or didn’t feel like they belonged anywhere. They start coming around more. They start asking questions. They become more alive. And I know what that feels like, because I’ve lived it too.

Honestly, that’s why this place feels like lightning in a bottle. There’s so much joy, connection, and grace packed into one building that it can be overwhelming in the best way. It’s rare to find a community where everything fits together so well, and I’m grateful I’ve been a part of it. 

Your support this Giving Tuesday is what makes that possible. Cor is the front porch of the Newman Center. It’s where people feel at home first, before they feel like they can step into the chapel. It’s where belonging happens. Your generosity helps keep that door open for students who are searching for something more, even if they don’t know it yet.  

Thank you for supporting our community. It means more than you know. 

My name is Ria, and I’m a sophomore studying Neuroscience on the pre-med track and a barista at Cor Coffee. I wanted to share a little about how Cor Coffee and the Newman Center have helped me grow in my faith during college. 

When I first came to UIC, I didn’t really know where I fit. The campus felt big and busy, and I didn’t have many places where I felt comfortable. The library was overwhelming, and I didn’t want to just go back to my dorm between classes. Newman quickly became that place for me — somewhere I could sit, breathe, and feel at home. 

I remember seeing the flyer for Cor Coffee’s internship. I was hesitant to get more involved at first. But my friends, who weren’t even Catholic, said, “We should do this.” I realized if they felt welcome here, I could too. So I applied. And Cor became one of the most meaningful parts of my college life. 

Cor isn’t like other coffee shops. It’s not just a workplace. Everyone who works here is actually friends. People stay after their shifts. We study together. We talk. We share life. There’s something about the environment that feels safe and warm. You can just be yourself here. 

There was a moment that really stayed with me. I had just taken a big bio-chem exam, and I was afraid to check my grade. I was working a shift with Ximena, and she said, “No matter how you did — whether you did badly or well — Jesus won’t love you any more or any less because of this.” I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear that. It reminded me that my worth isn’t in performance or achievement. It’s in being loved by God. 

I’ve seen Cor have that kind of impact on other students too. One of my roommates is Muslim, and she comes to study at Cor because she feels comfortable here. That means a lot to me. And for my Catholic friends, Cor is often the place that leads them deeper into the Newman Center. You start by feeling safe here, and then you realize you want to go further — to Mass, to Bible study, to deeper faith. 

Cor is often the first step in someone’s faith journey. It’s where people feel at home before they feel ready to walk into the chapel. And for a campus like UIC, where it can be hard to make friends, Cor gives students a place to belong.  

Thank you for giving students like me the chance to grow in faith, friendship, and community. I’m really grateful for it. 

I’m Ximena, a junior at UIC and a barista at Cor Coffee. I want to share how I first got involved here and what this place has done in my life. 

Honestly, it started with me just sitting in Cor because I wanted to escape my reality — school, personal struggles, things that were weighing me down. The baristas were intentional about checking in and getting to know me. Their friendship made me stick around. Little by little, invitations started coming, and it turned into this feeling of, “I want to be here. I feel loved here. I belong.”  It felt like home and family. 

I became a barista because I had seen how much the other baristas impacted people simply by talking with them, and I wanted to try it. I love being able to talk with people and be that “hi, how are you?” moment that brightens someone’s day. I get to give back what I received. 

The most surprising part of working at Cor has been the motivation it gave me. Before I came to the Newman Center or Cor, I had very little motivation for anything. I didn’t think I was worthy of much and didn’t try. Being here — in such a beautiful environment to work, study, and make friends — gave me purpose. It’s a place where I see God everywhere, and that’s what pushes me forward. 

I’ve seen Cor Coffee impact other students too, especially the freshmen. They walk in timidly and sit alone. Over time, they warm up, meet people, and come alive. They stop worrying about what others think. They know they’re accepted and wanted. Seeing that change brings me so much joy. 

If I could talk directly to a donor, I’d want them to know how much their generosity means. Everything here — the coffee, study space, the chapel, retreats, SEEK — is possible because of donations. If it weren’t for our donors, I wouldn’t have been able to afford many of the things that brought God into my life. Your giving isn’t just supporting a place. It’s building a home. 

Thank you for helping make Cor a place where students can feel loved, accepted, and fully alive. 

We’re Adriana, Maleko, and Sumit — sophomores at UIC and close friends who spend a lot of time together at Cor Coffee. 

Adriana was the first to discover Cor Coffee during her freshman year. A self-proclaimed coffee lover, she made it her goal to visit every coffee shop near campus. One day, she wandered into the Newman Center, followed the smell of coffee down the hallway, and found Cor. It quickly became her favorite place to study — and eventually, she joined the team as a barista. Her friends started stopping by during her shifts, and soon Cor became their hangout too. 

What makes Cor different from other coffee shops is how real it feels. “It’s a lot more organic,” Sumit said. “Some coffee shops feel like they’re putting on a mask. Cor doesn’t.” Because it’s nonprofit, Maleko added, “It’s not about being a business — it’s about people.” 

Adriana agreed. “Even before I got close to my faith, I loved being here. Everyone was kind, present, and welcoming. Even when I was shy, people made sure I felt included.” 

That same spirit is what St. John Henry Newman meant by Cor ad cor loquitur — “heart speaks to heart.”  

Adriana said, “You meet people where they are. You don’t have to push your beliefs — your actions speak for you. When I first came here, I wasn’t super close to my faith, but I saw how happy and intentional people were, and it made me curious. It’s one person’s good heart speaking to another person’s good heart.” 

That encounter has grown into something real. Adriana’s friends, who aren’t Catholic, now call Cor one of their favorite spots on campus. “It feels like that coffee shop in Friends — a place where everyone gathers,” Sumit said. “You actually feel part of a community.” 

For Maleko, Cor stands out because “it’s somewhere you can go without feeling like you have to belong to a group first. Everyone’s just welcome.” 

Adriana nodded. “UIC can feel chaotic — people are busy and disconnected. But here, I’ve found community. Everyone knows each other, everyone belongs.” 

This Giving Tuesday, your gift helps keep Cor Coffee open for students like us — friends who may come in for the coffee, but end up finding community, welcome, and a place to call home.