Becoming a missionary after college is a bold and meaningful step. As a parent, you might feel both pride and concern when your child expresses interest in serving as a missionary. It’s natural to wonder what this path means for their future – Is it financially sustainable? Will it set them back in their career or education? We’re here to share what being a missionary looks like day-to-day.
The good news: FOCUS has been sending young adults as missionaries to college campuses for over 25 years. It’s an established 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with more than 1,000 missionaries serving on over 250 campuses and communities worldwide. This is a legitimate, structured full-time job with training, support, and benefits – not a detour from “real life,” but a launchpad for personal and professional growth.
FOCUS Missionaries gain a formation and a foundation that sets them apart
It’s understandable to worry about financial security – “My biggest concern would be how my child would support himself,” as one parent, Cindy, shared. FOCUS addresses this by providing world-class training and ongoing support for each missionary in raising a support network. Yes, missionaries do fundraise their income by inviting others to join their mission, but they are never left to figure this out on their own. Seasoned mentors coach them in professional fundraising techniques, and many parents are surprised to see how this process builds maturity and confidence in their children. Supporters often give joyfully to invest in the mission, so your child will have a community of donors backing them.
Importantly, FOCUS missionaries receive a full benefits package like any other full-time employee. This includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as a retirement plan with an employer match. In other words, your child will have health coverage and can even start saving for retirement while serving. This role is financially sustainable – FOCUS is dedicated to each missionary’s well-being and long-term stability, even as they live on a missionary salary supported by donations. Parents who initially feel fundraising is “overwhelming” often find relief knowing how structured and supported the process is, and that their son or daughter can thrive.
On the contrary, serving as a missionary can advance your child’s personal and professional development. During their time with FOCUS, missionaries gain highly sought-after skills and qualities that employers value. They learn to be effective communicators, servant-leaders, and resilient problem-solvers. In fact, one missionary parent, Pattie, observed that FOCUS missionaries “are not stepping away from ‘real’ life — they are engaging with it deeply, learning to communicate, lead, persevere, and live with purpose.” These are precisely the qualities “that employers value and that often make former missionaries stronger candidates in their eventual careers”.
Key skills FOCUS missionaries develop:
All of these skills are incredibly transferable, making FOCUS alumni “extremely hirable in both ministry, business, education, and any other field.” Employers often find that former missionaries stand out as mature, purpose-driven candidates. Rather than falling behind their peers, missionaries often return from the field more experienced, confident, and clear on their purpose, which can give them an edge in graduate school or the job market.
“FOCUS missionaries are not stepping away from ‘real’ life – they are engaging with it deeply, learning to communicate, lead, persevere, and live with purpose. These are qualities that employers value and that often make former missionaries stronger candidates in their eventual careers.” — Pattie, parent of a FOCUS missionary
Missionary service can give your child a powerful head start professionally and academically. Alumni go on to careers in business, education, ministry, and beyond—equipped with real leadership experience, communication skills, and a strong work ethic that often accelerate them into managerial roles or graduate programs. Employers view missionary service as a sign of character, courage, and initiative, and many missionaries say their time with FOCUS clarified their career direction and opened doors they hadn’t previously considered. FOCUS also partners with universities to offer scholarships and tuition discounts for graduate programs, including MBA and counseling degrees, as well as a fully funded Master’s in Catholic Studies for qualified missionaries. These academic partnerships mean your child can continue their education during or after their service, often at a significantly reduced cost. Combined with a strong alumni network and ongoing formation opportunities, missionary service serves as a springboard into a fulfilling career, higher education, and a lifelong community.
Your child will serve on a college campus as part of a missionary team, investing daily in students through Bible studies, one-on-one mentorship, and outreach events that invite their
peers into a deeper relationship with Christ. Missionaries live out FOCUS’s Win-Build-Send model: befriending students who are searching, building them up in faith, and equipping them to reach others. Their weekly schedule is structured much like a professional role, including team meetings, event planning, retreats, personal formation, and ongoing leadership training. They often host or lead retreats and conferences, giving them valuable experience in public speaking, event execution, and pastoral care. In short, they’ll be teaching, organizing, mentoring, and inspiring others—work that profoundly impacts students while refining your child’s own faith, leadership, and character. Supported by their teammates and a national network, they’ll be immersed in meaningful, hands-on mission that challenges and shapes them in lasting ways.
Testimonial: “I would be happy to have a child tell me they are going to be a FOCUS missionary! As a parent one of my jobs is to get them to heaven. This experience would help them get their priorities straight (at a difficult time in life) and form a faith-based foundation for a lifetime.” — John, father of a FOCUS missionary
In this episode, FOCUS Regional Director Kallin Hill and her father John Zehren join Jessica to talk about a parent’s perspective on their son or daughter’s call to FOCUS.
