A series of yeses: How small steps led to an unexpected calling

A stay-at-home father of 25 years, an outdoor enthusiast, and a person who once considered himself far removed from organized religion: Dave Gunnarson is, by his own admission, an unlikely director of Campus Ministry at a Catholic Benedictine institution. “This was the last thing on my radar,” he admitted, seated in his office at The College of St. Scholastica, laughing at a path he never expected to take.

From cornfields to Duluth

Gunnarson grew up in Eden Prairie, MN, long before it became the bustling city it is today. “It was all cornfields when I grew up there, and now it takes an hour to drive across.” He attended Carleton College, where he met his wife during his senior year. The two spent a decade living in St. Paul before relocating to Duluth in 2007, when his wife, an emergency room physician, accepted a new position.

Together, the couple raised four children. Duluth gave Gunnarson access to the outdoor activities that he loved while offering the city feel he enjoyed from his time in the Twin Cities. His journey toward ministry, though, started far from the outdoors he loves and from any expectation that faith would lead the way.

Rebuilding a foundation

Raised Lutheran, Gunnarson considered religion a nominal part of his life. He distanced himself from it entirely at 16, when his father passed away: “Your whole foundation kind of gets taken away at that point.” In the years that followed, self-reliance became his guiding principle. But as he and his wife raised their children, they found themselves asking bigger questions about family and faith. “How do we make these good people?” he recalled wondering.

Things changed when Gunnarson received a simple invitation from his mother-in-law to attend a lecture by a Catholic priest whose academic approach to scripture piqued his interest. “I remember walking out of there, standing in the parking lot just saying, ‘Why doesn’t everyone doesn’t know this? This is amazing,’” Gunnarson said. One lecture led to another, which eventually led him through the process of joining the Catholic Church.

One yes after another

The yeses kept coming. Gunnarson became deeply involved in volunteering at Stella Maris Academy (originally Holy Rosary), his children’s school. He helped with lunches, introduced an archery program, and substituted in classrooms. When the chance came to teach religious education, his first instinct was to decline.

“Well, you got the wrong guy because that is not me,” he recalled saying. He said yes anyway and discovered that teaching didn’t require him to know all the answers; it was more about building relationships. “It really was more about connections and not necessarily my theology or my understanding.”

Over time, Gunnarson found himself increasingly drawn to service. While outdoor adventure and trips remained important to him, he realized that volunteering and helping others brought a different kind of fulfillment to his life. That realization led to another yes: the pursuit of becoming a deacon.

The decision came as a surprise. “I didn’t even know what a deacon was,” Gunnarson said. After learning more about the vocation, he quickly noticed that his desire to serve others was what brought him there. “It’s never been about being at the altar or being in front of the church. It’s always been about service.”

An unexpected calling

His path to St. Scholastica was the latest unexpected opportunity. After he delivered a lecture that resonated with members of the St. Scholastica community, his name began to circulate among those connected with the College. When the director of Campus Ministry position opened, Gunnarson recalled initially dismissing the idea: “I’m not qualified for that.”

As the possibility became more realistic, he spent time in prayer. “I was just praying that, ‘Lord, I can’t do this job,’” he said. “I was totally focused on what I couldn’t do.” During that time, Gunnarson felt a reminder that the success of the ministry would not depend solely on his abilities. “He very clearly said to me, ‘Dave, you’re not going to be doing the work,’” Gunnarson recalled.

For a man who had leaned on self-reliance since he was 16, it was an unfamiliar kind of permission. The realization changed his perspective: “That’s it, I’m not here to convert hearts; I’m here to be His instrument and to meet people where they’re at.”

Meeting people where they are

Since beginning his role at St. Scholastica in October 2025, Gunnarson has embraced the opportunity to work with college students, who he says are open and willing to engage in meaningful conversations. Drawing from his own experience as a parent, volunteer, and person of faith, he hopes to help them navigate questions about their identity and sense of belonging. “I’m here to meet people where they’re at and just help them grow, help them discover themselves, and then see where they’re at and discover what questions they’re wrestling with and just help them work on that,” he said.

Looking back, Gunnarson has discovered that not every step is fully mapped out in advance. He didn’t need to have all the answers to move forward — he only needed to keep saying yes.

“It was just a series of yeses,” he said.