Four students were recognized as winners of the Interfaith Dialogue and Service Video and Essay contest Friday afternoon.

The contest, which is a part of the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Challenge, selected students who addressed ways the university’s Jesuit values affect their respective faith backgrounds and community involvement in their submissions.

Grand prize winner Kieran Halloran (SFS ’14) reflected on losing his father, a firefighter, in the September 11, 2011 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City and how he was comforted and inspired by those who chose to live as men and women for others.

“While this experience fostered the greatest amount of anger and hatred that I have ever felt in my life, it has also, through a roundabout way, fostered the greatest motivation to love and serve others that I have,” he wrote in his essay.

Stephen Patrick (COL ’13), the second place winner, along with Colleen Tapen (NHS ’13) and Vivian Ojo (SFS ’14), who tied for third place, wrote about how their faiths, community service work, international travel and future goals have influenced their Georgetown experiences.

The essay contest is one of several activities intended to address the university’s chosen theme for the President’ Challenge – combating domestic poverty and improving educational opportunities.

The university will continue to plan interfaith and service-based programming as part of its year-long commitment to the initiative. Programs are being organized by Campus Ministry, the Center for Social Justice and the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace and World Affairs.

The national challenge, which the university accepted in September, is supported by the Department of Education and the Corporation for National and Community Service. The schools deemed the most successful will be recognized by the White House in spring 2012.

Winning essays are available on the Berkley Center’s website.