Students participated in numerous events surrounding the papal visit. One such event was the papal furnishings design contest co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington and CUA’s School of Architecture and Planning. Catholic University architecture students were invited to design the chair, altar and other furnishings used at the Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI in Washington, D.C.’s Nationals Park. Another prominent student event related to the papal visit was the student essay contest. Students were invited to submit a 500-word essay on the topic “How Catholic Education Has Changed my Life”.