From Real Break to Real Life: A Decade of Growth and Giving Back

When Anna Sobchak led a Real Break trip to Greece last year, it marked a powerful full-circle moment. After years of participating in OCF programs as a student, she was now guiding others through the same transformative experience that shaped her own journey.

“OCF has been my home away from home for over a decade,” Anna says. “It’s where I grew spiritually, made lifelong friends, and discovered how to serve.”

Currently a Product Owner at Shift Paradigm in Dallas, Anna blends analytical precision with a heart for ministry. She holds dual degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Southern Methodist University, and her professional background includes operations and communications work at AT&T. But behind the career is someone who’s just as comfortable leading small groups, planning conferences, or mentoring young adults navigating college life through the lens of faith.

Her OCF story is long and rich: Chapter at Southern Methodist University,  three Real Break trips as a student, two College Conferences, a year as the Real Break Student Leader (2017–2018), and multiple seasons leading small groups (2020–2021). And in 2024, she returned to Real Break as a Trip Leader in Greece—bringing her journey full circle.

Today, Anna serves on OCF’s Board and attends Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas, where she once chaired the 130+ member Young Adult Ministry and most recently she and her husband served as 2024 small group leaders for Holy Trinity’s catechumen ministry.

Anna’s journey also carries a deep sense of pan-Orthodox identity. She grew up in the Antiochian Church at St. George in Houston, often visited OCA parishes in New York with her Baba, and now finds spiritual community at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Dallas. This blend of traditions, she says, has only deepened her belief in the unifying power of Orthodox Christian Fellowship.

“I’ve absolutely loved watching OCF grow over the last decade,” Anna reflects. “And as the opportunities continue to multiply, I pray that it will remain a loving, safe haven for college students everywhere.”

From her first Real Break in 2014 to her continued board service today, Anna’s story is a testament to the power of OCF to not only form faith—but to form lifelong stewards of it.