Good News on Campus – We see God meeting students
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 0 7
InterVarsity serves more than 33,000 core* students and faculty on 580 college and university campuses nationwide. Incorporated in 1941, Inter-Varsity has a deep commitment to campus witness, thoughtful discipleship, and a concern for world missions. Here is a glimpse of how God has been at work through InterVarsity in the 2006-2007 school year.
Baruch College
New York, New York
The InterVarsity chapter at Baruch College–City University of New York, an ethnically diverse, commuter college, hosted Live@Baruch, a rap and reggae concert. The evening included the testimony of Ted Dibiase, a former World Wrestling Entertainment star. When Stan Thomas, the pastor of a local church gave an invitation to faith in Jesus, ten students said, “Yes.”
University of Wisconsin
River Falls, Wisconsin
Mark Slaughter, an InterVarsity regional Evangelism specialist, was asked to come to the University of Wisconsin for a campus-wide outreach. The dorm lounge that the InterVarsity chapter had reserved for the Outreach Café was suddenly not available. So, thirty students crammed into a small dorm room with Mark in the center, answering questions about Jesus.
Miles College
Birmingham, Alabama
When Ahmad Jones, InterVarsity staff at Miles College, a historically black campus, saw that students had few recreation options, he approached a local church and asked to use their gym. He then organized basketball tournaments which drew many regular participants and spectators last summer. This partnership between InterVarsity and a local church provided space for recreation and for sharing the Gospel. Many of these students have made decisions to follow Jesus.
Purdue University
Lafayette, Indiana
A Purdue fraternity student who had been heavily involved in partying, drinking, and vandalism thought that Christians were boring, until he met two InterVarsity students living in his house. Through these fraternity brothers, who are part of Greek InterVarsity, he began to explore a relationship with God. He decided to attend InterVarsity’s Greek Conference in Indianapolis, and there he put his faith in Jesus.
Similarly, a sorority student at Purdue who described herself as the classic “party girl” began to wonder about God’s role in her life. She attended InterVarsity’s Greek Conference and was struck by how far away from God she was. She radiantly shared how peaceful she felt after she asked His forgiveness for her sin. “My life has been completely changed.”
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, California
InterVarsity students at Sonoma State University organized the 2007 Sonoma Invitational, a campus-wide outreach to equip the chapter to proclaim the Gospel and change the world. Fifty InterVarsity students were trained in evangelism; four hundred other students heard the Gospel at evening meetings; eight students signed up for a Bible study, and fifteen students became Christians.
University of California
Los Angeles, California
InterVarsity President Alec Hill and a group of donors met up with students from UCLA who were participating in a Global Project in East Asia. They witnessed first-hand how InterVarsity students lived with and learned from local Asian students, and how they in turn answered questions about Christian faith. Over the years, many East Asian students have become Christians through the witness of InterVarsity students on Global Projects.
Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas
Drew Smith, staff member at Trinity University, reported: “Yesterday I met with a girl who has been participating in our fellowship this year. In a conversation so simple it could have been on an evangelism teaching video, she chose to trust Jesus. Hallelujah!” She was one of eight students who became Christians at Trinity last year.
Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, Virginia
Since the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history at Virginia Tech in April, the InterVarsity chapter has been responding with sensitivity and grace. Many students are lonely, confused, and asking “Why would God allow this to happen?” InterVarsity students don’t have easy answers for their friends. What they do have to offer is the love of Christ. This year the chapter at Virginia Tech has been boldly and unashamedly sharing the gospel of hope. This hope rests firmly in Jesus, whose answer to tragedy is his own resurrection.
Harvard University
Boston, Massachusetts
Although she was skeptical about the Christian faith, June, a Harvard medical student from Korea, joined InterVarsity’s graduate reading group. Week after week she diligently studied the philosophical foundations of the Christian worldview and continued to ask questions. June recently decided to entrust her life to Jesus.
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, California
The InterVarsity chapter at Mira-Costa College and World Vision co-sponsored Impact One, a week-long evangelistic event designed to raise awareness about the AIDS pandemic and challenge students to consider the spiritual significance of poverty and injustice in the world. InterVarsity students recruited 5% of the campus to wear “Orphan” T-shirts to demonstrate the reality that one out of every 20 children in sub-Saharan Africa is orphaned by AIDS. An experiential exhibit offered a glimpse of what life is like for African children affected by AIDS. InterVarsity students and staff were able to talk to many students about where they find their hope when confronted with suffering and injustice.
Marlena Copado, who was raised by the Bantu tribe in Africa and who is now president of the InterVarsity chapter, said, “We believe God truly cares about the issue of AIDS in Africa, and He is a crucial part of the solution.”
University of California
Irvine, California
A tradition of evangelism and missions outreach at the University of California, Irvine has blessed the InterVarsity chapter. This past year as InterVarsity students were meeting to evaluate the past year, a student named David recalled how he had been invited to go on a spring break missions trip – even before he was a Christian. It was on that trip that David heard the Gospel. After the trip he joined a Bible study and became a Christian. Now he is one of UC-Irvine’s key InterVarsity chapter leaders.
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan
The InterVarsity chapter at Oakland University held a week-long campus outreach event that drew hundreds of students to participate in discussions around such issues as body image, poverty, and the AIDS pandemic. Many of these students heard the Gospel and 52 of them committed their lives to Christ. One student became so excited about her new-found faith that she went straight home and led her sister to the Lord.
Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio
The InterVarsity chapter at Ohio State held a large campaign to raise awareness about the current crisis of human trafficking. The event was called No Ordinary People and featured interactive displays that demonstrated the evil of this practice. InterVarsity students were able to talk with many fellow students about the hope of God’s justice through Jesus. At this Ohio State event 60 students made the decision to become a Christian.
* 50% participation or more