Campus Story

In light of Lunar New Year, Andy Chan and his friends gathered at the InterVarsity ministry house near the University of Utah. They excitedly made dumplings from scratch and then put handwritten blessing cards with intricate calligraphy inside red envelopes to give out to people for encouragement. “I wanted to bring that joy to my friends here,” Andy said, who got the idea for the activity from his church back in Taiwan—the place where he first experienced God’s love in community. 

When Elijah entered college at Arizona State University as a freshman, he had the odds stacked against him. 

His best friend of over ten years had just passed away in a sudden accident, he was angry at his parents for years of broken relationship, and he wasn’t even sure he would be able to afford college. 

Closed off and trying to cope with his grief, Elijah spent hours in the gym working out his frustration. 

"I gathered people — ministry partners, pastors — and we just prayed through the facilities,” Jason Hull, the Athletes InterVarsity Regional Coordinator in the Lakes & Plains region, said. “We prayed at every place that an athlete would be: track, the football field, soccer fields, the softball fields." 

Jason began praying for athletes at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls back in 2018. Now, in 2025, over 140 student athletes are involved in InterVarsity Bible studies at UWRF. That’s one-fifth of all athletes on campus. 

Standing in the breezeway during her freshman year at the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (UAFS), Diana looked out into the sea of organizations and clubs tabling. She was curious to know what her campus had to offer. Of all the organizations and clubs vying for Diana’s attention that day, one poster advertising a Bible study caught her eye. The poster said “InterVarsity.” 

Just a few blocks from the Bean and the skyscrapers of Michigan Avenue, students from the InterVarsity chapter of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) gathered for Bible study. They were snacking on chocolate candy and discussing the passage of the Passover dinner in John 17. This was the moment when Jesus prayed for the disciples and then for all believers before his crucifixion, “I pray for those who will believe in me through [the disciples’] message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.” 

Joshua’s only focus as he prepared to start college was to do well in school so he could become a successful, wealthy doctor. He thought his plans for his future had no room for extracurriculars. 

But then, even though he grew up in church, he was surprised to learn that there were organizations devoted to living out faith on campus. He attended an activities fair and was immediately drawn to InterVarsity’s diversity, vulnerability, and lack of polish.

“They were awkward,” Joshua said. “I really liked that. They felt like real people.”

I stood on the quad at Northeastern University with the skyscrapers of downtown Boston in the distance. Every so often I could hear the rumbling of the subway from the station nearby, something I’d never experienced in my small town back in Missouri.

Walking down the sidewalk at the University of Oklahoma (OU), Zelma Wind saw a huge pillar of white gush up into the sky. She froze mid-step, glancing around. So, I know I’m new here, she thought, but … this doesn’t seem normal. The closer Zelma came, more plumes of white shot up into the air as a group of students ran back and forth across the grass, laughing and yelling.

Going to church on Sundays was no longer enough for Cade. He wanted to see his congregation fight for justice outside of the sanctuary walls. He wanted to see the hope of Jesus proclaimed in the streets for all people to hear.

God had beautiful plans for Jordan. Plans to pursue her. Plans to surround her with community. Plans to heal her identity. Plans to grow her into a leader.  

But Jordan wasn’t looking for any of that when she started her freshman year at Metropolitan State University in Auraria, Colorado. She wasn’t a Christian, despite her mom trying to convince her to consider Jesus for years. Jordan didn’t see the point. 

I don't know if [Christianity] really solves all my problems or works the way that I want it to, she thought.