Christian Community for Higher Ed Students

Earlier this year, when my fellow church-goer and neighbor invited my husband and I to hear about her work with InterVarsity, I was intrigued.  I always like hearing about what’s going on in people’s lives, but I had a particular interest in hearing how Susan was reaching higher ed students.

When I arrived at college I felt like I didn’t know which church to attend, and even after I picked one, I usually attended alone.  The loss of a church community was a stark change in my life, and I missed the routine and belonging of the church in which I was raised.

I remember looking at on-campus options -- Bible studies and worship groups -- and while I can’t remember which ones I looked at, I clearly remember having a hard time finding a good fit.  With one, I felt like I was from the wrong culture, and there, for the first time in my life, I felt like a minority. With another, I felt like I was dividing myself between two worlds -- my Bible study friends on the one hand and my friends from the dorm on the other.  In medical school it was even harder to find Christian community, partly due to the demanding workload and partly due to the structure of the campus (mine not being attached to an undergraduate university).

Now, maybe it’s a lot to ask to find friends who know me in all aspects of my life, but when I learned about Susan’s work, I knew that the more effort that was placed in this area, the better.  College and graduate students are vulnerable and isolated, and I wanted to support a cause that strives to shepherd them, give them a sense of belonging and remind them that they are fully known and loved by God.

While giving to this cause, I have enjoyed reading updates about Susan’s work with graduate students through InterVarsity on the Harvard and MIT campuses, through retreats and large groups and dinners and one-on-one outreach and faculty fellowship.  If you are someone who could have benefitted from this type of community when you were in school, consider making a gift today.  You can find more information about InterVarsity here.