Chapter Planting at CSU East Bay - Ministry Exchange (MX)

This document is part of a larger cluster of articles about InterVarsity
chapter planting at https://www.intervarsity.org/mx/page/chapterplanting

CSU EAST BAY by Sophia Nibungco

The Campus

Cal State East Bay (formerly known as Cal State Hayward) is a California
state school of more than 13,000 students. InterVarsity is in the process
of re-planting a chapter at the university’s original and largest campus in
Hayward. At CSU East Bay, 300 students live in the dorms-this will soon
change with more dorm buildings being constructed by fall 2006. Working
students, international students and commuters make up a majority of the
student population.

The Challenges

It’s a commuter campus! There are many structural and spiritual challenges
to ministry. Students’ schedules, busy lifestyles and obligations can make
it difficult to grab their attention. Investing in one’s spiritual life
seems trivial compared to the reality of their lives as commuter students.
We often have students who get involved with InterVarsity during one
quarter and then we don’t see them again the next quarter. The dynamic
nature of the campus is the biggest roadblock.

Campus Contacts

The witness on campus is energized by a faculty advisor, student life
advisors, campus employees (e.g. enrollment services, accounting dept), a
handful of dedicated alumni, and four committed student leaders (all
female).

What We’re Doing

These are many of the activities that represent our presence on campus:

. weekly Bible study in the dorms . weekly noontime commuter study . monthly campus prayer meeting (with faculty, campus employees, an InterVarsity alum) . outreach table at beginning of each quarter . NSO events (Welcome Back BBQ) . a prayer meeting for students (fall and winter quarter) . weekly leaders’ meeting for Bible study prep (this is our most consistent meeting of the fellowship)

The Vision

My vision for CSUEB is for a witnessing community that welcomes lonely
students, employees and faculty to His Kingdom. In other words, I want to
build an accessible fellowship that attends to the diversity of people on
campus. I envision the group being effective when it exudes a contagious
faith that engages not only the campus, but the city of Hayward as well.

One thing that encourages me is the openness students have to the Gospel on
campus. What has given me most hope is the partnership InterVarsity has
with the campus. In the fall, we began regularly praying with our faculty
advisor, a couple of campus employees, and an InterVarsity alum who also
works on campus. The focus of this monthly prayer meeting is the
InterVarsity group at CSUEB, the students, and my staff work. It was the
InterVarsity alum, Mary, who initiated this gathering. Since our meetings
together, I’ve seen answered prayers, fruit in our fellowship, and a
solidified partnership between InterVarsity and CSUEB. These prayer
warriors want to see His Kingdom spread out on campus and they are
committed to supporting InterVarsity’s work at CSUEB!

God is Working

Yes, God’s presence is definitely evident at CSUEB. He has provided
partners in the ministry, which was my biggest prayer request for the
school year. We started the school year with one full-time staff worker and
one student leader. In the last year the Lord has provided advocates in the
administration and student life department, a community prayer group on
campus, part-time volunteers, and four committed student leaders. He’s also
provided a foundation for a dorm community. With a couple of our student
leaders holding Resident Advisor positions in the dorms, InterVarsity is in
a strategic position to continue to reach out to dorm residents.

Help needed

As the only full-time staff, I would appreciate advice on being strategic
with my time, especially the time I spend with the few students committed
to InterVarsity.