New Student Outreach: Ideas that Work! (Summer 2001)

“I remember when I was a freshman at NDSU,” says Sarah Kriesel-Koll, a student at North Dakota State University. “I had the feeling that I was the only one who didn’t have a clue what was going on. And then loneliness crept in. I wanted to get involved in something, but didn’t know how.”

Sound familiar? What do you remember from your first days and weeks on campus? Who was there to help you adjust? Reflecting on your experience may help you plan ways your chapter can welcome new students to campus next fall and make a difference in their lives.

Here is what happened to Sarah, who is now the NSO and discipleship/prayer coordinator for her InterVarsity chapter: “I started coming to I-V because someone took the time to get to know me and invite me to one of the meetings. I had been searching for the right Christian organization to become a part of, and didn’t know much about InterVarsity. One afternoon, while eating in the Union, a student involved with I-V sat down with me and introduced himself. During our meal, he shared about InterVarsity and invited me to come to the next meeting. All it took was someone to go a little out of his way to get to know me and ask.”

Be friendly. Take initiative. Just ask. Yet good relationships often get started through well-planned events or programs to help people meet each other. How will your chapter welcome new students to your campus next fall? We’ve collected a few ideas that other chapters have used with some success. Here are their stories:

The InterVarsity chapter at Johns Hopkins University (MD) set up a book table in front of the school bookstore to welcome the 1,000 new students on campus. They gave out more than 200 free New Testaments and had more than 100 students sign up to be contacted about chapter activities. All the freshmen that signed up were invited to dinner at a chapter member’s apartment. “They really appreciated the chance to see an older student’s place and get a home-cooked meal,” says Jeff Pearson, IVCF staff.

But the highlight of the week was the fifty-foot-long banana split at one of the social centers on campus. New students were welcomed to campus with fifty feet of bananas, ice cream, and chocolate syrup. (It was very a-peel-ing!)

At Vanderbilt University (TN), I-V students sponsored a “Shaved Ice Party.” They minister specifically to Asian International and Asian-American students and wanted to do something different from an ice cream social for NSO, something cold but with an Asian flavor. So they rented a sno-cone machine for $20 at a local party rental store and bought bags of ice, plus bowls and spoons. They set it up outdoors near the freshmen residence halls. Returning I-V students brought all the goodies to go with the shaved ice: sweet red beans, coconut gelatin, canned jackfruit, canned lychee, sweetened condensed milk, flavored syrups, and other Asian treats for ice desserts. Tracy Price, IVCF staff, says, “It was quite a hit, especially because this is a rare treat in our city.”

At Minnesota State U.-Mankato, InterVarsity welcomed students with Ultimate Frisbee®, free root beer floats, and “Pop 4 Your Thoughts” (a free can of pop to anyone who would fill out a survey answering the question, “Who is Jesus?”) All these events led up to a free pizza party and the weekly large group meeting.

As a major outreach to the campus during NSO week, the chapter at SUNY Geneseo (NY) sponsors “Band Day” featuring bands brought in by the students and a dunk tank featuring favorite professors. They also have a tradition of “I-V Soccer” every Sunday afternoon, organizing a friendly game of soccer that is open to the whole campus.

To make others more aware of their presence on campus, InterVarsity students at Goucher College (MD) handed out 500 lollipops in the dorms. Attached to each one was a welcome note with a contact phone number and e-mail address.

At Cal Poly (San Luis Obispo, CA), it took all 16 students from a small-group Bible study to spread out to four of the ten towers of the Yosemite dorms and pass out fresh, home-baked cookies. They met almost everyone in those four towers and have seen some of the “cookie-relationships” grow this past year. All the delicious cookies were baked by a supportive group of community people.

Location, location, location. The first day of NSO was not going well at Allan Hancock Community College (Santa Maria, CA). The student lounge and cafeteria were being remodeled, so the usual spot to set up the I-V table was under construction. A move near the registration gym was a bust. So they finally asked the administration if they could move their table out in front of the library where all the students pass by during class changes. The answer was “yes,” and the next few days produced more than 90 interest cards from new students.

The I-V leaders at Georgetown University (Washington, D.C.) planned a freshmen retreat in the hills of West Virginia and played paintball to get to know some of the new students in the chapter. They were all challenged by Scripture about what they value at the university and considered how Jesus is Lord over every area of life. They also talked about how they could share their faith with their new friends.

The International Student Fellowship (ISF) at California State University-Fresno plans a World Welcome Party every year for incoming foreign students in the fall. A number of churches and individuals are asked to prepare and serve a delicious, plentiful meal to the 125 international students who come. The evening includes games and fun, and is well known for hosting an American square dance with a Christian square-dance band and an entertaining caller.

After the World Welcome Party, many students come to the weekly fellowship meetings. Quite a few have a sincere interest in studying the Bible and in being with people who are following Jesus. “We openly identify ourselves as a Christian community,” says Ann Fehr, InterVarsity staff. “We welcome those who don’t know Jesus or have never read the Bible to come and check it out.”

Some students have even admitted that the World Welcome Party helped correct their view of Christians. It is also a great way to involve the church community and allow students to see what Christian community looks like. “We continue to seek ways to involve students in serving Jesus by welcoming the new students in meaningful ways,” Ann concludes.

What is your chapter doing for NSO? Tell us your best ideas (and what to avoid!), and perhaps we’ll include your story in SLJ next year. Contact us here.