Alumni
Harvard Alumnus: From Obsessive Intellectualism to Biblical Obedience
‘I Am Deeply Grateful for How God Uses Christian Union to Engage Students’
By Daniel Norton, Harvard ’14
I grew up attending Catholic mass most weekends with my family. When I enrolled at Harvard in 2010, my faith could best be described as moralistic deism–I felt compelled to attend mass, do my best to behave biblically, and label myself as a good Christian. Yet my faith was built on a weak foundation, rooted in a flawed belief system that I could somehow win God’s favor through church attendance or by occasionally behaving more biblically than my college peers.
A Marriage Built On A Solid Foundation
Newlyweds Thankful for CU Community at Harvard
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
When it comes to marriage, our modern culture tends to focus on the couple. But for Joshua Walton ’21 and Jessica Edwards ’21 (now Walton), it is the power of living in Christian community that has brought them together, encouraged them, and forged a supportive foundation for their new marriage.
Philippians, Rediscovered Joy, and the Pandemic
Harvard Alumna Thankful for Cornerstone Partners Bible Study
By Alexandra Tartaglia, Harvard ’17
It was January of 2021, and I had been living at my parents’ house in my hometown of Rye, New York. I was completing my final semester of law school virtually, as the Fordham University School of Law campus was closed because of the pandemic.
Harvard Mom: Christian Union Was An Answer to My Prayer
'Our Nation Needs Leaders Who Follow the Example of Christ'
By Hope Arbery
In the book of Mark, there is a story about a paralytic man. After hearing about the powerful works of Jesus, his friends literally carried him to Jesus because they wanted him to be healed. They overcame every obstacle so that they might bring their friend to the only one who could save him.
The New Chief Chaplain at Harvard Is an Atheist
Greg Epstein Is 'Good Without God'
Harvard has appointed Greg Epstein as the new Chief Chaplain; he is an atheist. The hiring has elucidated ire from conservative institutions gawking at how someone who believes God does not exist could possibly be the president of such a spiritually-minded, albeit diverse, group of individuals. Meanwhile, others have congratulated Harvard for their willingness to represent their student body and acknowledge atheism as a valid spiritual pursuit.
How I Quickly Found a Christian Community at Dartmouth
Junior Is Thankful for the Impact of CU Vox
By Peter Surin, Dartmouth ’23
When choosing which colleges to apply to, one of my requirements was the presence of a good, healthy, strong Christian community on campus.
Through research of Christian Union Vox online and a conversation with a past Dartmouth professor, I clearly saw that the Vox community was exactly what I was searching for. And when I arrived at Dartmouth, all my assumptions were assured. I showed up to an ice cream social on the lawn of Tuck Drive, and quickly sensed a healthy environment that was part of the body of Christ.
A Caritas Community
Stutz ’21 Thankful for Remote Experience
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
Most college students experienced the last academic year staring into laptop screens, suffering through Zoom fatigue, and lamenting limited or no social interaction. Stanford student Rachel Stutz ’21 also took online classes, but was blessed to do it in some of the country’s most scenic locations, living in community, breaking bread with friends, and growing deeper in her faith.
Humbly Serving the Homeless
CU Martus Leader Earns Prestigious Fellowship at Penn
By Tom Campisi and Fuji Kim
Michael Hagan is one of eight undergraduates in the inaugural class of fellows for the University of Pennsylvania’s new Office of Social Equity and Community.
The Tree Stump Prayer: When Billy Graham Overcame Doubt
Grandson of Evangelist Recalls Defining Moment
By Will Graham
Editor’s note: The following article was written by Will Graham, grandson of Billy Graham and vice president and associate evangelist at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Article was first published in 2014, four years before the passing of Billy Graham; Reprinted with permission.
On a daily basis I’m blessed with memories and stories of the many ways God chose to use my grandfather to reach people around the world over the course of many decades. Nearly everywhere I go people stop to tell me about how entire families and generations were impacted by his ministry. It’s humbling.
“University-Sponsored Hate Speech”
Penn Professor, Yale Lecturer Make Shocking Statements
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
This spring, two academic seminars with ties to Ivy League universities came under fire for incendiary comments regarding race. A University of Pennsylvania professor said white evangelicals are racists who “may end up killing us all,” while a guest lecturer at the Yale School of Medicine expressed frustration with the national dialogue by saying she had fantasies about shooting white people.
The Intersection of Faith and Vocation
“Whose Voice Are We Hearing?”
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
At first glance, the career path of Amilee Watkins may seem somewhat random. A trained classical musician, her resume includes employment as a manager of a Starbucks in New York City, assistant director for the Center for Faith and Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, and COO of a startup that centers on spiritual formation.
“Who Does God Say I Am?”
CU Vox Shares Good News at Dartmouth with Blog
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
At the beginning of the 2019-20 academic year at Dartmouth, the usual excitement surrounding a new semester was dampened by COVID-19 restrictions; only freshmen and juniors were on campus for the fall, and ministry and other organizational activities were limited to zoom or small in-person meetings.In the midst of this uncertainty, Paul Jeon ’21, a leader with CU Vox at Dartmouth, stepped up to create blog content that focused on the sure promises of God in scripture and the question, “Who Does God Say I Am?”
Healing, Evangelism, and Revival
Dr. Matthew Suh Speaks at NYCU Salon
Dr. Matthew Suh, a Harvard-educated surgeon, retired from the operating room to become a practitioner of ministry that is focused on proclaiming the good news of the gospel and supernatural healing.
Wings and Wisdom
Where Does Our Help Come From?
By Chloe Cropper, Cornell ’23
Editor’s note: This article was reprinted with permission fromCornell Claritas, “an ecumenical, interdenominational Christian publication that was founded on the hope of starting thoughtful Christian conversations within the academic community at Cornell University.”
There are few things that elicit such pure joy within me as the first bite of boneless wings with Boom Boom sauce do, under the fluorescent lights of a crowded Sheetz dining room. For those unfortunate enough to have never encountered this fine dining establishment, Sheetz is the East Coast’s premier location for gourmet gas station food. What’s so special about a gas station, you might ask?
The Legacy of Adoniram Judson
CU Ministry Center Named for Brown’s 1807 Valedictorian
By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor
The Adoniram Judson Ministry Center is a strategic meeting place at Brown University.
Christian Union Libertas uses the facility for a wide range of events and functions, including fellowship, Bible courses, one-on-one mentoring, prayer, training, meals, and administrative work.
Medicine, Business, Law, and Faith
CU Nova Hosts Alumni Panel
By Kelly Parks, Staff Writer
The mission of Christian Union is to connect and develop Christian leaders to create a spiritually vibrant nation marked by Christian values permeating every corner of society. One of the main methods through which Christian Union strives to accomplish this goal is by ministering to Christian students at some of the nation's most influential universities to boldly live out their faith in whichever career path they pursue post-graduation.
God’s Not Dead at Harvard
He Is Doing His Work One Student at a Time
By JUSTIN YIM
Henri Nouwen, who authored such books as The Wounded Healer, The Way of the Heart, and The Return of the Prodigal Son, resigned from Harvard’s Divinity School in 1985 citing that God was dead at Harvard—that it was a spiritual desert.
How I Found Christian Community at a Shake Shack
“CU Martus Made a Profound Impact”
By Emily Solomon, Penn ’21
Someone recently asked me the best way to find community when arriving on campus for the first time. I thought about this question a lot before I first came to Penn as well. Would I be able to find a Christian community at an Ivy League university? Would I be able to grow in my faith, or would secular thought extinguish it?
Recent Yale Alumni - In Their Own Words
The Impact of Christian Union Lux
Editor’s Note: The following article contains first-person accounts from alumni who were actively involved in CU Lux, Christian Union’s ministry at Yale University.
How Christians Can Gain Trust in a Suspicious Culture
Learning to Engage for the Sake of Mission
Christian leaders falling from grace has become a routine headline over the past few years. Our leaders have been caught in abuse, scandals, addiction, or lavish spending of church funds, leaving a trail of wreckage in the congregations they led, but also a bad impression on a watching world. It appears that Christians, who declare love and grace and humility with their lips, are often living a life that is out of sync with their declared good news. The word for this is hypocrisy, and it’s hurting the church more than ever.
