Our Vision

Our Vision

To see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed, and world changers developed

Our vision is reflected in the lives of our graduates who go on to serve God's purposes in the world... 

Meg and Randy Palisoc Meg and Randy Palisoc - University of Southern California - educators
Meg and Randy have a vision for improving education in Los Angeles public schools. The school they created, Synergy Charter Academy, has received the National Blue Ribbon Award, recognizing their success in helping disadvantaged students.
Tony Gatewood Tony Gatewood - University of Iowa - campus staff member
As a worship leader for the InterVarsity chapter at the University of Iowa, Tony played a major role in making people from all cultures feel welcome. Following God's call to multiethnic ministry and racial reconciliation, Tony is now an InterVarsity Campus Staff Member at his alma mater.
Jeremy Lin Jeremy Lin - Harvard University - NBA guard
Jeremy rewrote the Harvard record book as a shooting guard and is currently setting new NBA records as a point guard for the New York Knicks. Involvement in his InterVarsity small group kept him grounded in his faith during college and helped prepare him for an anticipated future career in full-time ministry after the NBA.
Louis Markos Louis Markos - Colgate University - English professor
Professor Markos dedicated his latest book, Apologetics for the 21st Century, to the ministry of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. "InterVarsity helped equip me with a way of integrating faith and learning," he wrote. As a professor and visiting scholar at Houston Baptist University he still leads an inductive Bible study for students in his home.
Kay Coles James Kay Coles James - Hampton University - federal administrator
Attending an InterVarsity conference, Kay gave up her plans for a teaching career and let God have control. That led to a 30-year career in public service, where she ultimately became director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Now she is mentoring the next generation of African American leaders through the Gloucester Institute.
Mike McIntyre Mike McIntyre - University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill - congressman
Through InterVarsity Mike was encouraged to develop as a whole person “and to let my faith impact whatever career I was being called to." Mike followed his calling into law and public service. Since 1996 he has been putting his InterVarsity leadership training to work serving the citizens of North Carolina’s 7th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
Jean Geran Jean Geran - University of Wisconsin-Madison - international development
Jean credits her participation in an InterVarsity graduate student discussion group for helping her integrate her Christian faith with her PhD studies. During her service in the U.S. State Department and on the National Security Council she was an outspoken advocate for human rights. After serving as a senior fellow at the Legatum Institute, she founded Each Inc., focused on protecting vulnerable children globally.
Dennis Ortega

Dennis Ortega - University of California-Irvine - inner city tutor
As an InterVarsity student at UC-Irvine, Dennis learned to listen for God's direction. He pursued a double major in pre-med and engineering but upon graduation he spent the summer tutoring inner city kids. He got a vision for how tutoring and after-school programs can change a community and established the Lincoln Heights Tutorial program. Today, 25 years later, InterVarsity students from nearby campuses still volunteer at LHTP, helping hundreds of kids with studies and service projects.

Mildred Clarke Mildred Clarke - Hunter College - doctor of obstetrics and gynecology
When Dr. Clarke retired in 2001, after delivering over 5,000 babies, she volunteered to become the adviser for InterVarsity's struggling Brooklyn College chapter. The chapter flourished and soon was recognized by the Student Life office as one of the top campus chapters; Dr. Clarke was also recognized as one of the top chapter advisers. InterVarsity's New York office now bestows the Dr. Mildred Clarke Distinguished Alumni Award on area alumnni who exemplify InterVarsity's values.
Rex Walheim Rex Walheim  -  University of California-Berkeley  -  astronaut
As a student, manning the InterVarsity book table, Rex was used to dealing with challenges to his faith. After graduation, when he failed the physical for flight school, he thought his goal of becoming an astronaut had met a dead end. But he remained faithful to the career that he believed God had called him to, working as a flight test engineer. Ultimately he did get a chance to apply to the astronaut program and was accepted, orbiting the earth in space shuttle missions in 2002 and 2008.
Tom & Bree Hsieh Tom Hsieh  - Pomona College  -  technology innovator
Tom and his wife Bree were profiled in the Chronicle of Philanthropy because of their simple lifestyle, in accord with their Christian values. As an InterVarsity student at Pomona College, Tom committed himself to following Christ by serving the poor. He and Bree live modestly so that they have more to give to others, both financially and through their personal involvement with the Pomona Hope Community Center.
Alissa Moore Alissa Moore  - Skidmore College  -  fashion entrepreneur
Alissa went to Urbana 06, InterVarsity's Triennial Student Missions Conference, as an InterVarsity student. There she learned about efforts to combat human trafficking and modern slavery. She is now vice-president and co-founder of the Nomi Network, a non-profit organization which bridges the non-profit, public, and private sectors in its campaign to end human trafficking.

We thank God for the world-changing influence of our alumni. And we are grateful for the prayers and the generous financial support that makes this campus ministry possible. To learn more about the work of InterVarsity, view some of our short stories on video.