UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA STUDENTS CONSTANTLY FACE THE TASK OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE TRUTH IS FOUND.

Our culture encourages students to draw from many different sources and, ultimately, to piece together a way of life that seems most "true" for each individual. The Study Center provides students opportunities to engage the singularly True story of the gospel and to explore how that truth affects all the other decisions they make, to their good. Our hope is that through our undergraduate ministries, students will grow in understanding and applying Scripture in all areas of their lives. This means they are being encouraged to accept the claims and promises of Jesus, to respond to the call to discipleship and to love God with their hearts and minds.

“By bringing our conversations back to the gospel—the truth of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection— we help students realize how their lives are integrated within the story of God’s redemption.”
--Jay McCabe, Director of Undergraduate Ministries 

“The Elzinga Residential Scholars Program has helped counter the tendency in my life to keep my faith separate from my work and my life at home. I am learning, slowly but surely, about how God calls us to love those in our community and to make radical sacrifices for them. Over the past two and a half years, the Study Center has been an instrument of God’s grace in my life. The staff, the programs and the study environment are all helping to shape me into the woman that God desires for me to be.”
--Shelby Sutton, U.Va.'13 Economics & Religious Studies
U.Va. Jefferson Scholar
 

MEETING THE NEED FOR FEMALE STAFF
Women face many challenges specific to their gender, whether they are thinking through sexuality and relationships, beauty and the body, vocation and calling or plans for future family. We provide intentional opportunities for women to think, pray and talk through being a Christian woman in today’s world. As one who is naturally empathetic to their experience, a female undergraduate minister is needed to help address the issues unique to college women.

This year we added Lane Cowin to our undergraduate staff as part-time Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women in order to meet these growing needs. She oversees the women’s side of the Elzinga Residential Scholars Programs in addition to caring for and mentoring undergraduate women. We hope to have funding in place to make this position full-time for the 2012-2013 academic year.

“At a time in their lives when they are coming to terms with who they want to be and how they want to live, I hope that our students look to the true and beautiful story of the gospel to inform and drive those decisions."
--Lane Cowin, Director of Undergraduate Ministries for Women

Support undergraduate ministry and the staff at the Study Center by giving to the 2011-2012 Annual Fund.  Every gift makes a difference!

View the 2011-2012 Annual Fund Brochure "Engaging Students With Truth."