CCO Campus Ministry

The CCO welcomes entrepreneur Sylvia Wallace to CCAC

(Pittsburgh) February 6, 2012 — Founder and CEO of Dynasty Arts, Sylvia Wallace has been hired by the CCO to reach out to students at the Community College of Allegheny County’s Allegheny Campus. Dynasty Arts is a nonprofit multicultural arts organization which Sylvia founded January 15, 2010. The organization received its 501(c)3 tax exempt status on [...]

 

CCO wins 2011 Northeast Marketplace Ministry Award

On December 30, 2011, the CCO received the following notification from Drew Crandall, founder and president of Northeast Christians At Work: I am delighted to report that CCO was nominated, and subsequently selected, to receive a 2011 Northeast Marketplace Ministry Award in the “Sowing Seeds in the Region” category. Why? Because of your faithful efforts [...]

 

CCO Job Opening: Marketing Associate

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 87 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking candidates to apply for the following position: Marketing Associate This is an excellent job for someone who would like to break into the field of [...]

 

The CCO welcomes new staff member, Sam Pogorelski

(Pittsburgh) February 1, 2012—Sam Pogorelski has joined CCO staff to reach out to students at Columbus State Community College, The Dublin Center, in partnership with Shiloh Chapel. Sam recently graduated from Malone University with a degree in youth ministry and is newly married tp his wife, Kourtney. Prior to coming on board with the CCO, [...]

 

Steve Benson: “It dawned on me that I could merge my faith and my studies.”

“I went to college with a basic understanding of who Christ was and what my faith meant—that is, not a lot,” says Steve Benson. “My life and my faith were two totally separate things, and freshman year, I lived that way. I went to church on Sundays, but every other day was mine to do [...]

 

How Jubilee prepared Carrie Anderton for life after college

“I recently found the journal I used to take notes in during Jubilee conferences,” says Carrie Anderton, who attended Jubilee three of her four years of college. “It is truly amazing how things I heard and wrote down then have been applied in my life over the past seven years. I was reading back through [...]

 

Simon Huff: “Jubilee is the event of the year”

“Perhaps the most important thing I learned during my undergraduate days with the CCO is that our faith calls us to be connected to humanity and to the world, loving them and helping them turn to GOD, building up the Kingdom,” says Simon Huff. “I don’t care how strong your faith is, seeing thousands of [...]

 

Jubilee 2012: not just for college students

“When I was a college student, I talked like a college student, I thought like a college student, I reasoned like a college student, I went to Jubilee. When I became a professional, I put the ways of college behind me and started going to Jubilee Professional.” —Katie Tarara, Director of Communications, Serving Leaders (and [...]

 

On attending Jubilee as a high school student

“Jubilee is fantastic!” says Marie Leichliter. “The first year I went, I was only a junior in high school. I went almost every year thereafter. I had the opportunity to witness so many young people, like myself, loving their Lord and praising. Once I became a professional, I attended again and had an equally valuable [...]

 

High school students invited to Experience Jubilee

Jubilee 2012 is a conference designed to help college students catch a vision for how to serve God with ALL of their lives, and especially within their chosen field of study. But it’s never to early to begin thinking about these kinds of questions, which is why a special event has been created within the [...]

 

How the CCO equipped Phil Thompson to be an artist

“I decided to pursue my career as a musician because my involvement with CCO gave me the tools to explore my art in ways consonant with my faith,” says Phil Thompson, a graduate of the prestigious Oberlin College Conservatory. “I think as a composer, it really shapes the kinds of projects I’m interested in, and [...]

 

CCO named Best Christian Place to Work for tenth consecutive year

(Pittsburgh) January 3, 2012—For the tenth straight year, the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) has been recognized as a Best Christian Workplace. The award is given out annually by the Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) to recognize outstanding Christian workplaces. Each year, employees from organizations around the country participate in the anonymous BCW survey. The [...]

 

Sarah Scheeser: “I don’t know if I would have gone back to church if it wasn’t for the CCO”

“I don’t know if I would have gone back to church during or after college if it wasn’t for the CCO presence on campus,” says Sarah Scheeser. “And my relationship with God now would be different and strained without that close connection I felt while in school with the people I know He had sent [...]

 

Richard Mouw to speak at Jubilee 2012

The countdown is on: Jubilee 2012 is just two months away, and the speaker line-up continues to evolve. Among others, we are excited to welcome philosopher, scholar, author and president of Fuller Theological Seminary, Richard Mouw, to the main stage. Click here to find out who else will be presenting at Jubilee, and click here to [...]

 

Duquesne University junior Alaina Webber serves the CCO as Events Intern

(Pittsburgh) December 12, 2011—Alaina Webber has recently joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to begin a four-month internship working with the Events Team. With the Jubilee conference approaching in February, Alaina looks to contribute to the effort. “Working for the CCO—a non-profit that specifically seeks to spread the love of Jesus in all that [...]

 

Lee Scott Joins CCO as First Ever Director of Staff Services

(Pittsburgh) December 19, 2011—Lee Scott has recently been hired by the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) as the first-ever Director of Staff Services. The position has been created to enhance collaboration, advocacy, and communication for the CCO’s ministry on campus, as well as relationships between CCO leadership, support staff, campus staff and ministry partners. “This [...]

 

On helping students go home

As final exams are wrapping up at college and university campuses around the country, many students are preparing to head home for the holidays. The Faith ON Campus blog has some helpful insights about some of the challenges students and their parents may face with these homecomings: As students near the end of another term… [...]

 

How the CCO set Craig Carlson on the right path

“The CCO’s ministry was a miracle for me at Edinboro,” says Craig Carlson. “It’s like looking into a kaleidoscope of the many different directions I could have chosen to take and realizing that the CCO helped me pick the right path. That’s the major reason why Cindy and I support the CCO. We would hate [...]

 

CCO Job Opening: Director of Recruiting

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 87 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking candidates to apply for the following position: Director of Recruiting Our Director of Recruiting is responsible for recruiting exceptional candidates for Ministry, Leadership and Support [...]

 

Introducing Allisa Linfield, the new CCO Equipment Room Manager

(Pittsburgh) December 5, 2011—Allisa Linfield has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to college students as part of the Experiential Designs (XD) team. The CCO’s XD team offers students the opportunity to draw closer to each other and God through wilderness trips and other experiential opportunities. Allisa graduated from the University [...]

 

How the CCO helped Mary Bukovac own her faith

“I would like to thank Ted and Melanie for always being there, praying for me and loving me through my time in college,” says Mary Bukovac. “It continued the foundation my mom began and it made more of a difference than I probably ever let them know.” Mary first met CCO staff worker Ted Schumacher [...]

 

New CCO staff member Erin Sabol is reaching students at Clarion University

(Pittsburgh) November 30, 2011—Erin Sabol has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach the students at Clarion University of Pennsylvania as a part-time campus minister. She is partnering with Koinonia Christian Fellowship and will serve Clarion students alongside Katie Black and Doug Hull. Erin was an international worker in Buenos Aires, Argentina for [...]

 

Fil Alleva: From Jubilee to Microsoft

“Because of my experience with the CCO, I can see the difference that living an integrated life makes for people like me in the high tech world,” says Fil Alleva, General Manager for the Speech Group at Microsoft and one of the early developers of speech recognition software. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, Fil [...]

 

Cliff Holmes joins CCO staff to minister to Penn State University students

(Pittsburgh) November 21, 2011—In September 2011, Clifton Holmes accepted the position as Director of Student Ministry with Unity Church of Jesus Christ, in partnership with the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) at Penn State University. “I truly want to make a difference in the lives of others,” says Holmes. “Today’s college students are destined to be our [...]

 

Theresa Miller: “Your Gospel is so much bigger than mine”

“When I first met my husband, he had a very legalistic understanding of Christianity,” Theresa Miller says. “I kept talking to him about how dichotomized the church is—how we are concerned about our personal salvation but ignore such issues as societal justice or how faith applies to our work. I found my copy of the [...]

 

Responding to the crisis at Penn State

As the Penn State University community reels from the events that have unfolded on that campus over the past week, CCO staff members seek to help students process and respond to the crisis in State College, Pennsylvania. The sex abuse scandal that has consumed Penn State’s storied football program has been well documented. Please join [...]

 

Why Andrew Aloe chooses to serve on the CCO’s Board of Directors

The CCO is an organization that gives a “safe harbor” for college students. I choose to serve on the CCO Board of Directors because I wish my college had an organization like the CCO when I was in school. The CCO is a place where one can find peace and help with the challenges of [...]

 

Keeping the faith at the University of Findlay

CCO staff member Mike Barnhart ministers to students at the University of Findlay in Findlay, Ohio, in partnership with Gateway Church. He was recently quoted in the October 11, 2011 issue of Findlay’s newspaper, The Courier, in an article highlighting the spiritual life of UF students. Click here to read the article, entitled “Universities offer [...]

 

Why Pittsburgh Steeler Daniel Sepulveda gives to the CCO

This article first appeared in the fall 2011 issue of On Campus magazine. Daniel Sepulveda is best known as the Pittsburgh Steelers’ premier punter. One of four brothers, Daniel grew up in a strong Christian home. He went to Baylor University, where he received the Ray Guy Award given annually to the best punter in [...]

 

CCO makes a difference in the lives of Kent State football players

CCO staff members Ted Schumacher and Avery Danage devote their lives to reaching out to student athletes at Kent State University every day on campus, and every Tuesday evening through FCA/TNT in the Word. This Fellowship of Christian Athletes gathering was highlighted in a recent article published at kentwired.com. Find out how the CCO’s presence at [...]

 

CCO job opening: Marketing & Media Relations Associate

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 87 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking candidates to apply for the following position: Marketing & Media Relations Associate The Marketing & Media Relations Associate will work with members of the CCO’s [...]

 

Jubilee 2012 registration goes live at 7:30pm tonight!

The countdown is almost over! At 7:30pm EST on Thursday, October 13, 2011, the Jubilee 2012 website will launch and registration will officially open for  the conference! Jubilee 2012 will take place at the Westin Convention Center in downtown Pittsburgh during the weekend of February 17-19. Register right away to get the early bird prices, [...]

 

Derek Melleby preaches at Christ Community Church of the South Hills

CCO staff member Derek Melleby serves as Director of the College Transition Initiative, which is a collaborative effort of the CCO and the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. On Saturday, October 8, Derek presented his College Transition Seminar to high school students, their parents and youth workers at Mt. Lebanon United Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh’s South [...]

 

The CCO has been named one of Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces in 2011!

On Thursday, October 6, 2011, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published   Pittsburgh’s Top Workplaces 2011, a list of the best places to work in the Greater Pittsburgh region. The CCO has been named to the list. The evaluation for the Top Workplaces program is based upon feedback from an employee survey that Pittsburgh-area CCO staff members [...]

 

Celebrating 40 years of CCO ministry at Allegheny College

Just as the CCO turned 40 years old in 2011, so did Allegheny Christian Outreach, one of the first student-led fellowship groups advised by a CCO staff person. During Allegheny College’s homecoming weekend (September 30-October 2, 2011), more than 70 current and former students gathered to celebrate how God has worked in the lives of [...]

 

TODAY ONLY! Multiply your gift to the CCO!

Today is the day! Today only, from 12am until 11:59pm EST, every gift to the CCO will be matched by The Pittsburgh Foundation. If this is your first time giving to the CCO through the Day of Giving, or if you give more than you did last year, your gift will be matched twice:  once [...]

 

September 23 is Chris Cooke Day in the City of Pittsburgh

Chris Cooke is an associate staff member of the CCO, and he currently works as Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Urban Leadership Service Experience (PULSE), an organization committed to cultivating a community of young servant leaders to transform Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has recognized Chris’ commitment to service and the City of Pittsburgh by honoring him with [...]

 

The high calling of the trades

CCO Vice President for Strategic Partnerships Samuel Chez was invited to address the student body of the Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades at their annual convocation on September 13, 2011. Dan Hayner, who works for Williamson through CCO as a student ministries leader, gave the invocation for the ceremony. Click here to find out more [...]

 

For what may be the last time: Multiply your gift to the CCO!

On Tuesday, October 4, 2011, from 12am until 11:59pm EST, every gift to the CCO will be matched by The Pittsburgh Foundation. If this is your first time giving to the CCO through the Day of Giving, or if you give more than you did last year, your gift will be matched twice:  once by [...]

 

Two CCO Job Openings: Director of Human Resources and Marketing & Media Relations Associate

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 87 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking candidates to apply for the following two positions: Director of Human Resources This Human Resources Generalist will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Khadija Adams

Khadija Adams serves as the Volunteer Service Coordinator at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus. Click here to find out why she thinks students should participate in the Ocean City Beach Project, her advice for first-year college students, and her first job.

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Erica Young Reitz

Erica Young Reitz serves the CCO as the Calvary-PSU Connection, reaching out to students at Penn State’s University Park campus in cooperation with Calvary Baptist Church. Click here to find out why she thinks every college student should attend Jubilee at least once, what advice she’d give a first-year college student, and the best book [...]

 

CCO seeks candidates for five campus positions

INDIANA Second Presbyterian Church: Campus Minister to Butler University A large PC (USA) church located in the affluent community of Meridian Hills just north of downtown Indianapolis, Second Presbyterian Church attracts a large number of business people, so the church reflects that culture in terms of their expectations. Worship style is traditional. The church describes [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Garret White

Texas A&M University graduate Garret White reaches out to students at Youngstown State University. Click here to find out why Garret chooses to work for the CCO, what he thinks makes a successful leader and what’s on his iPod.

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Maddie du Breuil

Maddie du Breuil is the co-director of the Kirk House at Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. Click here to find out how she feels God has prepared her to do campus ministry, the craziest thing a student has ever asked her, and her favorite board game.

 

David Baily and the CCO’s legacy

“The CCO has shaped every area of my Christian walk from birth on,” says David Baily. “Working for the CCO was the most formative part of my life and faith journey—the teaching, training, and fellowship of CCO staff, and the application of that learning was a catalyst for stretching me and accelerating my growth as [...]

 

Stephanie Summers: from the CCO to the Center for Public Justice

“Because I worked for the CCO, I have an immensely better understanding of the big worldview questions that people have,” says Stephanie Summers, Chief Operating Officer of the Center for Public Justice. “When it comes to something as abstract and historically demonized or mishandled by the church as our political lives, I come from a [...]

 

CCO Job Opening: Assistant Director of Training and Leadership Development

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 90 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking candidates to interview for the following position: Assistant Director of Training and Leadership Development The Assistant Director of Training and Leadership Development manages all aspects [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Jamie Zackavitch

Jamie Zackavitch serves the CCO as Experiential Designs Administrator and as an XD Resource Associate, offering college students opportunities to draw closer to each other and God through wilderness trips and other experiential opportunities. Click here to find out her three favorite things about her job, what she believes are the biggest challenges today’s college [...]

 

How the CCO prepared Rich Noble to be a pastor and a professor

“Little did I know at the time how much I would reflect on the things I gleaned inside and outside the classroom at Geneva College—experiences, hanging out with CCO staff—that have played out in current ministry experiences and discussions,” says Rich Noble. “That’s true on the pastoral side and in the classroom. I go back [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Stephen Bauthier

Stephen Bauthier serves students at Waynesburg University as the Residence Hall Director of Thayer Hall. Click here to find out why he chooses to do ministry with the CCO, his personal heroes and the best movie he’s seen lately.

 

Serving God at the Walt Disney Company

“The Jubilee conference was one of the first times that I realized I didn’t need to be in ministry in order to do ministry,” says Kristi Kratzer. “Jubilee helped me understand that faith is an everyday, 24-hour thing, and is not just about going to church and studying the Bible. I need to live out [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Lisa Hershey

Lisa Hershey is working for the CCO at Juniata College as the managing barista at our partner, Standing Stone Coffee Company. Click here to find out her three favorite things about her job, what she would do if she wasn’t a campus minister, and what she enjoys doing in her free time.

 

How the CCO gave Pastor Pete a vision for church ministry

“The CCO taught me the importance of the local church and the necessity of plugging college students in,” says Pete Daniels, pastor of First Baptist Church in Williamstown, Massachusetts. “When I first came here, there were two students in the pews. This fall, we had upwards of 70 students worshiping with us! It’s important to [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Mitch Marcello

Mitch Marcello ministers to students at Wyotech, an automotive trade school in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, in partnership with Calvary Evangelical Free Church. Click here to find out why Mitch works for the CCO, his favorite places to hang out with students and where he would visit if money were no object.

 

How the CCO prepared Monique Carter for a nursing career

“My time as a student involved with the CCO influences what I do today because it has truly made me cherish my calling from God as a registered nurse,” says Monique Carter. “The CCO has inspired me to live my Christian faith in every area of life. I stay prayerful every day and to allow [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Jennifer Sanders

Malone University graduate Jennifer Sanders reaches out to students at Kenyon College in partnership with the McIlvaine Fund Board. Click here to find out why she chooses to do ministry with the CCO, who influenced her the most during her own college years, and her favorite board game.

 

Matthew Carroll: integrating his Christian faith in the “real world”

“The CCO helped me continue on with my faith walk and allowed me to integrate my faith into the real world and not do what most people do, keeping them in separate compartments,” says Matt Carroll. “I have to thank Mike for consistently encouraging me—forcefully at times!—to continue in my faith and see the potential [...]

 

CCO Job Openings in Training and Events

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 90 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is restructuring the Events and Training Departments. In this restructuring, the following positions are now available: Director of Events The Director of Events shares in the strategic [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Andy Gudeman

Andy Gudeman serves as the Director of Young Adult and College Ministries at Wesley United Methodist Church and reaches out to students at Penn State Harrisburg. Click here to find out why he works for the CCO, his advice for first-year college students, and how he listens to music.

 

Susan Post, the CCO and Esperanza Health Center

Susan Post’s first exposure to the CCO’s ministry came during her high school years, through the CCO staff members who worked through her home church in Erie, Pennsylvania. “At that point in time, Christianity was not a direct part of my life, even though I was active in our church,” Susan remembers. “But as I [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Mollie Little

Mollie Little ministers to students at her alma mater, Allegheny College. Click here to find out her three favorite things about her job, what she would be doing if not campus ministry, and her first job.

 

Brett Latta: “Because of the CCO, I’m always trying to find ways to apply my faith in day-to-day work settings.”

“After 15 years of working in the ‘real world,’ I realize how much of a challenge it is to get people to recognize that there is a God and that He cares about us,” says Brett Latta. “I’m constantly thinking about the things that I learned in college, and even now I’m rereading a book [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Chris Bean

Chris Bean reaches out to students at the University of Cincinnati in partnership with Southwestern Ohio Church of the Nazarene. Click here to find out his three favorite things about his job, what he believes are the biggest challenges students face today, and his favorite book.

 

Erin Ferut: “The CCO helped me become a Christian”

Even though she entered college with a lot of faith questions, Erin Ferut’s decision to attend Kent State University was largely influenced by meeting CCO staff worker Ted Schumacher when she was being recruited to Kent’s track and field team. “Being introduced to Ted during my recruiting visit had a huge impact on my choice [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Rachel Stephan-Simko

Rachel Stephan-Simko joined the CCO in 2010 to reach out to students at Eastern University and Cabrini College. Click here to find out why Rachel chooses to work for the CCO, the craziest thing that has ever happened in ministry, and her favorite board game.

 

How the CCO prepared Daniel for the Real World

“Allison and I got married at the end of college, and we started having to make difficult life decisions,” says Daniel Dlugos. “Where will we live? When do we start a family? (Right away!) How do we choose a church community? Being a part of the CCO and STAND at Cal U. gave me the [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Sam Richard

2005 Grove City College graduate Sam Richard ministers to students at his alma mater through his role as residence hall director. Click here to find out why he thinks people should consider working for the CCO, who influenced him the most when he was in college, and the best book he’s recently read.

 

How the CCO equipped Grove City College’s Vice President for Student Life and Learning

“My goal is that one day student development professionals would say Grove City College has one of the best student development programs in Christian higher education,” says Larry Hardesty. “I’d hope they would say we know our stuff, are committed to Christ, and are dedicated to helping our students to grow. And when people ask [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Katie Gent

Katie Gent works with students at Eastern University and Villanova University in cooperation with Church of the Saviour in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Click here to find out why she works for the CCO, the advice she gives first-year students, and what she does before she goes to sleep at night.

 

From Grove City to Jerusalem: the ripple effect of CCO ministry

“Our lives are ministries, and I believe the CCO reflects this very well,” says Ashley Dufty. “There are so many people within the CCO who spend almost all day every day working and caring for a particular population—college students. I believe that the three years I have been here in Jerusalem have allowed me to [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Greg Burdette

Greg Burdette joined CCO staff in 2009 to serve as Director of Graduate & Young Adult Ministry at Bellefield Presbyterian Church in Pittsburgh. Click here to find out why Greg works for the CCO, his favorite places to hang out with students, and his sports team allegiances.

 

How the CCO’s ministry set Glen on course

“If I hadn’t found the CCO’s ministry during my first week of school, I may not have found the Christian friends that I made, and without them, I may not have stuck with my faith,” says Point Park University graduate Glen Richards. “I had not been a Christian for very long when I started college, [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Emily Zeh

Emily Zeh reaches out to students through her position as director of the Potter’s House at Edinboro University in partnership with the Edinboro Ministry Council. Click here to find out Emily’s favorite places to hang out with students, what she would do if she wasn’t working in campus ministry, and her favorite movie.

 

PhilaU’s Unity Week Award goes to CCO staff member Amy Nichols

CCO staff member Amy Nichols received The Unity Week Award for Inclusion and Community at Philadelphia University during the school’s third annual Unity Week celebration. Unity Week took place during the week of March 21-31, 2011 and is a campus-wide effort that affirms the diversity represented on campus. The Inclusion and Community award is given [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Patrick Emery

Patrick Emery serves as the Assistant Director of the Pisgah Program at Geneva College. The Pisgah Program is an adventure-based ministry that seeks to serve both college students and the community through the context of experiential education. Click here to find out Patrick’s three favorite things about his job, what he thinks makes a successful [...]

 

How the CCO’s ministry shaped this librarian’s life

“I really can’t imagine life without the CCO’s involvement during that time of my life,” says Austina Jordan. “I continue to draw on the things I learned as a student and staff member. It shapes the way I talk to students, it makes me a better librarian, a better wife and a better step-mom. I [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Kristie Martel

Kristie Martel first joined the CCO in 1998 to reach out to students at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and since 2004, she has worked with students at Geneva College. Click here to find out what she thinks is the best thing about working in campus ministry, who influenced her the most when she was in [...]

 

How the CCO helped Chris Abrams figure out what he wanted to be when he grew up

“I had no thought of working in student development before my time as a student with Bonnie Jones,” says Chris Abrams. “The CCO influenced me to think differently about the world around me. CCO staff helped me see Christianity and service to God in a whole new light. I used to see Christianity from the [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Mark Steffey

Since 2008, Mark Steffey has been ministering to student athletes at the University of Pittsburgh. As a student at Ohio Wesleyan University, he was involved in the CCO’s ministry during his own college years, and after spending more than a decade ministering to youth in the Pittsburgh area, he decided to join the CCO himself. [...]

 

Rebecca Stevenson: “The Ocean City Beach Project changed me.”

“The CCO’s ministry through the Beach Project invited me to take Jesus Christ seriously,” says Rebecca Stevenson. “It is sad but true to say that I found no teaching in my home church—which I loved—or at college that called me to live differently, that demonstrated to me that following Christ meant a radical shift in [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Tanya Hershberger

Tanya Hershberger joined the CCO in 1990, and since 1991, she has been reaching out to students at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. Click here to find out why Tanya chooses to work for the CCO, why she thinks students should consider participating in summer ministry opportunities, and her first job.

 

How the CCO prepared Jack Porter to make a difference in the world

Three decades after encountering the CCO’s ministry when he was a student at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Jack Porter continues to live out a seven-day-a-week faith, in his family, his church, his workplace, and the nation at large. In 2001, Jack was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as Director of the White [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Matt Stumpf

Matt Stumpf joined the CCO in 2010 to work with students at Penn State Altoona in partnership with the Altoona Collegiate Outreach. Click here to find out how God prepared him to do campus ministry, his advice for first-year college students and what sports teams he roots for.

 

Catching up with CCO staff member Jen Burkholder

A recent transplant from California, Jennifer Burkholder joined the CCO in 2010 to reach out to students at La Roche College. Click here to find out what made her choose to work for the CCO, the most exciting thing currently happening on La Roche’s campus, and her favorite board game.

 

How did Jubilee change how you see yourself?

Jubilee 2011 is now in the history books, a weekend that promised, audaciously, that “it could change everything.” For some students, it already has. Here is one from-the-gut reflection from a college student about how the Jubilee conference was a catalyst for change: How did Jubilee change how you see yourself? I always thought that [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Kris Herman

Kris Herman has been on CCO campus staff at Kent State University since 1999. He enjoys many aspects of serving Kent State students, and his number one desire is to see students enter into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. Click here to find out how Kris was called into campus ministry, why he thinks [...]

 

Amanda Edris: “Jubilee forced me to think about how I was going to use my calling as worship unto the Lord.”

“Jubilee forced me to think about how I was going to use my calling, my profession, as worship unto the Lord,” says Amanda Edris. “The CCO was where I learned that church is all the time, that our lives should be a constant worship service. My faith influences most every decision I make or how [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Emily Jensen

Emily Jensen joined the CCO in 2009 to serve as a residence hall director for Waynesburg University. Click here to find out what Emily thinks is the best thing about working in campus ministry, why every college student should attend the Jubilee conference at least once, and her favorite book.

 

How the Jubilee conference inspired D’Juan Hopewell

“The Jubilee conference helped me gain a much clearer perspective of how we, as followers of Jesus, are to make the Kingdom of God relevant in our world,” says D’Juan Hopewell. “I was challenged to make that Kingdom Jesus taught about a reality in the 21st century.” Click here to read D’Juan’s story.

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Miles Adams

Miles reaches out to students at the College of Staten Island in New York City through his role as Assistant Pastor of Crossroads Church, a church plant that he helped start in 2002. Click here to find out how Miles was called into campus ministry, his advice for first-year college students, and his person hero.

 

The long-term effect of Jubilee on Cindy Carlson

“I was not going to go my freshmen year because of the cost,” says Cindy Carslon. “[My CCO staff worker] Ginger quietly contacted my mother and slipped an envelope under my door with the money. This still brings tears to my eyes. I had never been to Pittsburgh. The music, the worship, the study sessions, [...]

 

A Q&A with CCO staff member Rachel Engels

Rachel Engels joined the CCO to serve students at Westminster College as a resident director. Click here to find out why Rachel chose to do ministry with the CCO, her favorite places to hang out with students, and what music would be on her iPod, if she had one.

 

How the Jubilee conference taught Samantha Ressler how to serve

“Jubilee provided me with a sense of awareness of how to give and serve,” says Samantha Ressler. “The desire to serve and have an impact has always been there, but I’ve never known where I fit in order to do so—where my gifts and passions could have an effect on the needs of the world. [...]

 

Getting to know CCO Staff Member Carol Mitchell

Growing up in Altoona, PA, Carol Mitchell probably never imagined she would graduate from Penn State Altoona and, soon after, join the CCO to reach students at her alma mater. Click here to find out why Carol chose to do ministry with the CCO, her favorite book to read with students, and her favorite quote.

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Michael Barnhart

Since 2008, Michael Barnhart has been reaching out to students at the University of Findlay in Ohio, in partnership with Gateway Church. Find out what Michael thinks is the best thing about doing campus ministry, what his first job was, and which sports teams he cheers for.

 

How the Ocean City Beach Project prepared Andy Polack for the rest of his life

“There is a simple phrase that we learned at OCBP which will always stick with me,” says Andy Polack. “‘To know is to have responsibility to, is to care for.’ As Christians, if we know of people in need, we have a responsibility to them, and we must find ways to care for them. This [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Katie Black

Katie Black works with students at Clarion University of Pennsylvania, where she co-leads a group called Koinonia Christian Fellowship. Find out why Katie works for the CCO, why she thinks students should participate in the Ocean City Beach Project and her favorite board game.

 

2011 marks CCO’s ninth year as Best Christian Workplace

(Pittsburgh) January 4, 2011—The Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) brought in the New Year by announcing for the ninth consecutive year that the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) is one of the 2011 Best Christian Workplaces in the US. Every year organizations around the country participate in the anonymous BCW survey. The survey measures employee [...]

 

How the CCO prepared Sarah Dence to be a leader

“A lot of what’s happening in my life today is a result of what I learned through the CCO,” says Sarah Dence. “I would still be involved in the church, but I wouldn’t be spiritually equipped to be in leadership. I am an elder and I lead the mission committee at my church, which is [...]

 

Why Curt and Phyllis Thompson give to the CCO

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. Curt Thompson is a psychiatrist in private practice who recently authored Anatomy of the Soul: Surprising Connections between Neuroscience and Spiritual Practices that Can Transform Your Life (Tyndale, 2010). Phyllis Thompson is a social worker with Arlington County Public Schools in Virginia, [...]

 

How Jubilee changed Michael Meulstee’s life

“I first attended Jubilee in 2007, and that was the year that really changed my life,” says Michael Meulstee. “I had been a Christian for years, but I had not had an active relationship with Christ. Going to Jubilee was most definitely the single act that brought me back to Christ and will always remind [...]

 

Jonny Cagwin: Arm of the local church

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. “Less than a third of the students that I know attend church,” says Jonny Cagwin. “I encourage all the students that I work with to connect with a church. Even if  Ascension is not the best fit for them, I help them [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Andy Harlan

Andy Harlan joined the CCO in 2009 to serve students at Gannon University in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Erie, Pennsylvania. Andy is the co-director of the Kirk House, a student discipleship house. Click here to find out why he thinks people should consider working for the CCO, where he enjoys [...]

 

The CCO and Cross-Cultural Ministry

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. The minority college student population in the United States has grown by 50%, an increase of five million, over the last decade. Over 250,000 students just from India, China and South Korea attend American universities. Urban missiologists have been telling us for [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Rebecca Verley

Rebecca Verley joined the CCO to reach out to students at California University of Pennsylvania as the Coordinator for Discipleship Programs in partnership with the United Christian Campus Ministry. Click here to find out what Rebecca thinks is the most exciting thing happening at Cal U right now, her advice to first-year students and what [...]

 

How the CCO convinced Jessika White the church is important

“Being involved in a church body is a really big deal to me, and I don’t know if I would have come to that conclusion without the CCO’s influence,” says Jessika White. “I feel like I spend my money and time more faithfully because of my experience with the CCO. I am really passionate about [...]

 

Reaching the World from two U.S. towns (Part 2)

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. Ken and Rosie Wagoner have been reaching out to Chinese scholars for 22 years. Bill and Barb Saxton have been reaching internationals at Penn State for 28 years. Walt and Sue Johnston join Bill and Barb Saxton in working with international students [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Scott Evans

Scott Evans partners with Shippensburg Presbyterian Church to minister out to students at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania. Click here to find out what made Scott choose to work for the CCO, who influenced him the most when he was in college, and the best book he’s recently read.

 

How the CCO inspired Dr. Todd Wahrenberger to serve the poor

Todd Wahrenberger serves as the Medical Director for the North Side Christian Health Center, which he founded in 1995 with two fellow physicians and college friends, Mark Guy and Dan Holt. While a student at Gannon, Todd knew he wanted to help people; he knew he wanted to be a doctor. CCO staff members helped [...]

 

Reaching the World from two U.S. towns

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. “For the most part, this is the first time these Chinese scholars have ever read the Bible,” says Ken Wagoner. “Although China is changing rapidly, these scholars have grown up in a world where to believe anything religious is considered superstitious and [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Jamie Donne

Jamie Donne ministers to students at Washington and Jefferson College in partnership with Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, Pennsylvania. Click here to find out why she works for the CCO, what advice she would give to first-year students, and what music she’s listening to lately.

 

Becca Fong and The Church of the Holy Donut

“I think the CCO model for ministry is beautiful,” says Becca Fong. “It’s great to have Christian mentors on campus to reach out to college students and connect them to each other. And it’s wonderful to have a tie-in to a local church body, where students can interact with different generations of people. God used [...]

 

Changing the world

This article first appeared in the fall 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. Did you know that 25% of all of the world’s future leaders are studying in the United States right now? That statistic is courtesy of the U.S. State Department, and it’s been circulating for several years now. It still boggles my mind. [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Greg Sovereign

For several years, Greg and his wife, Ashley, were involved in sending high school and college teams on short-term mission trips. After working with several college teams, they decided to pursue campus ministry in order to work with students full-time. They joined the CCO in 2007 and began serving students at Arcadia University in Glenside, [...]

 

How the CCO gave Audrey Warfel a big-picture faith

“My time as part of the CCO ministry was a very clear and defining stepping stone in my life as Christian,” says Audrey Warfel. “I had heard about God and his desire to have a relationship with us, and the need to tell others about the good news, but until college, I had never stood [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Kathy Kinzer

Kathy Kinzer ministers to students at Duquesne University, and she has been on CCO staff since 2006. Click here to find out why Kathy works for the CCO, what Scripture verse best encapsulates her life right now, and what’s on her iPod. Click here to read how the CCO’s ministry transformed Kathy’s life when she [...]

 

Doug Forsberg: “Without the CCO, I’d be a less effective pastor.”

“I’ve told a number of people that the foundations of how I do ministry as a pastor were built during my time with the CCO,” Doug says. “Without that, I’d be a much less effective pastor. The CCO gave me a theological foundation and taught me how to read the scriptures. I learned straight off [...]

 

Job Opening with the CCO: Partnership Coordinator for Western PA

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach), a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 90 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking an individual who would like the opportunity to be an instrumental part of creating thriving partnerships in Western Pennsylvania. To qualify for this position, you [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Chris Ansell

Chris Ansell ministers to students at the University of Pittsburgh in partnership with Bellefield Presbyterian Church. click here to find out what made Chris decide to do ministry with the CCO, who influenced him the most when he was a college student, and his sports team allegiances.

 

Tim and Kathy Rankin: How the CCO has been informing their lives for more than three decades

“Because of learning through the CCO that my whole life belongs to God, and that he wants everything to be touched by his hand, I’ve tried to make choices that reflect those beliefs,” says Kathy. — “If I had not had the benefit of wise CCO staff and the educational opportunities presented through Jubilee, I [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Tara Atchison

Tara Atchison reaches out to students at Temple University in partnership with liberty church east in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Click here to find out why Tara chooses to work for the CCO, what advice she’d give a first-year college student, and what kind of music she enjoys listening to.

 

How the CCO’s outdoor ministry changed Jim Paul’s life

“God used different ministries of the CCO to guide me into not just my current profession, but pointed me in a direction that I plan on continuing for the rest of my life,” says Jim Paul, Director of Adventure Education at the Ligonier Camp and Conference Center in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. The CCO, he believes, is [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Megan McKinley

Megan McKinley has been ministering to students at Chatham University in partnership with Shadyside Presbyterian Church since 2005. Click here to find out why Megan thinks people should consider working for the CCO, who had the most influence on her during her own college years at the University of Pittsburgh, and where she worked for [...]

 

Katy Verdesoto: How the CCO taught her to love her neighbor

“If it weren’t for the CCO ministry, I would not have chosen the career path I chose, nor would I have the values I currently hold,” says Katy Verdesoto, a community outreach nurse. “Each decision I make, from the day-to-day to major life events, is governed by my faith. Because of my faith, I have [...]

 

How the CCO shaped Founder of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding Walt Mueller’s Life

“So much of what I experienced with the CCO—as a student, through staff training and so on—is still unfolding for me today,” says Walt Mueller, Founder and President of the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding. “It is fluid and alive, and I draw from it all the time—what we heard and read, people we knew and [...]

 

How the CCO changed a future pastor’s life

“The whole Christian experience at Westminster College really changed my life,” says Kay Balderose. “I moved from the hedonistic, pleasure-seeking, wild and crazy college lifestyle to realizing that because of Jesus, I was a worthwhile person and I had value. Students who knew me as a senior didn’t believe the stories of what I was [...]

 

Your gift to the CCO will be multiplied for one day only!

On Wednesday, October 13th, from 12am until 11:59pm, your gift will be matched by The Pittsburgh Foundation. During this 24-hour period, all gifts made to the CCO will be matched from a pot of $500,000. All gifts will benefit the CCO’s Annual Fund, as it will not be possible to designate your contribution otherwise. If [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Reed Verdesoto

Reed Verdesoto was involved in the CCO’s ministry during his years as a student at the University of Pittsburgh, and today, he reaches out to students at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. Click here to read about Reed’s three favorite things about his job, what he thinks he’s be doing if he wasn’t in campus [...]

 

Lauren Fabich: Living out her faith in every area of life

“My involvement in the CCO’s ministry gave me a good grasp on how to share my faith with people,” says Waynesburg University graduate Lauren Fabich. “I draw on what I learned through the ministry every time I get to spend time with the youth from church, and I live it out through being a parent, [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Lindsay Reedy

Lindsay Reedy reaches out to students at Juniata College in partnership with Standing Stone Coffee Company. Click here to find out why she works for the CCO, why she thinks students should consider participating in the CCO-sponsored Ocean City Beach Project, and her favorite board game.

 

Ken MacLeod: “The CCO taught me how to live with purpose”

“I remember a friend at Messiah saying, ‘Let’s face it, we’re all just in college to increase our market value,’” Ken MacLeod remembers. “I didn’t like that assessment, but I didn’t have an intelligent response. Being involved with the CCO’s ministry as a student, and later as a staff member, helped me to articulate a [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Jim Hagan

Jim Hagan reaches out to students in northwest Washington, DC, particularly at Georgetown and American Universities. Click here to find out why Jim chooses to work for the CCO, who had the most influence on him during his own college years, and the best book he’s read lately.

 

Job Opening: Administrative Assistant to the Executive Vice President

Applications are now being accepted for the position of Administrative Assistant to the Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer. Click here  for details of the position requirements and a complete job description. Qualified applicants should send their resumes to Rosie Wagoner at rdwagoner (at) ccojubilee.org or Rosie Wagoner, c/o CCO, 5912 Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

 

Dorcas Bethel: CCO’s ministry was “like getting a second degree”

“Being a part of [CCO-sponsored] Allegheny Christian Outreach was like getting a second degree for me. It is also the ‘degree’ that I now use most often. I was challenged to think critically from a Christian perspective through all four years.” Allegheny College graduate Dorcas Bethel currently serves as a Social Work Supervisor in the [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Stephanie Wessel

Stephanie Wessel joined the CCO in 2000 to minister to students at Penn State University. She serves as the advisor of Crux Adventures, through which she spends a lot of time in the wilderness with college students. Click here to read about Steph’s top three favorite things about her job, why she thinks students should [...]

 

The CCO is in the Baily family’s blood

Chuck and Shirley Baily became the first CCO staff people to work as residence hall directors, working with students at Waynesburg College (now University). David, the oldest of Chuck and Shirley’s three children, spent his first two years of life living in the residence hall. And when David grew up, he and his wife, Jen, [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Jeff Leon

Jeff Leon reaches out to students at Malone University, in Canton, Ohio. He works out of the Campus Ministry Office, focusing his outreach on athletes. Click here to find out why he works for the CCO, why he thinks students should consider participating in the CCO-sponsored Ocean City Beach Project, and which sports teams he [...]

 

CCO staff spotlight: Amanda Ansorge

Amanda Ansorge is working as Co-Coordinator of Titan Traverse at Westminster College. Titan Traverse is an experiential, outdoor leadership program intended to further student development by engaging the wilderness. Click here to find out Amanda’s three favorite things about your job, why she thinks students should participate in the CCO-sponsored Leadership & Discipleship in the [...]

 

From college to high school: the ripple effect of the CCO’s ministry

“Becoming involved in the ministry at Westminster College with FCA was my turning point during my college years. It is part of my testimony of how God and my faith has changed the person I am today,” says Nick White. “Today, as a teacher in a public school, sharing my faith is centered around being [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Jessica Holland

Jessica Holland joined CCO staff in 2006 to minister to students at Ohio Wesleyan University. She currently reaches out to students at Malone University in Canton, Ohio. Click here to find out why Jessica works for the CCO, what advice she’d give a first-year college student, and what’s on her iPod.

 

The CCO’s lasting influence on the Sespico family

“If the CCO had not been present on the University of Pittsburgh campus, I may have found another group of believers and been able to grow and mature in my faith, but I’m convinced I may never have seen the breadth of God’s Kingdom in ways the CCO made possible,” says Stacie Sespico. “Without the [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Justin McGeary

Justin McGeary reaches out to students at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. He works in partnership with Chesterton House to gather students together to engage in conversations  about life and faith, and to have fun. Click here to find out what made Justin choose to do ministry with the CCO, who influenced him the [...]

 

Two Job Openings with the CCO: Partnership Coordinator for Western & Central PA

The Coalition for Christian Outreach, a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 90 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking individuals who would like the opportunity to be an instrumental part of creating thriving partnerships in the Western Pennsylvania or Central Pennsylvania regions. To qualify for [...]

 

What the CCO taught Jefferson Ellis about being a pastor

“I learned what it meant to integrate my faith into all areas of my life—classes, work, friendships,” says Jefferson Ellis. “The CCO re-focused and centered me. I remember taking on too many extracurricular activities, and I had all these assignments to do, and Drew and Keith would help me prioritize; they asked me what God [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Heather Strong

Messiah College graduate Heather Strong reaches out to students at Slippery Rock University this fall, in partnership with Grace Anglican Church. Heather enjoys serving as an arm of a local church congregation in outreach to college students, and she is especially excited about inviting students to the Jubilee conference. Click here to find out why [...]

 

Rachel Maize’s real faith

“[CCO staff member] Willemina introduced me to a faith that is real,” Rachel Maize says. “She helped me question different worldviews and begin to articulate my own. While in college, I learned about God’s forgiveness, the difference between being a ‘basically good person’ and being a completely sinful person. Whereas the former is without hope, [...]

 

CCO staff spotlight: Elliott Simko

Elliott Simko ministers to students at his alma mater, Eastern University, and Cabrini College in partnership with Manoa Presbyterian in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Click here to find out why Elliott works for the CCO, what he believes makes a successful leader, and what he does before he goes to sleep at night.

 

How the CCO’s ministry changed Alisa Kuppe’s life

“My life today is a direct reflection of the work that the CCO ministry had on me as a college student,” says Alisa Kuppe. “My decision to commit all of my life completely to God was never accomplished until I interacted with the staff of CCO. My work with middle and high school students in [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Becky Snow

Becky Snow ministers to students at Waynesburg University in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg. Becky earned a Bachelor’s degree in engineering from Messiah College in 1998 and a Master’s in Christian formation and ministry from Wheaton College in 2006. Click here to find out why Becky thinks people should consider working for the [...]

 

Jeff Dugan: Taking his faith into his neighborhood

“The CCO has helped strengthen my faith to the point where I want to follow Jesus with everything I have,” says Jeff Dugan. “This is why I work at a church, work at a school, and coach all in the same neighborhood. All my resources go towards serving the youth and families in my neighborhood.” [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Dave Bindewald

Dave Bindewald first came to understand the fullness of the Gospel and the delight of a solid biblical worldview while he was an undergraduate student at Geneva College. Dave began serving students full time at Carnegie Mellon University in 2007, although he and his wife, Erin, have been with the CCO since 2001. Erin worked [...]

 

Mourning CCO alumnus, Rod Kirby

It is with great sadness that we share with you the news that our friend and former colleague, Rod Kirby [1998-2001], died on July 10. Rod came on staff with the CCO in 1998 to minister to athletes at the University of Pittsburgh. His memorial service will take place this coming Thursday in Monroeville, PA, [...]

 

How Sarah Grace Bennetch was shaped by the Jubilee conference

“Jubilee had a tremendous impact on my college years, and even now,” says Sarah Grace Bennetch. “The conference gave me new eyes, inspiration and hope and direction. It put into words why caring for the poor and those who suffer is central to our lifestyle as Christ-followers. It helped me to ask intelligent and Christ-centered [...]

 

Two Job Openings with the CCO: Partnership Coordinator for Western & Central PA

The Coalition for Christian Outreach, a ministry to college students based in Pittsburgh, PA and working on 90 campuses located in seven states throughout the mid-Atlantic region, is seeking individuals who would like the opportunity to be an instrumental part of creating thriving partnerships in the Western Pennsylvania or Central Pennsylvania regions. To qualify for [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Sandie Starr Everhart

Sandie Starr Everhart reaches out to students at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. Sandie has been ministering to college students with the CCO since graduating from Allegheny College in 1987, and before Edinboro, she has worked with students at Hiram College, Ohio Wesleyan University, Western Washington University, Carnegie Mellon University, and her alma mater, Allegheny College. [...]

 

The Surra family, or “How the CCO influenced two generations of students”

“I can appreciate the ministry of CCO more today than when I was in college,” says Dane Surra. “Today, I am the father of two college-aged kids. Nickolas attended Duquesne University and was actively involved in the leadership of Crossroads Christian Fellowship, the CCO ministry there. He is now a first-year student at the Temple [...]

 

Changing direction: Carolyn Clarke

“I came to college with a desire to get the education that I needed to be a medical doctor or a lawyer,” says Carolyn Clarke. “I was going to earn lots of money so that I could take care of myself and not be dependent on anyone. It was about what I could get out [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Gene Tibbs

Gene Tibbs primarily serves black students from around the world who come to study at the University of Pittsburgh. The mission at the center of his work is “Transforming black students and those of all ethnicities to transform the world for black people and all people.” Click here to find out Gene’s favorite things about [...]

 

How the CCO prepared Matt and Betsy Belgie for marriage, parenthood and life in the “real world”

Matt Belgie is grateful that he and his wife, Betsy, were both immersed in the CCO’s ministry during their dating years and for the foundation that it laid for the lives they are leading now. “We are continuously evaluating how we’re integrating our faith into all areas of our lives. It was just ingrained in [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Lizz Heimann

Lizz Heimann ministers to students at Robert Morris University in partnership with the Charis247 Faith Community of Coraopolis, Pennsylvania. Lizz was introduced to the CCO as a student at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Through the fellowship, Bible studies and service opportunities, Lizz grew deeply in her faith. Click here to find out why she [...]

 

How the CCO helped Traci Warner find her calling

“When I was in college and even when I moved away from home, I had no desire to be involved in campus ministry,” says Traci Warner. “But it’s funny how God works. I am now the administrator for an organization on the Vanderbilt University campus called Medical Campus Outreach (MCO). We are a ministry for [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Rachel Foose

Rachel Foose is a 2005 graduate of Colorado Christian College, where she majored in psychology and minored in youth ministry. Rachel reaches out to college students at Penn State Altoona  through her position as a barista at the nearby Commonplace Coffeeshop. Click here to find out Rachel’s three favorite things about her job, her personal [...]

 

How the CCO prepared David Gonz?lez for life after college

“I was a commuter student at Gannon University,” says David González. “My involvement in the CCO’s ministry helped me to be connected to the college life and also other Christians of my age. It would have been difficult to be a good witness of Jesus without the support and example of fellow CCO students and [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Bob Robinson

Bob Robinson serves students at Hiram College, Kent State University and Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Pharmacy in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Portage County. Click here to find out why he chooses to work for the CCO, who influenced him the most when he was a college student, and the best [...]

 

What Ele Anthony learned from the Jubilee conference

“Jubilee was extremely helpful in shaping my vision of what God’s mission might be for my life,” says Ele Anthony. “I am never quite sure what God wants me to be doing, but I know that no matter where I am, I can be doing His work. At Jubilee, I heard from a lot of [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Brian Sheeler

Brian Sheeler is the campus worker and advisor of the Christ In Action Student Club on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. He also serves as Director of Youth Ministries at First United Methodist Church. Click here to read about Brian’s favorite things about his job, where he enjoys hanging out with [...]

 

Pete Ware crowned Mr. Unity at Cal U

Pete Ware, CCO staff member at California University of Pennsylvania, was crowned Mr. Unity at the Black Student Union’s annual formal dinner dance. The title of Mr. Unity is given to an outstanding male figure who consistently supports and promotes unity across Cal U’s campus and is an active participant of the Black Student Union [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Bobbi Perkins

Bobbi Perkins graduated in 2003 from Appalachian State University in North Carolina with a degree in geography. She now works with University of Pittsburgh students through Bellefield Presbyterian Church with Cornerstone, an interdenominational ministry. Click here to find out why Bobbi thinks others should consider working for the CCO, where she enjoys hanging out with [...]

 

According to Penn State New Ken students, Dave McGeary’s the best

Dave McGeary, CCO staff member at Penn State New Kensington, received the Outstanding Student Organization Advisor of the Year Award. Dave established the student organization GIG (Group Investigating God) when he joined the CCO and has since been the advisor. Dave was nominated and selected for the award by student votes. Students clearly appreciate the [...]

 

CCO staff members contribute to OWU’s Presidential Award in community service

CCO partner, Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) is one of three schools in the country being honored with a Presidential Award for Excellence in General Community Service. This is the highest federal recognition a college and university can receive for its commitment to service-learning and fostering civic engagement. The Office of Community Service Learning, which initiates [...]

 

Jubilee 2010: putting faith into action

This article first appeared in the spring 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. “Thanks so much for a Christ-centered program focusing on how the Gospel of Jesus Christ compels us to be culture-makers and changers.” During the weekend of February 19-21, college students gathered at Pittsburgh’s Westin Convention Center to catch a vision for how [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Pete Ware

Since 2008, CCO staff member Pete Ware has been reaching out to students at California University of Pennsylvania in partnership with the United Christian Campus Ministry Council. Pete first joined CCO staff in 2006 to minister to students at Eastern University, Villanova University and Valley Forge Military College. Click here to find out why Pete [...]

 

How the CCO’s ministry transformed Scott Kuppe’s life

“The CCO’s ministry helped me to learn to connect my faith with all parts of my life,” says Scott Kuppe. “My involvement with members of CCO’s ministry helped me to go from being a binge-drinking, sexually-immoral, miserable person to being someone who will never again turn his back on God. Michael Baird led me away [...]

 

Influencing the Influencers @ Duquesne University

This article first appeared in the spring 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. Jay Spinks, a wide receiver on Duquesne University’s football team, had been attending a Tuesday night Bible study led by CCO staff worker Herb Kolbe. This semester, with Herb’s guidance and encouragement, he took the initiative to start a Bible study on [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Ericka Hachmeister

Ericka Hachmeister graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University in 2008 with a degree in religion, and she reaches out to Elmira College students in partnership with North Presbyterian Church. Click here to find out about the most exciting thing happening at Elmira college, what advice Ericka would give a first-year college student, and what Ericka does [...]

 

Why Cathi Mitchell didn’t drop out of college

“If the CCO had not been at Edinboro, I am confident that I would have quit school my freshman year,” says Cathi Mitchell. “I would have never made it through college without the support of CCO staff and my Celebration friends. They helped me to find value in being myself, loved me, and helped me [...]

 

Influencing the Influencers @ University of Pittsburgh

This article first appeared in the spring 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. “Kelly has helped me develop into a leader,” says Kristen McMullan, a junior swimmer. “She teaches and encourages me to talk to my teammates about FCA and my faith, to lead by example, and to step out of my comfort zone. With [...]

 

Terrence Murphy joins the CCO’s Board of Directors

The CCO is an organization that, by bringing Christian faith to colleges and college students, provides a much needed spiritual grounding to the educational and maturation process of college. I chose to be a Board member because the opportunity to participate in and support the incorporation of Christian faith, principles and ethics into the formative [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Dan Terracciano

Dan Terracciano is reaching out to students at Brookdale Community College through his partnership with Lincroft Bible Church. Click here to find out what Dan thinks is the hardest thing about doing campus ministry, his favorite movie to watch with students, and what’s on his iPod.

 

How free hot dogs convinced Tom to return to God

“Four years of doubting and turning against God was all changed in two hours.” Tom*, a student at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, grew up as a missionary kid, but when his grandmother died tragically in a car accident four years ago, he turned on God completely. One recent Thursday night, Tom drove to a local [...]

 

How the CCO prepared Darcy Ginader for parenthood

“Without the influence of the CCO, I don’t think I would be the kind of leader that I am now,” says Darcy Ginader. “I think I would be comfortable with not asking questions about my faith or be willing to challenge others or ask them about their faith. The CCO had a huge impact on [...]

 

Honoring Bob Long

This article first appeared in the spring 2010 issue of On Campus magazine. The CCO develops leaders. For 39 years, this ministry to college students has successfully equipped young people by deepening their faith, developing their character and illuminating within them a Christian worldview. Thousands of students have been touched by this ministry, and they [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Linda Ference

Linda Ference reaches out to college students in cooperation with Graystone Presbyterian Church, located near the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She also leads a Discipleship and Leadership Experience (DLX) with students, which focuses on living out the Good News of Christ. Click here to find out how Linda has improved her ministry to [...]

 

Roger Johnson’s journey into leadership

“If it weren’t for the CCO’s ministry, I don’t think I would have been willing to take risks in leadership, or read books that challenged what I was learning in the classroom, or participate in so many experiences outside the classroom,” says Roger Johnson. “The real difference came from having someone sincerely take an interest [...]

 

Why Bill and Linda Roemer give to the CCO

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. Bill and Linda Roemer are enthusiastic supporters and friends of the CCO. Bill has actively served on the Board of Directors for 18 years. He is also on the Executive and Investment Committees. With Bill’s enormous business experience as a retired CEO [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Joshua Hayes

Joshua Hayes serves as campus staff with the CCO, working with students and athletes through the ministry of Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Slippery Rock University. He also serves as Campus Ministry Director and Church Resource Assistant for Harmony United Presbyterian Church in Harrisville, Pennsylvania. Click here to find out what Joshua thinks makes a [...]

 

How the CCO’s ministry changed Betty Mae Tatman’s life

“If you spend enough time with kids, you eventually meet with their parents. If you invest in youth, you connect with the entire family. That’s why youth ministry works really well as an outreach strategy for the church.” Betty Mae Tatman is a pediatric nurse practitioner, but she talks like a youth minister. Both of [...]

 

The Ministry of Coffee

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. “As my wife and I worked in coffeehouses through our time at the university and also through seminary, we became keenly aware that we were intersecting people’s lives in a more authentic way across a coffee bar then we were across a [...]

 

Why Celia King would sell used cars if she didn’t work for the CCO

Since 2001, Celia King has been a full-time CCO staff worker at Malone University involved in service-learning trips, discipleship groups, teaching classes, and working with athletes. She serves as a member of both the Campus Ministry Office and as adjunct faculty in Communication Arts and History and Social Sciences. Click here to find out why [...]

 

Why Joe Diggins is committed to the CCO’s ministry

“College is a real crossroads,” says Joe Diggins. “You make a lot of life-changing decisions when you get that new-found freedom, and the same thing happens when you join the work force. You can decide to become a different person when you enter those new places. Thankfully, when I graduated from college, I was mature [...]

 

How the CCO’s ministry works at Slippery Rock University

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. How it works The CCO partners with two church congregations to bring Joshua Hayes and Julie Manfred to Slippery Rock University. Josh serves Harmony United Presbyterian Church as Church Resource Assistant and Youth Director, and he also serves as chaplain to the [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Matt Reffie

A 2005 graduate of Kutztown University, Matt Reffie has returned to his alma mater to continue our ministry there. Click here to find out who influenced him the most when he was in college, what he believes are the biggest challenges today’s college students face, and his favorite on-campus food item.

 

Anne Melnyk: Living her faith through her art

“The other ministries on campus didn’t really focus on why we were in school and what it meant to be a Christian student,” Anne Melnyk says. “The CCO focused on what we were studying and encouraged us to apply our faith in the midst of our vocations. I’ll never forget the art and graphic design [...]

 

Finding the missing link at the Rock

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. “I was nervous to go to FCA at first because of my lack of knowledge,” says Caitlin Hubbard, a 2007 graduate of Slippery Rock University. “I was afraid people there would put me on the spot, or laugh at me for asking [...]

 

Why Peter Chace is grateful for the Jubilee conference

“It wasn’t until my last year that I finally understood the idea of jubilee as it comes from God,” says Peter Chace. “The redemption of all of life and the reconciliation of all things to Himself is something that never clicked for me until I was a senior. That was a very freeing realization to [...]

 

Been There

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. “I know what it’s like to be a student athlete and to have your whole identity wrapped up in that world. I know what it’s like when that’s all taken away.” Julie Manfred was a member of Slippery Rock University’s soccer team [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Alaina Cronkright

Alaina Cronkright serves as an Academic Support Adviser for Eastern University. For three years (2006-2009), she provided service-learning and leadership development opportunities as well as overseas cross-cultural trips for students who were in a program called Eastern in the City. As of June 30, 2009, this program has closed, but many of the students are [...]

 

How the Ocean City Beach Project changed Renee Boring’s life

“What was so powerful about OCBP for me is that it was the first time I understood that being a Christian impacted every single aspect of my life—how I saw the world and how the world worked,” says Renee (Holtman) Boring. “Beforehand, mine was a very individualistic faith. At the Beach Project and at Jubilee, [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Denny Trimmer

Reaching out to students at Kent State’s Tuscarawas campus brings Denny much joy. He can be found any given day hanging out in the student union at his “office” (a table in the cafeteria), leading a Bible study, tossing a football with students, or helping teach the univeristy’s golf class. Click here to find out [...]

 

Kevin Tatman’s day-in, day-out Christian lifestyle

“CCO leaders pushed us to really think about what it means to be a Christian in a day-in and day-out way,” Kevin Tatman remembers. “Growing up, it had always been about the church for me, but no one really talked about what to do after you walk out the church doors on Sunday morning. The [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Becky Case

Becky Case serves Geneva College through the unique medium of experiential education. From backpacking trips to ropes courses, from Bible studies to rock climbing adventures, from the classroom to personal time with students, Becky’s desire is for students to come to know Jesus Christ in deep, personal, and relevant ways. Click here to find out [...]

 

Kate DeVan on life after college

“Through the EXIT program, I was prepared to live out my faith in conjunction with my job,” says Kate DeVan. “Having a program like EXIT made me aware of the issues I’d face after graduation and provided me with the resources of several other students preparing to graduate, as well as a team of adults, [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Avery Danage

Avery Danage grew up in Ohio, attended college there, married his wife and raised his children there. It’s only fitting that he joined the CCO and inevitably found himself serving students at Kent State University. Click here to find out why Avery works for the CCO, what he thinks makes a successful leader, and what [...]

 

Been There

This article first appeared in the fall 2008 issue of On Campus magazine. “I know what it’s like to be a student athlete and to have your whole identity wrapped up in that world. I know what it’s like when that’s all taken away.” Julie Manfred was a member of Slippery Rock University’s soccer team [...]

 

Join us for Jubilee 2010!

Jubilee 2010 kicks off Friday night, February 19! In case you’d like to drop in for some or all of the conference, we have posted a few details here. The Friday night plenary begins at 8pm in the Westin Convention Center Ballroom, downtown Pittsburgh, and will feature brief presentations from Don Opitz, Leroy Barber, Byron [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staff member Cheylan Fosmer

Cheylan Fosmer graduated from Thiel College in 2007 with a degree in business administration, and she attended her first Jubilee conference during her sophomore year. Cheylan now reaches out to students at Gannon University in partnership with First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. Click here to find out why Cheylan chooses to work for the [...]

 

Julie Gilpin’s Jubilee vision

“The Jubilee conference convinced me that I could serve God in everything I do, wherever that may be,” says Julie Gilpin. “I can’t tell you how many times I think back to what I heard at Jubilee as an affirmation that staying at home with my kids during this season of life is a legitimate [...]

 

Why do Randy and Lynda Hultman give to the CCO?

This article first appeared in the spring 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. I know of few former students of the CCO’s ministry who give the CCO such enthusiastic and generous praise for preparing them to approach work, marriage, parenting, and life in general to God’s glory as do Randy and Lynda Hultman. Randy is [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Kurt Ro

Kurt Ro reaches out to students at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kurt graduated from Northwestern University in 2006 with a degree in communication studies. Click here to find out why Kurt chooses to work for the CCO, what he thinks all college students should know, and what music he’s listening to these days.

 

How the Jubilee conference shaped Ryan Heimann

“Jubilee showed me the heart of the CCO and put the rest of my college fellowship experiences in perspective,” says Ryan Heimann. “The focus on calling, occupation, and the drama of Scripture always served as a reminder that campus ministry wasn’t an end, but means by which God changed me and those around me. I [...]

 

What one summer can do: OCBP 2008

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. “I am almost exclusively a product of the CCO,” says Danny Tomblin. “One year ago, I was a declared Christian, but my faith was stagnant. Between Jubilee and the Beach Project, my life has been completely transformed.” The Ocean City Beach Project [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staffer Katherine Sikma

Katherine Sikma reaches out to students at Point Park University in partnership with Christ Community Church of the South Hills. In this position, she helps students see how their stories fit into God’s story. She offers leadership to the The Body Christian Fellowship at Point Park, and creates community and growth opportunities for young adults [...]

 

Katelyn Petras: Making her faith her own

“If I wasn’t involved with campus ministry during college, I don’t know if I would have had as close of a relationship with God as I do,” says Katelyn Petras. “Going to Bible studies every week and being involved in a discipleship program made it easier to not slack off on doing devotions and having [...]

 

The investment that pays off on a campus of 52,000

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Over 52,000 students attend The Ohio State University, yet CCO staff members Dan  Turis and Beth Mattes invest in students one at a time. Why? Because those students will increase their efforts exponentially. As Dan says, “My student leaders from the last [...]

 

Join us for one of our Indiana Breakfast Briefings

The CCO is expanding its ministry to the state of Indiana. Do you live in Indiana? Do you know someone who does and who might be interested in learning more about the CCO’s vision of transforming college students to transform the world? Join us for one of our two Breakfast Briefings in February. We’ll be [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staff member Wendell Witter

After earning a Master of Arts in Educational Ministries from Wheaton College in 2000, Wendell Witter returns to his undergraduate alma mater, Messiah College, to reach out to students through outdoor ministry opportunities as Director of Issachar’s Loft. Click here to find out what Wendell thinks about the CCO’s Leadership & Discipleship in the Wilderness [...]

 

How Brandon Petras serves his country and shares his faith

“If I learned anything while being part of the CCO campus ministry in college, it is that being a Christian is not just a part of who I am, it must be all of who I am,” says Brandon Petras. “God does not want just sections of my life, but all of it, and I [...]

 

Jubilee 2009: Learning to be the solution

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. The thousands of college students who attended the Jubilee conference this year caught a vision of what God could do with the enormous potential available in that Pittsburgh Convention Center ballroom. Many of them left ready to make a difference in the [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staffer Nicki Carpenter

After graduating from California University of Pennsylvania in 1997, Nicki Carpenter joined CCO staff to reach out to students at West Virginia University from 1998-2003. After a four-year hiatus from campus ministry, Nicki returned to WVU to resume ministry, in cooperation with Trinity Episcopal Church in Morgantown. Click here to find out more about Nicki, [...]

 

How Michael Baird escaped losing his faith

“I came to college as a Christian and I am sure I would have left college an agnostic if it wasn’t for the CCO’s ministry at Kenyon,” says Michael Baird. “Some of the experiences I had and friends I made early on in college kicked the foundation out from under my spiritual journey up to [...]

 

People of Character

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. “As an older person, it is so encouraging for me to see the opportunities available to the next generation. When I was in college, most of these issues were not discussed. I’m very impressed with the thoughtful questions that students are asking [...]

 

Why do Barry and Diane Balliet give to the CCO?

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Barry Balliet served on CCO staff during the 1970s, and he and his wife, Diane, have been generously contributing to our efforts for many years. They have sponsored and attended CCO events, contributed to individual staff workers, helped with ministry with athletes [...]

 

The tradition continues: CCO receives Best Christian Places to Work for eighth year

Contact: CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) Vince Burens, Executive Vice President 412.363.3303 ext. 141, vburens (at) ccojubilee.org (Pittsburgh) January 13, 2010 — The Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) announced for the eighth consecutive year that the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) is one of the 2010 Best Christian Workplaces in the US. The CCO is an organization [...]

 

CCO Staff Spotlight: Curt Wright

Curt Wright came on staff in 2007 to reach out to students at Penn State Altoona. Click here to find out his favorite things about his job, his personal heroes, and the best book he’s read recently.

 

Christy Wauzzinski’s life-changing college experience

“I think it was crucial for me to come to Christ in college—because of the way my mind works, I was very ripe for the picking for somebody,” says Christy Wauzzinksi. “I would have picked something else to commit my life to. It might have been drugs, or I might have given my life to [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staff member Kelly Cooke

Kelly Cooke has been on staff with the CCO since 2001, and has worked with students at Waynesburg University and Grove City College. She now reaches out to student-athletes at the University of Pittsburgh. Click here to find out why Kelly chooses to work with the CCO, her favorite places to hang out with students, [...]

 

What Shay and Marilyn Dawson learned from the CCO

“The CCO modeled for us intentionality in relationships and real community, critical thinking about worldview, how to tackle tough issues, and a faith that is alive and applicable everywhere,” says Shay Dawson.” Shay’s wife, Marilyn, agrees. “The CCO has made a significant impact on how we make decisions, raise our kids, and spend our time [...]

 

The CCO’s ministry in Philadelphia Part Three

Part Three of Three This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Eight years ago, there was no CCO ministry in Philadelphia. Today there are 14 CCO staff people reaching students on 14 campuses. There are over 300,000 students at 85 colleges and universities in the Metro Philly area. Until [...]

 

Getting to know CCO staffer Phil Schiavoni

Phil Schiavoni has been working with students at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania since he graduated from that school in 2005. Click here to find out more about Phil: what the CCO’s ministry meant to him as a college student, what he thinks are the biggest challenges that today’s students face, and his favorite place to [...]

 

The CCO’s ministry in Philadelphia Part Two

Part Two of Three This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Eight years ago, there was no CCO ministry in Philadelphia. Today there are 14 CCO staff people reaching students on 14 campuses. There are over 300,000 students at 85 colleges and universities in the Metro Philly area. Until [...]

 

How Andy Halfhill serves the poor

“The lessons that I learned while involved in the CCO ministry continue to affect the way that I work today,” says Andy Halfhill says. “If there is one lesson that has stuck with me the most, it is that my faith was to be lived out in all areas of life. As my faith has [...]

 

The CCO’s ministry in Philadelphia

Part One of Three This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Eight years ago, there was no CCO ministry in Philadelphia. Today there are 14 CCO staff people reaching students on 14 campuses. There are over 300,000 students at 85 colleges and universities in the Metro Philly area. Until [...]

 

Sharon Stewart’s journey from disciple to disciple-maker

“I first learned about discipleship as a student at Westminster College as I attended and led small groups, and today, I serve as the Director of Disciplemaking and Spiritual Growth for the Pittsburgh Presbytery,” says Sharon Stewart. “I graduated from Westminster with a degree in Christian Education and a minor in psychology, and I am [...]

 

Why Indiana?

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. The CCO is on the brink of expanding our ministry presence into the state of Indiana. We are going to Indiana because the need there is great, and because God has opened a door for us to meet that need. Indiana has [...]

 

A Q & A with CCO staffer Tom (TR) Richards

Click here to read about CCO staff member Tom (TR) Richards’ ministry to students at La Roche College, and read a recent Q&A with him.

 

How the Jubilee conference changed Peter Chace’s life

Peter Chace attended the CCO-sponsored Jubilee conference every year, and he credits those experiences as being among the most significant of his college career. “The first two years had the biggest impact on expanding my vision for what it means to be a Christian in the world. Tony Campolo challenged my assumptions about what it [...]

 

Catching up with CCO staff worker Linda Leon

Click here to read about CCO staff member Linda Leon’s ministry to students at Malone University, and read a recent Q&A with her.

 

How the CCO taught Debbie James to love ministry

“The CCO’s ministry has made a difference in everything about my life,” says Debbie (Smiley) James. “The way I think about work, the way I think about money, relationships, marriage, church, art, parenting, the way we eat—the way I think about every single thing in my life is because of what I learned through the [...]

 

Why Rod Schoon wants to bring the CCO to Indiana

This article first appeared in the summer 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. Happily married to his wife, Cathy, for 35 years, the father of three grown sons, and heavily involved in his church and community, Rod has always lived out his Christian faith in every area of life. But he knows that it could [...]

 

Richard Daugherty: “I see corporate America as a mission field.”

“Because of CCO and Ted, I regularly meet with mentors at work, not to discuss work per se, but to discuss the challenges we may face in a corporate environment as Christians,” says Richard Daugherty, a Kent State University graduate who now works in marketing at Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Indiana. “I see [...]

 

Get to know CCO staff member Jeff Bergeson

Click here to read about CCO staff member Jeff Bergeson’s ministry to students at Kenyon College, and read a recent Q&A with him.

 

Going out of their way to reach all students at Penn State Altoona

This article first appeared in the fall 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. “The CCO is really the only ministry on Penn State Altoona’s campus,” says Curt Wright, CCO staff member and co-leader of S.A.L.T. (Students About Living Truth). “If it were only an all-white group, that wouldn’t be good enough. There are Asian, Latino, [...]

 

CCO given 4-star charity rating for third consecutive year

The nonprofit sector is garnering more momentum than ever before. With its rapid growth, donors are requiring greater fiscal transparency. For the third consecutive year, the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) earns Charity Navigator’s 4-star rating “for its ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances.” According to Charity Navigator, the leading charity evaluator in [...]

 

Chrissy Valentine’s ministry to Westminster College students

Click here to read about CCO staff member Chrissy Valentine’s ministry to students at Westminster College, and read a recent Q&A with her.

 

Creating a generation of leaders at Edinboro University

This article first appeared in the fall 2009 issue of On Campus magazine. The best campus ministry builds leaders who develop more leaders. Just look at Sara Kann. CCO staff invested in Sara as a student at Penn State University, and now she develops student leaders at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. During the school year, [...]

 

How the CCO’s ministry shaped the life of a Pittsburgh physician

“The CCO’s ministry has directly influenced where we moved, where and how we chose to raise our kids, worship, and work, and where our kids choose to live, worship, and work,” says David Blandino. “It continues to inform who I am, how I prioritize, how I integrate all of God’s Word into what it means [...]

 

Kristin Goodwin: not just a “Sunday-only Christian”

“When I was in college, I went through a time when I had a lot of doubt about my faith,” remembers Kristin Goodwin. “I knew that Christianity was more than what I had been taught growing up, but I didn’t understand what was missing. If CCO staff hadn’t been there to answer tough questions, I [...]

 

Get to know CCO staff worker Jonny Cagwin

Click here to read about CCO staff member Johnny Cagwin’s ministry to Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh students, and read a recent Q&A with him.

 

Robin Ross Smith: Making a difference in Washington, DC

“I came to college with the idea that faith was a feeling and you didn’t need to engage your mind too deeply,” says Chatham University graduate Robin Ross Smith. “The CCO taught me that I didn’t have to throw away the intellectual in order to follow God.” Click here to read Robin’s story.

 

Kristie Martel: “The CCO helped to make sense of my life beyond Sunday mornings.”

“If it were not for the ministry of the CCO and the Christian community at Kenyon, I might have walked away from Christianity,” says Kristie (Simo) Martel. “I believe that the holistic understanding of Christianity that the CCO introduced to me has helped to make sense of my life beyond Sunday mornings.” Click here to [...]

 

Nathan Everhart: “The CCO has made all the difference in my life.”

“When I started college, I was on a path of lascivious and aimless living,” says Nathan Everhart. “My identity revolved around playing football, and I was focused on all the wrong things. My character and behavior were deteriorating. I hate to imagine what I would have become without my encounter with Christ at Jubilee on [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Marty Roark is involved with the CCO

College age is a time of discovery and transition. Too many people navigate this time without a Christian voice alternative available. This crucial time is when our youth need an inspiring mentor and exposure to the Word to help answer some of the big questions that are confronting them. I personally got lost during this [...]

 

Alyse Portnoff: serving God as a biomedical engineer

“Jubilee was the first time I was really challenged to live my faith out in all aspects of life, and at the same time I was overwhelmed with how much I still had to learn about my faith,” says Alyse Portnoff. “I was doing well in my studies and enjoying them, but I didn’t know [...]

 

Why Darren Grove is a CCO Board member

When it comes to teaching the next generation that Christianity applies to all of life, the CCO leads the charge from the front lines. The mission to equip college students with a comprehensive biblical worldview is critical to the future of our communities and our country. The mission of the CCO is highly aligned with [...]

 

Westley Gaddis: A leader developing leaders

When Westley Gaddis arrived at Kent State in August of 2003, he hoped to find Christian fellowship opportunities. He was captain of his high school track team during his senior year of high school, and he joined Kent’s track team. He was invited by a teammate to attend the Fellowship of Christian Athletes group on [...]

 

Why Paul Organ chose to join the CCO’s Board

The CCO continues to be the finest college ministry in the country. Our connection to local churches, our integration into the fabric of many colleges and universities, and our understanding of how faith in Christ is meaningful in all aspects of life combine to allow our staff to have enormous impact on individual college students [...]

 

Lowell Walters: “The CCO helped me to put my faith on feet.”

The CCO, says Lowell Walters, “helped me to put my faith on feet.”  Lowell participated in the CCO’s ministry at Clarion University during his year of graduate study in Library Science.  He says that he entered Clarion with pretty good head knowledge of the Christian faith; however, he believes his undergraduate experience had been a [...]

 

Why Board member Jim Roberge supports the CCO

The CCO is meeting the need of ministering to college students during a critical time in their lives. My wife was discipled by the CCO while she was in college which gave her the confidence to share the Gospel with me. I consider it a privilege to serve the CCO, because I’ve experienced firsthand the [...]

 

Heidi Decker approaches teaching as ministry

“The CCO influenced me to view my work not only as ministry, but as service to the Lord,” says Heidi. “So when people ask me what ministries I’m involved in, I tell them I’m a teacher. I spend many after-work hours tutoring kids, and taking them on outdoor adventure trips. Loving these kids positions me [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Wayne Shafer is involved with the CCO

In today’s world, our youth face many more temptations than we Baby Boomers faced when we were in our teens and twenties. Even when parents try to raise their children with faith-based principals, when our children leave home and go away to college, the temptations of the world can be overwhelming, especially through peer pressure. [...]

 

Meet our new staff!

This summer, we welcomed 27 new staff members who will join us to reach out to students on 87 campuses in the mid-Atlantic region. Click here to read more about them, and please pray with us that their ministries will bear much fruit as they join in our mission of transforming college students to transform [...]

 

Brian Shope: building on foundations laid by the CCO’s ministry

“From the foundational conversations and relationships I had with my staff members at Cal U., through my time on staff myself, the CCO has revealed much to me about the character and heart of God,” says Brian Shope. “The CCO pushes students to look outside of themselves towards Jesus for meaning when trying to discern [...]

 

What Board member James Rimmel says about the CCO

It is an honor to serve the CCO. Their mission, transforming college students to transform the world, is clearly important to all of us who realize that college students will be the leaders of tomorrow. The leadership and staff of the CCO dedicate themselves to this mission and execute their call with enthusiasm and professionalism. [...]

 

Hannah Ingram’s continued commitment to college ministry

“The people in the fellowship group ended up being my family during college,” says Hannah Ingram. “It was hard to find that anywhere else.” Hannah Ingram graduated from Penn State University in 2003 and she currently serves the university as a Research Technician, working in cooperation with the geography department to do research pertaining to [...]

 

Why James Hall chose to join the CCO’s Board

I think that the CCO is a wonderful Christian organization for college students who need to know how to live their lives in a Christian manner. The CCO has wonderful leadership. —Dr. James D. Hall is a retired D.D.S.

 

Erica Reitz receives Higher Ed scholarship award

Geneva College awarded CCO staff member Erica Reitz the Master of Arts in Higher Education Scholarship Award for her graduate research in “The Senior Year Transition: The Role of Senior Year Programs in Students’ Preparedness for Life After Graduation.” Erica works for the CCO at Penn State University Park where she partners with Calvary Baptist [...]

 

Jeff VanderMolen: “The CCO provided an alternative vision, even at a Christian college.”

“The CCO introduced me to the theme of ‘all of life redeemed,’ and that changed my life,” says Jeff VanderMolen. “There are people who take their Christian faith seriously. It is not just a Sunday thing for them. Being a part of the CCO’s ministry, as a student and afterwards, has kept me in touch [...]

 

What Board member Lori Stuckey says about the CCO

I think the CCO is the best Christian ministry to college students today, because of their approach on emphasizing discipleship along with vocation, their integration instead of competition with other Christian ministries on the same campus, their emphasis of connecting students to churches and Christian networks within their communities, and their relational approach. I first [...]

 

Distinguished Member of NSCS: Randon Willard

The National Society of Collegiate Scholars named CCO staff member Randon Willard as its Distinguished Member for his work on Robert Morris University’s campus through service, leadership and integrity. Randon was invited to be the keynote speaker at NSCS’s induction ceremony last fall. NSCS is an honor society comprised of high-achieving freshmen and sophomores. It [...]

 

Leeann Younger: “The CCO’s ministry helped define my entire approach to life.”

“The relationships and experiences that I had with CCO campus workers and the programs they sponsored really created a space for me to see God’s call to build his Kingdom very, very clearly,” says Leeann Younger. “Because of that, I have been in pursuit of that goal ever since.” Today, Leeann pursues that goal through [...]

 

Why Bob Bishop is a CCO Board member

I view the CCO from the view point of being an alumnus. The CCO focuses its resources on building staff who can be Christian leaders on campus and in the future. The goal of the staff is to build students into Christian leaders. So this is an organization that is people and leadership focused. My [...]

 

Reflections of a recent college grad: “Over time, Jonny became a mentor.”

Nick Corsi graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2009. This is his account of the CCO ministry’s influence on his college years, particularly through the work of staff member Jonny Cagwin. Through the University of Pittsburgh’s Habitat for Humanity Chapter, dozens of students get to experience what it is like to actively take [...]

 

Bill Slease: Bringing his Christian faith to the video gaming industry

“The CCO inspired me to live out my Christian faith in every area of life through education and example,” says Bill Slease, a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who now works as Technical Director for FireSky, a company that publishes online video games. “Dan went out of his way to find Christian thinkers and doers in [...]

 

Why Board member Hank Suhr supports the CCO

The CCO has absolutely changed my life. I serve on the Board because I know first-hand how important and formative this ministry is, and I want to play whatever small part I can in making that available for as many different generations of college students as we can reach. I think that the CCO does [...]

 

Hannah Jantsch wins Outstanding Advisor Award at Point Park University

(Pittsburgh) May 14, 2009 – CCO staff member Hannah Jantsch is the recipient of the Outstanding Advisor Award at Point Park University. Hannah was nominated because she is a role model for the students and is an integral part to the success of their student organization by providing continuous support and contributing to the growth [...]

 

Laurie Truschel: “My relationship with Christ would have lacked depth and scope without the CCO.”

“John and I definitely have tried to pass on the CCO’s perspective to our kids from an early age,” says Laurie Truschel. “Because I learned as a college student that all of life belongs to Christ—all of it—our lives and the lives of our kids have been directed toward vocational ministry, not just a ‘me [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Hunter Weimer is involved with the CCO

Campus ministry coupled with a local church made the love of God real to me when I was searching. I love that CCO bridges the divide between church and academy with passion and creativity to introduce students to the life changing message of Jesus Christ. Colleges bring together the culture-shapers of tomorrow, making university ministry [...]

 

CCO’s Jonathan Weyer wins multicultural award for OSU event

(Pittsburgh) May 11, 2009 – CCO staff member Jonathan Weyer’s I Sold My Soul on eBay program is the recipient of the Multicultural Center Staff Intercultural Award from The Ohio State University. The event was created as a discussion forum between atheists and Christians. Jay Gameline, pastor of Jacob’s Porch, and Hemant Mehta, author of [...]

 

Lauren Sable: “I would not be who I am today without the CCO.”

“The CCO’s ministry had a profound affect on my life on many levels and I would not be who I am today without it,” says Lauren Sable. “It truly did lay a foundation in my life on which God continues to build.” Today, Lauren lives in Washington, DC, where she serves as a team leader [...]

 

Why Joe Diggins chose to join the CCO’s Board

College is a real crossroads. You make a lot of life-changing decisions when you get that newfound freedom. God clearly used the CCO to shape and mature my faith as a student at Westminster College. The CCO gave me an intellectual foundation to my faith and role models, staff people I could talk to who [...]

 

Randy Hultman: “I can’t think of a better organization to associate with than the CCO.”

“The CCO’s ministry was the dominant means whereby the Holy Spirit took a raw, just-saved 18-year-old through to a fully-committed Christian in a mere three years,” says Randy Hultman. “The realization that all Christians are in full-time Christian service, not just those who choose ministry as a vocation, has stuck with me to this day. [...]

 

What Board member Michael Heintzman says about the CCO

The CCO is one of the most effective college ministries, because it challenges students to engage their faith with their education and all of life. It constantly asks them to wrestle with how their Christian faith relates to the world. I chose to be involved in the CCO because it gave me the privilege to [...]

 

Michael Juliano: “The CCO may have saved my academic life!”

“My conversations with Tom and Ben centered a lot around what does it mean for Jesus to be Lord of your life and not just your savior, as well as what does it mean for Jesus to hold reign over all things,” says Mike Juliano. “That was big for me, because I thought for me [...]

 

Why Wade Close is a CCO Board member

Anyone who has attended a CCO Jubilee event can fully appreciate why we so eagerly support the CCO organization and several of their wonderful staff members. The Jubilee conference is an inspiring experience, clearly confirming the value that this ministry brings to literally hundreds of college students each year. We have watched young people praise [...]

 

Karen Bryant: lessons in leadership

“If it weren’t for the CCO, I probably wouldn’t have been discipled and mentored,” says Karen Bryant. “The leadership skills I gained because of the time my campus minister spent with me had a huge impact on my confidence level coming out of college. I had such a clearer sense of who I was and [...]

 

Why Board member John Rosso supports the CCO

I choose to be involved with the CCO because I see and hear about the gap in many students’ lives—a gap that can only be filled by faith in Jesus Christ. As a parent of four, I am convinced that these young adults who are in college need to have access to a positive influence. [...]

 

She didn’t know that Jesus was a real person.

“I have a stupid question: Does the Bible bash Jews?” This was the lead-in from a student named Rachel. Rach is an athletic trainer and student at the University of Pittsburgh. Her mom is Jewish and her grandmother a Holocaust survivor. Something was on her mind. Rach had been coming regularly to our weekly student [...]

 

Alternative Spring Break: Why students chose service over partying at the beach

“This year’s trip was probably the greatest experience in my collegiate career and possibly even my life so far. The interaction I had with those affected by the storm and the friendships I’ve made amount to something that is hard to explain. I now have this feeling that I can always do more and can [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Nancy Chalfant-Walker is involved with the CCO

I have been involved with the CCO for more than 30 years, first as a student, then as a staff member and now as a board member. I think reaching college students with God’s love and challenging them to following Jesus is crucial work. Students are at a crossroads in their lives. The CCO, as [...]

 

Phyllis Terwilliger: “The CCO gave me tools to live a full Christian life.”

“I believe that Dave’s and Ginger’s teaching, examples and honesty provided a foundation for my faith,” says Phyllis Terwilliger. “It gave me tools so that when I did graduate, my faith remained, and I got involved in my local church, married a Christian, raised my children as Christians and have a quiet time to this [...]

 

Why John Holt chose to join the CCO’s Board

The CCO was instrumental in my life in college. It provided me with a mentor that helped me develop a Christian worldview and to put my faith and knowledge into everyday practical life practice. Being on the Board allows me to continue that worldview by applying my accounting and business skills to an organization that [...]

 

Tom Pendleton: serving God as a lawyer

“Lawyers are community helpers. When we do it right, we help people solve problems and achieve their goals,” says Tom Pendleton. Tom credits the CCO has helping him to develop an understanding of what it means to be a Christian lawyer by emphasizing the service part of being a lawyer. “How do you treat your [...]

 

What Board member Kenneth Smith says about the CCO

Whether introducing a student to Christ for the first time, supporting a believer’s efforts to strengthen their walk, or just helping them to remain connected to the Church, the mission of transforming college students to transform the world is critical. I’m involved with CCO because I believe this organization is uniquely positioned to execute its [...]

 

Rosemary Rush: “Every interaction is an opportunity to share Christ.”

“Because of the investment that Karla and Bob made in my life as a student, I was able to grow in my faith in Christ and see the need in the world for others to know Him,” says Rosemary Rush. “The CCO helped me to realize that, through Christ, I am a part of the [...]

 

Why Richard Noftzger is a CCO Board member

The CCO remains a distinctive Christian organization that brings the fullness of the good news to college students. Targeting these future leaders, the CCO represents a tangible expression of God’s kingdom in reaching out to students in order that they might know God’s claim on their lives and the world. As an organization, the CCO [...]

 

Derek Melleby: preparing high school students for the realities of college life

Derek Melleby works with the CCO in partnership with the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, where he is the director of CPYU’s College Transition Initiative (CTI). This initiative helps college-bound high school students and their parents successfully make the transition from high school to college. Here, Derek talks about why he is committed to helping high [...]

 

John Truschel: Living a 24-7-365 faith

“The CCO’s focus on office, calling, and vocation has been and continues to be instrumental in our sense of where to be and what to be doing where we are,” says John Truschel, Chief Investment Officer for the Boston Company Asset Management. John points back to the CCO’s ministry as the place where he was [...]

 

Why Board member Liz Stephens supports the CCO

The CCO is the organization I wish I was a part of during my college years. An avid churchgoer during my youth, I was somewhat of a lost soul when it came to finding a church I felt I could call home during my four years on campus. I see how Christ is working through [...]

 

Jeffrey LeCrone: “I’d never heard anyone talk about what it means to be a Christian and teacher, or a Christian and a lawyer.”

“The CCO deepened my understanding of faith, even moreso than my involvement in church,” says Jeff LeCrone. “It awakened me to the depth of what a commitment to Jesus Christ is really all about—how it should affect every area of life. I’d heard it before, but the CCO is the first experience that really encouraged [...]

 

What Board member Harry Kunze says about the CCO

The CCO has been a central part of my faith development since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior nearly 30 years ago. I have been blessed by the CCO, originally as I grew in my Christian faith, along the way through the faithful ministry of many staff members at Bellefield Church at the [...]

 

CCO Staff Worker, Paul Harbison, receives WEA Instructor of the Year award

Pittsburgh, PA (March 3, 2009)— Paul Harbison, director of the Outdoor Leadership Team (OLT) for the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) received the Instructor of the Year award from the Wilderness Education Association (WEA) at the 2009 National Conference on Outdoor Leadership in Bloomington, IN. Paul’s colleague, Jack Drury, who is a former WEA board [...]

 

Lynda Hultman: “We understood that we were making life decisions.”

“I am set in my faith,” Lynda says. “There is an ease in living out my daily life because so many decisions, I realize, are already made. The CCO helped me to reach those decisions early. CCO staffers affirmed what I already knew to be true about God, that He is full of grace and [...]

 

Three Pittsburgh organizations recognized as Best Christian Places to Work

(Pittsburgh) February 25, 2009 — The Best Christian Workplaces Institute (BCWI) announced that three Pittsburgh-based organizations, the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO), Light of Life Ministries, Inc. and The Pittsburgh Project, are included in the 2009 list of certified Best Christian Workplaces in the US. This is the seventh year in a row that the [...]

 

Becky Wainwright: “If it wasn’t for the CCO, I don’t know if I would be a follower of Christ today.”

If it wasn’t for the CCO, I don’t know if I would be a follower of Christ today. After graduation, I decided to wait to pursue a master’s degree in social work in order to give back what was given to me. I took a CCO position at Penn State and worked there for three [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Martha McElhattan is involved with the CCO

I believe CCO provides a vital ministry on the college campus as it reaches out to the students wherever they are spiritually—whether they are seeking something that’s missing in their lives, or whether they already know the Lord but desire to grow closer to Him. Students are often disconnected, lonely, and struggling to find their [...]

 

Jubilee 2009 inspires change

We asked Jubilee participants what they plan to do differently as a result of what they experienced at Jubilee 2009. Here are just a few of the responses we received: Jubilee helped focus my career ideas to be more about God and less about myself. It’s making me look at the call that He has [...]

 

Teri Woodland: Building character in China

“The underlying premise that the CCO emphasized, that we are to integrate our faith in Christ into who we are and what we do—that belief that God wants to redeem all of life—had a strong influence on me,” says Teri Woodland. “It informs how I approach my work and how I live my life.” Click [...]

 

Why Board member Jack White is involved with the CCO

I believe that the CCO is one of the most effective college and university ministries in the US, because it combines an orthodox Christian theology with evangelism and a Christian worldview that seeks to teach students to think Christianly about academics and future vocations. I am involved with the CCO because, in my 43 years [...]

 

What the Jubilee conference taught Tim Gebhart

Tim Gebhart’s participation in the annual Jubilee conference has helped him to develop an awareness of his role as a global citizen.  Through understanding links between the U.S. economy and workers all over the world, Tim has gained a deeper appreciation of how his choices affect people everywhere.  That understanding encourages him to be conscious [...]

 

Leah Farr: Making a difference in journalism

“I attended the Jubilee conference for the first time as I was finishing schooling to be a journalist,” says Leah Farr. “This was one of the first times that I had heard that it was okay to pursue a career outside of the Christian community. In fact, I learned that as a Christian, I could [...]

 

Why Bill Roemer is a CCO Board member

I believe in bringing the saving grace of Jesus Christ to the college campus, and nobody does that better than the CCO. I have been a strong advocate for the CCO since joining the Board in 1990. It was good then, and it is even better now. —Bill Roemer is the Retired Chairman of National [...]

 

Nathan Wigfield: “The CCO shaped me as a student leader.”

“My involvement in the CCO constantly challenged me to question what it meant to be faithful in all spheres of life, whether it was in the classroom, the dorms, or on the baseball field,” says Nathan Wigfield. “The CCO also shaped me as a student leader.I was encouraged to embrace a leadership role among my [...]

 

What Board member LC Greenwood says about the CCO

I like the things that the CCO does with kids, because they guide them in the right direction and give them positive Christian role models. —LC Greenwood is President of Greenwood Enterprises, Inc. He was also a member of the legendary Pittsburgh Steelers “Iron Curtain” defense of the 1970s.

 

Tiffany Caldwell finds her “Monday pulpit.”

Tiffany Caldwell, a 2004 graduate from Geneva College, describes herself as a doer. Yet, she says, CCO staff members Kim Quist Gilmore, Michael Barbato, Scott Calgaro and others challenged her to think, to be critical, and to ask questions about what she was doing, and why. She remembers spending time at “The Loft” at the [...]

 

Tim Edris: “All I needed to know about life I learned on LDW.”

“All I needed to know about life I learned on LDW,” claims Tim Edris. Tim was a participant in the CCO’s inaugural Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness (LDW) trip in 1995 and subsequently a leader. Those experiences, Tim says, shaped the way he lives and works and relates to people in a very profound [...]

 

Why Doug Rehberg chose to join the CCO’s Board

I believe the CCO has a well-established track record of successful, transformational ministry over thirty-plus years. The vision, the leadership, and the execution of its ministry are second to none. I continue to hear from people all over Western Pennsylvania and beyond that it was through the ministry of CCO that they came to know [...]

 

Durell Comedy: from the university to off-Broadway

“If I hadn’t been involved in the CCO’s ministry, I probably would be just going through the motions and mentioning God when convenient,” says Durell Comedy. “Like the Pharisees, I would have probably separated myself so much from other people that I wouldn’t have been able to relate to anyone. I would have probably memorized [...]

 

Why Pastor Bill Glaze is a CCO Board member

I am involved with the CCO because I want to be a part of an organization that is shaping the future of our country.  I believe that the CCO is a powerful ministry to college students.  It is a ministry that is needed on college campuses, especially in light of the different worldviews represented there.  [...]

 

Peggar Dixon’s life-long calling

“I made life-long friends as a result of being a part of the CCO’s ministry, and I still carry that vision of changing the world,” says Peggar Dixon, who first came into contact with the CCO’s ministry during her student years at Alderson-Broaddus College in Phillipi, West Virginia. “I have a strong sense of my [...]

 

Leah Farr: Making a difference as a Christian journalist

“I attended the Jubilee conference for the first time as I was finishing schooling to be a journalist,” says Leah Farr. “This was one of the first times that I had heard that it was okay to pursue a career outside of the Christian community. In fact, I learned that as a Christian, I could [...]

 

Why CCO Board member John Henne is involved with the CCO

I have been personally affected by the ministry of the CCO and I have heard so many testimonies of others who have as well. I want to be involved where Christ is working in a very real way. Additionally, I was immediately impressed with the integrity by which this ministry operates. I cannot think of [...]

 

James Whitacre’s search for “something bigger”

Without the CCO’s ministry, James Whitacre thinks his faith probably would have remained superficial, not the kind of depth he believes Christ calls us to. He remembers looking at friends in high school and thinking that there had to be something bigger and better in life. When he met Scott and got to know him, [...]

 

Why Board member JT Thomas supports the CCO

Many of today’s students are graduating from college with warped core values and an anemic character. College is an environment where the force of control, molding and transformation resides in tandem with aspirations, knowledge and fear. The CCO’s mission is to fulfill God’s purpose through the lives of college students by showing them the approach, [...]

 

Jeff McLaughlin passes on to his students what the CCO taught him

Jeff challenges his students on the first day of class to identify the worldviews shaping their thinking. The most important thing for students to do in college, Jeff believes, is to clarify what they believe. For Jeff McLaughlin, developing a Christian worldview through the ministry of the CCO has been “more of a powerful theme [...]

 

Heather Conley: “I am a constantly growing follower of Christ in all areas of my life.”

“One of the things I loved about the Beach Project was the central focus of relational evangelism,” says Heather Conley. “People are seeking community, love, and acceptance. I choose to share my faith by building relationships with those who need Jesus the most, and meeting their physical needs in the hope of meeting their spiritual [...]

 

Why Board member Sandy Usher is involved with the CCO

We know that college is a special time in the life of young people—a time when they are seeking direction and searching for answers. Many different philosophies and ideologies are represented on the college campus, and we long to see students reached with God’s word and the good news of Christ so that they have [...]

 

Taylor Grabowsky: “God had intention in placing CCO members in my life.”

“The Student Affairs profession is about serving people—empowering them, and challenging them to grow.” Taylor Grabowsky says that the CCO informed his passion for people. Having worked as both a Resident Assistant and Community Advisor as an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, Taylor continues to serve students through his current work there as a Housefellow [...]

 

Allie Mollenkof: “I know how God can use this work to change a student’s life forever.”

“I know from first-hand experience how effective the work of a campus minister in a student’s life can be,” says Allie Mollenkof. “I know how God can use this work to change a student’s life forever.” Today, Allie serves the CCO as Director of Recruiting. Ten years ago, she was a Gannon University student who [...]

 

Former CCO student receives top environmental award

Karl Thomas is the Executive Director of RiverQuest, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit whose mission is “to impact people’s relationships to the world’s environment through unique river-based education and adventure experiences.” Karl graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994, where he was actively involved in the CCO’s ministry. On Wednesday, December 3, RiverQuest received the first-ever WorkBoat [...]

 

Why CCO Board member Lou Divers is involved with the CCO

The CCO made its first impact on me when I was attending Grove City College. John Chapko worked for CCO on my campus and provided me with a spiritual mentor at a critical stage of my faith development. I wanted to do my part to continue and expand their impact. I believe the college years [...]

 

Ted Martin: “Without the CCO, I think my faith would have become very shallow.”

“Honestly, if I hadn’t gotten connected to the CCO, I think my faith would have become very legalistic and shallow,” says Ted Martin. “Other influences on my life during that time convince me that my faith would have been very compartmentalized. I am grateful that the CCO was there for me during those formative years!” [...]

 

LiveAbove: helping young people find faith communities away from home

LiveAbove.com is an outreach of the Youth Transition Network, a coalition of youth, college and military ministries that are working together to transition students from high school into the often confusing world of campus life. 50 ministries, including the CCO, have joined to effort to provide students a way to explore ministries and connect with [...]

 

Transitioning from high school to college: why some kids go wild

Why is it that some youth group kids go wild after graduation while others don’t? What can youth workers do to prepare students as they leave the relative safety of our youth ministries and begin to emerge into adulthood? These are questions that the Fuller Youth Institute’s College Transition Project is currently tracking, and they [...]

 

BJ Woodworth: “It’s that sense of calling that keeps us here, and it all ties back to the CCO.”

“I really can’t envision what life would be like, or how I would understand life, had I not been influenced by the CCO,” says BJ Woodworth. “The relationships and conversations I had all through college were formative, and the Jubilee conference was very influential in helping me discern my sense of calling.” Click here to [...]

 

CCO student alumna Terry Noyes’ unique after-school ministry

Terry Noyes and her husband, Chris, live in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania with their four children. Chris is pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Beaver Falls, and Terry pours her life into their family and their neighbors, especially the children. Every day after school, ten children show up at her house because they like to be [...]

 

Pat Roddy: “The CCO affirmed my Christian commitment and kept me from drifting away.”

“So many of my peers from high school and in college drifted away from God during the college years, some never to come back,” says Pat Roddy. “The CCO affirmed my Christian commitment and kept me from drifting away and potentially making some life-altering mistakes.  My wife and I have benefited greatly from staying on [...]

 

College students and the lockbox

College is a time during which young people choose to reinvent themselves. Many of them tuck away their personal and religious histories in a so-called “lockbox” to be opened later, if at all, according to a recent study by the Fuller Youth Institute. This compartmentalization explains why so many youth group kids join the cultural [...]

 

Chris Thompson: “The CCO’s ministry taught me about being salt and light in any environment.”

“The CCO’s ministry taught me about being salt and light in any environment, because there is no place where God is not, nor is there anyplace or thing or person that God cannot redeem,” says Chris Thompson. “I also learned about accountability, the importance of having checks and balances in my life, and about recognizing [...]

 

Lori Burens: “The CCO’s ministry gave me a vision of how I could serve God with my whole life.”

“The CCO’s ministry gave me a vision of how I could serve God with my whole life,” says Lori. “What was important to me was seeing people actually do that, instead of people just saying and teaching that I should integrate my faith into all areas of my life. My campus ministers invited me into [...]

 

CCO student alumnus Charles Chapman named one of Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40

(Pittsburgh) November 7, 2008 – Charles Chapman, a co-founder and community-outreach coordinator of The L.I.V.I.N.G. (Love Initiated Ventures Investing In Neglected Groups) Ministry, a nonprofit organization that serves Pittsburgh’s homeless men, was named one of Pittsburgh’s 40 Under 40. Charles, a 2006 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, connected to the CCO’s ministry during his freshman [...]

 

Chuck Grieb: “My faith was made more real to me.”

“My college years were a significant period of growth and maturation for me in my faith and understanding of God,” says Chuck Grieb, a college professor teaching animation at California State University, Fullerton. “The foundation that was established has guided my walk through life, in career decisions, marriage, church involvement, and so on.” Click here [...]

 

CCO staff participate in 8th annual Kayak-a-thon

(Pittsburgh) October 30, 2008 — (Pittsburgh) The Outdoor Leadership Team of the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) will be hosting its 8th Annual Fall Kayak-a-thon this Saturday, November 1, 2008. The CCO is a ministry that partners with churches, colleges, and other organizations to develop men and women who live out their faith in every [...]

 

Chris Noyes: “The CCO has been incredibly formative for who I am in Christ, in deep, deep ways.”

“We’re involved in the community because we’re Christians,” says Chris Noyes. “We participate at whatever level we can. We know the mayor, we go to the high school games, and we try to connect the church to the community. We host a soup kitchen and youth outreach programs in the church.” Click here to read [...]

 

Chaley Knight: “If I had not become involved in the CCO ministry, my life could have unraveled.”

Chaley Knight says that prior to becoming involved in the CCO’s ministry at Waynesburg University, Christ was not a part of her everyday life. “Today, every decision I make is in prayer, every thought and action is placed on a foundation of Christ,” she says. Click here to read Chaley’s story.

 

Vince Burens: “The CCO ministry at Pitt was my moral and faith compass throughout my college years.”

“The message I received in college was that God cares about every aspect of my life, and how to live that practically,” says Vince Burens. “How do I interact with people from different cultures, how do I spend my money, how do I coach soccer? We want people to notice that there’s something different about [...]

 

Jennifer Wingenroth’s life changed as the result of an invitation to a church picnic.

If not for the CCO, I probably never would have gone to the Shippensburg Presbyterian Church and learned what a church family should be like,” says Jennifer Wingenroth. “The CCO has provided me for extended periods of time with some really awesome God-directed people who have taught me many lessons and guided my spiritual life.” [...]

 

A Win/Win: Strengthen your sales process while strengthening the CCO

Please join nationally-acclaimed sales expert and CCO board member, John Rosso, for a full-day sales training event which is enlightening, entertaining and will give you the edge in closing the sale. In this provocative workshop, you’ll learn tools for real-world success and be energized for the road ahead. Full-Day Sales Training Event for CEOs, Presidents, [...]

 

Colby Long: Sometimes even a brief encounter with the ministry of the CCO proves to have far-reaching effects.

The CCO, Colby Long believes, is successful in encouraging students to live a holistic life in regard to Christianity—not separating the spiritual life from the secular. To Colby, faithful Christian living involves seeing God in the daily decisions he makes, whether in daily activities like taking out the trash or doing dishes, or in how [...]

 

Todd Johnson: “I have continued to look at my days in the CCO as pivotal.”

“Through the CCO community, I deepened and broadened my faith in ways I never would have imagined, and I discerned a call to ministry,” says Todd Johnson. “This call has taken me though a variety of experiences, as I have served as a police and hospital chaplain, campus minister, parish pastor and now seminary professor. [...]

 

Stephanie Wessel: “This is what it really means to be a Christian.”

“The main thing the CCO gave me was an intentional community?a framework, a context, people who spoke the same language and had the same beliefs,” says Stephanie Swaney Wessel of her experience as a student at Allegheny College.

 

Architect credits CCO with giving him a vision to serve developing countries

“The CCO taught me that I should integrate my faith into my studies, and subsequently into my professional career,” says Scott Mulrooney, who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1988. “Twenty years later, I am still attempting that integration as a self-styled architect of the poor, humbly ministering to both their physical and spiritual needs [...]

 

Speaking about God’s glory in the university and the work world

“My entire life has been a personal faith divorced from my public life,” said Dawn. “It isn’t until I started worshipping here that I started hearing that it doesn’t have to be that way.” On September 25, Dawn, along with more than 70 graduate students, university faculty members and young working professionals, gathered at Bellefield [...]

 

CCO staff reach out to students through local coffeeshop

If there is a desire to see Kingdom work happening at your coffeehouse, there is no better way to accomplish this than to partner with the CCO. It is a constant encouragement to be working with CCO staff. We have experienced a more clearly defined relationship between coffee service and faith sharing since we started [...]

 

Peace Corps volunteer credits CCO with building her character

“The CCO was a catalyst to my growth as an individual,” says Katie Willey, “The CCO’s Leadership and Discipleship in the Wilderness trip provided for me a safe place to grow and provided chances for me to gain confidence and build up a track record of successes to look back on. Without the CCO, I [...]

 

The CCO welcomes Karen Johnson

(Pittsburgh) September 24, 2008 ? Karen Johnson has joined the CCO to serve as Outdoor Leadership Team Administrator.

 

Slippery Rock University football coach is grateful for CCO ministry

Most athletic programs put so much emphasis on academic support for student athletes, and physical support in terms of weight training, that sometimes you overlook the spiritual aspect. That’s what we had done for many years at Slippery Rock University. Then Josh came along, and he has done a great job connecting with the players [...]

 

Dennis Simmons joins the CCO

(Pittsburgh) September 17, 2008 ? Dennis Simmons has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Thiel College in partnership with First Baptist Church of Greenville, Pennsylvania, where he serves as Campus Ministry Director.

 

Middle school principal is grateful for the CCO’s ministry

“I knew I had a choice to make. I would either fully embrace my Christian faith, or I’d do the party thing. I’d play football and join a fraternity. But I knew I had to choose,” says Dan White of his years at Ohio Wesleyan University. “If it hadn’t been for the CCO and Sandie, [...]

 

CCO staff member weighs in on drinking age debate

Last week, a news story broke regarding a group of college presidents who have put their names to a request to the government calling for the drinking age to be lowered to 18 to help with the binge-drinking problem on campuses. CCO staff member Derek Melleby, who serves as Director of our College Transition Initiative [...]

 

The CCO welcomes Gary Villa

(Pittsburgh) August 7, 2008 ? Gary Villa has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Cornell University and Ithaca College through his position as a Pastoral Intern with New Life Presbyterian Church in Ithaca, New York.

 

Miles Adams joins the CCO

(Pittsburgh) August 6, 2008 ? Miles Adams has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) as our first staff person to reach out to students at the College of Staten Island in partnership with Crossroads Church in Staten Island, New York.

 

Jamie Donne to work with students at Washington & Jefferson College

(Pittsburgh) August 5, 2008 ? Jamie Donne has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Washington & Jefferson College in cooperation with Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, Pennsylvania.

 

The CCO welcomes Justin McGeary

(Pittsburgh) August 4, 2008 ? Justin McGeary has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Cornell University through his position as Director of Undergraduate Programs at Chesterton House.

 

Mark Steffey joins the CCO

(Pittsburgh) August 1, 2008 — Mark Steffey has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to student athletes at the University of Pittsburgh. Mark is coming on board in August to replace Ron Coder, who is moving onto a position with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Mark grew up in the Pittsburgh [...]

 

Ericka Newell to work with Elmira College students

(Pittsburgh) June 31, 2008 ? Ericka Newell has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Elmira College in cooperation with North Presbyterian Church in Elmira, New York.

 

The CCO welcomes Zachary Northen

(Pittsburgh) July 30, 2008 ? Zachary Northen has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Waynesburg University as a Residence Hall Director.

 

Heather Strong joins the CCO

Heather Strong has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Slippery Rock University in partnership with Grace Anglican Church.

 

Jonathan and Wendy Weyer to work with Ohio State University students

Jonathan and Wendy Weyer have joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at The Ohio State University.

 

The CCO welcomes Kelly Royer

Kelly Royer has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to serve the CCO’s Outdoor Leadership Team as Leadership & Discipleship in the Wilderness Manager.

 

Rachel Foose joins the CCO

Rachel Foose has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Penn State Altoona in partnership with the Commonplace Coffeehouse & Roastery.

 

Amy Nichols to work with Philadelphia University students

Amy Nichols has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Philadelphia University in partnership with Liberti:Roxborough Church.

 

The CCO welcomes Brandon Hoover

Brandon Hoover has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania as Director of the SALT (Serving and Learning Together) House on campus.

 

Lizz (Strasner) Heimann joins the CCO

Lizz (Strasner) Heimann has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Robert Morris University in partnership with the Charis247 Faith Community of Coraopolis.

 

Katie Zoet to work with Eastern University students

Katie Zoet has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Eastern University in cooperation with Church of the Saviour in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

 

The CCO welcomes Elliott Simko

Elliott Simko has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Haverford College and surrounding universities through his role as Young Adult Leader at Manoa Presbyterian Church.

 

Lindsay Kate Reedy joins the CCO

Lindsay Kate Reedy has joined the CCO to reach out to students at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in cooperation with Standing Stone Coffee Company.

 

Emily Garrity to work with Marietta College students

(Pittsburgh) July 3, 2008 ? Emily Garrity has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Marietta College in cooperation with First Baptist Church in Marietta, Ohio, where she will serve as Director of Children’s Ministry.

 

The CCO welcomes Kurt Ro

(Pittsburgh) July 2, 2008 ? Kurt Ro has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

 

Katie Black joins the CCO

Katie Black has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

 

Matthew Ramsay to work with Juniata College students

Matthew Ramsey has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Juniata College in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania, in cooperation with Standing Stone Coffee Company.

 

The CCO welcomes Tara (Siegle) Atchison

Tara (Siegle) Atchison has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at Temple University through her role as Director of Campus Ministry at Liberti Church, Fishtown.

 

Michael Barnhart joins the CCO

Michael Barnhart has joined the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) to reach out to students at the University of Findlay in Ohio, in partnership with Gateway Church.

 

Four CCO staff members mark 30 years of service

Bonnie Liefer, Paul Harbison, Glenn Salo and Garnet Schulz were recently honored by the rest of their CCO colleagues for their three decades of service to the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach). Considering that the CCO itself is only 37 years old, and that almost all CCO staff are required to raise the majority?if not all?of their salary, this is quite an accomplishment.

 

Barry Luokkala

“The CCO’s ministry brought me to a growing awareness that God cares about all areas of human activity, and so should we, as followers of Christ. My vocation is in academia, specifically physics. As opportunities arise, I’m happy to tell my story, and to talk about the One whom I believe to be the way the truth and the life.”

 

CCO staff head off to Canadian wilderness

(Pittsburgh) June 3, 2008?On Wednesday, June 4, eight students and four CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) instructors will depart from Pittsburgh for a month-long coastal kayaking trip in Ontario, Canada.

 

CCO staff head to Wyoming

(Pittsburgh) June 3, 2008?On Saturday, May 31, ten students and four CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) instructors departed from Pittsburgh for a six-week adventure in Wyoming.

 

Alpha Phi Omega honors CCO staff member, Randon Willard

CCO staff member Randon Willard, who serves Robert Morris University as their Community & Volunteer Services Coordinator, was recently named Honorary Brother of the Year by the service fraternity,  Alpha Phi Omega. “Each year, Alpha Phi Omega at RMU chooses one faculty or staff member as their honorary brother of the year,” says Randon. “The [...]

 

Communicating with Screenagers

Screenagers: n. A term that combines two words to describe “teenagers who are online” and who are “always looking at the screen.” See also: generation Y, mouse potato, today’s college student Do you know how to best communicate with college students? Better yet, do you know how they prefer that you communicate with them? If [...]

 

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette features CCO as “top Christian workplace”

The article by Ann Rodgers, entitled “Local campus ministry named a top Christian workplace,” first appeared on the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website on May 7, 2008: The Pittsburgh-based campus ministry organization Coalition for Christian Outreach has been named one of America’s Best Christian Workplaces for the sixth year in a row. “CCO is perennially on top [...]

 

Benjamin Lins

Benjamin remembers the vulnerability of being a first-year college student and is grateful to have connected with CCO staff in Messiah’s Exodus freshman orientation program. That experience right then, he believes, was, “the best springboard to the rest of my life I ever could have had.”

 

Katy Turman named Advisor of the Year

Penn State Abington named CCO staff member Katy Turman the 2008 “Advisor of the Year” for her work with Abington Christian Fellowship. Katy hosts a weekly dinner and Bible study in her home, mentors students one-on-one, and helps them organize service projects and spring break trips. She was nominated for this award by the students, [...]

 

CCO staff person receives Community Service Award

At its annual awards banquet, Penn State Abington awarded CCO staff member Katy Turman with the Community Service Award for her initiative in starting up an “Alternative Spring Break” program. Over the past couple of years, she has taken students to Biloxi, Mississippi to do Hurricane Katrina relief work, and to the Children’s Bible Fellowship [...]

 

The CCO Presents An Evening with Timothy Keller, author of “The Reason for God”

When: Thursday, May 22, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA* Cost: Open to the public and free of charge *For more information about the venue and for parking options, please visit the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh website. (The Carnegie Music Hall is connected to the Museums of Art [...]

 

CCO named Best Christian Place to Work for sixth consecutive year

Contact: CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) Vince Burens, Vice President of Staff Services 412.363.3303 ext. 141, vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org var mailNode = document.getElementById(‘emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-68′); var linkNode = document.createElement(‘a’); linkNode.setAttribute(‘href’, “mailto:%76%62%75%72%65%6E%73%40%63%63%6F%6A%75%62%69%6C%65%65%2E%6F%72%67″); tNode = document.createTextNode(“vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org”); linkNode.appendChild(tNode); linkNode.setAttribute(‘id’, “emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-68″); mailNode.parentNode.replaceChild(linkNode, mailNode); (Pittsburgh) April 23, 2008 — For the sixth year in a row, the CCO has been [...]

 

“Which religion is right for you?”

This question was posed in a recent Google ad, directing readers to a quiz to help them figure out the answer. It’s a sign of our times and our American culture, suggesting that we can walk through a supermarket of possibilities and choose, much as we do a favorite brand of toothpaste or cereal. A [...]

 

CCO hosts One U at Eastern University

Contact: CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) Becky Wainwright, Associate Director of Development, Metro Philadelphia 215-253-4047; rwainwright {at} ccojubilee(.)org var mailNode = document.getElementById(‘emob-ejnvajevtug@ppbwhovyrr.bet-90′); var linkNode = document.createElement(‘a’); linkNode.setAttribute(‘href’, “mailto:%72%77%61%69%6E%77%72%69%67%68%74%40%63%63%6F%6A%75%62%69%6C%65%65%2E%6F%72%67″); tNode = document.createTextNode(“rwainwright {at} ccojubilee(.)org”); linkNode.appendChild(tNode); linkNode.setAttribute(‘id’, “emob-ejnvajevtug@ppbwhovyrr.bet-90″); mailNode.parentNode.replaceChild(linkNode, mailNode); (Philadelphia) April 9, 2008 — On Saturday, April 19, 2008, the CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) will [...]

 

Dining with the Steelers

Want to have lunch with former Steeler greats, LC Greenwood and JT Thomas? Interested in attending a Steelers, Pirates or Penguins game? Maybe you’d like to get a head start on your Christmas shopping by picking up some sports memorabilia—bid on a photograph of Troy Polamalu or a basket full of Pittsburgh Penguins paraphernalia. Join [...]

 

Tired of the winter blahs?

Tired of the winter blahs? You won’t want to miss the CCO’s Escape to the Islands Dinner and Auction on April 25th at 6:30 p.m. at the Westin Convention Center Hotel in Pittsburgh. Mark your calendar now and plan to join us! You’ll have an opportunity to bid on your own escape—how about a vacation [...]

 

CCO receives Wilderness Education Association 2008 Affiliate Award

Contact: CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) Vince Burens, Vice President for Staff Services 412-363-3303 ext. 141, vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org var mailNode = document.getElementById(‘emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-12′); var linkNode = document.createElement(‘a’); linkNode.setAttribute(‘href’, “mailto:%76%62%75%72%65%6E%73%40%63%63%6F%6A%75%62%69%6C%65%65%2E%6F%72%67″); tNode = document.createTextNode(“vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org”); linkNode.appendChild(tNode); linkNode.setAttribute(‘id’, “emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-12″); mailNode.parentNode.replaceChild(linkNode, mailNode); (Pittsburgh) March 17, 2008 — The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) has received the 2008 Affiliate [...]

 

The Washington Post reviews Jubilee conference

Michael Gerson, former top aide and speech-writer for President George W. Bush and author of the book Heroic Conservatism, recently spoke at Jubilee 2008. Mr. Gerson is also a regular contributor to The Washington Post. On February 27, 2008, his column entitled “Faith Without a Home” appeared, complete with reflections from his experiences at Jubilee: [...]

 

Covenant Seminary professor blogs about Jubilee 2008

“I’m serious folks, I think CCO may be America’s leading college ministry. You’re not going to find students being discipled this way with a distinctively missional Creation-Fall-Redemption-Restoration theology anywhere in the country.” Dr. Anthony Bradley, Assistant Professor of Apologetics and Systematic Theology at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, kicked off the opening plenary session [...]

 

Jubilee Africana & Latino 2008

The Jubilee conference gathers thousands of students every year to help them catch a vision for how their Christian faith should inform the way they study, play, work and live out every area of life. Jubilee is about developing today’s students to become tomorrow’s leaders. One of those leaders is CCO staff member Gene Tibbs. [...]

 

Chuck Colson, Michael Gerson and Tony Dungy to address Jubilee 2008

Contact: Bonnie Liefer, Vice President for Marketing & Communications, CCO (412) 363-3303 ext. 127 , bonnie {at} ccojubilee(.)org var mailNode = document.getElementById(‘emob-obaavr@ppbwhovyrr.bet-19′); var linkNode = document.createElement(‘a’); linkNode.setAttribute(‘href’, “mailto:%62%6F%6E%6E%69%65%40%63%63%6F%6A%75%62%69%6C%65%65%2E%6F%72%67″); tNode = document.createTextNode(“bonnie {at} ccojubilee(.)org”); linkNode.appendChild(tNode); linkNode.setAttribute(‘id’, “emob-obaavr@ppbwhovyrr.bet-19″); mailNode.parentNode.replaceChild(linkNode, mailNode); (Pittsburgh) February 8, 2008 — The CCO will host more than 2,500 college students at the annual [...]

 

Sex on campus

“The ‘true love waits’ saying is a bunch of crap,” said one female student, after listening to author Lauren Winner discuss her book, Real Sex: The Naked Truth About Chastity, at Vienna Presbyterian Church in September. “We are a feelings-oriented culture, and waiting doesn’t feel good.” A survey done at Michigan State University indicates that [...]

 

Chuck Colson to speak at Jubilee 08

More than 30 years ago, Charles W. Colson was not thinking about reaching out to prison inmates or reforming the U.S. penal system. In fact, this aide to President Richard Nixon was “incapable of humanitarian thought,” according to the media of the mid-1970s. Chuck Colson was known as the White House “hatchet man,” a man [...]

 

Faith for Thought

Young adults are disillusioned with Christianity. Many young adults today are more skeptical and resistant to Christianity than they were 10 years ago, according to the book Unchristian by Dave Kinneman. Only 16% of Americans between the ages of 16 and 29 said they have a favorable impression of Christianity. The most common terms they [...]

 

Why Christians should be interested in the arts

Artist and CCO staff member Yvonne Boudreaux works with students in Philadelphia at the University of the Arts and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She was recently interviewed by LeAnne Benfield Martin for her blog, Christians in the Arts. The blog is “a discussion of why Christians should be interested in the arts [...]

 

WVU: #1 Party School

West Virginia University was named the number one party school for 2007 by The Princeton Review Annual Rankings. “The school has made the list seven times in the past 15 years, despite efforts to curb underage drinking and rowdy behavior,” writes Vicki Smith in an Associated Press report. What the CCO is doing about it: [...]

 

The Freshman Experience

The need to reach freshmen early Despite strong levels of spiritual activity during their high school years, many college students are not interested in further developing their Christian faith during their young adult years, according to a 2006 study by The Barna Group. Approximately 60% of 20-somethings who were involved in a church during their [...]

 

Making the transition from high school to college

Only 58% of students are able to finish their bachelor’s degree within six years of enrollment, according to Eric Bierker of The College Transition Group. On average, college students graduate with over $3,000 of credit card debt. The pressure to drink and have sex can be overwhelming. Currently, the college student population has the highest [...]

 

Welcome our new staff!

More than 30 new staff members recently completed the CCO’s annual New Staff Training program, hosted this summer at Grove City College. These men and women are now heading to the campuses where they will begin their ministry to college students, including several new campuses, from the University of Charleston in West Virginia to Cumberland [...]

 

The importance of ministry to college students

“What will become of the 2007 graduates who will leave us next month college-bound?” CCO alumnus and associate staff member, Byron Borger, asks this question in his opinion piece about the importance of ministry to college students, published in the July 15, 2007 issue of The York Daily Record. From his article, “The yearnings of [...]

 

What happens after graduation?

Why do some college students struggle with, or even lose, their Christian faith after they graduate, while others continue to grow and thrive? In a 2006 study, the Barna Research Group reported that “a majority of twentysomethings — 61% of today’s young adults — had been churched at one point during their teen years but [...]

 

CCO staff and alumnus write outrageous book

Congratulations to CCO staff member Derek Melleby and CCO alumnus Don Opitz on the publication of their book, The Outrageous Idea of Academic Faithfulness: A Guide for Students! Released by Brazos Press on Wednesday, June 6, this one-of-a-kind book has received advance praise from a number of scholars, authors and booksellers. The theme of the [...]

 

Campus substance abuse rampant

The misuse and abuse of drugs and alcohol on college campuses has become more excessive, and “nearly one in four full-time students nationwide meets the medical threshold for substance abuse or dependence,” according to a report highlighted in the March 15, 2007 issue of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That’s two and a half times the same [...]

 

CCO staff worker wins Advisor of the Year Award!

Congratulations to CCO staff member Dave McGeary! In April, he was awarded the first-ever Advisor of the Year Award from Penn State New Kensington. “The unique part about this award is that it is chosen based on student nominations,” wrote Dan Amerman, Assistant to the Director of Student Affairs, in the email that informed Dave [...]

 

CCO group wins Outstanding Community Service Award

More than 50 Duquesne University students involved in the student-run (and CCO-advised) Crossroads Christian Fellowship group were recently treated to a free picnic by the university in honor of their distinction of being given the Outstanding Organization for Community Service Award. Whether passing out chocolate-covered pretzels to thank the university’s janitorial staff or traveling to [...]

 

Responding to the tragedy at Virginia Tech

“When a young person dies, a universe of possibility dies as well.” CCO Area Director Bob Robinson sums up how many of us within the CCO have experienced the heartbreaking news from Blacksburg, Virginia this past week. In the wake of the massacre of 32 individuals at Virginia Tech on Monday, students and professors, Bob [...]

 

CCO Named Best Christian Place to Work for the Fifth Time

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Vince Burens, Vice President of Staff Services, vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org var mailNode = document.getElementById(‘emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-67′); var linkNode = document.createElement(‘a’); linkNode.setAttribute(‘href’, “mailto:%76%62%75%72%65%6E%73%40%63%63%6F%6A%75%62%69%6C%65%65%2E%6F%72%67″); tNode = document.createTextNode(“vburens {at} ccojubilee(.)org”); linkNode.appendChild(tNode); linkNode.setAttribute(‘id’, “emob-ioheraf@ppbwhovyrr.bet-67″); mailNode.parentNode.replaceChild(linkNode, mailNode); , 412.363.3303 Palm Springs, CA – March 15, 2007 – Yesterday, at the Christian Management Association Conference in Palm Springs, California, [...]

 

Jubilee 2007: This Will Cure Your Cynicism

Over 2,100 students gathered during the weekend of February 16-18 for Jubilee 2007! Between seminars, worship sessions and concerts, students caught a vision for how they might offer their entire lives up to serve God. It was packed weekend, during which students were challenged to live out the Gospel message—to care for the poor, to [...]

 

Waves of Influence: Dr. Gideon Strauss writes about the CCO’s ministry

Dr. Gideon Strauss is the editor of Comment, the Work Research Foundation’s monthly worldview journal. I think I first heard about the Coalition for Christian Outreach from someone who told me about the maverick itinerant philosopher of western Pennsylvania, Pete Steen, and the astonishing influence he has had on students in that part of the [...]

 

CCO Hosts Jubilee 2007

The CCO (Coalition for Christian Outreach) will host nearly 2,000 college students at the annual Jubilee Conference during the weekend of February 16-18, 2007 at the Hilton Pittsburgh, downtown.

 

Where did you sleep last night?

Chris Popadich, a CCO staff member who works with Late Night Christian Fellowship at Kent State University, joined the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity to raise awareness of the perils of homelessness. Click here to read ‘Where did you sleep last night?’ Habitat for Humanity raises awareness about homelessness.

 

CCO staff members featured in PBS documentary about Civil Rights Bus Tour

CCO staff members featured in PBS documentary about Civil Rights Bus Tour For eight days in June, a group of Western Pennsylvanians journeyed to the sites of America’s Civil Rights struggle. The “Return to the Roots of Civil Rights Bus Tour” covered nearly 2,600 miles, traveling from Beaver Falls to the Deep South. Among the [...]

 

Coalition for Christian Outreach Recognized as Best Christian Place to Work for Fourth Consecutive Year

Seattle, WA ? March 16, 2006 ? For the fourth consecutive year, the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) has taken top honors in the Best Christian Places to Work in the United States survey.

 

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