Incoming college freshman and their parents can now search and compare nine different collegiate ministries nationwide through a resourceful website, www.CollegeWalk.com, sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ (CCC) in partnership with eight other high-profile U.S. fellowships. Organizers are hoping the recently developed website will not only streamline the college fellowship selection process for college-bound students but also reach more for Christ through a collaborative effort.
Dan Hardaway, director of the CollegeWalk partnership for CCC, said, “We see www.CollegeWalk.com as an extremely important resource for high school graduates, youth ministers, parents and others who want to find out what ministry opportunities will be available at different universities.”
Alongside a linked logo to the Campus Crusade for Christ’s campus ministry Web site are other campus ministries, which are: Intervarsity Christian Fellowship, The Navigators, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Great Commission Ministries, Chi Alpha, Evangelical Free Church Student Ministries, Baptist Student Ministries, and The Wesley Foundation.
Although CCC is known to have the most extensive network among its partners, active on 1000 U.S. campuses, it’s not just about CCC, according to its U.S. Campus Ministry spokesman Tony Arnold
“We are all working together,” he said. The website will offer to students different fellowships with “different tastes.”
“It reflects the diversity of the body,” said Arnold. “Through that diversity, we can all reach those who would have never been reached through Campus Crusade. God is not calling everyone to be a part of Campus Crusade for Christ but calling everyone to the opportunity to be a part of the body of Christ.”
“The key issue is for a young freshman to be plugged into a fellowship for growth,” continued Arnold. “If this website makes them the connection, more quickly and readily available there, then God will call them.”
Students won’t even need to step foot on their campuses before being able to learn about the available fellowships. Through the “Ministry Locator” feature of the site, which is expected to be the most used part of CollegeWalk.com, students can quickly find out which ministries are located at a specific university and how to contact them.
The site also posts articles on popular topics freshman may find useful in adjusting to college life like “Getting Along with your Roommate,” “Recipe for Basic Laundry,” and “How to Get Better Grades.” Students can also go to the “Resources” section and order faith-encouraging books such as NavPress’ “How to Stay Christian in College” guide or fun items such as “ConGRADulations Class of 2004” music CD and FamilyLife’s “Essential College Kit.”
All the ideas for the website were implemented during the past six months the website was under developement, according to Arnold, but it wasn’t until June that CollegeWalk began actively e-mailing pastors and churches to inform them of the new service for their college-bound congregants.
Arnold hopes the website will “help students not get lost in the transition from high school to college.”
