Consortium Of Christian Study Centers

THE CORPORATION IS ORGANIZED AND OPERATED TO INTEGRATE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND LEARNING WITH LIFE AND TO CULTIVATE CHRISTIAN FAITH IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CONTEMPORARY UNIVERSITY BY SEEKING TO ADVANCE THE GROWTH AND EFFECTIVENESS OF CHRISTIAN STUDY CENTERS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AROUND THE WORLD. IN PURSUIT OF THIS MISSION, THE CONSORTIUM OF CHRISTIAN STUDY CENTERS ("CCSC")HAS THE FOLLOWING GOALS: A. PROVIDE MUTUAL STIMULATION AND RESOURCES TO EXISTING CHRISTIAN STUDY CENTERS ("CSCS"); B. ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW CSCS; C. PROMOTE COLLABORATION AMONG CSCS WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS COMMITTED TO BENEFITTING CSCS; AND D. RAISE AWARENESS OF THE STUDY CENTER MOVEMENT IN ACADEMIA, THE CHURCH, AND SOCIETY AT LARGE. IN ADDITION TO OVER 30 MEMBER CENTERS, THE CONSORTIUM NOW ALSO HAS 31 DUES-PAYING PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR THE PURPOSE OF ASSISTING STUDY CENTER DIRECTORS AND STAFF TO BUILD OUT THEIR SERVICES TO STUDENTS AND

CONSULTING, TEACHING AND EVALUATION SERVICES - THE CONSORTIUM PROVIDES CONSULTING,TEACHING AND EVALUATION SERVICES IN THE FORM OF VISITS, PHONE CALLS AND OTHER MEANS OF COMMUNICATION TO ANSWER QUESTIONS, CONNECT ORGANIZATIONS AND PEOPLE TO EACH OTHER TO SHARE EXPERTISE, AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMS OF CHRISTIAN STUDY CENTERS AT UNIVERSITIES. AS PART OF THESE SERVICES, THE INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AIMS TO SERVE MEMBER CENTERS BY PROVIDING A SOLUTION TO THE CHALLENGES OF FINDING AND MANAGING STAFF. THE CONSORTIUM RECRUITS, HIRES, AND TRAINS A SMALL COHORT OF RECENT GRADUATES IN THE SUMMER OF EACH YEAR. IN AUGUST, INTERNS ARE DISPATCHED TO SERVE ON -SITE AT MEMBER CENTERS. CONSORTIUM STAFF CONTINUE TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT, MENTORING AND TRAINING TO INTERNS THROUGH THE YEAR.

RESOURCES AND MATERIALS - THE CONSORTIUM USES THE WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND PRINT MATERIALS TO KEEP STUDY CENTER PERSONNEL CONNECTED TO ONE ANOTHER AS WELL. A MONTHLY "PERISCOPE" NEWSLETTER EMAIL GOES OUT FROM THE CONSORTIUM OFFICE, LETTING READERS KNOW OF IMPORTANT NEWS AROUND THE WORLD OF STUDY CENTERS. THIS LARGELY CONSISTS OF EVENTS HAPPENING AT OUR MEMBER CENTERS, INCLUDING EVERYTHING FROM WEBINARS TO ONLINE DISCUSSION GROUPS THAT ANYONE CAN JOIN, TO THE VARIOUS SPEAKERS, PROGRAMS, AND PHYSICAL DISCUSSION GROUPS HAPPENING LOCALLY AT ONE OF THE CENTERS. IT ALSO TELLS OF SIGNIFICANT EVENTS BEING PUT ON BY OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, IMPORTANT JOB OPENINGS AT OUR MEMBER CENTERS, AND OF COURSE ANNOUNCEMENTS CONCERNING THE ANNUAL MEETING AND VOCATION PROJECT. ANOTHER IMPORTANT SERVICE BY THE CONSORTIUM IS OUR PRAYER INITIATIVE BY WHICH WE ENCOURAGE REGULAR PRAYER BY AND FOR EACH OTHER IN WHATEVER CONTEXT THE STUDY CENTER DESIRES. WE SEND THIS EMAIL MONTHLY. IT CONSISTS OF PRAYER REQUESTS GATHERED FROM THE STUDY CENTERS IN A PARTICULAR REGION. WE HAVE FOUR REGIONS, SO EACH REGION'S CENTERS ARE PRAYED FOR THREE TIMES PER YEAR. THE IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER CANNOT BE OVEREMPHASIZED IN OUR WORK, AND WE HOPE THIS PRACTICE WILL ADD NOT ONLY INFORMATION BUT ALSO THE REJOICING, PETITIONING, AND IMITATING IN OUR MOVEMENT BETWEEN OUR MEMBERS.

ANNUAL MEETING - THE ANNUAL MEETING IS A GATHERING THAT PROVIDES EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND THE SHARING OF BEST PRACTICES FOR MEMBER STUDY CENTER STAFF, BOARD MEMBERS, AND FACULTY. AS BOTH THE NUMBER AND SIZE OF CENTERS HAS GROWN, THE ANNUAL MEETING HAS SIMILARLY SCALED TO PROVIDE OVER A DOZEN WORKSHOPS TO OVER 100 ATTENDEES. SPECIFICALLY, THE ANNUAL MEETING USUALLY CONSISTS OF PLENARY SESSIONS AT WHICH ATTENDEES CAN HEAR AND DIALOGUE WITH SPEAKERS-ALMOST ALWAYS MEMBERS OF THE ACADEMY THEMSELVES-WHO WILL STIMULATE THINKING ABOUT HIGHER EDUCATION IN AMERICA AND HOW CHRISTIANS INHABIT IT.

VOCATION PROJECT - THE VOCATION PROJECT IS A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM TAKING MOSTLY GRADUATE STUDENTS FROM MEMBER CENTERS TO REGENT COLLEGE IN VANCOUVER, BC, FOR A TWO-WEEK SUMMER SESSION. WHILE THERE, THE RECIPIENTS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE COURSES WITH SCHOLARS SUCH AS NT WRIGHT AND STEVE GARBER, ALL THE WHILE BEING MENTORED BY CONSORTIUM PERSONNEL. THE COHORT, USUALLY CONSISTING OF 10-12 STUDENTS, ENGAGES IN VIGOROUS DISCUSSIONS OF WHAT IT MEANS TO BE "CALLED." HEALTHY CONVERSATIONS TOGETHER ON EVERYTHING FROM VOCATION AS A CONCEPT TO LIVING IN A LARGELY POST-SECULAR WORLD ARE INTERLACED WITH HIKES IN THE MOUNTAINS OVERLOOKING VANCOUVER, ATTENDANCE AT A SHAKESPEAREAN PLAY IN THE FAMOUS "BARD ON THE BEACH" VENUE, AND DISCUSSIONS WITH REGENT'S SUMMER FACULTY LIKE THE AFOREMENTIONED WRIGHT AND GARBER AND MANY OTHERS.