Christian Grads Fellowship (CGF) chapters are a critical expression of how Grad Resources meets the Big 6 Needs of graduate students, particularly their Spiritual (Faith) and Relational needs. Through Christ-centered community, shared life, and thoughtful engagement with faith and scholarship, CGF chapters provide graduate students with spaces where belief, belonging, and calling can be nurtured alongside academic pursuit.
For more than 35 years, Grad Resources and the Christian Grads Fellowship (CGF) have been walking alongside graduate students as they navigate one of the most formative—and often isolating—seasons of life. What began as a small, focused effort has grown into a national network shaped by deep partnerships, adaptive strategy, and a long-term commitment to spiritual, personal, and vocational flourishing.
Today, as graduate education expands across the country and new needs emerge, we find ourselves standing before what we call a “Big Blue Ocean” of opportunity: hundreds of campuses with advanced degree programs and little to no graduate-level Christian community presence. This moment invites both reflection on where we’ve been and clarity about where we’re going.
Over the decades, more than 70 university campuses have hosted active CGF chapters at various points in our history. On many of these campuses, seeds planted years ago have continued to bear fruit, sometimes quietly, sometimes through visible seasons of renewal and revival.
A key part of this legacy has been our collaboration with long-standing ministry partners such as Cru and InterVarsity. On select campuses, these partnerships include full-time staff embedded locally, working alongside CGF to provide sustained presence and discipleship.
On many other campuses, CGF chapters are:
This hybrid approach has allowed CGF to remain both deeply rooted and remarkably flexible.
Every campus ministry faces a core challenge: the cyclical nature of student leadership. Graduate students, by definition, engage for a limited season before graduating and moving on. Leadership transitions, academic pressure, and life changes can all disrupt momentum.
Yet the opportunity before us is immense.
We refer to these campuses as the “Blue Ocean”. Spaces where no established graduate ministry exists and where thoughtful, relational engagement can lead to entirely new expressions of community.
Grad Resources and CGF approach Blue Ocean campuses with intentionality and humility. Our strategies include:
These approaches have been consistently yielding promising fruit.
After years of hosting Grad Resources speakers, Embry-Riddle became fertile ground for deeper engagement. Through repeated exposure to our Speakers Bureau and the convergence of like-minded faculty and student leaders, a new CGF chapter is launching in Spring 2026.
What’s especially exciting:
Tulane hosted Mike Strauss as a guest speaker for a campus event. That visit catalyzed new relationships with faculty and students who are now laying the groundwork for a new CGF chapter launching this spring, with additional vision for outreach and contacts made to nearby Loyola University.
These campuses exemplify how strategic presence + relational trust can open doors that didn’t previously exist.
Originally launched in 2010, the Texas Tech CGF chapter once thrived before facing disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic when key student leaders graduated. This spring marks a powerful resurgence with our on campus event featuring Dr. Micah Green. This event was well brought about in partnership with 5 faculty members, and 3 ministry partners who attended and reported to be a success.
Together, we're excited about the promise of renewed in person engagement and beginning more conversations about serving graduate students on campus.
At Oregon State, is still going strong and is experiencing new a new and meaningful season of growth in passing the torch of leadership. A recent speaker event in Fall 2025 challenged and reignited the community, generating excitement for growth, leadership development, and the next chapter of ministry on campus. In 2026, they're developing plans for growth, and are planning Spring leadership training and events in conjunction with another campus ministry.
What’s happening at Mizzou is a glimpse of what flourishing can look like at its fullest. Student leaders there were invited to partner with local ministries to launch COMO for Christ, a new nonprofit born out of a grassroots revival last fall that drew thousands of students, faculty, and community members.
This movement:
Texas A&M holds a special place in our history. Launched in 2008, it became the first test case of our remote coaching campus model—a pivotal shift that expanded our reach far beyond what on-site staffing alone could accomplish. Today, the chapter continues to flourish in partnership with InterVarsity, demonstrating the long-term viability of this approach.
Our flagship chapter, launched in 1990, represents the very first graduate-focused Christian ministry of its kind. At a time when collegiate ministry largely focused on undergraduates, UT Austin broke new ground. Today, graduate ministries there remain vibrant through active partnerships, with Grad Resources continuing to support through speakers, resources, and training.
From legacy campuses to Blue Ocean frontiers, from student-led fellowships to city-wide movements, the CGF network reflects what is possible when faithful presence, strategic imagination, and deep partnerships come together.
This blog post serves as both a snapshot of where we are and a foundation for where we’re headed; anchoring future stories, communications, and opportunities to serve graduate students across America.
Whether you’re looking to join a local fellowship, connect online, or explore starting a chapter, we’d love to help you get connected.
Scan the QR code to learn more and take the next step.