Contacts

InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship at Illinois

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» Executive Committee

» Staff

» Small Group Leaders

» Other Leadership

Michael Culbertson

Michael Culbertson graduated from Wheaton College in 2004 with majors in French and Ancient Language. Since then, he has taught English to elementary school students in France, and completed an Ed.M. from Boston University in International Educational Development. Michael is now in his third year at the University of Illinois, studying Educational Statistics. He has an interest in educational measurement models that provide rich information about what students know and can do, as well as longitudinal models that track students' growth through time. He hopes one day to help educational decision-makers understand these and other statistical information available about educational programs in order to improve the quality and access of education for the disadvantaged. Michael attends Hessel Park Christian Reformed Church, and enjoys thinking, story, choral singing, and playing the violin.

Katie Graham

A 2009 Wheaton College graduate, Katie is a second year student in the Political Science program. (No, she doesn't want to be a politician someday.) Her particular interests center on Congress and executive-legislative relations, especially executive vetoes of minor legislation. Originally from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Katie loves to read the New Yorker and wishes she could live in Washington, D.C. If she could travel anywhere in the world, she would visit Turkey, if only for the food!

Ben Chidester

Ben Chidester graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2009 and is now a second year graduate student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. His research interests are in image, video and signal processing, in particular, he is interested in the impact of efficient signal representations to such applications as MRI and video compression. Originally from Maryland, Ben recently ventured on an incredible project with InterVarsity to central China. He is now also an active member of the International Friendship Link in their ministry to international students at UIUC. Ben attends All Souls Presbyterian Church and on the side is an avid Steelers fan and enjoys all things baseball and blues guitar.

Amy Weber

David Suryk, GCF Staff Worker and Small Group Leader

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David Suryk is an InterVarsity Staff member who resources the Graduate Christian Fellowship and the Illini Christian Faculty and Staff (aka, the faculty fellowship). He studied economics and mathematics at Knox College where he took his BA. He became a follower of Jesus Christ somewhere during the last part of his senior year of college and the first year of law school. David first got involved with InterVarsity while doing his JD degree at the Drake Law School. After working as an attorney in the Des Moines area he felt that he wanted to be back on campus helping others come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to grow as his disciples. While staffing undergraduate IV chapters at Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State Universities he decided to study philosophy and earned his first philosophy degree at ISU. David also took a few summers of intensive theology classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School after joining IV staff. After coming to the U of I to work with grad students and faculty, he did graduate studies in philosophy and is ABD for his PhD in philosophy at the U of I. The philosophy doctoral program required two foreign languages so he got to do the reading course in German and took courses in Greek. He’s not convinced that doing the dissertation is what's in store for him. Doing his doctoral studies, David taught philosophy for three years at the U of I and enjoyed enough not to want to be a full-time faculty member. While doing his graduate work in philosophy he taught logic, critical thinking, and intro courses in ethics and moral philosophy. When not working on his house (always some repair or improvement is needed—he even used a jack hammer) he enjoys reading, discussing big ideas, leading Bible studies, and working out. He enjoys traveling in Europe (Austria, Germany, Netherlands) and has met many great people from around the world studying here. His web page is www.gfmuiuc.org.

Phil Ansell

Janine Giordano-Drake

Nina Chanlin, Small Group Instigator

Nina began growing on the western cusp of Chicago. She entered the University in the Dark Ages, before colour was invented and everything was still black and white. She dabbled in Architecture and Consumer Psychology before finally settling on a major: Miscellaneous. Through her tenure here, Nina has interacted in InterVarsity since her latter undergraduate years and continues to enjoy the intellectual stimulation of Graduate Christian Fellowship. She enjoys posing as a "small group leader" as she coyly goads others into answering her theological queries. Currently, Nina attends Twin City Bible Church. In her spare time, she enjoys swimming, cycling, backpacking, cuisine, road trips, and general adventure. She was quite content until fall 2006, when she encountered Michael LeMay, who beat her at arm wrestling and tells her that most products she uses will cause serious ailments.

luchies Adam Luchies, Treasurer

Adam Luchies graduated from John Brown University in 2009 and is currently a graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois. He is interested in developing noninvasive ultrasound imaging methods capable of detecting cancer. Adam enjoys traveling, reading, skiing, and managing GCF's finances.

Katie Crimmins, Webmaster

Katie Crimmins is a third-year graduate student in Physics. She studies the acoustics of human hearing, which provides a convenient way to combine her dual majors (Physics and Music) from the University of Michigan. She has been involved in InterVarsity since she started college, and has served as a worship leader and exec member in GCF. Katie fills her time with cookie baking, swimming, singing, knitting, and wishing she could go sailing.