Sandra Van Opstal - Director

Sandra Van Opstal, a Chicago-born, second generation Latina, graduated from Millikin University with a degree in Music Business.  After a brief time in business consulting, God called her into ministry with college students and staff with InterVarsity.  After serving for 10 years at Northwestern University, Sandra now serves as the Co-Director of the Chicago Urban Program.  Sandra brings her vast experience and shepherding spirit into CUP.  Her devotion to expanding God's Kingdom globally has moved her to take teams of students and church members to do short term projects in China, Egypt, and the Dominican Republic in addition to serving as worship leader at the Urbana 09 Missions Conference.  Her heart for urban justice has led her and her husband to be committed to the city of Chicago, in life and in ministry. 

Beth Hedges - Administrator

Beth Hedges holds a History degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and an M.Div. from Trinity International University. Beth has been with InterVarsity in Chicago for almost 15 years. She has served as campus staff at Loyola University and Northeastern Illinois University. She also worked as an area director for 5 years, supervising InterVarsity’s work on urban and commuter campuses on the northside of Chicago. Beth’s gifts in administration, logistics and creating order out of chaos as well as her love for college students and desire to see the diverse Kingdom of God advance in Chicago and on campus led her to join the CUP team in 2007.

Max Kuecker - Staff

Prior to joining InterVarsity staff in 2007, Max Kuecker worked for six years in pastoral ministry and 3 in politics.  He brings these two worlds together in the Chicago Urban Project by taking a theological look at the structures of injustice that surround race and poverty in Chicago.  Max graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in Secondary Education and earned his M.C.S at Regent College (Vancouver, BC), where he focused his studies on the role of the Western Church in globalization.  His commitment to building relationships across class and ethnicity has led him to live in Chicago's Woodlawn neighborhood and to attend New Community Covenant Church. 

Other Staff 

The CUP team is joined by other InterVarsity staff and volunteers who participate in the spring break and summer programs to shepherd and teach the students who commit to the program. Staff and volunteers often come from the campus fellowships that are sending students to the program. Other staff come from the greater Chicago area.

CUP staff work with students in various capacities over both spring break and summer CUP.