Beth Hedges – Interim Director and Administrator – Email
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 – Email
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 River City Community Church.
Ryan Pederson – Staff – Email
Ryan Pederson graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in International Studies and Economics. Prior to God calling him to CUP staff, Ryan worked in business consulting with the Boston Consulting Group and helped run the Center for Global Engagement at Northwestern University. There, he helped start the Global Engagement Summer Institute study abroad program in Uganda, India, and Argentina. Ryan brings both a pastoral heart and desire to see God’s kingdom across sectors to CUP. His passion for urban justice has led him to live and serve in the Logan Square & Humboldt Park neighborhoods and attend New Life Covenant Church
Summer Staff
Chris Nielson
Chris is the Milwaukee Urban Program director for InterVarsity, working primarily with students in Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In college he spent four years in the undergraduate chapter at Eau Claire and three summers working at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. After graduating he spent two years teaching in Philadelphia before moving back to Milwaukee last year.
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.