Leading the way in Collegiate Spiritual Formation
Malone University has a long legacy of preparing students to serve the Church, community, and the world. Rev. Linda Leon ‘93, D.Min. also has a long legacy of shaping the spiritual formation of students through her early work with the Coalition for Christian Outreach (CCO) on Malone’s campus and later as a Malone employee.
Now a seasoned leader, Leon’s passion for student ministry propels Malone toward additional collaboration with, and leadership within, the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU).
“There are 185 institutions around the world that make up the CCCU, and Malone is a vital part of that global network. They’re concerned not just with the type of education offered to students, but also with the type of ministry that is happening, the faith integration occurring in the classroom, and the legislation across the U.S. that impacts higher education,” said Leon.
In 2022, Leon was named a CCCU Commissioner for Campus Ministries, offering her and a handful of other commissioners from within the Council the opportunity to shape student ministries for this cultural moment.
”I think of myself as a representative of Malone. I love Malone and our students, and I’m so thankful to represent our university and be part of a board that makes changes throughout the CCCU,” she said. “I want to know what’s working well for campus ministry across the world so that we can adapt that for use here. Malone now has a voice shaping campus ministry across the globe, and we can gain from this braintrust and community as much as we can help.”
Most recently, in early 2024, Leon represented that commission as a conference pastor for The CCCU Multi-Academic Conferences (MACs) in San Diego. These conferences provide a time for professional development, networking, and spiritual engagement, as well as opportunities for constituency groups to collaborate and network.
“I was surrounded by mission-minded Christian higher education colleagues from across the U.S.,” said Leon. “These last two academic years have been a joy and an honor working with my fellow campus ministries commissioners. We regularly encourage one another in our individual ministries.”
Students on Christian campuses benefit from restorative conference time that commissioners, pastors, and other members take from the MACs. It invigorates them to return to their communities as leaders who direct students toward biblical truth.
“The Commission is a wonderful outlet to introduce resources to CCCU campus ministry directors nationwide, growing their professional skills and supporting their callings to serve college students. This year, the team of CCCU Campus Ministry Commissioners will work diligently with campus ministers around the U.S. for best practice idea-sharing, professional development, and preparation for the 2025 Multi-Academic Conference.”