Backpack 
What is New Student Outreach?
Welcoming New Students into Community
New Student Outreach (NSO) is the first four weeks of school when everyone comes to campus. It is often one of the most open seasons of people’s lives. They are deciding who will be their friends, and where they will belong.
InterVarsity loves to welcome new students into our transformational community. We will help you prepare your hearts and your plans for this incredible opportunity.
NSO is like Ice Cream: One Scoop, or Two?
1-Scoop “Love my Neighbor”
“Jesus is already at work on my campus. I want to join Jesus in reaching Christians and non-Christians, helping all of us fall in love with Jesus together. We will welcome friends, classmates, neighbors, and the first-year students who are looking for a Christian community.” - Student Leader '25
Here is an example of an already-filled-out One-Scoop plan:
One Scoop Plan (Coming April 11)
2-Scoop “Engage your Campus”
“I believe I am a student on this campus ‘for such a time as this.’ I have the opportunity to impact as many of my peers as possible with the love of Jesus. ‘Here I am Lord, send me!’ I expect to befriend all kinds of people who are very different from me.” -Student Leader ‘25
Here is an example of an already-filled-out Two-Scoop plan:
Compare the Two Plans
One Scoop
✔ Network Map
✔ Tabling
✔ Fun Event
× Proxe
Two Scoops
✔ Network Map
✔ Tabling
✔ Fun Event
✔ Proxe
Create a Plan Together
Why Plan in Community?
We hope you experience the joy of outreach as you gather your team to plan. Preparing for NSO together can be an opportunity to release everyone’s creative energy, making you a more fun-filled crew. We hope God will use your planning meeting to grow your love for the students you will welcome.
Pave the Way with Prayer
Prepare your hearts to be open for the new friends you will meet, and pray for new students on campus to feel welcomed in your community. This three-part prayer meeting will help you pray as a team, imagine the impact of your outreach, and seek Jesus to transform your campus.
Featured Flavors
REFRESH Proxe
This beautiful Proxe invites us to consider how we are refreshed by Creation. Share Jesus’s story with this allegory co-written by InterVarsity’s Native Dept., and get stickers for your water bottle! (FYI a Proxe is interactive art that helps us bridge conversations to the gospel.)
Take our Student Course
Impacting your campus with Jesus’ love is like choosing ice cream. One scoop is loving your neighbor, or housemates, or sports team. Two scoops is reaching your campus, going big and bold. In this course, you personally or your leaders team will walk with Kennedy as she discerns which outreach is best for her.
Overview of the Year
Prepare Together
The Prepare phase is about seeking Jesus for where he’s at work and how we can join him in spiritual preparation and planning.
Engage the Campus
In the Engage phase, we’ve heard from Jesus and now we are doing the work of welcoming students to his table on new corners and campuses.
Grow the Movement
The Grow phase is looking to see what Jesus has done, who he has brought to his table and where there is momentum as we go into the next stage of our ministry plans.