On a typical Monday night at Heidelberg University, groups of students set out to do various activities. One group, however, gathers with a different mission—not for assignments or sports, but to lead their Christian community. This is CRU, a student-led organization where leadership is shared and faith is at the center.
With no paid CRU staff member to guide the events, President Taylor Ratliff and the rest of the CRU leadership team balance faith, leadership, and personal growth to spread the love of Jesus.
For Taylor, leadership is about fostering an environment where everyone can contribute and grow. She also noted that there are some other leadership aspects as well. “One of my responsibilities is lining up speakers,” she explained. “It’s more than just sending an email. It’s booking, organizing schedules, sending reminders and making sure everything is in place.”
CRU is a national organization. While other schools, like Bowling Green State University, have paid staff from CRU National, Heidelberg’s chapter relies entirely on student leaders, a few volunteers and a staff advisor. “We don’t have the resources for a paid CRU staff member at Heidelberg,” Taylor said. This challenge has created an opportunity for students to lead and shape the organization themselves.
The leadership team currently includes Taylor and eight other members. Together, they run everything from organizing events to managing marketing. “We plan pop-up events based on everyone’s schedules, and we also manage all the social media, flyers, and advertising,” she said.
On a typical Monday, the leadership team meets at 7:30 p.m., worship practice begins an hour earlier, and the main CRU gathering kicks off at 8:30. This tight schedule requires coordination and a shared sense of responsibility. “Everyone leads differently,” Taylor explained. “I’m just a part of the leadership team because we all work together. Everyone brings something unique.”
Leadership team member Kait Rutledge echoes that sentiment. “We’re very open and honest with each other, and we communicate well. Being on the leadership team has helped me feel more comfortable.”
The team’s collaborative spirit is clear. “It’s an environment where we all feel comfortable expressing concerns,” Taylor said. For instance, after receiving feedback that meetings were running too late, the team decided to move the start time up to 8:30, respecting everyone’s time.
Of course, any team faces challenges. According to both Taylor and Kait, one of the biggest challenges of leading CRU is managing the diverse ideas that come from such a large team.
Despite this, the leadership team stays focused on its mission. “We try to keep our focus on why we’re here,” Taylor said. “If three people show up, that’s great. If 30 people show up, that’s great too. We’re just here to spread the message of Jesus on campus.”
Heidelberg CRU operates with the same core mission as CRU National. According to CRU’s national website (cru.org), the mission is to “create a caring community passionate about connecting people to Jesus Christ.”
Associate Professor of Business Dr. Trish Berg, who specializes in management, ties CRU’s leadership approach to the concept of understanding your “why.” When leaders understand their purpose, they can inspire others to follow them, and in the case of CRU, that purpose is rooted in faith. “When a young person leads another young person, it’s a lot more meaningful,” Trish said, noting that the authenticity of CRU’s leaders shines through in their efforts.
For the CRU team, success isn’t measured by attendance but by the strong faith and community, they’ve built. “Our faith drives what we do,” Taylor expressed. “And our goal is simple: to spread the message of Jesus across campus.”
As CRU continues to grow and evolve, the leadership team is doing more than organizing events. They’re fostering an environment of openness, collaboration and faith. “We’re not on the leadership team because we’re special,” Kait said with a smile. “We’re just here an hour early.” Taylor added, “We’re not above anyone. We’re just like everyone else, figuring out our journey with Jesus.”
ー written by senior Kaiden Matias, business administration major and Marketing Office student assistant