Contacts
Get connected to GCF! Join the GCF email list, where you can receive announcements about upcoming GCF events and other social activities. Email Katie, or visit the Google Group webpage, and join the group.
» Staff
Executive Committee
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Ben Chidester graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 2009 and is now a third year graduate student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. His research interests are in image, video and signal processing, in particular, he is interested in the impact of efficient signal representations to such applications as MRI and video compression. Originally from Maryland, Ben recently ventured on an incredible project with InterVarsity to central China. He is now also an active member of the International Friendship Link in their ministry to international students at UIUC. Ben attends All Souls Presbyterian Church and on the side is an avid Steelers fan and enjoys all things baseball and blues guitar. |
Ben
Chidester, President|
Brent Pomeroy is a second year Aerospace Engineering student and graduated from Clarkson University in 2010. His research is in the field of applied aerodynamics and is designing/studying a new wind turbine blade. He has been active in Illinois GCF for his entire time while at UIUC. When not testing his experiment in the wind tunnel, you are likely to find him outside enjoying a baseball game, taking pictures, sailing (though sailing in the Illinois corn fields has proven to be difficult), or some other sort of outdoor adventure. |
Brent
Pomeroy|
Katie Crimmins, Webmaster Katie Crimmins is a fourth-year PhD student in Physics. Her research is in Physics Education, with a focus on exploring the effectiveness of new hands-on activities in introductory-level Physics courses. She has been involved in InterVarsity since her undergraduate years at the University of Michigan, and has served as a worship leader and exec member in GCF at UIUC. Katie has a history of filling her "free" time by taking various group fitness classes, making a mess of her kitchen, and knitting while watching old movies. |
Staff
David
Suryk, GCF Staff Worker and Small Group Leader
dsuryk@gmail.com
217-377-0995
David Suryk is an InterVarsity Staff member who resources the Graduate Christian Fellowship and the Illini Christian Faculty and Staff (aka, the faculty fellowship). He studied economics and mathematics at Knox College where he took his BA. He became a follower of Jesus Christ somewhere during the last part of his senior year of college and the first year of law school. David first got involved with InterVarsity while doing his JD degree at the Drake Law School. After working as an attorney in the Des Moines area he felt that he wanted to be back on campus helping others come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and to grow as his disciples. While staffing undergraduate IV chapters at Illinois Wesleyan and Illinois State Universities he decided to study philosophy and earned his first philosophy degree at ISU. David also took a few summers of intensive theology classes at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School after joining IV staff. After coming to the U of I to work with grad students and faculty, he did graduate studies in philosophy and is ABD for his PhD in philosophy at the U of I. The philosophy doctoral program required two foreign languages so he got to do the reading course in German and took courses in Greek. He’s not convinced that doing the dissertation is what's in store for him. Doing his doctoral studies, David taught philosophy for three years at the U of I and enjoyed enough not to want to be a full-time faculty member. While doing his graduate work in philosophy he taught logic, critical thinking, and intro courses in ethics and moral philosophy. When not working on his house (always some repair or improvement is needed—he even used a jack hammer) he enjoys reading, discussing big ideas, leading Bible studies, and working out. He enjoys traveling in Europe (Austria, Germany, Netherlands) and has met many great people from around the world studying here. His web page is www.gfmuiuc.org.
Small Group Leaders
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Phil Ansell |
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Janine Giordano-Drake |
Other Leadership
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Adam Luchies graduated from John Brown University in 2009 and is currently a graduate student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois. He is interested in developing noninvasive ultrasound imaging methods capable of detecting cancer. Adam enjoys traveling, reading, skiing, and managing GCF's finances. |
Adam
Luchies, Treasurer