RUF Internship!

Give online thru RUF: Paige Jackson giving link.

Mail in a check to:

Reformed University Fellowship

PO Box 890004

Charlotte, NC 28289

Memo Line: "Paige Jackson - 7197"

What do I need? It would be so helpful for people to consider covering at least 1% - 2% of my yearly goal. For the 2024-2025 school year, that is $560 - $1,120. If you decide to give monthly, it's about $50 - $100 per month. It's even more helpful if you can give more, but I am even so grateful if you end up doing less! Thank you for supporting me in any ways at all (:

Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) is the college ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America and is on over 170 campuses around the nation. The ministry’s mission is to reach students with the gospel of Jesus Christ and equip those students to serve Him, not just on their campus, but in all of life. Find more here.

Hi! I’m Paige. I grew up in Daphne, Alabama with my parents, Jerry & Gayla, and older brother, Reed. I was charmed by the canopying trees with Spanish moss, the friendly faces, and sunsets over Mobile Bay. I attended college in Nashville, Tennessee at Belmont University and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Leadership. As someone who enjoys many different things, I knew the only thing I could learn and talk about forever was Jesus! Though I believe ministry can be done in whatever field the Lord has called you to, I felt His hand guiding my toward studying religion and going into campus ministry with RUF. I want to share the love of Jesus and the real story of the Gospel with others! And I want to believe it more and more too.

Listening to people’s stories, laughter, questions and feelings is an honor. People are created wonderfully and deserve to be loved - especially college students who are still figuring out what they believe about themselves, the world, and God. I am also figuring those things out and am excited to walk alongside and learn with and from the students at The University of Arizona.

This is a 2 year program (optional 3rd that I'm praying about), and I just finished year one!

I've learned a lot about the U of A culture, students' needs, life in ministry, and about myself. There is quite a bit of loneliness at my university here in Tucson, and my job feels even more significant because I get to befriend students and help them feel seen and known on a campus of 46,000 students. Ultimately, the goal is to point them to Christ and be a small mirror of His mighty love. It has been humbling thinking that I know best in many scenarios, then having to surrender my way to whatever God is doing. There have been many personal and ministerial expectations that I've had to mourn or shift throughout the year, choosing to trust God and believe He is good even when it does not feel true. He has been faithful to me as I have been cynical, proud, and untrusting - still, the blood of Christ covers me and calls me righteous.

RUF is a non-profit! And this is mission work. If you think about a missionary moving to another county, they fundraise - it is no different for me in the USA!

Asking for money can be hard. It touches our desires for security and control. But it is also a way we can remember the sovereignty of God and our call to seek the kingdom first. The vision I want to share with you is one where we join in with the chorus, singing God’s praises, and inviting students to sing with along with us. The vision is to love students, teach the gospel, transform lives, equip the church, and help develop a loving community in the body of Christ.

And the vision I want to share with you is to join in with the chorus, singing God’s praises, and inviting students to sing with along with us. The mission is to teach the gospel, transform lives, equip the church, and help develop a loving community in the body of Christ.

I believe in the gospel. I have my doubts, but the Lord holds onto me. I believe college students are loved more deeply than they can imagine. Together, we can continue to invest in the lives college students, in a time, where so much growth, chaos, fun, and questioning is arising.

With this mission in mind, confident in the work of Christ, I ask for your financial support to help love students and build the church!

Please prayerfully consider this invitation into ministry with me in Tuscon. Don’t hesitate to reach out with questions too! I’m in this with you! (251) 776-0419.

Donate here.

I fundraised $50,000 my first year of the internship (Praise!).

This year, my goal is $56,000!

In being quite transparent with my finances, I hope to build trust with my partners and also remind everyone, including myself, that all resources belong to the Lord! Maybe this isn’t the way you would approach your finances and spending, but I ask for your support, humility, and trust that there are wise people guiding me in this process. For many years all RUF interns and campus ministers fundraise and have fundraised their finances. Only 2% of interns don’t meet their goal, and with Jesus as the King of Kings, I’m not too worried and I pray you aren’t either.

With that, here is a simplified breakdown of my finances (In a summary, about half is my salary and the other half is for ministry expenses):

Finance chart May 2023 (this remains almost the same for my second year in 2024)

Personal: rent, groceries, savings, everyday living!

Ministry: finances for orientation, ministry training weeks, ministry development, and educational program literature.

Benefits: monthly counseling (yay!), insurance.

General Administration: support and area services for wider RUF administration services.

Again, there is a team above me who have done this for many years that are helping me figure out the exact numbers and finances. So, I am trusting them and Jesus.

With wanting to be as honest and respectful to people who are partnering with me in ministry, please feel free to reach out if you have any questions! Paige.jackson@ruf.org.

Donate here.

My time at Belmont was full of laughter at RUF events, teary-eyed one-on-ones with patient interns, and being reminded of the Gospel weekly at large group. I feel honored to have a job that works to provide safe and encouraging spaces to college students.

For the next 2 years I will be the RUF intern at The University of Arizona. I will be partnered with an ordained campus minister, Matt Esswein, to plan student events, host large groups, small groups, one-on-one conversations, and more!

I will also be part of training weeks in Denver, CO, where my class of interns will learn about ministry, community, finances, fundraising, and Jesus.

I’ll have a monthly newsletter! I’m pumped about it. You’ll find the sign up on this page either to the left or below. Please fill out that information so you can receive my life and ministry updates.

The Lord is at work and we all need reminders of that. I hope the newsletter is honest, encouraging, and fills you in on how your support is building the Kingdom of God!

Thanks for asking! 

1. Really, the main thing I need is prayer. Here are some things I’d love prayer for:

   1. Be praying for me! For finding community in Tuscon, for trusting the Lord, a soft heart, humility, for fundraising, and for growth in my relationship with Jesus & His people.

   2. Be praying for The University of Arizona! For students to find community, feel loved, come to believe the Gospel.

   3. Please also be praying for the RUF, ministry and Tuscon! Pray for wisdom, gentleness, blessing, and humility, and joy! And please be praying for the Esswein family who I will be working with.

2. After prayer, I need financial support! Please prayerfully consider partnering with me in ministry through financial giving. Whether one time or monthly, I am looking for all different kinds of supporters! Giving can look like a monthly gift of $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, or $500 (or whatever you feel the Lord calling you to! Doesn’t have to be one of those numbers).

   1. Here is my giving link.