What Are Our Students Saying?

Samual

"Hope House is amazing! There is a wonderful community of kind people; always loads of laughs and smiles; and an aura of peace that pervades into every interaction. It's my home away from home, and it's the community that helps me positively take on my studies and endeavors."

Silvia

"Hope gives me the opportunity to express myself and be around people who I know care for others. From fun activities to more spiritual activities, I can tell you that Hope is the place to be. Warm and Welcoming atmosphere. Please come in." ​

Kelsei

"To me, Hope House has been a sanctuary where I can come and be myself unapologetically and without hesitation. It gives me a place to come when I want a quiet space, genuine advice, a comfy seat or a bite to fill my stomach. Starting from the lovely smiles that greet me to the soft felt  “have a good day” when I leave, Hope is a gem, and I will always treasure it.
." ​

What we do
​​Hope House is a UKirk ministry of the PC(USA) and Cumberland Presbyterian Church

Home Away from Home

Known by a few different names and couple of locations on Oak and Vine Street, Hope House has been around for more than 50 years. We have a beautiful old Victorian house three houses off campus that has become a home for many of our students.  The atmosphere at the house is one of grace and love.  There are a variety of ways to be involved: we offer worship, Bible study, interfaith dialogue, outreach and retreat opportunities, small group experiences, and various short term interest groups. Check out our weekly actives to see more. 
​We are a safe space/safe zone for folks who identify as varying faiths, no faith, conservative, liberal,  LGBTQ+, those that identify with some of these labels and those for whom none of these labels quite fit. Hope is a place where you can choose to be as active as you want. The house itself  is three floors and boasts a coffee shop, study rooms, free wifi, free washer/dryer, big screen TVs, a ping pong table, printers and computers, as well as, a huge backyard with picnic tables, amazing porches, and a spot to hang your Enos/hammocks. ​Everyone is welcome to come and make Hope House their home.

UKirk

What is UKirk? Why UKirk?
PCUSA collegiate ministries are known by a variety of names across the country which can be confusing to newly graduated high school students trying to navigate where they fit in on a college campus. The PCUSA's young adult office thought it might be helpful if all campus ministries were known by a similar name. UKirk stands for University Church, and is the name given (or in our case added on to our name) to let PCUSA and Cumberland Presbyterian students know who we are.   UKirk is staffed by the PCUSA denomination and has a board made up of campus ministers and chaplains across the country. To find out more info, resources, or other PCUSA/Cumberland Presbyterian campus ministries across the country, please click here.

Food Ministry

Our fastest growing ministry is our food ministry. According to a study 47% of UTC students reported being food insecure at some point in their time at UTC. We offer a Free Tuesday lunch sponsored by local churches, dinner and Bible study one night a week, and always have leftovers and/or sandwiches available throughout the week. With almost half of UTC students reporting they do not know where their next meal is coming from, this is a ministry that truly meets the needs of the community.