Advent Collegiate exists for college students to thrive in relationship. We began in New York City in 2021 and are cultivating a network of campus ministries across the country.
We consist of a director, a chaplain, an operating board of young alums, and student leaders of local Adventist Christian Fellowship chapters at Columbia, NYU, and SUNY Westchester. We also frequently collaborate with student leaders at Princeton, Yale, and other schools in the region.
Attend an upcoming event, follow on social media, or make an appointment with one of Alex or Stephen to get connected.
Who We Are
Meet the Team
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Alex España
DIRECTOR
Alex España, Associate Dean of Advising at Columbia University, has over 20 years of counseling, advising and college administration experience. Alex takes a holistic approach to mentoring and advising his students and encourages students to explore and engage in the rich communities around them. Alex leads the Berick Center for Student Advising’s First-in-Family initiatives and oversees various scholar programs, including Academic Success Programs and the Columbia Juilliard Exchange Program. Alex is also the director of Advent Collegiate and has helped launch and advise Adventist Christian Fellowship (ACF) groups at Purdue University, Princeton University and Columbia University. Alex is a graduate of Southwestern Adventist and Andrews University. Alex spends most of his free time in West Harlem, with his wife Annette, a psychologist at Columbia University, and his daughter, Ana Isabella—a violin prodigy! Alex is a member of the Cuban Cultural Society of New York and several city volleyball leagues.
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Stephen Erich
CAMPUS CHAPLAIN
Stephen is a Religious Life Advisor at Columbia and NYU. His role exists to support students from any school in the city. He has a Master of Arts in Religion from Yale Divinity School and an MBA from Andrews University. Whether it’s faith, startups, social justice, or relationships, Stephen loves to listen and think things through together.
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Columbia ACF
Columbia Adventist Christian Fellowship is led by Fletcher, Biftu, Stanley, and Bryan. We meet in Earl Hall on the 2nd and 4th Fridays of each month. Follow us on Instagram for all the details!
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NYU ACF
A group of students is launching an ACF chapter at NYU in 2023! Follow us on Instagram to stay up-to-date with our progress.