Urbana is the missions conference for North American students hosted by InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA and Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada. Urbana 09 will be our 22nd conference. The first "Urbana" was held in Toronto in 1946. From 1948  to 2003, the conference was held at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Since 2006, Urbana has been held at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis, Missouri.  Generations of college students have come to Urbana to hear about cutting edge issues in missions and to respond to the call to participate in God's global mission. During the five days of Urbana participants will experience multicultural worship and drama, dynamic speakers, in-depth Bible study and prayer. They will also be encouraged to explore short-term and vocational opportunities as they interact with representatives from more than 300 mission agencies and educational institutions. Attendance at Urbana is usually around 20,000.

Urbana 09 will be held December 27-31, 2009.

Urbana 09 will begin Sunday, December 27, 2009 with check-in between 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. The first general session begins at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 27, 2009.

Urbana will end after the last general session at 12:30 a.m. on January 1, 2010 (that is, past midnight on December 31).

Urbana 09 will be held in downtown St. Louis, Missouri. The plenary sessions will be held at the Edward Jones Dome and The America’s Center. Seminars, small group meetings and Bible studies are held in various downtown hotels around the America’s Center in St. Louis. The address for both The Edward Jones Dome and The America’s Center is 701 Convention Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63101.

More info about the America's Center is available at www.americascenter.org.

Please plan to check into your hotel sometime between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Sunday, December 27.  Be aware that you will not be able to check-in to your hotel room before 11 a.m. Give yourself time to complete your check-in, eat some dinner and get to the first session by 7 p.m.

• government-issued ID (required for conference check-in)
• Student ID card
• credit card (required for hotel check-in)
• money (for lunches, bookstore purchases, offering, incidentals)
• warm clothes and good walking shoes
• winter jacket, hat, gloves, scarf, etc.
• bag or backpack
• any medication that you regularly require; over-the-counter cold medicine, just in case
• water bottle to help you stay hydrated
• toiletries and other personal items
• notebook/ journal and something to write with
• snacks for in-between meals

Generally, December temperatures in St. Louis are below freezing. You should pack winter clothing (including sweaters, sweatshirts, socks, shoes, hats, gloves, scarves). A well-insulated winter coat is advisable. During Urbana 09 we may experience periods of snow, ice, rain, or sleet. Please be prepared for these conditions by bringing extra socks, water-repellent shoes, and winter clothing. You will spend some time outside walking from your hotel room to various venues around downtown St. Louis, please keep this in mind when packing for Urbana 09.

You can pay your balance onsite at the America's Center, but the check-in process will be GREATLY simplified for you if you pay your balance in full by December 15.  If you have a balance due, you must pay your balance by check or credit card upon checking in to Urbana 09 on Sunday, December 27 between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. (We accept Visa credit and debit, Mastercard credit and debit, and Discover. ) We do not accept cash.

In mid-December we will send you an arrival email which will detail what to expect once you arrive in St. Louis, and where you should proceed to check-in for Urbana 09. Look in your email for detailed information.

Urbana 09 is intended for anyone interested in missions. The target audience is college-aged women and men between the ages of 18 and 30. But every Urbana draws people from all over North America who want to learn more about global realities, current missions issues, and their place in God's mission, including:

• College / university students
• College / university faculty
• High school seniors, 17 or older
• Pastors and church leaders
• International students
• Recent college graduates
• Youth or college workers
• InterVarsity alumni
• Missionaries, missionary candidates, and missionary support staff

We welcome all who have a heart for God and his work.

We welcome all high school students in their final year of study, who are 17 years of age or older. High school is a great time to begin thinking seriously about how one can be a part of God’s global mission, and Urbana can be especially meaningful for students who attend with their church youth leaders.

We welcome you! Any full-time or part-time international students attending a U.S. college or university through December 2009 may register for Urbana at the student rate. See the Tracks section to learn about our International Students Track.

We welcome you! Any full-time or part-time international students attending a Canadian college or university through December 2009 may register at the student rate. It is your responsibility to determine and provide any and all visas and paperwork necessary. The site www.cic.gc.ca will have the latest list of information needed. See the Tracks section to learn more about our International StudentsTrack.

We welcome all internationals, especially students and staff involved in national student fellowships of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES). Urbana does NOT provide letters of invitation for visa purposes or other visa assistance. All students may register online. When your registration is accepted you will receive a confirmation email.

We welcome you! If you are a national staff of an IFES member movement outside North America, please contact your IFES Regional Secretary for details on how you may attend Urbana 09. Unfortunately, Urbana 09 cannot provide any direct scholarship assistance or letters of invitation for visa purposes.

No children or nursing infants are permitted at Urbana 09 program venues. However, children may stay in Urbana hotel accommodations with their parents or guardians.

For parents/guardians who must bring their children with them, here is a licensed child-care provider in St. Louis:  TLC For Kids .

Urbana is not specifically an evangelistic event. It is a missions conference. However, God has used Urbana to bring many people to faith in the past. We recognize that God can speak to different people in many different situations, and we anticipate that spiritually-seeking people will attend. We advise prayer and discretion before inviting your friend(s) to attend.  If you are going to invite a seeking friend to Urbana, make sure your friend knows what to expect. Direct them to the website where they can view testimonials from those who have attended, learn about past Urbanas, and get a general idea of what Urbana will be like. 

You may want to make sure that you and your friend are housed together so that you can help them process what they are learning and experiencing. 

Register here at www.urbana09.org. A minimum $100 non-refundable, non-transferable deposit (USD funds only, no cash) must accompany your registration. The remaining balance should be paid by credit card, e-check, or check by December 15, 2009. If you are unable to register on the internet, please contact a member of our registration team at 608.443.3700 or email urbana09.information@intervarsity.org.

Urbana 09 Conference Fees & Deadlines

 *To qualify for student rates you must be a student as of December 2009.

No. There is no option to purchase single day or multi-day passes to the plenary sessions or to the exhibits at Urbana 09. We hope that you will consider registering as a full participant.

 

No. Housing is not included in your registration cost. However, Urbana has negotiated steeply discounted room rates with St. Louis area hotels. (Average cost for four to a room is $21 / person / night plus tax.) These rooms and rates are only available through the Urbana housing bureau system.

No. The $100 (USD funds) deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable. If you are unable to come, please cancel your registration to make room for others to attend. Thank you!

If you need to cancel your registration, please contact a member of our registration team at 608-443-3700 or you can email us at urbana09.registration@intervarsity.org.  You may also mail a written request to Urbana 09 Registrar, P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI USA 53707-7895. Please include your name and participant ID number. Notices received by Tuesday, December 15, 2009 will be refunded the amount paid less the $100 deposit. No refunds will be issued after December 15, 2009. Urbana cannot accomodate registration substitutions or transfers.

The deadline to pay your balance online was December 15, 2009. If you still have a balance due, you may pay it during check-in at The America's Center in St. Louis. 

You can pay by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover) or by check. If paying by check, make your check payable to: InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. 

Yes. The minimum group size is five (5). To register a group for Urbana 09 you will need to designate a Group Coordinator who will create a group registration account. The group coordinator will be responsible for registering group members and paying the registration fees. For more information on group registrations click here.

Please check the appropriate box on the registration form if special accommodations are needed. For hearing-impaired attendees, interpretation of the general sessions will be available in American Sign Language. For blind attendees, Braille translations of key convention materials will be available. 

If you need a personal attendant to accompany you, you will be responsible for their registration and travel costs. Everyone attending Urbana must be registered, so your attendant will need to complete his / her own Urbana registration. Wheelchair-accessible accommodations are available for those with physical limitations. Please contact Urbana09.health@intervarsity.org for more information and instructions.

We encourage you to make your travel plans early. Travel costs are not included in your conference registration fee. Please wait until you have received your registration confirmation before booking your travel. Helpful travel tips for travel by air, charter bus, and car will be posted on this website soon. 

Check into the conference early in the day on Sunday, December 27. Conference check-in begins at 10 AM. Lines will be longer after 2 PM. Give yourself plenty of time to complete check-in, eat dinner, and get to the first session by 7 PM.  You will not be allowed into the first session unless you are wearing your nametag and wristband that you obtain at conference check-in.

The following are codes for special discounts that we have negotiated with several airlines for Urbana 09 attendees.

Students seeking charter bus transportation should contact the charter bus coordinator from their area. See the list below:

Charter Bus Coordinators

We have some helpful information for you. Please inform Urbana Transportation that you will be bringing a bus to Urbana by emailing us at urbana09.charterbus@intervarsity.org.

Please make sure your charter bus arrives in St. Louis before 12 Noon on December 27 so that riders will have sufficient time to complete both hotel check-in and conference check-in, then to rest and eat dinner prior to the 7 PM conference start-time.

When you check in to your hotel, ask about discounted parking rates.

Yes! There is a new Greyhound/Amtrak station located at 430 South 15th Street, St. Louis.  Visit www.amtrak.com or www.greyhound.com. Enter fare code X46W-959 for the Urbana 09 discount.

Yes! MegaBus drops off at Union Station. www.megabus.com for more information and ticket prices.

If you live in St. Louis, plan to arrive at the America's Center before 2 PM to check in to the conference. Parking is available for a fee at the America's Center Garage on 7th Street and Convention Street Plaza.

Housing at Urbana 09 will be in St. Louis area hotels. Urbana has negotiated steeply discounted room rates for you. The average cost for four to a room is $21 /person / night plus tax. These rooms and rates are only available by using the service provided by the Urbana housing bureau after you register for Urbana 09. You will need your Urbana Participant ID # to complete your reservation. If you don't know your ID #,  get it here. You will be charged separately for housing. You are responsible for reserving and paying for your own housing.

As you search for a hotel, you will see that each one has different room types available. The price for a room does not increase as you add people, so more people in a room means less cost per person. Maximum people allowed in room will depend upon specific hotel room layout.

The table below shows a list of the room types you will find in the Urbana Housing Bureau search engine, as well as the estimated maximum number of people allowed in a room. Most estimates are based on bed type plus optional rollaway, which may or may not be an option depending on room layout and rollaway availability. See the Rollaway Q & A for more information.

To take advantage of the discounted Urbana rates, be sure to make your hotel selection by December 1 through the Urbana housing bureau.  Discounted hotel rates are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Whether to help keep your costs down or because you like meeting new people, Urbana has a great way to help you find roommates. If you are interested in using our roommate search tool, it is highly advisable that you make a reservation AFTER you connect with your roommates. Click here for the roommate search.

Yes. Once you have registered for Urbana 09 use the Urbana housing bureau to reserve a hotel room for you and your friends or to reserve rooms for your group.

If you would like to room with someone, but do not know of potential roommates, go to the Urbana Roommate Connector. There you will find posts from other Urbana participants who are looking for people to fill rooms.

Think about opening your room to "new friends" still in need of housing.  You can find them on the Urbana 09 roommate connection board.

If you have signed up for an Urbana Track, your Urbana registration will include a private access code to use during the hotel reservation process. Using this code will help direct you to reserve rooms at hotels set aside for your specific track. In order to receive maximum benefit from the track program, it is critical that you stay in one of these select hotels. 

You will need to check in at the America's Center between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM on December 27. You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the conference venues each day.

1. Picture ID - Make sure you have a government issued photo ID available when checking into a hotel. For security, you will also need to show ID if you need a new or additional room key. A good rule of thumb when traveling is to keep your ID on you at all times.

 2. Reservation confirmation info - The Urbana Housing Bureau which made your reservation for you will give you a confirmation number for their reservation, which they use for tracking in their system. This will NOT match the hotel confirmation number. It is very important that you bring your reservation documentation and Urbana Housing Bureau confirmation for reference should the hotel not be able to locate your reservation upon arrival (this is rare, but it can happen).

3. Payment - You should also have a method of payment ready, whether it is to pay for the full room bill or just for incidentals.

Debit Cards -  We do not recommend that you use your debit card when you arrive to check in to a hotel. For your initial reservation deposit with the Urbana Housing Bureau, your debit card will process like a credit card. However, once you arrive onsite, the best option is to check in and hold the room with a credit card, then settle any charges upon check out with your debit card. Fur further explanation and debit card travel testimonies, check out this USA Today article. If you only have a debit card, please be aware that they are handled differently than credit cards, so use them carefully in order to avoid losing short term access to the money in your account.

Check or money order - Once your reservation is made, you will have 7 days to mail a check or money order to the Urbana Housing Bureau office. There is a $25 processing fee if your reservation secured by check or money order is cancelled. E-checks are not accepted.

Credit Card - The card on file will not be charged for your first night room and tax until December 16th, 2009, after which the charge is applied to your hotel reservation as a deposit. You may change the card on file at anytime, and it is not necessary to use the same card when checking in to the hotel.   Hotels require that the name on the credit card presented at check-in match the name of the guest checking in.

If you are arriving in St. Louis on Dec.27^th, you are encouraged to arrive at your hotel for check-in between 11am and 4pm. The first Urbana session starts at 7pm, so leave plenty of time for dinner and conference registration.

Most hotels have an 11am check out time. You can contact the Front Desk and request a later check-out, and they will extend to 12 or 1 if they can. However they may charge a half-day charge if later than 1pm, with a full day charge for later than 3pm. Luggage is prohibited at the Edward Jones Dome and America’s Center, so wisely plan where to store your luggage.

Incidental is hotel industry jargon for anything that you would possibly charge to your room. Most often items such as: Movies, Room Service, Parking, Telephone, Laundry, and Restaurant charges. Hotels require you to either put a credit card or other payment down to guarantee the charges, or they will turn room charging privileges off. Each hotel has a different policy and amount they require a guest to put down, but plan on at least $50 per night. If you put cash down, any remaining amount that you did not spend will be returned to you at check-out. Checks deposits are usually returned in the form of a mailed check. Credit cards and debit cards have the holds reversed.

Lodging taxes range from approximately 14% to 17%, depending on which municipality you are staying in, and are in addition to the room charge. Budget this extra expense accordingly.

A rollaway bed is a portable twin mattress that can be placed into a room as an extra bed. They are often very limited in availability, cost at least an extra $10 per day (some hotels can be $25), and can be restricted due to space in the room. Also, Urbana has been told that under no circumstance can two rollaways be placed into one room. If you are interested in using a rollaway in your room, discuss it ahead of time with the reservation agent and be aware they are FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE.

Many hotels offer in-room internet access for a fee, while others have it complimentary. Please check with your hotel, as each hotel has its own pricing and guidelines.

When you are in your hotels, don’t forget about the staff that is serving you. Housekeeping would appreciate a tip at the end of your stay, and $2-4 per room per day is recommended. Bellmen usually receive $1 per bag for helping with luggage, boxes, or other deliveries such as ice or faxes. For shuttle rides or valet parking, $2-3 is standard.

Breakfast:  A healthy, complimentary breakfast will be provided by each hotel, December 28-January 1.  Breakfast location and times will be available onsite. 

If you have special dietary needs and/or restrictions, there will be a designated speed line at dinner for you to go through.  Look for the signage onsite, at the front of the dinner line, to direct you.  You will have the option, as well, to go through the normal dinner lines.

No pets are allowed at Urbana, however service dogs for disabled participants are welcome. It is a good idea to communicate this need both to Urbana as well as your hotel prior to arriving in St. Louis.

Interpretation of the general sessions will be available in American Sign Language, French, and Spanish. Translation of some printed materials will be available in Braille.

The full list of speakers and their bios can be viewed here.

With hundreds of seminars to choose from, it can be difficult to decide which seminars to attend. So, we've grouped seminars by subject area to help you to find topics that appeal to you and so you can spend your time well. We call these groupings "majors." Feel free to mix and match your seminars and create an individually designed program.  

Urbana offers several tracks to provide a conference within a conference experience. Participants who choose to join a track will focus on specific issues, have access to specialized seminars, and meet others with similar passions while still being part of the larger Urbana conference. Track participants will live together and study scripture together in designated hotels. Spaces are limited and participants must sign up for a Track at the time they register for Urbana. The tracks being offered for Urbana 09 are:

• Business as Mission
• Advocacy and  Poverty
• Domestic Poverty
• International Poverty
• International Students
• Pastors and Church Leaders

For detailed descriptions of each of these tracks see the Tracks & Seminars section.

A whole lot! Participants will do service projects, get career advice, receive prayer, browse the bookstore, and connect with others with similar passions. Experiential prayer rooms provide a quiet place to interact with God. Art spaces provide creative outlets. In-depth Bible study each morning is a time to interact with God's Word. Urbana provides opportunities to experience, engage, and investigate what God is doing around the world, here at home, and in your own heart.

In the Global Connexions exhibit hall there will be representatives from over 300 mission agencies, relief and development organizations, and schools to talk with you about the work God is doing throughout the World and in North America.  You'll be able to:

• Learn more about what God is doing throughout the world
• Have conversations with agency and school representatives
• Make connections and learn of opportunities to serve at home and abroad

Click here for complete Application Instructions.

Much more than a job fair, Global Connexions is about mobilizing students for the calling they receive at Urbana 09. InterVarsity wants to partner with organizations committed to training and sending people to fulfill God’s mission around the world and around the block.

Thank you for your interest! Hundreds of people have responded and conference staffing needs are met. Please see Volunteer for more info about pre- and post-conference needs and let us know if you are able to help out. 

Thank you for your interest in Urbana 09. We currently have information regarding employment opportunities at Urbana on our website: www.intervarsity.org/jobs. 

Thank you for your interest! At this point, all of the main speakers and the worship team have been selected, so we do not have positions open. We hope that you will find many ways to share your story and your talents — many mission agencies are looking for gifted people like you. Come to Urbana and check out the possibilities!

The most important qualification of anyone who volunteers at Urbana 09 is a desire to help facilitate the best possible environment for God to do what God purposes to do in the hearts and lives of participants. Flexibility and a servant attitude are key, as needs often change in the days just before and during the conference.

Examples of other qualifications include:

Stewards (full time volunteers) should be prepared to:

• purchase their own meals
• cover their hotel and travel expenses if coming from out of town
• serve throughout the entire conference
• be willing to be housed in a particular hotel (in some cases)
• serve in jobs remote from the actual conference if required
• arrive as early in some cases as December 25 and/or depart as late as January 1

Volunteers (part time) should be prepared to:

• purchase their own meals
• cover their hotel and travel expenses if coming from out of town
• pick up one or more six-hour time slot in which they will serve during the conference
• some volunteers are needed to serve in jobs remote from the actual conference
• some volunteers are needed to serve prior to the conference as opportunities are announced, helping with preparations

Some general qualifications that may be taken into account when matching volunteers with jobs are:

• people skills
• problem-solving skills
• the ability to lift heavy boxes or move equipment
• organizational skills
• management skills
• communcation skills
• professional skills
• computer skills
• familiarity with the St. Louis area
• ability to drive in winter weather
• resilence to serving outside in winter weather
• availability to attend pre-conference  training
• availability for pre-conference set-up and post-conference take-down, etc.

High school and college students may not serve as Stewards or Volunteers since it is InterVarsity's desire to have students fully participate in Urbana 09.

However, Urbana participants (of all ages) are needed to volunteer for two important service opportunities: Stadium Servant  and Communion Server.

1.  Please register your availability/interest to volunteer for one of the opportunities when you are filling out the online registration form or

2.  If you've already registered and would like to serve in one of these roles, please email Urbana09communionservants@intervarsity.org or email Urbana09stadiumservants@intervarsity.org.  

You will be informed of required training and receive more information about your role prior to arriving at Urbana. Only residents of the U.S., Canada and Mexico may register to serve as a Steward or Volunteer.

Stewards: Steward schedules are created by Team Leaders who hope to allow each Steward to attend at least one plenary session and visit the Exhibit Hall over the course of the Urbana conference. However, Stewards commit to their assignments with the understanding that staffing needs may not allow them access to Urbana programming.

Volunteers: Volunteers select their own schedule through the online volunteer sign-up process. They will receive one Day Pass regardless of the number of shifts fulfilled. The Day Pass enables them to attend an evening session and visit the exhibit hall. Instructions for redeeming the Day Pass will be provided via email prior to the conference.

Volunteers receive hotel accommodations at Urbana prices in the Urbana Housing Bureau.

Be prepared with your registration ID # and form of payment, then visit http://www.urbana09.org/register.reservehousing.cfm to reserve a room. When prompted with "Who are you?" select "participant" from the drop-down box for the best price.

Thank you for your interest in serving students at Urbana 09! Please email us at urbana09.volunteers@intervarsity.org for current information about getting your group involved serving at Urbana 09.

Thanks for your interest! Volunteers are often impacted by the significance of the Urbana conference in the lives of the participants - the people we're serving. Would you also consider making a contribution to the Urbana Scholarship Fund? Your contributions will go to support college students who would not be able to be part of Urbana otherwise.

We encourage you to read and share articles from www.urbana.org by using the "email to a friend" function. You may also print articles for your personal use. However, if you want to print and distribute articles among peers or church members, or translate articles into other languages, you must contact the Urbana.org Editors at editor@urbana.org, prior to doing so. Once you receive permission, we ask that you provide a source of permission on the articles themselves (something like "Granted permission for multiplication and use by www.urbana.org").  If you are interested in writing for urbana.org, send an inquiry to submissions@urbana.org. For all other content-related questions, please write to editor@urbana.org.

On our website, www.urbana.org, we have a search engine called "MSearch" which is designed to help you locate mission organizations in your desired ministry specialty or area of the world.  You can find the "MSearch" link on the top of all www.urbana.org pages. You can post your résumé (which can be seen by participating mission organizations who are looking for candidates) and browse to find hundreds of short-term and long-term opportunities. Everyone who registers for Urbana 09 can take advantage of the many tools available on MSearch by logging on to their "My Urbana" account and clicking on "MSearch."