Rubens is originally from the “marvelous city” of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Currently, he serves as a deacon at Central Presbyterian Church. He works as International Business Consultant at Argus Information & Advisory Services focused in business development & expansion. He is also a part-time campus minister with InterVarsity’s Grad & Faculty Ministries where he serves graduate students and faculty at Columbia University.

In 2016, Rubens served as an interim pastor at a Brazilian Congregation in Manhattan. Prior to moving to NYC, Rubens ran a small business in the Optical Industry and served as a Port Authority Agent with the Brazilian Government.

 “When we first arrived at Columbia we were seeking for a community where we could learn, grow and contribute at the academic setting. GCF didn’t only offered us with that but also with a strong sense of family and belonging. Today, we are paying it forward to hundreds of students that come to Columbia searching and opened to became a witnessing community themselves.”

Rubens holds a B.A. in Information Resources Management from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He lives at the UWS with Ariane since they moved from Brazil in January 2012.

Hon Eng has been a campus minister at Columbia University for 21 years (1996 – present) and at NYU for 7 years (1989-1996) serving with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He worked with undergraduate students for 12 years and then shifted to the Graduate & Faculty Ministries (GFM) department in 2002.

Currently, Hon serves five graduate chapters at Columbia: 1. GCF, 2. Christian Business Fellowship (CBF), 3. Columbia Chinese Bible Study Group (CBG), 4. Columbia Christian Fellowship (CCF) at the Medical Center, and 5. SIPA Christians (SIPAC).

Hon is seeking to help grad students integrate spiritual well-being, sacred work, & savvy witness.

Spiritual well–being deals with growing intimacy with Jesus and learning to love others well

Sacred work deals with the notion that all work can become sacred work if people consecrate their work to God

Savvy witness deals with sharing the gospel in the grad school and the marketplace

Hon received his Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary (Kentucky) and his Master of Theology in New Testament Studies from McMaster Divinity College, McMaster University (Canada).

Ariane Brotto is a Research Scientist with the NYC Department Environmental Protection (DEP), and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering at Columbia University. She came from Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) to Columbia University in 2012 to pursue a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering. During her first weeks in grad school Ariane and her husband, Rubens Brotto, joined InterVarsity Graduate Christian Fellowship (GCF). Ariane felt the calling to share the Gospel with other students and lab mates. Later in 2012, she started Bible studies for non-Christians with GCF and leading students to a relationship with Christ. GCF played a major role in equipping and encouraging her on this journey. Ariane had been an active student leader throughout her Ph.D. program, and after graduating in May 2016 she became an official volunteer staff.

“The GCF community became our family in NYC. They gave us the support we needed to handle the ups-and-downs of grad school, and equipped us to live out our faith. I learned to grow in deeper relationship with God and to keep my eyes on Jesus while thriving in grad school.”

Ariane holds Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from Columbia University, M.Sc. honors in Geochemistry, B.Sc. and Lic. in Chemistry from the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Joe is currently a member of the pastoral staff of First Baptist Church of Flushing where he directs the Life Group ministry, mentors the Young Adult ministry and has recently launched the Alpha Course. Joe also works as a risk manager at Barclays, and is part of the Adjunct Associate Faculty at Columbia, assisting in a Financial Risk Management course.

Joe was involved with Intervarsity as a student leader and later as faculty adviser. Currently, Joe volunteers with the Intervarsity Graduate and Faculty ministry at Columbia University. Joe is passionate about Apologetics and developing authentic Christian community. For leisure, he enjoys traveling and reading good books.

Joe holds an M.A. in Christian Ministry from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.  He also has a B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering/Electrophysics, and has worked on Wall Street as a risk manager for two decades