In 2002, Chris White, the CCO Campus Ministry Staff at the time, and his wife, Jessika, began having conversations with Kenyon alumnus Rebecca Barth.  She had shared with the Whites that there was a strong base of Kenyon alumni who were impacted by their time in the Kenyon Christian Community and cared deeply about the ongoing campus ministry at Kenyon. This led Chris, Jessika, Fred Linger, Rebecca and her husband Chris to dream of how alumni could continue to support the Christian Community at Kenyon.  The CCO had historically partnered with local churches to support the CCO staff at Kenyon, but such partnerships were temporary. The Board believed that the Fund would enable there to be a constant campus ministry staff presence by inviting alumni, alumni parents, and local churches to support the ongoing ministry of a campus minister at Kenyon. The Fund was named after Kenyon’s second president, Bishop Charles McIlvaine, who worked stridently for the Christian Community at Kenyon. Within the first few months of the Fund’s existence, many alumni began to support the Fund. A then-current student’s parents even gave a $15,000 gift. The Fund’s work was underway.

The McIlvaine Fund’s first staff person was Jessika White. She served from 2002 until 2005 when the Whites were called to Pittsburgh so her husband Chris could begin seminary. In 2005, the McIlvaine Fund Board interviewed a number of candidates, but no suitable candidate was a good fit. The Fund interviewed candidates again in 2006, and the McIlvaine Fund was blessed to hire Jeff and Kelly Bergeson. It was the right time, for at that time, there was not a local church able to provide for a staff person. Because of God’s provision through the McIlvaine Fund, the Board has continuously had a CCO staff person serving at Kenyon since 2006.