Postdoc and Visiting Scholars Community at Berkeley (formerly known as Visiting Scholars Ministry)
By Religion·Community Service/Nonprofit
VSM is a registered graduate student organization that welcomes visiting scholars and postdocs to Berkeley by introducing them to American culture and Christian faith. Members provide airport pickups, grocery and furniture store runs, English conversation partnerships, home-cooked meals, and day trips to local attractions. The club also hosts Bible studies, apologetics presentations, and Gospel Seminars. It operates across Berkeley, Davis, and Minneapolis.
120,000+
Visiting scholars arriving at American universities annually
~6
American Culture Exchange (ACE) curriculum length in weeks, meeting weekly
7
Course 101 length (in weeks)
6-12
Visiting scholar stay duration (in months)
Events They Host
Welcome Events and Fall Reception
Welcome events and picnics hosted at the beginning of school terms to meet incoming visiting scholars.
English Conversation Cafe
Regular English conversation sessions open to visiting scholars, using structured conversation cards on topics like honesty, education, and cultural perspectives.
Gospel Seminar
A one-day event presenting the gospel through three presentations: 'Who am I?', 'Who is God?', and 'Who is Jesus?' Designed for groups of 5 to 100 people.
American Culture Exchange (ACE) Sessions
A roughly 6-week weekly curriculum introducing visiting scholars to American traditions, holidays, and cultural trends. Activities include pizza-making nights, American crafts, and sports watch parties.
Member Experiences
American Holiday Celebrations
Members celebrate Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving with visiting scholars and explain the cultural and religious meaning behind each holiday.
Home-Cooked Meal Gatherings
Members host visiting scholars at home for American home-cooked meals as a relationship-building activity.
Day Trips and Tourist Excursions
Trips to local tourist attractions and shopping outlets; past photos show an SF and Stanford tour.
American Sports Events
Members attend American football and baseball games together with visiting scholars.
Mid-Autumn Festival Hot Pot
A cultural gathering celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival with hot pot.
Pumpkin Carving
A fall seasonal activity for members and visiting scholars.
Visiting Scholars' Spouses Gathering
A dedicated gathering for the spouses of visiting scholars.
Weekly Campus Lunches
Weekly lunches provided on campus for visiting scholars.