Summit Brings Adventist University Leaders to Strengthen Student Literature Evangelism

Leaders from Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean agree on a unified strategy to advance mission and student leadership development.

February 19, 2026 | Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico | Laura Marrero and IAD News Staff

The Inter-American Division’s publishing ministries department held its first Student Literature Evangelism Summit at Montemorelos University (UM) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, on February 9–10.  The event brought together directors and coordinators of university literature evangelism programs—known as EmprendUM—along with institutional leaders from across Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, and Venezuela.

According to Pastor Isaías Espinoza, publishing ministries director for the Inter-American Division (IAD) and organizer of the summit, the primary objective was “to highlight the mission of student literature evangelism, unify criteria across universities, define an annual and five-year plan, and establish the themes of the books students will distribute in 2027 and 2028.”

Espinoza explained that the initiative responds to the need to establish, for the first time, a shared vision across a territory marked by diverse contexts and regulations.

The summit also sought to align institutions in all aspects of university canvassing, including operational policies and student incentive structures. “A summit of this kind had never been held before. It was necessary to establish a unified criterion so that we can follow the same pattern,” Espinoza said.

EmprendUM: Origin, Identity, and Growth

Pastor Abdiel Juárez, general director of EmprendUM, outlined the program’s origins at Montemorelos University and its expansion across the IAD territory. He emphasized that EmprendUM was designed not to replace traditional canvassing but to strengthen it through clearer organizational structure, entrepreneurial vision, and mentoring systems.

The program began expanding beyond Mexico in 2018, with Colombia as the first international implementation. It now operates in Costa Rica and Venezuela, and the North Mexican Union’s Adventist educational system carries the EmprendUM brand. Juárez noted that implementation respects each university’s autonomy, allowing institutions to adapt the model to their specific context.

He also shared financial results demonstrating sustained growth at Montemorelos University, attributing progress in part to structured team leadership.

Student Initiatives Showcase Regional Impact

The summit featured several initiatives illustrating the program’s reach.

Kevin Zavala, a theology student and EmprendUM associate, presented Crossing Borders, active since 2019. In 2025 alone, the initiative reached 14 church fields, 26 institutions, and distributed 4,785 missionary books.

Vincent López, a music major, introduced Worship EmprendUM, a music department within the canvassing program that strengthens mission through original musical content supporting evangelistic campaigns.

Students Luis Tapia and Ximena Rodríguez shared the Canvassing Monterrey model implemented in winter 2025. Combining daily mentoring, structured logistics, and spiritual follow-up, the campaign involved 20 canvassers, generated nearly one million pesos in sales, and resulted in 372 Bible studies referred to local churches.

Literature Evangelism as Leadership Formation

Pastor Mario Martinelli, Publishing Ministries director at the General Conference, addressed strategies for strengthening student participation in canvassing, drawing from more than four decades of global experience. He emphasized collaboration between universities and publishing departments, strategic promotion, leadership identification, and integration of canvassing into campus life.

“A young person who experiences canvassing, even once or twice, rarely leaves the church,” he said, underscoring its spiritual and formative impact.

Additional discussions focused on institutional organization, financial sustainability, integration with academic and administrative processes, and the role of literature in today’s evangelistic and educational mission.

Dr. Ismael Castillo, president of Montemorelos University, described canvassing as a platform for leadership development. He noted that it teaches students dependence on God, teamwork, resource management, and mission focus. “Canvassing shapes people with purpose, and others recognize that leadership,” he said.

Participating institutions included the Central American Adventist University (Costa Rica), Colombia Adventist University (UNAC), Dominican Adventist University, the University of the Antilles (Puerto Rico), Northern Caribbean University (Jamaica), and the Venezuela Adventist Institute. From Mexico, representatives attended from Southeast Adventist Institute (Mérida), Linda Vista University (Chiapas), Navojoa University (Sonora), and the host institution, Montemorelos University.

Impact and Future Vision

Adriana Acevedo, EmprendUM director at UNAC in Colombia, described the program’s implementation on her campus in 2019 as “a change in mindset,” transitioning from a loosely structured approach to an organized system with defined leadership, assigned territories, and institutional support. EmprendUM UNAC now averages 90 students per campaign within a university community of approximately 1,400 students.

Juárez said the summit reflects UM’s willingness to share a proven model for the benefit of more institutions and students. Support for universities interested in adopting the EmprendUM model will be coordinated from UM upon formal request.

The summit concluded with an agreement to strengthen university literature evangelism across the IAD in collaboration with GEMA Editores and the Inter-American Division Publishing Association (IADPA), and to move forward with a unified plan aligned with the standards and vision established during the gathering.