The Marshall Christensen Foundation traces its origin back to a relationship between InterVarsity-USA and the Kazakh-American Free University in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan. In 1996, InterVarsity-USA asked Dr. Marshall Christensen to assume responsibility for the American partnership that was serving this university in Kazakhstan.

In 1997, Dr. Christensen visited the Kazakh-American Free University  along with three business representatives from Oregon. As a result of their visit, they decided to create a foundation that would support international higher education - at the university in Ust-Kamenogorsk and around the world. The Marshall Christensen Foundation was formally registered as a non-profit foundation later that year in the State of Oregon.

Today, the mission of the MCF is to foster quality education and servant leadership at places of learning around the globe.  The MCF carries out this mission by serving universities in developing countries through two key programs: 1) servant leadership programs that help students and faculty develop as servant leaders, and 2) university partnerships that bring mutually beneficial exchanges and friendships to universities around the world.

The MCF carries out its programs with the help of a small staff team, an actively involved Board of Directors, and the important help of many volunteers. The MCF highly values the participation of educators and professionals as key contributors to MCF programs as mentors, trainers, and teachers.  The MCF funds its programs entirely through the generous financial contributions of individual and corporate donors.

The mission and activities of the MCF are a product of the MCF's core values:

Educational Focus:  The MCF values formal and informal sharing of knowledge with a love for the university and its people.

International Understanding:  The MCF values programs that bring countries and cultures together in dialogue, friendship and partnership.

Volunteers:  The MCF values the participation of qualified volunteers in effective programs.

Stewardship:  The MCF values the delivery of programs that provide maximum impact at the lowest possible cost.

Inspirational:  The MCF values opportunities that inspire hope in people by exposing them to true models of servant leadership.

Serving through Community:  The MCF values working in partnership with other organizations, thus empowering communities to accomplish in synergy what few could accomplish alone.

Servant Leadership:  The MCF values servant leadership training and development as the central focus of all of its programs.

Transformational:  The MCF values affecting and transforming cultures by modeling and teaching leadership, helping individuals and communities to become healthier, freer, wiser and more productive.