Student Activities Archives - 91��

Center for Career Development Provides Students, Grads with Ingredients for Success

91�� — Fri, 29 Sep 2023 12:44:50 +0000

The 91�� Center for Career Development exists to equip students with career competencies so they can achieve success in serving wherever the Lord calls them.

The Center for Career Development is taking strides toward being more convenient for 91�� students, having recently moved its offices to the G. Ross Anderson Jr. Student Center and communicating on digital platforms where students are.

“We take very seriously the idea that choosing a career must involve a student’s purpose and what they are called to do for the world,” said Associate Vice President for Student Development Robyn Sanderson. “Our approach involves finding the competencies a company wants to see from prospective employees and figuring out how to develop those competencies in our students. The goal is to holistically equip them not just for a career, but for their unique calling.”

AU PRO, an initiative of the Center for Career Development, helps students prepare for the working world, offering experiences to help them improve written and oral communication skills as well as conveying a professional image—all through a servant leadership lens. According to Coordinator Lewis Hightower, AU PRO offers student career coaching and discipline-specific events where students can learn from employers about what a particular career looks like. AU PRO’s Signature Series is a group of seminars held throughout the semester whose topics include writing professional emails, writing and editing resume, communication strategies, interview strategies, networking strategies and online image.

Graduate school bound students can also turn to the Center for Career Development as well, to help them prepare in the process of being accepted into any of a variety of graduate programs.

Communication-wise, the Center for Career Development moved from doing a biweekly email to regular posts on Instagram at , where videos, job search tips, employment opportunities and news about upcoming events are constantly being posted. According to Center for Career Development Office Manager Jensen Barker, the center used to send out regular emails, which were harder to track and less engaging for students, so their staff wanted to build connections with AU students in a fun, interactive way. Since students always engage on Instagram, they concluded that’s the place to be. With the help and support of the staff, she and the CCD student employees produce videos on various topics ranging from job search tips to skills that will help a new employee navigate their workplace and avoid harmful pitfalls.

In addition to the offices at the Student Center, the Center for Career Development is also available during certain hours and days at the Thrift Library. Center for Career Development staff help students find on-campus jobs and internships and hold workshops and seminars throughout the year.

On-campus jobs can be valuable to students, according to Center for Career Development Director Dr. Wendy Smith.

“Supervisors work around a student’s schedule and they care about their development,” she said. “It’s a win-win for students who work on campus for a variety of reasons. We focus on the students should be able to develop while in an on-campus position—career and self-development, communication, critical thinking, equity and inclusion, leadership, professionalism, teamwork and technology. I feel like we’re on the front end of that and I’m proud of Kathleen Smith (on-campus student employment coordinator) and Morganne Tankersley (on-campus student employment program manager); they’ve done a great job.”

One powerful tool the Center for Career Development offers is Handshake.

“Universities across the U.S. use Handshake, which functions similarly to Indeed.com but is designed specifically for university students and serves as a central hub for all things related to job searches,” Dr. Smith said. “Students make appointments through Handshake and search for full-time, part-time, internships and on-campus positions. We have over 7,000 employers on Handshake with 62,000 open positions, including full-time, part-time and internships. Smith added, “Internships are valuable because, according to recent research by NACE, paid interns averaged 1.61 job offers.”

The Center for Career Development has also come up with new events, such as Cookies, Coffee, and Critiques, a come-and-go event in the banquet hall of the Student Center where students can connect with others committed to their success. Students drop in for a 15-minute session with a career coach, have their resume or cover letter reviewed, and can grab some coffee and cookies.

Here’s a schedule of upcoming events from the 91�� Center for Career Development:

Let’s be Real: A Look into Deception Theory w/Cassie Webber – October 2, 2023, 10:10 a.m.
J.C. Penney Suit-Up Event, 30% off professional attire, Anderson Mall, October 10, 2023, 4-7 p.m.
Cookies, Coffee, and Critiques, Come-and-Go Resume and Cover Letter Reviews, Banquet Hall – October 16, 2023, 2-4 p.m.
So, You Want to Go to Graduate School? Crafting Stellar Graduate School Application Essays, SC 302, November 13, 2023, 10:10 a.m.
Free Headshot Event, SC 304, November 14, 2023, 2-4:45 p.m.

91�� Center for Career Development

The Center for Career Development prepares students to live out their Christ-centered purpose and to pursue career readiness to make a difference in their communities, cities and professions. The Center for Career Development seeks to cultivate student’s unique purpose through personalized coaching and corporate experiences to empower ownership in the life-long journey of personal and professional development.

For details about services the AU Center for Career Development offers or to schedule an appointment, visit their website here.

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Young Disc Golf Team Excels at National Tournament

91�� — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 12:36:05 +0000

They haven’t played for long as a team, but four guys from 91�� had a top-ranked performance at the Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) Nationals.

The team consisted of Micah Jones, Nate Harvey, Alec Pryor and Reade Ward.

“It blew all the expectations we had,” Jones said of the team placing ninth in Division III at the tournament, held at Marion, North Carolina. “I was hoping we could end up somewhere in the top half and maybe some the top 10 for singles, but we ended up in the top 10 for the teams category and then I actually had a comeback finish to win the singles, which is really exciting.”

“I kept my expectations for myself pretty low. I didn’t know how it compared in a field of 160 players, but I think it went super well,” Harvey said. “I actually got the pleasure of playing with Micah that last day where he made that comeback, and just to see where we were compared to everybody else, it gave me a lot of confidence that we could consistently do this. If next year we get into a higher division it would be wonderful. As a team, both of the other guys, Alec Pryor and Reid Ward, both of them played wonderfully. They kind of surprised us that first day. All of us made the cut to get into the championship round, which was not the goal in the beginning. Just to see us all play together as a team and we started to click towards the end—it was just wonderful to see everybody play well together.”

“I am so proud of the team for their great finish in the National Disc Golf DIII Championships. Not only was their performance impressive, the fact that they raised all of their own funds to get there showed their passion and commitment to grow disc golf at 91��,” said Jordan Painter, director of intramural sports. “I am excited they are trying to get officially recognized as a club sport and represented our great University.”

“My hope is that if we get more funding from the school we can send two teams, which would be eight people and hold more tryouts,” Jones said. “A lot of people reached out to me saying they’d love to compete and they’re interested. I wish we could have sent more people this year, but I think the goal is definitely to have two teams and maybe even a women’s team next year.”

Jones also hopes that they can compete in Division I by the time he graduates.

“It’s interesting how it works, because like most college sports, there’s D I, D II and D III, but it’s not relevant to what your school is, it’s relevant to what you can qualify for. So typically you’ll play qualifying tournaments all seasons long trying to qualify for D I,” Jones said.

View the complete standings on the .

Getting Disc Golf Off the Ground

While playing over spring break with a friend who happened to be a top-ranked disc golf player, Jones fell in love with the sport. When he came to 91��, he sought out like-minded students with the goal of establishing a disc golf team. Harvey was into Ultimate Frisbee when a friend texted him that he was going to try disc golf and asked him to come along.

“It was COVID, so we couldn’t really be near each other,” Harvey recalled. “I played it once, got hooked and ended up buying 10-11 discs in the first month. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Jones points out that disc golf costs far less to enter than a lot of other sports, citing inexpensive sets of discs and an abundance of free courses to play on.

Harvey is grateful to Painter for believing in disc golf and working to improve the playing experience on 91��’s course. With help and donations from former designer David Bartfield, Jacob Nix and 91��, the disc golf course was able to get a new look and layout this year. Jordan is grateful to Stone City, Inc. of Greenville for the donation of the rocks used for many of the tee pads. He hopes disc golf will continue to grow at 91�� and is excited about what the future holds.

Students interested in disc golf can sign up for the disc golf class to be taught by David Bartfield at 91�� in the Fall 2023 semester.

Disc Golf is one of many intramural offerings found in the Campus Recreation Program at 91��. Go online to find out about the variety of activities that promote character, physical fitness and team building.

The Professional Disc Golf Association (PDGA) is a membership-based organization boasting more than across 54 countries. The PDGA is also the governing body for the sport and sanctions competitive events for players of every skill level. There are more than 9,800 disc golf courses worldwide, with more being installed every day.

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Nurturing Spiritual Growth: Doing Life Together

91�� — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 19:44:16 +0000

Residence Halls are where many of 91��’s students essentially do life together.

Here, spiritual formation can take on many forms. Resident Directors (RD’s) and Resident Assistants (RA’s) minister to, pray with and provide encouragement to students wherever they are in their academic and spiritual journeys. Regardless of the method or platform used, the main idea is to cultivate community and a sense of belonging.

91�� Residence Life’s stated outcome says, “As members of the 91�� residential community, students will be challenged and encouraged to grow in their personal relationship with Christ, drawing connections between their actions and beliefs.”

Let’s take a tour of campus and see how ministry takes place where students live.

Village and Kingsley Living Area – RD: Jose Brown

“Being that the Residence Halls are the place on 91��’s campus where students genuinely get to do life together, it is absolutely crucial that there is spiritual formation/faith development being implemented into the programming and day-to-day rhythms of each residence hall. In Village and Kingsley halls specifically, we intentionally implement spiritual formation for our residents in the following ways:

A Spiritual Formation focused living area wide event each semester
Intentional one-on-one’s from RA’s and the RD where spiritual guidance is a topic of conversation
Our “Tuesday Truth Devotional” series via social media that is led by the Village and Kingsley RA’s
Our weekly prayer board as a living area
Our online prayer box where residents can submit prayer requests
An upcoming event series we are starting spring 2023 is called “Couch Convos” where we will discuss faith and a hot button topic to facilitate community conversations around how to include faith in all aspects of life
Village Basement hosts occasional (typically around 3-4 times a semester) Bible studies and worship nights for our freshmen men to attend and participate in

Our goal with each of these faith development opportunities is to provide accessible and inclusive options for our residential community to engage in their relationship with the Lord both as an individual and in community. The RA’s are empowered to view their RA role as a powerful ministry opportunity where they are on mission to evangelize the good news of the gospel and help grow disciples in their own homes/community. Through the RD’s and RA’s leadership example, residents are encouraged to do the same.”

Stringer & Whitaker Living Area – RD: Teagan Dunning

“In Stringer and Whitaker, we’ve engaged our residents in several different ways spiritually. It is so important for our residents to be regularly engaging with truth in multiple ways. Most of our hallways have either words directly from Scripture or ideas like “the names that God gives us” as daily reminders of who we are in Christ. Additionally, some RAs have gone a step further—tying Scripture into our social media content. Our posts are based on the learning outcomes that we as the Residence Life department have. Our Resident Advisors have taken the time to connect things like mental and physical wellness, diversity, and progressive independence to what they see taught in Scripture.

Our team has also worked to provide programming that is based on spiritual practices and scripture itself. Allie Tryon, the RA of Whitaker 1 is excited to host a recurring Bible study on her floor this year, where her residents will engage with different passages in Scripture. Additionally, we invited our residents to practice gratitude by writing down things that they are grateful for on pieces of paper toast while enjoying Corner Bagel at “A Toast to the New Year.” Finally, Chelsie Duncan, the RA of Stringer B, hosted a program focused on journaling, which gave her residents the opportunity to reflect on their experiences and where they have seen the Lord working.”

Boulevard Living Area – RD: Cassie Webber

“The women of Boulevard have a unique opportunity to engage in faith development through consistent interactions from their Resident Advisors and within the community events for Boulevard. To begin, the RA’s and RD implement devotionals on the Boulevard Instagram Page where they will share pieces of scripture and an application point to meet the residents where they are at. During the holidays, the Boulevard team does an Advent Series where every day in December they post a video explaining where Christ is seen leading up to His birth, to which we celebrate on Christmas. Additionally, our RA’s and RD pray with our residents and offer a ‘how can we pray for you’ section on Instagram. In regard to events, one of the key ways to love and care for the residents while implementing faith development, is through serving the residents. The Boulevard Staff hosts an annual event called ‘Get Ready with Boulevard,’ where they create an opportunity, before an AU Dance, to invite the girls to come and get their hair and/or makeup done for the event! This creates a great way to spend one-on-one time with the residents, hearing about their lives and getting to have Christ-centered conversations as well!”

Townhome – RD: Kelsey Groves

“The Townhomes provide opportunities for faith development in students both through practical programming as well as the social experience of the living area. Socially, something I emphasize in my living area is the importance of being good neighbors. As an apartment style residence area where we do not have hallways or lobbies, it is easy to forget that we are still living in a campus community and actions affect others. I have had conversations with residents both in-person as well as sent out regularly in emails about taking care of the area of the woods we live in, stewarding the spaces we occupy, and respecting the needs of those we live with. I seek to encourage residents to love, honor, and respect their neighbor – in accord with how Jesus tells us that a way He receives our love is through loving our neighbor.”

Lawton & Rouse – RD: Luke Springer

“One program offered to Lawton and Rouse students with an emphasis on spiritual development is Fireside Chats. Fireside Chats are a time for residents to come together to discuss various topics around faith, learning, worldview, etc. These discussions are led by the Senior Resident Advisor and Residence Director of Lawton and Rouse Halls. The conversations have been a great opportunity for students to engage with one another in healthy conversation. Although these conversations cover many topic areas, they are strongly rooted in faith and bringing each person’s faith into important conversations. The motto for the chats is ‘good conversation, better community, stronger worldview.’”

Senior RA Personal Faith Development Statement – Canon Allen

“Working for AU Residence Life for over half of my student career has opened doors—both literally and spiritually—to becoming more of the person God wants me to be. From the Christ-aimed weeks of training to the teams I have been blessed to grow alongside, the Lord has used Residence Life to mold me into His image and thus help me have the boldness and discernment to pour into those around me, whether in the dorm suites or in the Watkins classroom. Some of the most substantial growth in my life, both in the Lord and as an individual, has sprouted from my time as an RA, and I truly believe I would’ve been sorely at a loss had I not first applied.”

Stay tuned for future articles about God at work in the 91�� community.

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Nurturing Spiritual Growth and a Sense of Community

91�� — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 14:12:22 +0000

There are many ways 91�� equips students for their spiritual journey.

In addition to providing “knowledge for your journey,” 91�� offers a community of faith where students can grow spiritually; and with that growth choose from among many opportunities to live out their faith.

We’re excited to tell this story more in detail in the months to come about different ways God is at work at 91��.

Dr. Tracy Jessup, vice president for Christian Life and senior minister to 91��, commented, “’Great Faith’ is one of the pillars of 91��. Christ is central to the education experience we offer our students, both inside and outside the classroom.”

That faith is lived out through many ministry organizations on Anderson’s campus, as well as in the classroom, student housing, in intercollegiate athletics, on the intramural field, in the community, and around the world.

Director of Campus Ministries James Hanson describes spiritual development at 91�� as being kind of like a greenhouse where seeds of faith are planted and take root. While in the greenhouse, plants take nourishment needed for growth and ultimately so they can thrive outside the greenhouse and bear fruit. Some, he adds, are being planted for the first time, while others are like young plants needing nourishment to grow stronger.

“We’re providing them with the right conditions here to really develop those things, so that when they are planted wherever that is in the world and whatever field they are in, they thrive and produce fruit—fruit being gospel impact wherever they are,” Hanson said.

Assistant Campus Minister Kaitlyn Jenkins commented, “Getting to have a front row seat to what God is doing, we have phenomenal students eager and hungry to continue growing.”

Coming Together

91��’s lead student ministry is Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), with weekly worship gatherings of approximately 800 students. Although it is the largest BCM in South Carolina, much of the ministry takes place in smaller community groups that meet across campus, and all students are welcome. In addition to providing funding and staff for BCM, 91�� also supports a thriving women’s ministry which connects female students through community and discipleship.

Of course there are various campus ministry partners which invest spiritually in the lives of 91�� students. These include Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), Cru (known in the past as Campus Crusade for Christ), Eternal Tribe (a multicultural ministry), and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).

Serving the Community

While there are so many ways to gather and enjoy fellowship on campus, there are plenty of opportunities to go out into the community to serve, whether to worship and serve at area churches or help organizations like the LOT Project or Anderson Interfaith Ministries (AIM) reach out to individuals and families in need. At the start of each year, 91�� invites area churches, ministries and organizations to Expo, an event that connects students with all sorts of volunteer and ministry opportunities.

Doing Life Together

Residence Halls are essentially where many of 91��’s students do life together. Spiritual formation happens in many ways here. Sharing happens face-to-face and by social media. Resident Directors (RD’s) and Resident Assistants (RA’s) minister to, pray with and provide encouragement to students wherever they are in their academic and spiritual journeys. Regardless of the method or platform used, the main idea is to cultivate community and a sense of belonging.

Of course, there are Bible studies, but also informal chats where students informally discuss topics around faith, learning, worldview and other things that come to mind. Cassie Webber, Boulevard Living Area RD, says she and the RA’s post devotionals on their Instagram page and have opportunities throughout the year for serving and encouraging each other. Luke Springer, RD at Lawton and Rouse, says their motto is “good conversation, better community, stronger worldview.”

Where two or more are gathered…

Campus worship takes place Wednesdays and Fridays in the Henderson Auditorium of the Rainey Fine Arts Center. Students are involved in many ways, whether leading worship or working behind the scenes mixing audio or producing the video streams.

In addition to weekly campus worship, there are also opportunities to guide worship by involvement in the Gospel Ensemble and other teams, musical and otherwise.

Running the Race

The goal of 91��’s Athletic Department is to field teams that compete successfully against other institutions while exemplifying the Christian principles, which guide 91��. Coaches lead and mentor student-athletes not only in helping them become their best self athletically but also provide spiritual leadership.

Dr. Bert Epting, Vice President for Athletics, said, “I’ve always been a big believer that culture doesn’t happen by default, it happens by design, so we’re specifically trying to design an experience for our student-athletes. We started partnering with the chapel program and now once a month we have a chapel credit for FCA here in Abney.” Dr. Epting noted that the Office of Athletics also started a chaplaincy program and student-athletes from all sports serve in a Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC).

Growing in Wisdom

Dr. Ryan Neal, Provost, said, “When we interview faculty candidates, a key element of the conversations relates to the importance of our desire to provide rigorous academics and faith integration. It’s not either/or; it’s both/and.”

The Center for Teaching Excellence holds a Christian Worldview and Faith and Learning Integration Seminar for new professors at the start of each semester. According to Nathan Cox, who serves as Assistant Provost and directs the center, the seminar focuses not only on the AU culture, but also on the wider Southern Baptist tradition. New faculty also hear from seasoned faculty in various disciplines who provide practical advice on how issues of faith often manifest during classes taught at AU.

Also, three classes in the Gold Core Curriculum (AU’s general education program) include courses on the Bible, Philosophical Foundations and Moral Reasoning, and Christian Worldview and Contemporary Application. Throughout the year, the center offers sessions on a variety of topics that include current issues students are thinking about, essentials of our faith and other timely, important subjects.

Dr. Bryan Cribb, who co-leads the seminars, says that the classroom offers numerous opportunities for ministry.

“Our faculty will often serve our students almost in a pastoral role. The faculty at AU do not only teach, but they also shepherd students—helping them to navigate college life and just being there for the students through often difficult life circumstances,” Cribb said.

Going Forth

As our world opens up post-pandemic, students are again finding opportunities for service—around the state, around the country and around the world. Students can lead backyard Bible Clubs, help with disaster relief, do one-on-one evangelism and so much more.

Each year, AU BCMGO Teams are assisting churches across South Carolina in their worship or student ministry. Individual students and student teams also go on mission trips across the country or around the world. During the Spring 2023 Semester, a group is heading to Los Angeles to help church planters there, along with the North American Mission Board. Other students will be involved in Beach Reach, ministering to students traveling to Panama City, Florida, for spring break.

Finding Space

Sometimes you’ve just got to kick back and enjoy God’s creation. That said, there’s something special about 91��’s beautiful wooded campus. One recent addition to the campus is Brashier Glade, which offers flexible, ample indoor and outdoor spaces for prayer groups, Bible studies and other activities or just to find a quiet spot to be alone with God. Improvements are constantly being made to enhance spiritual growth opportunities at Brashier Glade, including enhancements to the Prayer Chapel, which is a 2023 A Day cause.

Where It All Leads

With all of these things in mind, 91�� can’t help but celebrate God’s many blessings and the many students, faculty and staff He has called to serve in these many areas. Hanson recalls a student from Europe who traveled 3,000 miles to attend 91��. Before long, he discovered what Christian community is all about. Daily, students learn about forming lifelong friendships, community and impacting their world.

Student Government Association (SGA) President Cooper Reynolds commented, “AU brings a constant reminder that we serve someone larger than ourselves, larger than AU, and larger than the impact we have on this campus as students. The time I’ve had at AU showed me that it takes time to grow in Jesus, but when you take the time, the impact on the Kingdom of God can be larger than you would have ever been able to do on your own. Fellow students, faculty, and staff have shown me that they are dedicated to helping me grow in my faith, no matter what season of life I am in.”

Stay tuned for future articles about God at work in the 91�� community.

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Kicking Off A New Year: Welcome Week 2022!

91�� — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:32:55 +0000

91�� is ready to welcome new students into its growing community. Of course, this calls for a celebration!

Welcome Week is an exciting time for new students to step into life as a college student while making new friends.

Welcome Week, August 19-27, is filled with fun activities of all kinds. At its heart, Welcome Week is all about new students getting to know their AU community.

A complete detailed schedule can be found online here.

Highlights

Welcome Week starts August 19 with resident students moving into their residence halls on campus. Commuting students will also check in that day to find out all they need to know about starting at AU. And on Saturday, August 27, Welcome Week ends with a bang—literally—as spectacular fireworks light up the night at the soccer stadium.

And of course, there’s a lot in between.

A huge highlight of Welcome Week is the Matriculation and Archway Walk, a moving time of worship and celebration of a great AU tradition, marking the start of the unforgettable journey that lies ahead.

On Saturday, August 20, freshmen will get to know their AU 101 classmates as part of an Alpha Group or TAG (Transfer Alpha Group) Group at Merritt Porch. Lasting friendships are formed in these groups, so sticking together is a great way to start the journey as an AU student. As an Apple Distinguished School, 91�� gives all of its incoming freshmen a new iPad + Apple Pencil—powerful tools to help each student along the way. That’s also the day 91�� welcomes returning students.

Welcome Week is filled with opportunities to play a favorite game or two (or more) and to learn some new ones, whether it’s spikeball, cornhole, ultimate frisbee, soccer or volleyball. It’s also a chance to get together with new friends and picnic on the historic lawn, listen to live music, enjoy some western fun at West Fest or the food, fun and festivities of Beach Bash.

A big new addition to Welcome Week this year is Block Party. AU Student Activities is organizing the event complete with food trucks and live music from Chris Renzema. According to Cooper Reynolds, AU Student Government Association (SGA) president, Block Party “is the perfect addition to Welcome Week to add even more excitement to an already amazing week.”

Welcome Week is also a great time for students to learn their way around the 91�� campus, to discover all of the dining options and great food, as well as great places to unwind with classmates—on the lawn, in the quad, or while enjoying a favorite coffee beverage. It’s also a time to discover Anderson’s vibrant downtown scene, exploring shops, restaurants and seeing firsthand why Anderson is nicknamed The Electric City.

What’s more, Welcome Week is a time to experience how the Four Pillars of 91�� come together to form a unique overall student experience: Great Academics, Great Faith, Great Hospitality and Great Purpose. New students discover what Anderson’s learning experience is all about, getting to know professors and others who will walk alongside each student throughout their academic and spiritual journey.

Katelyn Bass, a rising junior media communication major from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, remembers what Welcome Week meant to her as an incoming freshman, and is excited about her role coordinating marketing of these events for AU Student Activities. She’s been busy posting on Instagram and TikTok, as well as in .

“It was a really formative experience for me, stepping into AU, especially making the transition from really far away from home. Those were the events that filled my weeknights and my weekends when I didn’t have all my friends yet or my family, so now getting to communicate that to incoming students and to the student body as they go through AU is really special because I just feel really passionate about it. It’s what made AU home for me,” Bass said.

91�� encourages students to with their AU credentials. This website will have the most up-to-date information on all events around campus as well as a full list of AU clubs and organizations. Full Welcome Week details can be found at andersonuniversity.edu/campus-life/welcome-week.

Scenes from last year’s Welcome Week

The Wall Street Journal recognized 91�� as No. 25 among all universities in the nation for best student engagement, and U.S. News and World Report ranks 91�� No. 64 for best first-year experiences in the United States.

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Baptist Collegiate Ministries Launches AU BCMGO Teams

91�� — Mon, 14 Feb 2022 13:54:20 +0000

91�� is taking an important step in preparing the next generation of ministry leaders.

Through Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM), AU BCM GO teams will travel to Southern Baptist congregations across the Upstate and into North Carolina and Georgia this spring.

Rev. Mayson Easterling, vice president for church engagement at 91��, hopes to expand the number of teams going out during the next academic year, with a particular emphasis on reaching more churches throughout the state of South Carolina.

AU BCMGO kicked off a semester of serving several congregations by leading in the morning service of Hillcrest Baptist Church in Williamston, whose pastor is Larry Baldwin, an 91�� alumnus, and also at First Baptist Church of Honea Path.

According to Easterling, each ministry opportunity will be unique. Mostly they will lead Disciple Now events for youth groups, but they will also engage in multigenerational churchwide services. Some trips will be for a day while others will be for an entire weekend.

“Each team has at least one young man who is preparing to preach along with students who lead worship, share their testimonies, lead Bible studies and lead recreation,” he said.

“Basically, the reason we’re doing this is to be the hands and feet of Christ,” said Braden Cordero, an AU BCMGO team leader and a student in the 91�� College of Christian Studies. “I think it’s just serving and having a servant’s heart of helping the churches as needed, whether that’s doing a Bible study on a Sunday morning with the youth, all the way to preaching on Sunday morning. We’re really there to glorify God.”

Not all students serving on the initial AU BCMGO teams are studying primarily for ministry.

“I think we have maybe two or three Christian Studies majors, but the rest are just marketing, education or nursing—things like that,” said Darcy Smith, student coordinator. For Smith, who is majoring in business and marketing and minoring in digital media, it’s about being obedient to Christ’s command in Matthew 28:19 to go and make disciples.

“Not only does this prepare us for the future; it’s something that the Lord has called us to do now,” Smith said. “As long as we fully understand the gospel and what Jesus did for us, then we’re going to want to anyway, so I think these GO teams give us an opportunity to fulfill those commands the Lord has given us.”

Easterling is excited about the initial 16 students gaining ministry experience this spring as part of the AU BCMGO teams.

“We want to serve the churches and primarily the South Carolina Baptist churches that support 91�� through the Cooperative Program,” Easterling said. “As our students lead folks to Christ, we also hope that they’ll come in contact with prospective students and friends of the University.”

For details, contact Rev. Easterling at measterling@andersonuniversity.edu.

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IJM Chapter Event Raises Funds to Help Human Trafficking Victims

91�� — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 19:29:50 +0000

Unfortunately, slavery isn’t just something found in the pages of a history book.

It’s a reality today as much as ever. A group of 91�� students are working to alter that reality and help human trafficking victims to freedom.

On November 8, approximately 200 people came out to support the Threads event, a pop-up thrift shop set up in Vandiver Gallery at Thrift Library. Anderson IJM raised more than $1,500 to fight human trafficking.

When Caroline Mason was in high school in Budapest, Hungary, she attended an ASCI student leadership conference where she was confronted with a shocking reality.

“I went to a leadership conference where a workshop speaker spoke about sex trafficking and pornography. I was so shocked and burdened by the information and was like ‘there’s no way I can know this and not do anything about it,’” said Mason, a Communication-Public Relations major in the 91�� College of Arts and Sciences. Mason became involved with Anderson IJM as a freshman and is currently serving as president.

Mason appreciates the outpouring of support during the Threads event and the generous donations of clothing, shoes and accessories from students and faculty and the surrounding community.

IJM is working to eliminate slave trade globally by partnering with local authorities to rescue victims of violence, bring criminals to justice, restore survivors and strengthen justice systems. It takes approximately $6,300 to fully fund one rescue, and making a rescue involves more than just getting victims out of an exploitative environment.

“IJM is really thorough about providing after-care therapy, getting people housing, clothing, education—whatever they need,” Mason said. Anderson IJM is the official Field Office Ally for IJM South Asia.

To join the fight against human trafficking, Anderson IJM has a specific to their chapter to make financial donations. Information about International Justice Mission can be found at .

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VIDEO: Palmetto Boys State 2019

91�� — Tue, 11 Jun 2019 00:49:46 +0000

Starting on June 9, 91�� welcomed Palmetto Boys State for its 2019 encampment. This annual event takes place each summer on our campus, and is one of the highlights of summer at AU.

We hope you enjoy the sights and sounds of PBS 2019 from the beautiful campus of 91�� in Anderson, South Carolina.

Thank, citizens, for being #TrueToAU and a part of the 91�� family!

The post VIDEO: Palmetto Boys State 2019 appeared first on 91��.

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