Mocs News Reporting the news that matters most to UTC
By William McElyea
CHATTANOOGA (mocsnews.com) – It’s no secret, the last 20 months have been served with more than its fair share of challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic has created hurdles for people of all walks of life and students are no different.
Higher education students across the country are faced with new stresses as the fluid like structure of campus life and academia… With these new stresses, certain student organizations have had to step up and meet these challenges.
Among the most willing are the many campus ministries. UTC has a plethora of religious organizations, such as the Christian Student Center, Baptist Collegiate Ministries, The Newman Center, The Wesley Center, and The House, all which believe they have an important role to play in students’ lives during this pandemic.
“I think it is crucial.” Steven Johnston, the head minister at the UTC Baptist Collegiate Ministry said, “We offer students a second place where they can experience a different part of life.”. The BCM, as they are more commonly referred to on campus, are not the only ones seeking to provide for students in this way. The Newman center, the catholic ministry on campus, states on its website that they want to offer “a home away from home.”.
Mr. Johnston believes this sets campus ministries apart from other student organizations and should be encouraged. “We have a way to offer students fun in a twenty-month period where they just haven’t been able to have a lot of fun.” Mr. Johnston claimed, and he believes that helps with student success and retention.
This claim has been backed by multiple studies. A study done by Texas Tech University concluded that “students who involved themselves in student clubs and organization were more successful than those who did not become involved”.
These ministries offer plenty of opportunities to do just that with weekly lunches, worship services and activities. If you are interested in learning more about any of UTC’s campus ministries, you check their websites and see all the ways you can get involved.
