It is late August and fall is quickly approaching, signaling for some the anticipation of football and hunting seasons. But, for over 160,000 University students, it signifies the start of classes on our Arkansas campuses. Students from all the states and from many countries have arrived in Arkansas seeking higher education.

Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) students have incredible opportunities during the summer to serve in a variety of ways. As a campus minister, I love when students use a week, month, or entire summer to serve! God honors that time in ways that many students do not expect. Over the summer, students can serve in many different places and in a variety of opportunities. Below are a few examples with their comments about their summer experience. 

Emma didn’t let initial discouragement deter her from letting the Spirit flow and sharing the Living Water.

Robert Rockett veered off course early in life, but prison didn’t bar him from soaring to new heights.

Justin Murphy discovered that helping others put their lives back together led to recovery of his own damaged heart.

Summer broke cycles of economic despair with job training and discipleship through the help of CWJC.

Robin Caldwell shines a message of light into the darkness and desperation of young women’s lives though pregnancy care centers in Arkansas.

Greg Hutchison is part of the “yellow shirt family” that brings light and hope to hurting people through Arkansas Baptist Disaster Relief efforts funded by Dixie Jackson.

Kinley Larmoyeux is helping to light the world by reaching international students through a partnership that involves local churches and the generous spirit of Arkansas Baptists.

Ben Coulter has discovered a way to bring light to unreached people groups without even leaving our state. How? God is bringing the nations to our Arkansas schools.