AU chapter of Every Nation Campus strive to make students welcome

By Mikaela Graf | Staff writer

Every Nation Campus is one of several religious organizations at Augusta University. They partner with the local, non-denominational church, In Focus Church, as a part of a global outreach program whose mission is to “love God, love people, and build community.”

Last month, the student organization kicked off a new semester of activities with a back-to-school bonfire on Friday, Jan 14. Several students gathered in a member’s backyard for an evening of treats, games, and laughs in the winter weather.

For new members, the bonfire served as a preview of the fellowship-centered events they can look forward to this semester.

“ENC hangs out like this all the time,” said Hannah Hoyt, president of the organization. “These sorts of authentic connections are part of what brings us closer together as friends.”

Though temperatures were cold that evening, students enjoyed the gathering regardless of the weather.

“It was a little chillier than I thought it would be, but it was perfect fire weather,” said Hoyt. “The s’mores and quality time more than made up for it.”

Hang-out events like the bonfire are hosted on several Fridays throughout the semester, in addition to the weekly meetings held on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in the connect space of the Wellness Center. These Tuesday gatherings are spent in connect groups, where attendees discuss teachings from the Bible in a personalized way.

“We spend some time just hanging out all together, and then break into small groups and dive into the sermon that we heard on Sunday,” Hoyt said. “Even if you don’t attend church or didn’t hear that week’s sermon, the discussions are always really open and thought-provoking.”

The AU chapter of Every Nation Campus has had tremendous growth over the past year and the leaders do not expect this trend to slow down anytime soon.

AU alumnus Marc Maldonado recently stepped into the position of campus director and is looking forward to leading the organization into a new year of outreach and community.

“I won’t lie – the beginning of the semester was a little nerve-wracking, because of the transfer of responsibility,” said Maldonado. “Our team had a lot of ideation meetings with the goal to improve what we do both on and off campus.”

One of Every Nation Campus’ central missions is to reach the university’s students, and Maldonado encourages anyone who is interested in learning more about the organization and its members to meet with them between any Wednesday and Thursday classes.

“Wednesdays and Thursdays are our days for evangelism, so you can find us all over both campuses,” he said. “Lately, we’ve spent a lot of time in the JSAC, hanging out and playing games with other students.”

Every Nation Campus’ connect groups and events are open to any college-aged person. An individual does not have to be a student, Christian, or church member to be a part of the organization.

“College students want to feel welcome,” said Maldonado. “And, at ENC, we strive to make that happen for everyone.”

Students posed for photos as they ate s’mores and spent time together. At top of page, students gather around a bonfire in 30 degree weather. (photos courtesy of Hannah Hoyt)

Contact Mikaela Graf at mgraf@augusta.edu.