Connecting Summer Camps to Mission-Minded Students
Media Contact: Lori Fogleman, 254-710-6275
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by Liesbeth Powers, student newswriter
WACO, Texas (June 15, 2018) – This summer, more than 500 Baylor University students are serving at camps throughout the country.
Students serve in a variety of locations and positions during the summer, from lifeguarding at Sky Ranch in Van, Texas, to leading worship in Maine. Nearly half of these students are serving at Pine Cove’s three Texas locations while others serve at camps in their hometowns.
“We recognize that these are incredible leadership and development opportunities for our students, which also happen to serve a beautiful Christian mission while also ensuring that students have the opportunity to build community and friendships along the way,” said Matt Burchett, Ph.D., director of student activities at Baylor.
Baylor took steps to encourage, support and celebrate students the students who serve at camps, including hosting an inaugural commissioning ceremony in May. Those present were given time to pray and celebrate and were supplied with a Baylor camp counselor t-shirt and other university “swag”.
“The commissioning ceremony is an opportunity for us to acknowledge how grateful we are as an institution that students are choosing to go and serve others across the world through camp ministry and then offer us a chance to pray for, celebrate and equip them as they go out to serve others,” Burchett said.
Burchett said he was moved by how camp directors described Baylor students who served with them – their hearts for Jesus, their willingness to serve and their enthusiasm.
“The way they’re talking about our students – if I wasn’t a fan of Baylor already, I think I would quickly become one,” Burchett said. “It made me really proud to be a part of Baylor University and certainly proud of our students.”
Over the past few months, a group of faculty and staff from health and human performance, spiritual life, campus recreation and Truett Seminary has worked to have deeper conversations with camps across the country to see how to enhance their relationships with Baylor and Baylor students.
“We want to become more aware of all those camps who may need staffers, particularly staffers who are talented, who love Jesus, who want to serve and will do more to hopefully help them recruit and retain students long term,” Burchett said.
The Office of Career and Professional Development (CPD) hosted the first-ever Summer Camp Fair this spring. Camps from across the country were invited to take part in a one-day fair and begin the hiring process for students in the summer. A formal invitation is sent out to camps in an effort to maximize student interest in multiple camps on one day.
“I think we are recognizing more and more that we want to ensure that camps become aware that Baylor can be a resource for them as they recruit both locally and nationally or internationally,” Burchett said.
Students are given the chance to be paid for the summer, as well as learn and create connections across the country.
“If you are asked or tasked with going and leading a camp where you’re in charge of 15 fourth-graders for a week, times 12, that’s a robust learning activity,” Burchett said.
Baylor has received positive feedback from camps for an institution supporting their ministry and specific outreach. Students also have expressed gratitude for the university’s support.
In the coming years, there is a strong chance for growth and opportunity as the faculty and staff team work together on this project. This is unique, Burchett said, because this project is in no one’s job description.
“As those relationships become more and more robust, we begin making those connections, and people are dreaming together now,” Burchett said. “The right people are in the right rooms, and I think that’s always helpful moving forward.”
Other faculty involved in this project are:
- Dale Connally, Ph.D., professor and assistant chair of health and human performance
- Kelli McMahan, Ph.D., clinical associate professor, health and human performance
- Kristen Richardson, director of pastoral care and associate chaplain
- Kim Scott, Ph.D., director of campus recreation
- Ross Tarpley, a second-year theology student at Truett Seminary
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.