FARMVILLE, Va.—More than 70 graduates from every decade since the 1940s participated in the recent third biennial reunion of Longwood University’s Baptist Collegiate Ministries Alumni Association.
Dinner in Longwood BCM's newly-expanded facility was a highlight of its recent alumni reunion.
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The program, held in the Baptist Student Center‘s newly-expanded facility, featured 14 past Baptist collegiate ministries presidents who described how leadership in the organization shaped their lives. Jennifer Arthur, the youngest of the past presidents, serving 2005-2006, said she was introduced to missions through BCM and now participates in mission trips nearly each year. Several presidents joked that they “majored in BSU” while in school. The sense of community they felt, leadership learned and participation in missions were commonly mentioned as major influencers in their lives.
The student center was enlarged last year to accommodate growing numbers of students. The Virginia Baptist Mission Board provided $105,000, which BCM has agreed to repay. To help raise money, BCM has offered alumni the opportunity to purchase decorative bricks with their own names and graduation years or the names of people they wish to honor or memorialize. Bricks are $300 each and may be purchased through the end of 2012. Additional information is available from campus minister Cheri Wise at [email protected] or 434.392.5733.
Reunion participants contributed to the alumni association as well as to its Mary Ellen Petty Chapman Endowment Fund, motivated in part by the unexpected announcement that an anonymous donor has pledged to match all contributions through the end of May.
“It’s easy to see that BSU/BCM continues to impact lives, even many years after graduation,” said Wise.
More information about Longwood’s BCM Alumni Association is available from Faye Burkwall at [email protected].