Jillian Veldey | Staff Writer
Baylor’s history is rooted in the Baptist tradition, as it is the world’s largest Baptist university. While there are a number of religious organizations on campus, students looking for another outlet for faith have instituted Student Mobilization.
Student Mobilization originated in 1986 at the University of Arkansas. Fast forward 35 years later, StuMo can now be found on over 25 college campuses across the United States, now including Baylor. This is StuMo’s first year at Baylor, they are currently in the process of being approved as an official student organization.
Despite not being officially ‘on campus,’ Baylor Stumo still meets weekly for Bible studies, small groups and larger hangouts with the whole organization where students can play volleyball, basketball, enjoy free food and hear testimonials from staff members and students involved in StuMo. This semester the organization will be starting StuMo nights where students can hear a message and participate in worship.
Kyle Sisney, a Campus Director for StuoMo at Baylor, said StuMo is a student organization whose goal is to raise up spiritual leaders for Christ from the college campuses of the world.
“Our heart’s desire is to help people take the next steps in their faith so they can be spiritual leaders to help other people become spiritual leaders wherever they’re at,” Sisney said. “It’s really cool to have people you’re constantly surrounded by who care about you as a person and care about the decisions you’re making.”
StuMo at Baylor is comprised of campus directors and staff members who all want to help students take the next steps in their faith. StuMo’s goal is to meet students where they are at in their walk with God and help them grow from there.
Baylor StuMo staff member Madison Goforth said she believes college is the best time to develop a relationship with God regardless of if you’ve had one your whole life or are a new Christian.
“When I was in college, StuMo was a place for me to explore my faith and ask hard questions,” Goforth said. “Now being on staff, I love creating an atmosphere for Baylor students to be challenged and strengthened in their faith and watching them grow into who God has created them to be.”
According to their website, StuMo believes that college-aged kids are “the most reachable trainable and mobile group on the planet.” The crucial time period they saw in college-aged students inspired their goal to mobilize them to help spread the Gospel.
Sisney reflected on how he got involved in StuMo as a college student.
“For me, I was the cocky baseball guy who desperately needed to understand what faith was about,” Sisney said. “I had no interest in joining a college ministry in college. I think I had a misconception that Christians were weird and tried to force things on you, which just wasn’t my experience. StuMo is full of a lot of people who want to love you and show you how to love God.”
Brittany Sisney, another campus director for Baylor StuMo, said the organization has impacted her life in more ways than one.
“I came to faith through being involved in StuMo in college. It gave me a community of people who were also learning and growing,” Brittany said. “Outside of my spiritual life, it has developed me a lot as a person in my leadership, in my conflict resolution, [and] in my finances. It has really given me good tools to set me up as a person.”
On top of StuMo at Baylor, the organization as a whole hosts a conference during winter break called SMC, and also a summer program called Kaleo.
Anyone is welcome to join StuMo. Follow @stumo_baylor on Instagram for updates on when and where you can get connected. If you would like to reach out and speak to a staff member you can email stumobaylor@gmail.com for more information.
