Campus Ministry Center set to draw new crowds
The Reverend Georgiana Salyers has her work cut out for her.
As the new executive director of Miami University's Campus Ministry Center, it is her duty to guide the student organization into the 21st century. And she has a lot to do; Salyers intends to make the CMC current and popular--to transform it into a place where Miami students can simply hang out. She doesn't plan on simply changing the face of the organization; with the help of the Student Leadership Board and student interns, she's changing the entire purpose of the CMC.
"We're working on that," she said. "We're writing
our revision statement at the moment. We are supported by several of the big
denominations-- in essence, we are their link to the students. We are the seven
day a week, 24-hour people who interact with students." This is one of
the primary ways in which the CMC is changing. The CMC once employed six full-time
staff members; that number has been trimmed down to one.
That one is, of course, Salyers. Taking over as executive director for Reg Olson in October of last year, Salyers is an ordained member of the United Methodist clergy who previously worked at an Urban Ministry Center. She was "excited about the possibilities" of working at a Campus Ministry Center, though, and stepped up to the challenge when the Campus Ministry Center requested new leadership.
And the challenge is formidable. Firstly, she has to overcome the CMC's traditional image as a stodgy, adult-oriented organization and turn it into a place where college students will think to go when they have the night free. Salyers is confident, however, that the organization's new focus on student leadership will allow it to gain a much larger profile than it has had ever before.
The student leaders agree. "We want to hit hard the incoming freshmen," said Megan Inderbitzen, one of the CMC's student interns. "Not many people knew we even existed." To combat this perception of the CMC as an unimportant-- or even nonexistent-- entity, the CMC is implementing new programs and modifying old ones to better target students.
One program that is facing revision is the "Food for Thought" program, a day program that features both a soup-and-sandwich lunch and a keynote speaker. It hasn't been well attended recently; Salyers and the student board agree that this is because it has been targeted toward the community at large.
"We need to shift it back toward the students," said Inderbitzen.
The "Lights on Campus Coffeehouse" is an example of a new program. Every Thursday night from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. the CMC hosts a discussion in its student lounge. Its purpose is to create an activity in which students can participate while uptown that doesn't revolve around alcohol, and ultimately to reduce the prevalence of alcoholism among students. Even though it may not win over any religious converts, Salyers maintains that it serves a helpful purpose in the community.
"It's a valid ministry," said Salyers.
The CMC is also adding a series of volunteering programs for those students who'd like to lend a hand in the community but are unable to invest more than a day's work.
One thing's for certain, though: the CMC doesn't exist to proselytize. While its members are naturally interested in religious discussion, converting people to Christianity isn't their intent; Salyers stresses that the organization is open to those of all beliefs-- including atheism-- and is interested in doing joint activities with non-Christian organizations such as Hillel, the local Jewish student organization. "We're devoted to faith exploration-- helping students seek to discover God, question whether God exists... to help students as they explore and begin to articulate [their beliefs]," said Salyers.
The organization's newfound dedication to the students isn't just for the benefit of those outside the Campus Ministry Center's walls. Salyers believes that those involved in the organization will be strengthened by their exposure to leadership opportunities.
"One of the things I really believe in is student leadership. We provide the quality training and hands-on experience -- conflict resolution, grant-writing, leading small groups, leading Bible studies, and fund-raising," she said. "The idea is hopefully to impact these students so when they leave this place... their experiences here, and how they touched other people, and how God touched them, will impact their decisions in a more long-term way."
Despite all these changes, the CMC hasn't lost sight of its core reason for being. Supported by the Presbyterian Church of the USA, the United Methodists, the American Baptists, the Episcopalians, the United Church of Christ, the Disciples of Christ, and other denominations like the Gathering of Friends and the Unitarian Universalists, the CMC acts as a sort of network between denominations, unifying Christian students under a single banner of faith.
The changing nature of the CMC is evident in the building itself. Seen from the front, the Campus Ministry Center is an ancient wood house; nearly as old as Miami University itself, it was built in 1830 and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. But this describes only half of the building. Once indoors and seeing its newly installed coffee bar (which was put in Salyers laughs, when they tried to tear out a wall and found it was braced with concrete), its recreational equipment, and its massive big-screen TV, one has to acknowledge that the organization is acquiring the tools necessary to draw a new audience.
Salyers and her team of students are poised to elevate the Campus Ministry Center to the level of the most popular student organizations on campus.
In fact, Salyers believes they have no other choice."Without this, the pews will be empty."