Is This Revival? Tuskegee University

"For the first time in a while, I want to live again." 

In east central Alabama lies Tuskegee University, a private, historically Black university of around 2,000 students. The university is associated with historical figures like its co-founder Booker T. Washington and George Washington Carver. Celebrity alumni include people like Lionel Richie and Keenen Ivory Wayans. It’s also recognized as a National Historic Landmark.  

But even with all its historical significance, what Tuskegee might not be known for — at least not yet — is revival.  

Early Signs of Revival 

Campus minister Summer Richardson began planting a Black Campus Ministry (BCM) at Tuskegee during the pandemic after hearing, as an InterVarsity student at the University of Alabama, that HBCUs rarely had official Christian student organizations. And after a slower start to her ministry efforts, God’s movement soon began to snowball, particularly after she began praying every day for the campus.  

In the 2023-2024 school year, InterVarsity at Tuskegee grew from 20 students, to 50, to well over 100 students who attended Bible studies and events. And, nearly every week, students responded to give their lives to Jesus (around 100 students total that year)! 

As the ministry grew, they began making an impact far outside their own small groups and regular student participants. They made homeless care packages, did clothing drives, and started a program where students could rent professional clothing for interviews for free. One student even joined Summer for a mission trip to Rwanda this past summer.  

This School Year...So Far 

This past summer before classes began, the chapter decided to do a prayer walk on campus, inviting God to do even greater works this year through the ministry. As they walked, they met many students and even prayed for some of them on the spot. 

At the end of August, Summer shared with her ministry partners and donors that the chapter would be engaging in a Bible study series on healing this year. 

“I believe this topic will resonate deeply with students as they navigate the challenges of faith and life,” she said.  

At the first large group of the semester, over 160 students attended. Acting on the conviction about the topic of healing, the Bible study ended with a call to receive prayer for healing and a call to faith. Over half the students in attendance responded to the call for healing. What’s more, 20 students gave their lives to Jesus that night. 

One of these students went up to a student leader of the ministry afterwards. He shared how he was struggling with thoughts of suicide just the day before.  

“For the first time in a while, I want to live again,” he said while processing what he’d experienced that night.  

This was especially encouraging and meaningful for the student leader who, last year, also went through a season of anxiety and suicidal ideation. But after seeing a therapist and leaning on the support of the BCM community, she entered this year with joy and excitement of all God would do on campus.  

“She got to see how God is working in the lives of others as well!” Summer said. 

Building an Ongoing Foundation 

Since that first large group, there’s been a prayer training to help these new Christians learn the basics of developing their faith. A couple of them shared that they had experienced hurt from previous church experiences and had never made their faith their own, even after growing up in church. They also expressed how BCM was a space where they were able to ask questions and learn spiritual disciples to continue walking and growing with Jesus.  

As new students flooded into the chapter, the ministry launched six student-led small group Bible studies and an apprentice group to train up future student leaders. 

“God is moving through students and through them as leaders,” Summer said. “They are people with faith and hearts that are willing, and God is doing a lot through them.” 

Pray with us for more continued fruit at Tuskegee. You can also consider supporting their chapter by making a gift to Summer’s ministry here.