Black Campus Ministries builds faith and community at Fresno State
FRESNO, Calif. — On Wednesday nights at Fresno State, the sound of gospel music spills out of RSU room 215 as a circle of students bows their heads in prayer. For members of Black Campus Ministries, the weekly gathering is more than a Bible study; it’s a space for belonging and finding family.
Black Campus Ministries, commonly known as BCM, serves as a faith-based organization centered on uplifting Black students through Christian fellowship, mentorship and community service. It is part of a larger Christian fellowship organization called InterVarsity, and is open to all students at Fresno State. Members say the ministry provides a spiritual home and a cultural anchor.
“Black Campus Ministries is just a space on campus that allows students to grow in their faith in spaces where there are other people who look like them,” said Diani Tillman, BCM student leader. “I think it’s really important that not just Black students, but students of different backgrounds and ethnicities have that space where they can grow in any subject with people that look like them, and BCM is exactly what that’s for.”
BCM hosts weekly worship nights, bible studies, small group discussions and community outreach events throughout the semester. Student leaders say their mission is rooted in spiritual growth and spreading the gospel throughout campus.
“We have worship, we have guest speakers who are pastors from really nice churches out here, and it’s just a great way to grow in your faith with a nice community on campus,” Tillman said.
For many members, the impact is personal.
“I really like BCM because it’s a safe place for everyone to come together, but especially as the name suggests, for Black people and people of our ethnicity, it’s a safe place for people to come together,” said Kylee Schutz, a BCM student leader.
In addition to spiritual support, upperclassmen in the ministry mentor younger students and get the opportunity to preach and give messages, offering learning moments centered on Christ.
“It’s a Christian organization partnered with something even bigger called InterVarsity, but it’s also a place for people who not only look like us, but people who think similarly to us, to come together and it’s just really fun,” said Schutz.
As BCM’s Wednesday gathering wraps up in room 215, students linger, laugh and exchange phone numbers before heading back home. For them, Black Campus Ministries is not just another campus club; it’s a community rooted in faith, culture and connection.
On a campus as large as Fresno State, members say that sense of connection can make all the difference.