Oklahoma Christian students who hope to be inspired or encouraged will have the opportunity to engage in the Unify campaign again this year.
Junior Rachel Parrett and senior Tori Saffell founded Unify last year. It is a campaign, which seeks to bring the student body together by encouraging and celebrating one another.
“I would describe Unify as an idea that the campus could come together for a greater purpose despite the differences between each individual person,” Saffell said. “It really is an attempt to refocus people on what is most important, and that means becoming one in the body of Christ, to love other people and to glorify God.”
According to Parrett and Saffell, the idea for Unify began last year around Spring Sing in response to a negative and competitive spirit on campus.
“Tensions were so high between clubs and we just wanted to refocus, regroup and [ask] what’s most important,” Saffell said. “That is Christ and we’re all one in Him, and from there, we can be different. That’s what unifies all of us.”
Last year, Saffell and Parrett shared their message during chapel and played a video about the campaign. Additionally, President John deSteiguer spoke and encouraged students to fill a banner with encouraging words about their peers.
“We felt called to create an event on campus that helped bring people together and put aside their differences in the midst of a society that just tells us that we always have to be against each other and competitive,” Parrett said. “So we created Unify, and last year, our theme was unifying through encouragement.”
Each year, the campaign theme will be based on what they believe the campus needs at the moment. According to Parrett, last year’s focus was unifying through encouragement, which contrasts society’s message of competition. This year, the theme recognizes internal struggles students face.
“We talked about that and we talked to some of our friends and tried to get a sense of what is needed on this campus right now,” Parrett said. “Last year, it was all about encouraging other people. This year, our theme is celebrating differences. Instead of looking at your differences as things that hinder you, we’re looking at those things that make you special and unique.”
The Unify campaign works closely with students and the spiritual life team. Students who are involved work alongside Parrett and Saffell to help Unify reach its potential.
“This year, we created a committee, which is new to us,” Parrett said. “We decided to create a committee so we could get more voices and more opinions to throw into it instead of just us two. We just had our first meeting, and it was really cool because they thought of things that we wouldn’t have thought of, and they each had different ways that they could contribute to Unify that we aren’t good at.”
Organization committee member Cameron Williams said he plans to bring hope to those at Oklahoma Christian through his work with Unify.
“My favorite aspect of Unify is the dedication from all of the committee members to better the kingdom and our campus,” Williams said. “There is not one member that doesn’t want to participate in this campaign. That just brings so much joy to my heart because it’s a perfect example of God’s love.”
Though committee members have already been chosen, students can still get involved in Unify this semester. Similar to last year, the event will consist of a chapel lecture, video and activity.
“We’re in the process of planning everything right now,” Saffell said. “Students can get involved just by showing up for our events, and by having a positive attitude and really taking to heart the message that we’re trying to put out there.”
“I hope that students realize that, although they may be different, there’s always something they have in common with people, especially on this campus,” Saffell said. “And I just hope that it shows people how great it can be when they put their differences aside to serve God and love people.”
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