Student Activities
Student Activities
Student Government for Graduate Students Each graduate school has an appropriate student government program which provides leadership and activities appropriate for graduate students. For additional information contact the respective graduate school offices. Student Missionary Union The Student Missionary Union (SMU) is a student-led organization, founded in 1923, that has at the heart of its mission to glorify God and to see Him glorified. All of history is moving to a time when God will restore all of creation to what He had intended from the beginning. God began His work of restoration through Christ, reconciling the world to Himself. God has made us agents of that restoration by making us His ambassadors. The Student Mission Union is a student-led organization that motivates and mobilizes students to align their lives toward the completion of the Great Commission. SMU facilitates the sending of short-term mission teams to locations all over the globe, including such places as China, Mozambique, Mexico, Holland and Romania. They sponsor an Unreached Simulation, weekly prayer meetings and other events through their Prayer Ministries. The entire student body attends Missions Conference, which includes exciting events such as Global Awareness, where students experience another culture, and Explorations, where they can visit such places as a mosque or a Mormon temple. The Long-Term Missions Department seeks to answer many practical questions from students interested in long-term cross-cultural work. SMU offers a multitude of opportunities for involvement with 25 staff positions and more than 100 volunteers each year. They are located in the upper level of the Student Union Building and are open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. They can also be reached at (562) 903-4881. Athletics Intercollegiate athletics at Biola University provide men and women with interest and ability in athletics an opportunity to compete with other institutions of higher education whose size and athletic policies are similar. Intercollegiate competition for men is conducted in the following sports: baseball, basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis and track and field. Sports for women include basketball, cross-country, golf, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, soccer and volleyball. Intramural activities are organized in both team and individual sports for men and women. This program is directed by the Associated Students. Student Media Students can gain experience and career preparation in reporting, writing, photojournalism, video production and radio work through one of Biola University’s campus media outlets. Campus media at Biola University falls under the Biola Media Board, which oversees selection of leaders and budget processes. Students from across the University can participate in The Chimes, Biola’s weekly newspaper (including a daily online edition); The Point, feature magazine of the Biola Journalism Department; Biola Radio, a Webcast operation providing music, news and sports coverage; EagleVision, Biola’s news, feature and sports television Webcast, and The Biolan, a traditional yearbook. Some staff positions in these media receive scholarship funding, though funded positions tend to be chosen through competitive application based on job qualifications and prior media experience. Theatre Productions The Theatre major within the Communication Studies Department provides Fall and Spring drama productions and many student-driven productions for the campus and immediate community. These productions are open for audition to all students, faculty and staff. Theatre seasons include serious drama, comedies, original student and family productions.
Spiritual Development and Chapels The spiritual development of our students is a key dimension of this University’s education and mission. The Dean of Spiritual Development and his staff provide many, diverse ways for students to learn about, identify and engage with the transforming work and callings of God in their lives. There are more than 175 opportunities for students each semester, offered every weekday, varying from large corporate gatherings for worship and teaching, to weekly prayer services and retreats, to one-on-one spiritual direction and mentoring. Scripture provides the foundation for our teaching chapels, which also present biblically-based wisdom from across the disciplines. Through the close study of biblical texts integrated with scholarly, artistic and ministry specializations, teaching chapels provide wisdom for spiritual growth, relationships, missions and evangelism, justice, diversity and reconciliation, apologetics, and arts and culture, among several other topics. Structured prayer and worship services are provided throughout the week for students to learn the rhythms of the spiritual life whereby they can listen to God and his will for them. The Torrey Memorial Bible Conference in the fall and the Missions Conference in the spring create space for three days of focused teaching on biblical themes. In addition, once each semester the University observes a planned Day of Prayer, which provides opportunities for corporate and individual prayer gatherings across the campus. Weekly engagement with Biola’s Spiritual Development education— which includes chapels, retreats, and spiritual mentoring—is required of all undergraduates, and is encouraged for all graduate students. (Graduate programs also have chapel services of their own.) Speakers are drawn from across the nation and around the world, but also include Biola’s own faculty and staff, many of whom are sought after as speakers by other universities. Of course, the spiritual formation of students is taking place across the campus, in class, in advising, and less formally in the many discussions and prayer times that occur spontaneously among faculty, staff and students. Student Government for Undergraduates All registered undergraduate students are represented by the Student Government Association (SGA), Biola’s undergraduate student government. The mission of SGA is to equip student leaders to provide representation and advocacy for students’ needs to university administration. The SGA President presides over two branches that comprise the student government, the Senate Branch and the Auxiliary Branch. The Senate Branch, which holds the legislative power of SGA and determines how contingency funds and funding for student clubs will be allocated, is supervised by the SGA Senior Vice-President and consists of elected Senators and a hired Diversity Liaison. The Auxiliary Branch includes the Marketing and Communications Department, Finance Department and Office Administration Department. SGA is located in the upper level of the Student Union Building and is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.. SGA staff can also be contacted at (562) 903-4882. Student Programming and Activities The Student Programming and Activities (SPA) department plans events and administers programs to provide opportunities for community building and out-of-the-classroom learning. A staff of over 30 student workers (reporting to the Director and Assistant Director of Student Programming and Activities) manage 60 active student clubs, intramurals, and plan 25 large-scale events each year, including Mock Rock, the Eddys, Punk N’ Pie, Nationball, and Study Break. SPA is located in the upper level of the Student Union Building and is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30am-5pm and Friday from 8:30am- 3pm. SPA staff can also be contacted at (562) 903-4882.
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