ACU for the International Rescue Committee: ACU for the IRC serves resettled refugees in Abilene by working with the local IRC office to do service projects, cultural events, and mentoring/English teaching. ACU for the IRC holds donation drives each semester and hosts Thanksgiving and Easter events for refugee families. The organization also maintains a presence in the ACU Social Justice Network.
ACU Go Club: ACU Go Club is an organization formed for the purpose of educating others of and how to play the game of Go. Go was created nearly 4,000 years ago in China and is the oldest game still played in its original form. The game traveled to Japan and Korea, brought to the U.S. by the Japanese. The object of the game is to control the most territory on the 19 x 19 inch board using counters called stones (normally black and white).
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Club: The AES club welcomes all ACU students who have an interest in agriculture. The AES club serves as an umbrella organization for the pre-professional clubs including Block and Bridle, Collegiate 4-H/FFA, Range, Agronomy, Environmental Science, and the Rodeo Club. Activities include club devotionals, weekend outreaches to local congregations, Thursday night activities, and an annual Rodeo that has drawn interest from hundreds of students.
Association for Computing Machinery: The purpose of Association for Computing Machinery is to encourage ethical computer use, personal research, and training for fellow students in the field of computer technology.
Block and Bridle: Block and Bridle serves to promote a higher scholastic standard and a more complete understanding of animal science among student menbers.
Chinese Christian Fellowship: The Chinese Christian Fellowship aims to promote unity and service in the Chinese Christian community at ACU by gathering together to pray, worship, and communicate in the native language. The organization also provides opportunities for students to serve the community and welcomes incoming Chinese students.
Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA): CSSA is devoted to provide the support and fellowship needed to assist Chinese students' and scholars' academics and everyday life at ACU; to promote the development of a Chinese community; and to facilitate a better understanding of Chinese culture and customs.
Digital Entertainment & Education Developers (DEED): This organization promotes student interest in digital entertainment and game development. DEED establishes a network of students to promote enthusiasm for these media and to assist participants in attaining careers in associated fields. The organization participates in game tournaments, raffles, and bake sales and attends the Austin Game Developers Conference.
Essence of Ebony: The purpose of Essence of Ebony is to foster greater understanding of the African-American community on campus among students, faculty, and staff. Past events have included hosting events during the Black History Month in February, small group chapels, spring formals, and sponsoring various speakers for chapel presentations.
Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA): The ACU FCA chapter aspires to unify athletes for Christ through a variety of activities such as worship sessions, retreats, and adopting a family for Christmas.
Film Fest: Film Fest is devoted to promoting personal expression through the medium of film by the ACU student body and faculty. The organization is determined to provide invaluable exposure to some of the top organizations and individuals in the film and mass-media world. Film Fest hosts an annual short-film contest which premieres at the Paramount Theatre downtown.
Flight - Mentoring for Women: Flight's purpose is to connect ACU women faculty, staff and wives of faculty and staff with female students for membership, in order to form spiritual and mentoring relationships.
Freshman Action Council (FAC): FAC is the core of freshman involvement. The organization consists of over thirty freshmen who divide into several sub-committees to serve, create, and run various activities for the freshman class. Sub-committee activities typically include planning and running class socials, devotionals, encouragement days, and service projects. FAC is an excellent avenue for freshmen to meet other freshmen and to explore student involvement. Freshmen can apply for membership at the beginning of the fall semester.
Graduate Students' Association: The Graduate Students' Association (GSA) was established to contribute to the social, academic, and professional formation of graduate students. ACU offers 29 graduate degree programs in a variety of departments. The GSA brings together students from all departments to create and enhance community.
Habitat for Humanity (ACU Chapter): The Habitat for Humanity service group works alongside the local charter to help raise money to build a house for an underprivileged family in Abilene. Each year the ACU chapter coordinates volunteers to build an ACU Habitat for Humanity house.
Hispanos Unidos: Hispanos Unidos is an organization that promotes the Hispanic culture on campus and in Abilene. The organization partners with Communities In Schools (CIS) and hosts the annual spring event, Entra La Plaza.
International Justice Mission: The International Justice Mission seeks to free people forced in slave labor or child prostitution by enforcing and changing laws throughout the world. The IJM student group serves a two-fold purpose. First, it acts as a fundraiser to the national organization in Washington D.C., and second, it aims at increasing student awareness of the assault on the innocent. Typical activities include participation in Social Justice Week, small-group chapels, and prayer-focused devotionals.
International Students' Association: The ISA is an inclusive organization welcoming all students from any ethnicity, background, or race. Previous years'’ activities have included Thursday small-group chapel, coffee hours, welcome and farewell parties, intramural sports teams, a spring banquet, the ISA Food Festival, and a trip to Six-Flags.
Japanese Student Association: The Japanese Student Association's goal is two-fold: (1) to make it easy for Japanese recruiting companies to find Japanese students at ACU, and (2) to share the Japanese culture with ACU students.
LYNAY: The LYNAY group was founded several years ago in the effort to educate students on the essence of leadership through service and building community. LYNAY is a multicultural group, having an equal representation of every major ethnic group, gender, and class on campus. The group meets once a week to listen to a variety of speakers on current topies and issues. There is a one hundred student cap on LYNAY, with a limited number of places available for incoming freshmen.
Male Female Alliance: Male Female Alliance seeks to create unity, bridge gaps and increase constructive communication between women and men in the ACU community.
Milonga Latin Dance: Milonga Latin Dance educates students and the greater community in the history, culture, and performance of various styles of Latin Dance. The organization plans to work with Communities In Schools (CIS) to provide after-school ballroom dancing classes for underprivileged children and to host a Latin Dance workshop in Abilene. The organization also visits various Salsa and Tango congresses around the country and in Texas.
Model United Nations: Model United Nations aims to educate participants about civics, effective communication, globalization, and multilateral diplomacy.
(ACU) Outdoor Club: T he mission of the ACU Outdoor Club is to promote outdoor knowledge, ethics, and service. We are a group of students interested in exploring and understanding God'’s creation and the role of humans within it. The Outdoor Club participates in several service projects including the Abilene State Park Clean-Up, takes weekend climbing/camping trips, participates in intramural flag football and soccer, and hosts the Red Dirt Adventure Challenge.
Peer Health Education: The Peer Health Education Program equips ACU students to be peer educators. These trained peer educators teach fellow students the importance of making healthy choices about alcohol and substance abuse, sexual issues, eating disorders, body image, violence, stress management, spirituality, and personal relationships. The multi-faceted program encourages college students to make healthy lifestyle decisions so that they can live fully as Christian servants and leaders.
Recruiting Ambassadors: The mission of Recruiting Ambassadors is, “to glorify God, honor Abilene Christian University, and inspire others as we invite prospective students to join our calling to Change the World.” Participants have the opportunity to host prospective students during their visits to ACU on Purple Fridays.
Seekers of the Word: Seekers of the Word is an intense, God-focused acting group that travels across the region to perform various dramatic and humorous skits for youth groups in order to illuminate the various struggles, lessons, and choices that are common to every young man and woman. Annual auditions are held in the fall.
Service Action Leadership Team (SALT): The Service Action Leadership Team is a volunteer student organization. The 50-plus members serve on 11 committees to work toward their team mission: to instill and nurture hearts for service within the ACU family. The team organizes events and projects throughout the school year including Service Saturdays, Thanksgiving meals for needy families, MLK Day service projects, Into the Streets (with Hardin Simmons and McMurry students), and ACU for Abilene (a spring service day with ACU faculty, staff, and families.) Students can apply for SALT membership during the first two weeks of the fall semester.
SHADES: Shades is a stepping team that performs at both on-campus and off-campus events. The group’'s purpose is to vividly and creatively represent all elements of step, a form of movement that derives its roots from Africa as a form of story-telling. Shades also produces the annual Shades Show each spring.
The Shinnery Review: The Shinnery Review is a student-run literary magazine at ACU. Since the 1930s the publication has appeared once a year as a journal containing poems, short, stories, creative nonfiction, photos, and artwork by undergrads and graduate students. The highlight of the year is the Black Tulip in April, a poetry-reading and jazz party where the magazine makes its debut. The Shinnery Review is open to any ACU student who wishes to work organizing sales and planning events. Weekly meetings occur throughout the school year.
Spring Break Campaigns: Each year the Spring Break Campaigns committee organizes over thirty campaigns involving over five hundred students and student leaders. These campaigns travel all over the United States and the world to various churches and service sites to serve and share God'’s love with others during Spring Break.
Student African American Brotherhood (SAAB): The Student African American Brotherhood is a dynamic organization established specifically to assist participants to excel academically, socially, culturally, professionally, and in the community. SAAB is comprised of male students who strive for academic excellence and make a commitment to plan and implement programs that benefit their communities at large. SAAB participates in ACU for Abilene, Spring Break Campaigns, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and regional conferences in Kansas, California, and Illinois.
Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC): SAAC works toward enhancing the student athletes experience at ACU by promoting healthy, constant communication between student athletes and the rest of campus and conference office. Organization also gives student athletes a voice in conference/NCAA legislation. SAAC encourages more student involvement in community service projects on campus and in the community.
Student Peace Alliance: The Student Peace Alliance is a national organization devoted to promoting peace on all levels, with a focus on local initiative as well as the promotion of the formation of a National Department of Peace and Non-Violence. The ACU chapter of SPA participates in service initiatives including Service Saturdays.
Students' Association: The ACU Students' Association (or SA as it is commonly known) is comprised of all full-time undergraduate students. The organizing body of SA is called Congress, and it operates out of an office in the lower level of the Campus Center. SA serves to advocate for the interests of the student body and to bring forth proposals which would enhance the life of the student body.
(ACU) Swing Cats: The mission of ACU Swing Cats is to promote and sustain interest in pre-1950 U.S. social swing dance culture, including music, dress, and period-accurate dance styles. Our main dance goals will focus on East Coast swing, Lindy Hop, and Charleston. Admission is open to any enrolled ACU student.
Treadaway Kids: Treadaway Kids organizes student volunteers to pair up with underprivileged children in the Abilene community to share Christ’'s love with them. Each week the children are brought to the Treadaway Kids location where they play games. Children are split into class groups and the volunteers teach Bible lessons and tell stories.
(ACU) Ultimate: The ACU Ultimate Frisbee team provides students with the opportunity to play competitive ultimate frisbee against other universities from around the country while fostering a Christian community within the team. The team attends approximately 6-8 tournaments per year on weekends and hosts several get-togethers including a Halloween party and end-of-the-year party.
Virtuous African Heritage Sisterhood: The women of VAHS seek to embody the character of virtuosity through service, leadership, achievement, sisterhood, and spirituality. The organization participates in service projects throughout the year and co-hosts an annual formal with the men of SAAB.
Weekend Campaigns: Every semester the Weekend Campaign Committee organizes three to four weekend campaigns that travel to various sites within a 6-8 hour driving radius of Abilene to serve and share Christ’s love with others. Weekend campaigns are comparable to mini-Spring break campaigns.
Wildcat Hockey: The Wildcat Hockey Team represents ACU in the Southwest Collegiate Hockey League as a club sport. The team meets for weekly practices in Cal Young Park and competes in tournaments in Denton, Houston, Ft. Worth, Arlington, and Plano.
Wildcat Kids: Wildcat Kids matches ACU students with children in the Abilene community who have few positive role models in their lives. ACU students (working in pairs) commit to mentoring a specific child for one year by attending activities that occur approximately every three weeks during the semester. The mission of Wildcat Kids is to show Christ to children in the city through actions and words.
Wishing Well: Wishing Well seeks to raise awareness of and raise funds for drilling fresh water wells in rural regions of Africa, and to provide the necessary training in hygiene and well maintenance to provide a self sustaining method for improving living/health standards.
Women in Business: Women in Business seeks to provide support and resources for female business majors; to allow them to have an opportunity to practice and develop skills vital to success in the marketplace; to give female business majors an opportunity to think about and discuss ways to strengthen their spiritual foundation prior to entering the workforce.
Young Republicans: The ACU Young Republicans' aim is to promote student interest in current government and politics. The organization’s goals include inviting political leaders to speak on campus, increasing voter-awareness, and fostering a greater understanding as to the current topics, position, and interests among our country’s leaders. Former Texas Representative Bob Hunter, who was the first sponsor, has been instrumental in establishing contacts between the group and political leaders, and the organization is an excellent venue for those preparing for a career in public service.
