The first week of classes can be a difficult transition for all students, but in particular, the freshmen class. With their now busier than ever schedules, block classes, scary professors, longer than life syllabi and moving into a 10×15 room that will be their home for the next year, new students are faced with a large changeover from high school to college life.

The NKU Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) partnered with NKU Athletics this year for the annual cook-off with a tailgate for the Women’s Soccer game against Indiana Purdue-Fort Wayne in order to help incoming students ease their way into college life.

For over a decade the BCM has welcomed local churches that serve the NKU community. This year, Senior Pastor Ric Fraizer from the First Baptist Church Cold Spring fired up the grills for the students.

“The [First Baptist] Church has been partners with the BCM here at NKU for a number of years,” said Fraizer. “We understand that this may be some student’s first time away from home.”

Fraizer recalls the emotions from his freshman year at the University of Cumberland.

“It’s the first big step away,” Fraizer said. “We want to help make the transition easier.”

A number of NKU students and faculty attend the First Baptist Church Cold Spring and Fraizer is delighted to have the support of the NKU Community and giveback to the students and faculty.

“I would rather serve than be served,” Fraizer said. “It’s a great feeling of satisfaction.”

In a game that saw the Norse Women defeat IPFW 3-1, with goals from Jessica Frey (2) and Kelsey Laumann (1), accounting graduate and employee of the BCM, Austin Richardson was thrilled to have an opportunity to partner with athletics.

“The center is more focused than ever on campus engagement,” Joe Trammell, junior sports business major, said. “We want to hangout with freshmen and other students and see if this is something they want to get involved in.”

The BCM runs a variety of events, including both Christian focused and non-Christian focused, according to Trammell.

Check out the events calander for the NKU BCM here – http://www.nkubcm.org/events.html