Commuting across ASU's four campuses can be difficult for one student, but for an entire club it requires time, planning and a good playlist.
Young Life at ASU is a club with the goal of growing friendships between students and providing a place where they can strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ, according to its Sun Devil Central page. Recently, Young Life has expanded its reach to the Downtown Phoenix campus after solely having its meetings on the Tempe campus.
"Students should join Young Life if they are hungry for adventure, wanting community and curious about significance in life and what life means," Taylor Jessup, the college director for the downtown Young Life cohort, said. "If any of those fit you, then this might be the right place for you."
The Downtown Phoenix campus branch officially launched Jan. 27 with a large line dancing event. The club is currently hosting its meetings in the Gordon Commons but is working toward hosting future meetings in the Student Center @ the Post Office.
Although Young Life was an established club on the Tempe campus, the downtown branch was created in August and has slowly become its own entity.
Jessup said he started working for the organization a week prior to its creation and was uncertain if anyone would want to attend the events.
Faith Neville, a Young Life downtown leader and freshman studying community health, said before the official launch, members would take a club van to Tempe every week.
The commute tended to be long and difficult at times, which sparked a demand for the downtown Young Life's new launch, Neville said.
"Some people can't make it to Tempe every time," Mariah Washpun, a Young Life member and a freshman studying social work, said. "So, I think it's important that people here on downtown campus have access to (Young Life) as well."
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Now, the travel plan flips, with the Tempe cohort coming downtown for the first time this academic year.
The expansion of the club brings more opportunities to Young Life members to immerse themselves in the activities offered by both the downtown and Tempe campuses.
"We're able to do our own thing and plan our own things, and also focus on what downtown students would want to see," Neville said. "We now get to have two clubs every week. You could go to downtown and go to Tempe if you wanted, or you could do the downtown event instead of the Tempe event."
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Without the stress of traveling between campuses, the club can focus on growing and guiding students through their religious and academic journey.
"Now, to be having the club where we get together (and) we have an event," Jessup said. "It's just a huge blessing, it's super exciting. I love seeing students be able to just have fun and forget about school and all the hardships."
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Senna James, Emilio Alvarado and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at galawre3@asu.edu.
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Grace Lawrence is a reporter for the community culture desk at The Arizona State Press. This is her 1st semester working with The State Press.
