Shining light on LU Chi Alpha

For students looking for a Christian organization where you can meet like-minded people and enjoy fun activities, LU Chi Alpha might just be the organization for you. 

LU Chi Alpha holds a variety of events and fun activities on campus and off campus. Recently they went ice skating, held karaoke nights, and conversation tabling, where whatever they feel they want to talk about they hold a conversation about it. They even have pop up interviews called On the Street Outreach where they interview students. LU Chi Alpha is not only limited to Langston University but is on other Oklahoma University campuses as well. The great part about this organization is that you don’t necessarily have to be apart or have a role in LU Chi Alpha to attend these fun events. 

The President of LU Chi Alpha is none other than Joshua Heck, a senior double major in Computer Science and Broadcast Journalism. As the President, Heck shares some useful information and his own experience with LU Chi Alpha, shedding a spotlight on what this organization has done for him and what it can do for others.

LU Chi Alpha has not been around for very long like many other organizations here on campus. “Our off-campus advisor, her name is Moriah, she is a missionary for Chi Alpha, and she started Langston Chi Alpha eight years ago, so it’s been on campus for eight years,” Heck explained.

Being in a role as big as the President can be a big responsibility and oftentimes intimidating and although Heck did not necessarily ask for this role he said, “There’s a good scripture for this, whoever has will be given more, and I  think that really applies to my role. I don’t look for these roles, I just kinda be like, how can I help out?” They even hold votes every year and Heck has been voted as the President two years in a row now. “I don’t know if it’s more of a want, I think it’s more of a do whatever I can to help out.” 

Heck goes into how this organization and his role in it has helped shape him as a person. “For one, I have become a lot more talkative. I was so quiet as a freshman, I would talk to nobody. I think it’s helped me in knowing what I want and just being more confident in myself honestly. The role that I have to do is a lot of talking, a lot of outreaching, making conversations with people that like, you want to help them but I’m an awkward person so it’s gonna be awkward regardless.” Heck goes on to say how this organization has given him self-assurance, confidence, and the ability to open up to people.

Although LU Chi Alpha is a religious group no one will be pushed away because they aren’t Christian.  “People at Langston and people here, I see it on Fizz all the time, people just feel alone and they feel like they don’t have a community to go to and sometimes, your activities and what you do on campus, you’re not going to outrun through your bill, or what you have going on personally, so just  lending a helping hand to people who need it.” 

For those who are interested in getting more involved Heck explains that there is a thing called Growth Track for those who would like to take on a leadership role like him. “We actually need a lot of help just in general, I think any ministry needs a lot of help. There’s no special, like, you gotta know this to get in the club, no it’s just come as you are and if you want to help out, great !”

They also recently  held worship practice tryouts for those who wanted to be a part of the worship team. “There’s no set way to just come in, like reach out to me, reach out to one of the leaders, and just be like, hey, what can I do?”

For all of the shy students who are reading this and are interested but can’t get past that anxiety of attending one of these events for the first time, don’t be nervous. Heck explains, “Everyone else here is shy, or they were before coming here, so everybody understands like, I was shy too it’s OK, we just try to make people feel at home.”

When Heck first got involved with LU Chi Alpha he had just quit football and he was stuck on what to do, when a friend of his invited him to go to one of the events. It ended up being a great first time experience that left a lasting impression on him.

As Heck has been in this organization for some time now, he confidently said that his favorite thing about it is the people and even took some time to shout out a couple people. “Olivia, Lyvia, Brianna, Jada, Deasia, Bryan and Moriah. Bryan is my mentor, he’s a pastor at Center Church in Stillwater and he helps me. Moriah has, like they both speak into me, just giving me encouragement and if I’m struggling they help me.” Heck goes on to say how everyone is a person he can text when he needs help and be there for him. 

Heck says how being in this organization is the reason he is still at Langston. “I think some people there can relate, like, going there weekly kind of re-centers, like, oh right this is what I should be doing at Langston and like, cause I only came here for football, so when that was done I was like, should I transfer? And then just wanting to, before I graduate, pour in and speak to as many people, and plant that seed for people as much as I can before I leave.”

If you are someone who is interested in becoming more involved in LU Chi Alpha, for more information you can find them on Instagram @Chi.Langston or on their website at LUchialpha.com.