Extracurriculars
BJU abandoned intercollegiate sports in 1933. The university's intramural sports program includes competition in soccer, basketball, softball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, flag football, table tennis, racquetball, and water polo. The university competes in intercollegiate debate within the National Educational Debate Association, in intercollegiate mock trial and computer science competitions, and at South Carolina Student Legislature. In 2012, BJU joined the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA).
The university requires all unmarried incoming freshman students under the age of 23 to join one of 45 "societies." Societies meet approximately every other Friday for entertainment and fellowship and on almost all Sunday mornings for Sunday School; societies also hold a weekly prayer meeting. Societies field sports, debate, and Scholastic Bowl teams. The latter compete in an annual single-elimination tournament that concludes with a clash between the top two teams before a university-wide audience on the Thursday before Commencement. Questions include a wide range of biblical and academic topics—but none from popular culture. The university also has a student-staffed newspaper (The Collegian), yearbook (Vintage) and radio and television station (WBJU).
Early in December, thousands of students, faculty, and visitors gather around the front campus fountain for an annual Christmas carol sing and lighting ceremony, culminating in the illumination of tens of thousands of Christmas lights. On December 3, 2004, the ceremony broke the Guinness World Record for Christmas caroling with 7,514 carolers.
In place of a spring break, students and faculty are required to attend a six-day Bible Conference in late March. The Conference attracts fundamentalist preachers and laymen from around the country, and BJU class reunions are held at the end of the week.
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