Campus Revival Draws Thousands at Florida State

A student-led worship gathering at Florida State University drew hundreds to its basketball arena this week, with dozens publicly baptized in what organizers describe as part of a growing campus revival movement.

The event, held inside the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center, is the latest stop for Unite US, a ministry launched at Auburn University in 2023 that has since spread to campuses across the country. Organizers say more than 50,000 students have attended similar gatherings nationwide, though independent verification of those figures was not immediately available.

By night’s end in Tallahassee, 81 students had been baptized, many in portable tanks set up on the arena floor, according to organizers. Others came forward for prayer or to profess faith.

“This is what hunger looks like,” the group posted on social media alongside video clips of students gathered near the stage, hands raised. “This is what happens when students lift up the name of Jesus without holding back.”

The gathering drew attention in part because of support from former Florida State Seminoles football standouts. Quarterback Jordan Travis, named the Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year in 2023, and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward both recorded video invitations circulated online ahead of the event.

Unite US has gained visibility beyond campus ministries. Fox & Friends recently highlighted a March gathering at the University of Pittsburgh where students were baptized in pickup truck beds, underscoring the informal, student-driven nature of the movement.

At the Florida State event, some students spoke publicly about personal struggles and faith. One described a sense of direction after what he called a season of confusion. Another said finding faith brought “real peace” after feeling lost.

Tonya Prewett, who helps lead the effort, said the gatherings are designed to be simple and direct. “We’re trying to create space where students can respond,” she said in a recent interview with CBN News, pointing to a three-part focus on salvation, freedom and community.

Her daughter, Madison Prewett Troutt, traced the movement’s origins to small prayer walks on campus. What began with a handful of participants grew gradually, she said, as others joined in asking for spiritual renewal among students.

Future Unite US events are planned at Samford University and Oklahoma State University, along with a separate gathering for high school students in Columbus, Ohio.

Large-scale campus revivals have surfaced periodically in American higher education, often fueled by student initiative rather than institutional sponsorship. The list of schools includes both private Christian colleges as well as large universities. A few of them are Samford  University, Asbury University, Cedarville University, Belmont, Ohio State, University of Tennessee, Texas A&M, University of Mississippi to name a few.

This one appears to be following that pattern. For now, organizers say they are focused on the next campus, the next crowd, and whoever shows up.

UniteUS is planning another large event April 28 at Oklahoma State.

–Lee Hartman | Metro Voice