Olivia Blake

What an honor it is to be back at BSU!

For those who may not know me, I graduated from Wake Forest University with my B.A. in Spanish. The very first organization I joined at Wake was... You guessed it! Baptist Student Union (BSU). 

On move-in day, I received homemade cookies from my RA, who also happened to be the co-president of BSU, and, knowing I was Baptist, she invited me to attend their weekly meeting with her. Within the first week or two of attending, I found one of my dearest and closest friends, Sierra Browning. As I became more connected to the wonderful group of people within this student ministry, I also felt a stronger drive to get more deeply involved. During my four years at Wake, I held the BSU council positions of New Member Representative, Special Ministries (now Missions) Coordinator, Covenant Families Coordinator, and President. We had our ups and downs during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we stayed committed to one another, fostering a welcoming, spiritual community during a time when it was oh so easy to feel isolated. 

Since graduating, I have moved to Brooklyn, NY, to pursue a Master of Public Health, and then returned to my home and college town of Winston-Salem. Along the way, I discovered my calling to ministry work, particularly in pastoral care and relational ministry. In addition to my role as Ministry Specialist, I am currently serving as the Ministry and Communications Assistant at First Baptist Church on Fifth in downtown Winston-Salem, and I plan to begin my Master of Divinity in Spring 2027. 

I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to support Wake Forest's BSU, and I hope to play even the smallest part in creating the same welcoming, spiritual environment that was so pivotal to my own college experience and spiritual transformation.