Through the Asbury University One Mission Society Student Center, Corey Wilkins found more than just a Sunday night college group with free food and Ale-8-One (a ginger soda staple on campus). He first discovered the student center at the start of the school year, when it was being promoted around campus. He quickly recognized a connection between his background and the center’s mission-minded community.
As a child of missionaries, Corey grew up as a third-culture kid (TCK) in Cambodia and Japan. His overseas experiences shaped how he viewed community, faith, and missions.
“Something cool I remember is my dad talking about how he ministered to kids in villages, and now those kids are grown up, and some of them are serving in the organization as leaders,” Corey said.
The impact of missions on his life drew him toward the student center’s tight-knit community. He is no stranger to smaller communities, as overseas English-speaking circles, international schools, and youth groups tended to be smaller and more relational, at least in his experience.
“So that allows people to be closer, and it [the student center] was just more familiar … so it kept me coming back,” he said.
While Corey grew up seeing missions as physically going overseas, his time at the Student Center this year has broadened his understanding of what missions can entail. Through conversations and teaching from student center leaders, like David Schnake, he realized that supporting missions is not limited to those who travel abroad.
“One thing that comes to mind is learning that missions doesn’t only involve going out,” Corey said. “You can still and should be involved [in missions] even if you’re not called to go out.” You can support through praying, giving, and encouragement. These roles are vital to ministry work.
What keeps him going back to the student center week after week is his sense of responsibility as a leader, his connection to the people, the community, and leaders like David (who is also a TCK), as well as his ability to connect with other multicultural students like himself. The relationships he has made at the student center have helped him feel understood and at home in a new environment like college.
“I like the people for sure,” he said. “I think David has a real heart for missions. I’ve met people here who want to do missions, and it’s cool to hear about it.”
Corey found a sense of belonging and closeness at the university’s OMS Student Center. He loves being part of a close-knit community of believers that strengthens his global perspective on mission work. This is the impact of the One Mission Society Student Center.
