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From prayer groups to large gatherings, Pitt’s campus is alive with spiritual devotion as students join a growing national shift towards faith and community.
Religious campus student groups have seen increasing interest in faith participation across Christian denominations.
This movement mirrors a broader national trend — studies show members of Gen Z are increasingly exploring or returning to religion amid sociopolitical uncertainty. On campus, that momentum has reached ministries, clubs and athletic organizations.
Ryan Welsh, a senior marketing and supply chain management major, serves as president of Christians on Campus. Welsh said since he joined the club as a first-year, he has witnessed noticeable growth in student interest through an increase in Christian student clubs.
“I feel like I have noticed a change on campus, 100%,” Welsh said. “I remember my freshman year at orientation it was really just [Christians on Campus] and maybe one other club, but this year there were around four more [Christianity-based] clubs talking to new students.”
Welsh said his organization has recently seen an increase in members who come without prior religious experience.
“From the end of my sophomore year to my junior year, we have seen an increase in numbers for our club, even with people who do not have a Christian background,” Welsh said. “They just come because they are interested and want to learn more.”
Welsh said he believes the trend reflects broader changes among young people.
“Statistics-wise, especially with Gen Z, it seems like this generation is turning more towards religion,” Welsh said.
Some organizations are hosting large scale events to further outreach to new members.
Last month, hundreds gathered at Mazeroski Field for Pitt for Jesus — a campus-wide worship event led by members of the Pitt football team. The gathering, organized through a student ministry called Pitt Purpose, drew an estimated 600 students and community members with participants from 16 ministries and athletes across 15 of Pitt’s 17 athletic teams. Organizers reported dozens of baptisms and commitments to Christianity at the event.
For many students, Welsh said he believes faith can offer relief from global societal issues.
“I definitely see an increase in interest in faith because of the violence we see every day,” Welsh said. “As the years go by, I think the world’s situation gets a little more crazy, and each year it just seems to get worse.”
Alethia Gajula, a sophomore global management and law, criminal justice and society major, serves as vice president of Chi Alpha, a Christian fellowship sponsored by Allison Park Church. When she arrived at Pitt, Gajula said she immediately sought a ministry where she could grow in faith.
“I was actually looking for a ministry and wanted to grow deeper in my faith in college, so I reached out to a family friend who went to Pitt,” she said. “He told me about Chi Alpha, and I contacted their Instagram page.”
Gajula said Chi Alpha’s message and community appeals to her and a growing club population.
“I loved the way they represented Christianity,” she said. “We are not big on numbers and do not [prioritize] numbers, but objectively speaking — in terms of having to book bigger and bigger rooms for our events — yes, we definitely have a growing amount of people.”
Ava Donnelly, a junior studying human resources and analytics, is part of Reformed University Fellowship — another campus ministry at Pitt that emphasizes collaboration with nearby Carnegie Mellon University and Carlow University to promote outreach.
Donnelly said she expects future growth for religious groups on campuses nationwide.
“In the future, I think [religious organizations] will continue to grow on college campuses — and they are going to become larger than ever.”
Welsh said he agrees, citing what he feels are continuous anxieties about global issues.
“I definitely think [increasing interest] is going to continue, because the more anxious people get about the world situation, the more people are trying to find an answer,” Welsh said.
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