Joseph Quickle, a 2020 USAO alum, has returned to campus this fall with the title of Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM) director. Quickle has already asserted himself into campus life over the summer months, and said he plans to continue being active in student life during his time as director.
As a student, Quickle worked in the Sports Information Department and with The Trend. On top of those roles, Quickle said he was the live-in intern for the BCM his junior year; he worked as the previous BCM director, Andrew Scott’s first intern.
“In order to be a good leader, you have to be a servant. You have to do all the little background things that nobody really notices – nobody gives any credit for. You’re not going to get a shoutout on the stage for sweeping the floors and doing the dishes at 11:30 at night after an event, but it’s stuff that has to be done,” Quickle said on a lesson he learned during his time as an intern.
His internship with the BCM set him down the path, but Quickle said he never saw himself becoming a college BCM director. Instead, when he graduated, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he thought he’d go off to work as a radio host or a sports commentator, as he had his bachelor’s degree in communication.
After a quick stint at Walmart, Quickle applied for and was hired to work part-time in a BCM position for three college campuses, located in Muskogee and Warner. Quickle said he loved his time there, but after two and a half years he said he felt like it was time to move on. In perfect timing, the position at USAO opened up and he applied, with the guidance of Scott.
“There were so many little details that lined up. God was telling me 100% that this is what I’m supposed to do. There was no way that it wasn’t a God thing because of how amazing it worked out,” Quickle said.
Noah Holden, who has been on the BCM’s leadership team for three years, and Paul Tointigh, who joined the leadership team at the start of 2023, said they had heard rumors that Quickle would be the new director.
Holden knew Quickle, as they attended USAO at the same time, and the two continue building their relationship over the last few years. Holden said he was excited to work with Quickle again, when the official announcement came out.
“It made sense. Joe went here, he went here for four years,” Holden said. “He knows the campus, he knows the nearby churches that help out, and he can relate to students very well because he’s experienced it.”
Tointigh, who had only heard of Quickle in name, was also excited to meet him and start building their friendship. The two met at ultimate frisbee in the summer, which is one of the many student life activities that Quickle said he plans to attend. Tointigh said Quickle had a good first impression, as he seemed like a nice guy, listens to others, and carried himself well.
“If you’re a leader in a biblical sense, you are not to lord it over people. You’re to serve people. Some of the best leaders go under someone and lift them up, rather than lifting themselves up,” Tointigh said.
The thought had emerged as Tointigh talked about Quickle teaching at the BCM throughout the fall, as Quickle’s role will be important to those who attend the BCM. Tointigh related it to a professor in a classroom, as you have to trust in the professor and the material they teach. The teachings Quickle will lead are crucial to one’s life and eternal value, according to Tointigh.
USAO’s BCM has a multitude of goals and purposes in order to serve the students, campus, and community well. An idea that Quickle, Holden, and Tointigh mentioned was the sense of community and welcoming they experienced at the BCM.
Holden said that one of the best things students can do in college is make friends, because those people are the ones who support you. He continued to say that people at BCM provide that support to everyone – whether you believe in God or not – through conversations, encouragement, listening.
Tointigh continued the line of thinking, when he said that one of his roles on the leadership team is to communicate and connect with students. He said he believes the goals of the BCM are to show the love of God, reach out to the campus and community, and be accepting of everyone.
“Come check it out at least once, because going and experiencing something at least once in anybody’s life – as far as going out and getting to know new people and hanging out with people who don’t think the exact same thing as you – it never hurt anybody,” Quickle said.
He said that one if his strong beliefs is that the BCM is welcoming and respectful of all walks of life. He encourages USAO to come see the BCM, playing one of their many activities, including video games, basketball, ping pong, pool, and instruments. Quickle and his teams are discussing other events to host in the next few months, with the ideas of escape rooms and cornhole being tossed around.
However, BCM events that are set in stone are men and women’s bible studies Monday nights at 7 p.m. on campus. Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. the BCM hosts Connection, which invites people to join in worship. Finally, Wednesdays invite local churches to the BCM where they provide free lunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for Noonday.
The BCM, located at 1822 W Alabama Ave., is easily accessible for students on campus. It is a short walk to the northeast corner of campus, and behind Sparks Hall students can find the BCM with banners out front on the north side of the road.
Emily Loughridge is a third-year commuication major at the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.
