Over 700 Students Commit to Follow Jesus at Appalachian State University, 100 Baptized in Truck Beds
The ministry UniteUS held an outreach event at Appalachian State University on October 13, drawing more than 700 students who made public decisions to follow Jesus. About 100 of those students were baptized immediately after in plastic-lined pickup truck beds. Franklin Graham, whose hometown is Boone, North Carolina, publicly praised the event.
More than 700 students at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, made public commitments to follow Jesus during an outreach event on October 13, 2026.
The event was organized by UniteUS, a Christian ministry founded by Tonya Prewett. It was held at the Holmes Convocation Center on campus and featured speaker Jennie Allen. Shortly after the gathering, about 100 students were baptized in the beds of pickup trucks lined with plastic and filled with water.
Students described the experience on social media as life-changing. Many said it was the first time they had publicly declared their faith.
Franklin Graham, who grew up in Boone, commented on the event and asked for prayers for the students' continued spiritual growth.
UniteUS has held similar events at more than two dozen college campuses across the country since the movement began in September 2023 at Auburn University. The ministry reports that more than 100,000 students have participated in its events since then.
During the fall 2026 semester, UniteUS also held events at Pepperdine University and the University of Miami. Upcoming events are scheduled at the University of South Alabama on October 27 and Belmont University on November 10.
