In September of 1968, the professor of religious affairs, at what was then the University of Chattanooga, called Gary Bradley, minister of the Brainerd Church of Christ, and asked him what should be done with the religious cards for those students who registered as members of the Church of Christ. There were 93 of them. Bradley presented this great need to the Deacons of the Brainerd church. They decided to undertake this as one of their projects. In November 1968, a house owned by the University and located at 627 Vine Street was rented for $70.00 per month. This rented facility enabled these brethren to establish a Christian Student Center. The Center was to provide a place for study, fellowship, and religious activities. The Deacons of Brainerd assumed the financial responsibility for these efforts until April 1969. March 13, 1969, saw a newly created Board of Directors for establishing a permanent Christian Student Center. The Board members were: David Boyd, Judge Tillman Grant, Howard Rogers, Paul Keckley, Gary Bradley, Ted Thomas, Foster McAlister, LaMar Baker, Don Hedrick, and John Crisman. These men represented congregations in the Chattanooga area. In November of 1969, the Board employed Mrs. Daisy Malone to serve as a housemother. Malone resided in the Center, was widely loved and accepted on campus, and contributed significantly to its overall growth.

    

With the fall of 1972, the Board of Directors was informed that pressing University needs would require the Center to vacate the Vine Street facilities. The Board promptly purchased an old two-story apartment house located at 609 Houston Street. The first floor was then renovated for the Student Center. In 1973 the Eastdale Church of Christ, working with the Student Center Board, employed the first campus minister to work under their oversight. At the same time, the Central Church of Christ offered the part-time help of their associate minister.  In 1974 it became necessary to renovate the second floor of the building to meet the Christian Student Center's growing needs. The Board of Directors directed a successful fund-raising campaign of $50,000, and the project was completed. 1981 brought more needed repairs to the building.

 

Unfortunately, in the late 1970s and early 1980s, doctrinal problems caused a significant loss of financial and moral support. The program began to lose its effectiveness due to increasing controversy. Several directors' changes occurred between 1982-1984; then, the Eastdale Elders decided to discontinue its work involvement. The Board of Directors was disbanded, and the physical property was deeded to the Central Elders, who assumed responsibility for this work. 1982 through 1984 was a difficult time for the Student Center even though the unsound doctrine had been eliminated from the Center. The hard road to restoring brethren's confidence in the faithfulness of the Center was underway. The Elders at Central assumed the work in part because the Central facility is only separated from the Center by an adjacent parking lot and because they recognized the great potential for good at the Christian Student Center. The elders committed and took the necessary steps to make the Student Center a significant teaching force. A committee consisting of elders, deacons, preachers, and members of the Central Church of Christ, was established to direct the work. One of the earlier decisions was employing a young college graduate who served as Director of the Center from July 1984 to October 1983. At about the same time, Mrs. Bessie Wall was hired to serve as housemother. 

 

In December of 1986, James Sanders was employed to be the Student Center Director. In their desire and commitment to see that the Christian Student Center can achieve its maximum efficiency in serving the students that come its way, the Central Elders authorized much-needed repairs of approximately $63,000 to the Student Center Building. Since 1978, the Christian Student Center has seen no less than 62 baptisms; the field indeed has been ripe for harvesting at U.T. Chattanooga. Holding fast to the Word of God, the Christian Student Center is working to carry the gospel to students at U.T. Chattanooga.

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July 17, 1988: David Markwell becomes the campus minister.

 

March, 1991: Chuck Kilpatrick becomes campus minister.

 

May, 1991: Mary Ellen Davis becomes Housemother.

 

November, 1993: Carol Bell becomes new Housemother.

 

January, 1994: Iris Hurley becomes new Housemother.

 

Spring, 1995: Nita Wilson becomes new Housemother

 

December, 1995: Renovations begin at the CSC.

 

August, 1996: The CSC has 4 Student Directors.

 

August 1998-Current: “Magic Wanda” - Wanda Mance takes the reigns as Housemother.

 

October, 2001: Jerry Cox becomes campus minister.

 

July, 2012: Craig Allison becomes campus minister.

 

May 2017: The CSC is demolished and rebuilt. Only outside walls left standing.

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October 2020: The CSC has a housing capacity for 10 Student Ambassadors (Formerly called Student Directors) 
 

October 13, 2020: The Christian Student Center celebrates its 50th anniversary.

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July 28, 2023: Wanda Mance celebrates 25 years as Housemother.

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December 10, 2023: Craig Allison resigns as campus minister to pursue the pulpit minister position at Central Church of Christ.

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March 4, 2024: Harrison Gibbs becomes campus minister.