University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Join us every Tuesday Night at 7:30pm in Cameron Hall 105, on the UNCW Campus.

RUF at UNCW exists in partnership with the local church to help students learn to love Jesus, love others, and love their college campus. We are a place for the convinced and the unconvinced, the confident and the doubting, the struggling and the seeking. Whoever you are and whatever you believe, you are welcome at RUF! Come visit large group, explore our weekly community groups, or follow us on social media to learn about our social events. We would love for you to join us, and we look forward to getting to know you.

If you are a student or would like to connect us to a student, please reach out to us by email!

Join Us

RUF Large Group

Tuesday Nights at 7:30pm
UNCW Campus in Cameron Hall 105

Freshmen Fellowship Community Groups

Thursdays at 5pm
UNCW Seahawk Quad

RUF Southeastern Fall Conference

September 15-17, 2023
Camp Greystone, Zirconia, NC

Meet Our Team

Sam Kennedy

Sam Kennedy

Campus Minister

Sam is a Wilmington local, a Tarheel fan, and a graduate of Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte. In 2009, he was married to Shaunna in a sunny cove outside Asheville NC. He and Shaunna have two children, Gus and Hattie, who love getting to know college students! Sam became the RUF Campus Minister at UNCW in the fall of 2019 after serving on staff with Young Life and Christ Community Church in Wilmington.

The Kennedys love everything about the UNCW campus-- from the skateboard racks at the dining halls, to the way that flip-flops are considered appropriate attire at the most formal campus events. Sam’s other favorite things are making noises on his guitars, surfing, skateboarding, and sampling the wares of Wilmington’s many coffeeshops.

Bailey Cowen

Bailey Cowen

Intern

Bailey was raised in Lexington, Kentucky, and moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University, where she graduated with a major in Psychology and a minor in Nutrition. During her time at Belmont RUF, she formed many life-giving and deep friendships, and found joy in the Gospel centered community that RUF offers! She is very excited to continue being involved in RUF during her time as an intern at UNCW! Bailey loves reading, being outside, walking her dog Sadie, listening to podcasts, and hosting people in her home! She is excited to get plugged into Wilmington, and make this city her home for the next few years!!

David Prather

David Prather

Intern

David Grew up in Oxford, MS as the second oldest of 5 siblings, being the only boy. He attended the University of Mississippi where he attained his Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering with an emphasis in manufacturing in May of 2023. He started going to RUF large groups towards the end of his senior year in high school, and stuck with RUF all 5 years of college, going to every conference he could. He was blessed to have 3 sets of amazing interns and wants to continue showing that blessing to the students of UNCW!