For NIU students looking for spiritual guidance or to become more spiritual, a group on campus is willing to help.

The Association of Campus Religious Organizations (ACRO) consists of different religious and spiritual groups available to students for counseling and crisis management. All residence halls have an assigned ACRO member, and ACRO members are on-call in case of emergencies.

“Our group partners with the university for spiritual development of students,” said ACRO president the Rev. Marty Marks. “We consider ourselves part of the NIU family.”

ACRO was founded more than 50 years ago, when it was called Campus Ministries Association. Five years ago, the group changed its name to ACRO to become more inclusive.

“Some of the groups trying to be admitted are Wiccan, pagan and universalist,” Marks said. “Let’s represent the diversity that is our campus.”

ACRO was instrumental in helping many students recover from the Feb. 14 shootings.

“We went door to door,” Marks said. “Most students were glad somebody was checking up on them.”

ACRO members had a strong presence in the hospitals where victims were being treated. They also assisted with campus vigils.

In the weeks following the shootings, ACRO teamed up with Student Affairs to create the Peace Room. It is a place where people can worship or mourn, regardless of their religious beliefs.

Michelle Emmett, former assistant vice president of Student Affairs, worked closely with ACRO the last few years. She was recently made an honorary member of the organization.

“Working with ACRO is one of the greatest joys of my position through the years,” Emmett said. “The community is much richer because of their presence.”

Emmett has seen firsthand the way ACRO has touched some NIU students’ lives.

“I’ve been at workshops. I’ve been at presentations. I might ask students what person besides their parents is most influential to them. They say Rev. Marty Marks or Rev. [Dwight] Gorbold,” Emmett said. “They have a big impact on students.”

ACRO is a group that consists of many voices, Marks said.

“It’s really a group effort. Everyone plays a part,” he said. “There are so many unsung heroes in the group.”

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