Blue Mountain Christian University is shining a light on BMCU dorm mother Sandra Clark, the woman students in Stevens Dorm call “Big Mama.” The university featured Clark in its weekly “Saturday Spotlight” on Oct. 17, describing a life story that runs from childhood walks across campus to nearly a decade of caring for the young women who live under her watch.
The tribute, shared on the university’s official Facebook page, calls Clark a living testimony to the school’s mission of Christ-centered care in Blue Mountain, Tippah County.
A Blue Mountain Story Decades in the Making
Clark’s connection to Blue Mountain started long before she joined the staff. According to the university, she grew up “on top of the hill” and walked through campus on her way to town, dreaming of one day being part of the Blue Mountain story.
“I didn’t know how to get financial help,” she recalled in the spotlight, “but I did finish high school at Blue Mountain.”
Her path to the university took several turns:
2004: Clark went to work in the university dining hall, where she served students for about eight years.
2012: She stepped away from full-time work after her husband was diagnosed with cancer, caring for him until his death.
2017: Longtime BMCU leader Jack Moser invited her for a visit and asked her to consider taking over Stevens Dorm. She said yes.
“God led me there to that dorm and those girls at just the right time,” Clark said. “I now felt I had a purpose in life again.”
BMCU Dorm Mother Sandra Clark Becomes ‘Big Mama’
The university describes Clark’s role as far more pastoral than administrative. She has prayed with students in hallways, dorm rooms and common areas, listened to their worries about family illness and money, and stood with them through hard seasons.
The nickname “Big Mama” first came from her son-in-law, the university said, and was soon adopted by her grandchildren and the students in her care. “These girls of mine want understanding, love, and a shoulder to lean on,” Clark said. “And that’s me, Big Mama to my girls in the dorm.”
She also brings plenty of fun. The spotlight notes that Clark celebrates chicken tender day in the cafeteria with her well-known chicken dance and sways to music in the dorm hallways, much to the delight of her residents.
A Home for Student-Athletes
When Clark first took over Stevens Dorm, it mainly housed basketball and cross-country athletes. Today it is home to young women from a long list of BMCU teams, including:
Basketball and cross country
Golf and volleyball
Archery and bowling
Powerlifting
No matter the sport, Clark says her goal is the same: love them well. She told the university she sees her work as a way to honor God and protect her Christian testimony.
Asked about her own role, her answer was simple: “I love the girls and I just wanna be a momma for them.”
The university closed its tribute by saying Clark’s legacy continues to shape young women who find in Stevens Dorm “not just a place to live” but a place to belong. The post drew more than 200 reactions and dozens of comments and shares within a day.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
