Reared in Columbia, South Carolina, Steve Pettit was a student leader in high school and attended The Citadel, where he earned a B.S. in Business Administration in 1978. After his conversion in 1975, he felt called to preach and earned an M.A. in pastoral studies from BJU in 1980. In 1985, he formed the Steve Pettit Evangelistic Association. Concurrently, he served as staff evangelist (1985–2002) and camp director (2002–2011) at Northland Camp and Conference Center, Dunbar, Wisconsin. In 2014, Pettit became the first BJU president who was not a member of the Jones family. During his tenure, the university achieved regional accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the university regained its tax-exempt status. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Pettit successfully chose to open the University for in-person classes during the fall of 2020. In March 2023, Pettit resigned as president and is now the president of Palmetto Family Council.