THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUALITY AMONG STUDENTS
Title:
THE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE EXPERIENCE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF SPIRITUALITY AMONG STUDENTS
Author:
Stella, Y.
Appeared in:
Christian higher education
Paging:
Volume 2 (2003) nr. 4 pages 321-339
Year:
2003-10
Contents:
This study investigated the impact of the Christian college educational environment, both academic and nonacademic, on student spirituality. Nine hundred fifty-three self-reported surveys, representing 18 U.S. Christian colleges and universities, were used. The typical respondent was female, Caucasian, and a resident upperclassman. For the purposes of this exploratory study, spirituality was operationally defined as “spiritual formation,” referring to one's growth towards spiritual maturity, which is reflected in one's relationships with God, self, and others. Findings reveal interesting trends about factors associated with spirituality on campus, and relate student perceptions of spirituality and the Christian college experience. Results indicate that students perceived many factors of their Christian college experience as positive. In particular, the nonacademic aspects of college life were perceived to be more influential on spiritual formation than the academic. For example, students rated their peer relationships as being most significant to their spiritual growth. Results also illustrate demographic differences in perceptions of the various aspects of the Christian college experience. Practical applications suggest assessing the existing range of college academic and nonacademic offerings and training for faculty development in class assessments. Other applications include providing programs for students experiencing emotional crises or pain. Recommendations for further research include studying other factors such as sports, counseling services, church involvement, family support, maturation factors, and the impact of computers. Research may also benefit from focusing on certain survey items more specifically, such as various kinds of peer relationships and cultural diversity.
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