“There is a sense of confidence that develops when students realize they are not alone, an awareness that others possess similar concerns while the student continues a search for self” (Johnson, 2006, p. 6).
“Sometimes I wonder what I'm doing here.” With these words, the sophomore on academic probation threw up his hands, collected his book bag, and headed for the door.
“Do you mean, why are you in college?” I queried with genuine concern.
“No,” he continued, “I mean, what am I supposed to be doing on this planet and what does it all mean?”
I waited patiently for him to finish his thought.
“Am I just beating my brains out studying accounting so I can go out and buy a Beamer with a sunroof and GIS tracking system so everyone will know where I am on the globe? I don't even know where I am on the globe!”
Simply but eloquently put, I thought.
This 19-year-old business major had just summed up the angst of students we have all seen, students who are searching for meaning and purpose in the college experience and in their lives. As advisers and counselors in higher education, we are adept at assessing students' academic or social needs, but unprepared—and often simply reluctant—to acknowledge or ascribe any great importance to their statements of a philosophical or spiritual nature. Spirituality, defined by Teasdale (1999) as “a personal commitment to a process of inner development that engages us in our totality,” figures prominently in many individuals' lives. Advisers need to stay abreast of current thinking on the topic. In a recent review of current literature on students and spirituality, I was surprised to find many good resources for academic advisers, a few of which I will share here.
The fact that so much has been written recently about college students and spirituality demonstrates that many higher-education professionals are recognizing the importance of students' values, religious beliefs, and quest for meaning in relation to scholastic performance and personal fulfillment. Rogers and Love (2004) have articulated the need “to prepare spiritually sensitive [higher-education] professionals who sometimes will work in spiritually insensitive, dehumanizing organizations and institutions.” Nevertheless, the very mention of “spirituality” in academic circles can produce reactions ranging from indifference to trepidation to panic, perhaps because many confuse “spirituality” with “religion.” As Jones (2005) points out, “Spirituality is often equated with religion or morality, both emotionally charged words representing public and private practices that may exclude those of a particular belief.” Teasdale (1999), however, asserts that religion is but one manner in which an individual may be spiritual. Accordingly, his definition of spirituality above is appropriate in the context of academic advising because advisers should assume that each student has a desire to learn and grow.
Such desires encompass the fundamental quest for meaning in life, which is as old as humankind itself, and the struggle to find meaning and purpose has the potential to affect each student's academic progress uniquely, in ways both positive and negative. For example, an honor student in physics whom I once advised told me she came to college bewildered and bored, but in her sophomore year she became inspired by the work of Descartes in an introductory philosophy course. The young woman said she had found it particularly exciting to suddenly discover what she felt were important relationships between her studies in science and her religious beliefs, pivotal links that would allow her to reconcile the two areas of her life. Her “epiphany,” she told me, had increased her desire to learn and, consequently, her academic performance. In the case of my student on probation, he seemed to be floundering due to lack of motivation; furthermore, his low drive appeared linked to a lack of understanding of his place in the universe. While he may have been frustrated or confused, the student was asking fundamental questions, the importance of which we as advisers should never underestimate. And although our role is not to furnish answers to such questions, we can do much towards educating ourselves on spiritual considerations in advising, with the ultimate goal of a better understanding of our students and greater facilitation of academic and personal growth.
In my review of current literature, I found several books, periodicals, and online publications that I believe could serve as excellent resources for academic advisers. Among the online sources I surveyed, one stood out as particularly accessible, relevant, and comprehensive. The Journal of College and Character, published on the Internet by Florida State University's Center for the Study of Values in College Student Development, features an array of information and resources on spirituality, ethics, character, morality, and related topics. New submissions from academic professionals and college students appear weekly and monthly, and readers can subscribe to a monthly newsletter. The journal can be accessed at the website www.collegevalues.org. Another online reference I highly recommend is the website, Education as Transformation, which chronicles and supports the decade-old national project entitled, Education as Transformation: Religious Pluralism, Spirituality, and Higher Education, the goals of which are to explore religious diversity and spiritualism in higher education through educational programs, conferences, consultation, and publications. According to the site, which is based at Wellesley College, the project currently works with representatives of more than 350 institutes of higher learning. One of the site's most useful features is the Education and Spirituality Network, a forum for educators who wish to share information about spirituality in higher education and related issues. For access, visit http://www.wellesley.edu/RelLife/transformation/index.html.
Readers who like what they see there will probably enjoy the related publication, Education as Transformation: Religious Pluralism, Spirituality, and a New Vision for Higher Education in America (2000), edited by Victor H. Kazanjian and Peter L. Laurence. The book is a stimulating collection of essays by academic, religious, and educational professionals who examine the recent movement toward a more holistic model of higher education, one that acknowledges and integrates the human mind and spirit in teaching and learning as well as in college and community life. Also highly recommended is Big Questions, Worthy Dreams: Mentoring Young Adults in Their Search for Meaning, Purpose, and Faith (2000), by Sharon Daloz Parks. This critically acclaimed book, penned by a renowned theology professor, examines young adults, their creation of meaning, and the process of finding a place and purpose in the world. Taken together, Education as Transformation and Big Questions illuminate salient issues for advisers who wish to gain knowledge they can put into practice each day.
Since most of us are not trained theologians and serve our advisees without regard to their beliefs, why should we care about spirituality in our daily work? The college experience causes students to reflect on the world around them and, by extension, on themselves. Such reflection can lead to great personal insights and inspiration, but can also generate troubling questions and challenge long-held beliefs, all in the process of becoming an individual. Advisers need to be prepared to advise the whole person at any stage of this process, and understanding the importance of spirituality to a student is a valuable tool. Indeed, as Jackson (2005) states, “a good adviser does the same as a good philosophy teacher does: seriously challenges students to reflect upon their lives.” As advisers, we should assume that by virtue of their matriculation, students have entered into a tacit contract with themselves to develop their potential, and they look to us for guidance along the way. If we are to promote students' academic and personal growth, it makes good sense for us to recognize that how they are dealing with life's “big” questions can significantly impact their development, as in the cases of both the student on probation and the one inspired by Cartesian thought. It is wise, then, for us to become familiar with the latest literature on students and spirituality. To this end, I hope the sources cited in this brief article will prove useful.