College students seek spirituality, don't always find it, survey says

Published: 2003-12-19

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A survey of third-year students at 46 colleges across the United States shows that they possess a strong degree of spirituality that is not necessarily being fostered by professors or campus programs. The survey, conducted in April 2003 as part of an ongoing project by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles, found that 73 percent of students said their religious or spiritual beliefs helped develop their identity, while 77 percent of students pray and 71 percent said they found religion helpful. Seventy-eight percent of the surveyed students said they are "searching for meaning and purpose in life," but 62 percent said their professors never encourage discussions of religious or spiritual issues and only 55 percent said they were satisfied with how their college experience provided "opportunities for religious/spiritual reflection." Jennifer Lindholm, director of the survey and a UCLA professor, told Catholic News Service that she and the other researchers were surprised by the high degree of interest in spirituality among college students and that some of the issues shown in the survey results, released in November, are now topics for related focus groups.

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