Campus Spiritual Life: Finding the Right Fit

Choosing a college is about more than the program, location or residence halls. It’s more importantly about finding the right campus spiritual life fit. The following questions will help you consider where to attend college.

There is a striking difference in the spiritual opportunities and prominence of public faith expression between public universities and Christian college campuses. Even within Adventist campuses there are a variety of campus cultures and spiritual emphases offered.

While there are no right or wrong answers, asking the right questions can ensure you find the best college fit for you. Go through the following questions yourself to consider what’s important to you; then use them when you visit different college campuses to see how each school’s campus spiritual life meets your needs.

The Big Picture

Most college campuses will have opportunities to connect spiritually. Even public universities have chaplains’ offices and Christian fellowship groups. The key is to prayerfully consider what is best for you.

1. Will you grow the most spiritually surrounded by professors and classmates who are mostly unbelievers offering everyday opportunities to share your faith?
2. Will you thrive in a more conservative, traditional environment? More liberal? Or somewhere in the middle?
3. Will you succeed at a college or university which provides a strong spiritual support system and encourages you to grow toward, rather than away from, God?

Worship Options

On public university campuses, diverse faith groups are typically represented by a broad variety of worship options and styles. On Adventist college and university campuses, although the faith affiliation is more similar, the options for participating in worship and faith-building experiences are still varied.

1. What are the specific worship options available at each campus you are considering? How many? How often? Where? Dress expectations? Format? College alone or combined with surrounding community? Involvement of students? Who plans the services?
2. Is worship embedded in the campus culture or will you have to seek it out on your own?
3. Does the college encourage worship by keeping track of attendance? Or is it a less formal approach? Are some options required? Some voluntary?

Campus Ministries

When you take a tour of campus, be sure to ask to visit the Campus Ministries office (it might go by a different name on some public or Christian campuses). You can learn a lot about the spiritual opportunities at a college by visiting with the staff in this office.

1. Who greets you? An enthusiastic student? A volunteer? A full-time or volunteer chaplain?
2. Is the ministries office a place to hang out or a more structured environment?
3. What about service opportunities? How many students participate in service activities each year? Is there an annual school-wide event? Is participation required or voluntary?
4. Does volunteer service show on the student’s college transcript?
5. What about student mission opportunities or other volunteer assignments lasting for a few weeks or up to a year?

Current Students

Current students can give you a fresh perspective on the spiritual barometer of a campus.

1. Are students excited about the spiritual activities on campus or talking mostly about last weekend’s party?
2. How easy is it to find friends with shared faith/values?
3. Do students feel free to talk to teachers or work supervisors about spiritual matters? Who sets the spiritual tone for campus?
4. What stands out most about the religion classes they have taken?

Residence Hall Deans

Next to current students, residence hall deans probably know as much as anyone about what is really happening on a campus.

1. Are there worship activities that take place in the residence hall?
2. Are their expectations for residence hall worship attendance?
3. Is there a chapel or quiet place for reflection or meditation in the residence hall?
4. If visiting an Adventist campus, are there Sabbath guidelines to follow?

Additional Considerations

Some additional considerations to explore campus spiritual life include any campus publications, staff at a nearby church and even the religion courses offered for your degree.

1. Campus Publications: Pick up a campus newspaper or look into other campus media. What sorts of news is featured in official campus media? Are the stories shared about students learning and growing in service to God? Or something else?
2. Church Staff: If the campus is located near a church, or if there is a church on campus, talk to the pastoral staff. What is the relationship with the school? What kind of support does the church offer college students? Are there opportunities for students to get involved in church activities or leadership?
3. Religion Courses: Look through a list of religion classes offered as credit toward your degree. Do religion courses count toward your electives? Are any required? 

With prayerful consideration, you’ll find the right spiritual fit for your college education.

Learn more about the 100+ benefits of choosing an Adventist college or university. Or continue reading college information for parents, high school students, or homeschool students.