A PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY: THE EXPLORATION OF COLLEGE STUDENTS’ FAITH, SPIRITUALITY AND ENGAGEMENT WHILE ATTENDING A MEDIUM-SIZED JESUIT UNIVERSITY IN NEW ENGLAND
A dissertation submitted
by
Tyrone Carlton Black
to
Benedictine University
in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education
in
Higher Education and Organizational Change
This dissertation has been accepted for the faculty
of Benedictine University
______Sandra Wirth, Ed.D.______
Dissertation Committee Director Date
______Nancy W. Bentley, Ph.D. ______
Dissertation Committee Chair Date
______Cheryl Barnard, Ph.D.______
Dissertation Committee Reader Date
______Sunil Chand, Ph.D. ______
Program Director, Faculty Date
______Eileen Kolich, Ph.D.______
Faculty Date
______Ethel Ragland, Ed.D., M.N.,R.N.______
Dean, College of Education and Health Services Date
1
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)
This is a monumental accomplishment in my life. To have completed such a task, given my past challenges with writing, is a true testimony to my determination not to be defeated. I did not complete this dissertation alone; therefore, I must pause and share my sincere gratitude with those who believed in me.
To God, the Father, who made me a man of vision and destiny,I am thankful for the spirit of excellence and determination you have placed in me. To my mother, Beverly A. Carter, who has been my biggest supporter from day one, I could not have done this without you. To my father, Joe O. Black, and the rest of my immediate family, Mama, Brenda, Jean, Aaron, Abram, Grandma Cannon, and Lisa, your love and words of encouragement will never be forgotten. To the members of Ebenezer Holy Temple and the churches of EHT, your prayers were felt every day. To my extended family and close friends, especially Christopher Westcott and Brian Hetzel, you took time out of your busy schedules just to make sure I knew I had the power to finish this great task.
To my Benedictine University cohort and Ed.D.candidates, who pushed me every dayto strive for greater, especially Chimere Jones, Cherie Meader, and Donna Arnold. To Dr. Gloria Holmes and Dr. Angela Skyers, for helping me stay focused and telling me “to finish what I started.”
To my chair and committee, Dr. Nancy Bentley, Dr. Sandra Wirth, and Dr. Cheryl Barnard, your faith, support, and spirit elevated me to higher levels of thinking and exploration. Your insight, attention to detail, and collective brilliance set the bar and gave me a clearer definition of what academic excellence really is.
Lastly, to the eleven participants who gave of their time, your passion for life, God, and spirituality is what set the foundation for this study. Your shared journeys were empowering, and your level of engagement was refreshing. Because of my conversations with each of you, I have a clearer sense of my purpose in higher education.
DEDICATION
To Mr. Lawrence Gilman, my high school English teacher, Mrs. Jane Moos, my high school English tutor, Mrs. Sally Huey, my college mentor, and Mr. Scott Beck. Your work has not been in vain.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS…………..………………………………………………….…………ii
LIST OF TABLES………..…………………………………………………………….…………x
LIST OF FIGURES…………..………………………………………………...………………..xi
ABSTRACT……..…………………...……………………………………………………….…xii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION...………………..………………………………………….…14
Statement of theProblem ……..…………………………………………………………16
Purpose of Study ……………..………………………………………………………….19
Research Questions…………..…………………………………………………………..21
Definition of Terms…………..…………………………………………………………..22
Significance of Study……………..……………………………………………………...23
Summary…………………………..……………………………………………………..24
CHAPTER 2: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE..………….………………………………….25
Self-Actualization/Student Identity/Student Development …………..………………….25
Faculty and Staff Influence …………………………………………..………………….36
Curricular and Co-curricular Design ………………………………..…………………..41
Integration of Faith and Learning/Spirituality in the Classroom…….. …………………43
Service Learning ……………………………………………………..………………….46
Student Engagement …………………………………………………..………………...52
Summary………………………………………………………………..………………..58
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY……………………………………………….………………60
Research Models……………………. …………………………………..………………61
Conceptual Framework…………………………………………………..………………63
Phenomenological Research Process…………………………………….………………64
The Site Selection …………………………………………….…………………………67
Selection of Participants..…………………………………….………………………….68
Recruiting Participants and Interviews ……………………….…………………………69
Data Collection Technique …………………………………….………………………..70
Interviews ……………………………………………..…………………………70
Building a Rapport with Participants…………………..………………………...72
Documents and Artifacts Analysis….…………………..…………………….….72
Observational/Field Notes …………………………….…………………….…..73
Demographics Survey…………………………………..…………………….….73
Data Analysis …………………………………………………..……………..………....73
Horizontalization……………………………………………….………………..74
Imaginative Variation…………………………………………..……………..…75
Synthesis of Meaning and Essence……………………………..………………..76
Role of Researcher ……………………………………………………..………………..77
Strategies for Validating Findings……………………………………..………………...78
Trustworthiness………………………………………………..…………………79
Credibility……………………………………………………..…………………79
Transferability…………………………………………………..…………….….80
Dependability…………………………………………………..…………….…..80
Conformability…………………………………………………..…………….…80
Ethical Issues…………………………………………………………………………….81
Concluding Remarks...…………………………………………………..……………….82
CHAPTER 4: PROFILES OF THE PARTICIPANTS………………………….....…………….84
Individual Profiles………………………………………………………..………………85
Anif………………………………………………………………..……….…….86
Cathy...………………………………………..………………………………….89
Christina.…….………………………………..………………………………….91
Claretta...……………………………………..…………………………………..93
Jake…..………………………………………..…………………………………95
Jessica…………………………………………..………………………………..98
John…………………………………………….………………………...……..100
Joshua……………………….………………….……………………………….103
Katherine.………………………………………..……………………………...105
Sohail.…………………………………………….…………………………….108
Tracey…..………………………………………………………………………111
Summary………………………………………………….…………………………….114
CHAPTER 5: THEMATIC ANALYSIS: EVOLUTION OF THE STUDENTS” FAITH, SPIRITUALITY, IDENTITY, AND ENGAGEMENT ...………………………………...…...115
Ways of Viewing Faith and Spirituality………………………………………………..117
Symbols: Parts of One’s Spiritual and Religious Identity…………...…………119
Faith and Spirituality: A Part of One’s Personal Identity………………………121
Faith and Spirituality: A Set of Beliefs Often Passed on by One’s Family…….124
Faith and Spirituality: A Support System…………………………………...….126
My Spirituality and Identity Have Changed………………………………………...….127
Values and Personal Beliefs Have Changed During College .……………...….132
Faith and Spirituality Influenced My Social Behavior……………………..…..134
Spiritual Development: Part of the Human Experience……………………………..…136
Meaningful Conversations Promoted Spiritual Growth.……………….………139
Faculty and Staff Significantly Influence Their Spiritual Journey……...……...142
Events That Promoted Spiritual Growth………………………………..………147
Co-curricular Activity EnhancedTheir Spiritual Journey……...... ………..149
Challenging One’s Faith in the Classroom.…………………………..………...151
Summary……………………………………………………………………………..…154
CHAPTER 6: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND REFLECTIONS……………....156
Summary of the Study……………………………………………………………….....157
How Do These Students Describe Their Faith and Spirituality?.……………………....158
How Have Their Faith and Spirituality Shaped Their Identity?..……………………...160
What Experiences or Events While in College, Both Challenging and Supportive,
Affected Their Change and Growth Over Time?..…………………………..…………161
How Do These Students Describe Their Engagement While in College?..………..…..163
From the Students’ Perspectives, What Changes in Their Faith and Spirituality Have
Occurred Since Their Enrollment in College?..…………………………………...……164
How Has Their Enrollment at a Jesuit Institution Influenced Their Faith, Spirituality,
Identity, and Engagement?..…………...………………………………………………..165
Recommendations……………………………………………..………………………..166
Recommendation for Future Study...…………………………..……………………….169
Final Reflections……………………………………………….……………………….170
REFERENCES.…………………………………………………,,,,,,,,,………………………..173
APPENDICES
- CONFIRMATION LETTER……..………………………….……………………..180
- INFORMED CONSENT FORM ..………………………….………………….…..182
- INTERVIEW GUIDE …………………………….………..……………………....184
- DEMOGRAPHIC SURVEY.……………………………….……………………...186
- DEMOGRAPHIC DATA…………………………………………………………..188
- PERMISSION TO USE TABLES AND FIGURES………….…………………....191
VITA……………………………………………….………………………………………..….194
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Participants’ Identity: View Self as Spiritual or a Person of Faith...…………...... …117
Table 2. Ways of Viewing Faith and Spirituality…………………………..……………..……118
Table 3. My Spirituality and Identity Have Changed……………………….………………….132
Table 4. Spiritual Development: Part of the Human Experience……………..………………...139
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Parallel Frameworks of Spiritual Development and Service Learning………..………48
Figure 2. Faith Change of Students at Catholic Colleges 2004-2007……………………..….….53
ABSTRACT
Colleges aim to educate the whole person, instilling a sense of purpose in each student. A major goal is to provide a platform upon which a student can find his or her true identity and build his or her own life philosophy. Many traditional-age students, as they embark upon their college search, seek colleges that not only offer their intended major, but also fit their ever- evolving personality. It is a great task for students to find a university that will challenge their intellect, encourage healthy social and physical development, and provide opportunities for spiritual growth. This social phenomenological study explores college students’ faith, spirituality,identity development, and purposeful engagement while attending a medium-sized, Jesuit university in New England. In-depth interviews and document analysis were used to collect the data. The responses of each participant were documented and analyzed to answer the overarching question: How do a small group of traditional-age college students attending a medium-sized Jesuit university experience the evolution of their faith, spirituality, identity, and engagement while enrolled in college?
Three major themes surfaced: (a) Ways of Viewing Faith and Spirituality; (b) My Spirituality and Identity Have Changed; and (c) Spiritual Development: Part of the Human Experience. The results of this study have the potential to benefit administrators and faculty in both academic and student affairs at religiously affiliated institutions, especially Catholic colleges and universities, as they assess their overall mission of educating their students in their faith. This study can also benefit administrators and faculty at non-sectarian colleges as they seek additional ways to purposefully assist college students in their spiritual evolution. Furthermore, the responses of the participants provide educators with greater insight into how external influences, such as social settings, family beliefs, and life-challenging events, can affect students’ spiritual development and, in turn, alter students’ identity.
1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
As I prepared to conduct this research, I could not help but to reflect upon my own spiritual journey or, rather, evolution. I was born and raised in a family among whom faith was and still is the foundation upon which all things are established. I believe that our beliefs, values, and daily interactions are governed by biblical principles that connect us with a supreme being, God. From birth, it has been instilled in me that the stronger my faith, the more meaningful and fulfilling my spiritual journey would be. I also believed that the strength of my character determined how I would face life’s challenges. Despite the obstacles, I hoped that there would be a great reward at my life’s end for handling adversity with integrity.
I was born into a family heavily populated with clergy: my maternal grandfather was a Protestant Bishop; my maternal grandmother isa pastor; my mother and aunt are ministers; and an aunt and great-grandfather are deacons. I attended mostly religiously affiliated institutions of education, as it was instilled in me at an early age that in order to receive a well-rounded education, a person must attend a school which focused on not only academic growth but spiritual, mental, and physical growth as well.
It was during my time in college when my spiritual journey intensified. Before my freshman year in college, I modeled the religious beliefs, values, and principles of my family. I identified myself by what I was told to believe, yet my individual faith had not been challenged. I can now admit that I was unaware of my own spiritual beliefs and instead, relied very heavily upon the affirmations of my family to validate whether I was living a fulfilling, faith-based life. It was actually during college when I grew independent and began to embrace my spiritual journey or, rather, spiritual evolution. While in college, I enrolled in theology classes, attended chapel services weekly, founded a 150-voice gospel choir, joined bible study groups, participated in leadership retreats, and then joined a national fraternity.
My faith grew stronger when I faced racism during the early years of my college experience. I was eight hours away from home and found myself feeling isolated and alone. I was fearful and had every right to be so. It was during this time when I reflected upon the religious principles and spiritual guidance of my family. I then realized that even though my family was too far to physically provide support, they had instilled in me the biblical teachings necessary for me to not only grow through this ordeal but to make appropriate decisions concerning my own welfare. I became an individual on an independent spiritual journey which was quite uncomfortable.
For the next three years, I chose to read the Bible for my own personal growth. Instead of attending weekly chapel services while in college, I began to volunteer as both a worship leader and speaker. Eventually, I became the chaplain of my fraternity, which was challenging but quite rewarding. Throughout college I always felt that there was a calling for me to be a great spiritual leader. Prior to my arrival at college, my family would always intimate that I was going to be a leader for Christ. I really did not give much thought to this suggestion, but just assumed my family told everyone the same thing. But I now realize that when I was in college, it seemed almost prophetic that every activity in which I participated centered on my faith. I always wondered if any of my college friends shared this experience.
It has been 20 years since I graduated and became a proud alumnus. I am older, wiser, and more mindfulof my spiritual journey. Those wonderful four years of college, coupled with the strong faith provided by my family, created for me a foundation upon which to build my spiritual identity. Little did I know that my leading and speaking at those weekly college chapel services and serving as my fraternity’s chaplain were actually preparing me to be a senior pastor of my own congregationtoday. It has been demonstrated that a college experience contributes to the growth of a person. “When spirituality is connected and integrated into campus community, it promotes in students ‘the courage and faith to venture out into the unknown’” (Chickering, Dalton & Stamm, 2006, p.165).
Statement of the Problem
University administrators and facultyare aware that students enter college with their own ideology: a belief system that was molded by their childhood experiences, their parents, and their general communities, whether they are positive or negative influences. As a result, the role of the university has grown from providing students with a higher level of intellect to assisting assistingstudents in building upon their established foundation of morals and values; the goal is to grow the student spiritually, mentally, socially, and physically and to aid the student in understanding why growing in all areas is essential. Astin (2004) stated that many academics find themselves actively searching for meaning and trying to discover ways to make their lives and their institutions more whole.
While various researchers havewrittenarticles, journals, and books on spiritual development and religion, very few have explored how spirituality and faith have impacted the undergraduate experience, the student’s overall engagement, identity authentication, and human development. Some researchers have found that many incoming students today place significant personal emphasis on matters related to the interior dimensions of their lives (Lindholm, 2007). For countless students, the prevailing question that continuously drives them towards their destiny is “Who am I?” Whether overtly or implicitly students inherently seek the answer to this existentialquestion. “This longing also represents a spiritual consciousness that recognizes the interrelated nature of human existence and the desire to be whole within oneself” (Stewart, 2002, p.579). “What is my purpose?” and“What have I been called to do?” These questions do not necessarily arise in students’minds during their freshman year in college, but throughout their college years, students usually seek a higher awareness. This occurs through a variety of activities, such asclassroom discussion, a conversation in the residence hall, a theatrical stage performance, or a homework assignment. “Traditional-aged college students often experience a period of displacement, confusion, and discomfort as they develop cognitively and emotionally” (Love Talbot, 1999, p.363). One might consider this period (18-22 years of age) to be highly impressionable years, a time of belonging. This is an opportune time to seek and understand one’s faith and one’s spirituality. As Astin (2004) points out:
In exploring the connection between spirituality and higher education, a good way to start is to take a look at the interior lives of our students. . . . Our students’ values have been changing during recent decades. . . . They have become much less engaged both academically and politically, much more focused on making a lot of money, and much less likely to concern themselves with developing a meaningful philosophy of life. (p.2)
This is not to say that students who enter college with this mindset cannot change over time. However, many students enter college with the intention of graduating in four years and getting a job that pays a decent salary, preferably sixfigures. In other words, according to Astin (2004),“a focus on the spiritual interior has been replaced by a focus on the material exterior” (p.36).
As we move further in the discussion, we realize that there are different types of students who enter college. Some students, prior to their going off to college, value and practice the religious traditions of their family. These students may attend church regularly, have a healthy prayer or meditation life, say grace before every meal, and identify with a specific religious denomination. Then there are students, on the other end of the continuum, who reject any thought of spirituality because it is closely related to church or some level of organized religion. Nonetheless, whether they practice some type of faith or not, when students enter college, theyoften go through some type of spiritual evolution, a “self-actualization that is self-transcendent” (Love Tolbert, 1999, p.368). Some researchers have discovered that many students develop their spiritual and religious life throughout college as a general self-discovery process (Braskamp, 2007). Additionally, there is the possibility that students enter into college not yet tested in their faith. They may experience considerable challenges to their prior religious perspectives, which often have been greatly influenced by their parents’ views.
As students encounter difference in college, they are challenged to grow and change. For many, college may be the first time they have questioned “truth” and “reality”. Indeed, the college experience can be critical in helping students explore and clarify their faith, beliefs, and values. (Lindholm,Millora, Schwartz, &Spinosa, 2011, p. 14)
Moreover, Hindman (2002), taking a cognitive and moral development perspective, observes thattraditional-age college students move through their college years from authority-based morality, to relativism, and finally to personal commitment in a world of relativism.
In order to preserve the spiritual component that has been taught at home, many students choose to attend, and/or their parents encourage them to attend,religiously affiliated universities that best reflect what they have been taught, with the goal of helping them to continue on that trajectory. However, once they enter college, they are on their own individual, spiritual journey, and they begin seeking their true identity, one separate from that molded by their families.
Students who reject spirituality but still choose to attend religiously affiliated universities may in fact be seeking deep, meaningful, philosophical discussions and experiences. According to Astin et al.(2007), a high percentage of students look to attend colleges that help them confront the fundamental questions of meaning and values. And for others, the quest to answer these questions has led them to religiously affiliated institutions of higher education, even though the studentsmay not necessarily believe in the religious traditions of the institution they attend or have strong spiritual beliefs.