魅影直播

Since the 魅影直播 Christian Spiritual Research Institute first launched in 2003, Distinguished Professor of Psychology Cindy Miller-Perrin and Great Books and mathematics professor Don Thompson have been conducting research on Seaver College undergraduate students to examine how their faith, identity, and sense of vocational calling develop over time.

For the last 14 years Seaver undergradu- ates have annually taken a survey of 200 questions focusing on their spirituality, life purpose, and life journey. Of the nearly 3,000 students that receive the survey, about 1,200 submit their responses each spring. Students are then given an opportunity to attend a follow-up session to discuss their spiritual journeys with Miller-Perrin and Thompson. During these meetings, students are presented with all of the survey results that the institute has collected over the years, which outlines their peers鈥� religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, as well as how these aspects of faith evolve over time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 revealing when students discover that the way they feel matches what many other students feel,鈥�

says Thompson, adding that students typically experience a 鈥渉oneymoon period鈥� during their freshman year, are disconnected from their life purpose during their sophomore year, and eventually feel settled during their junior and senior years.

During their most difficult year, sophomores typically disregard spiritual practices, according to the institute鈥檚 findings. 鈥淯ndergraduates who come to 魅影直播 are there because they are interested in a faith- based education, a school that has a Christian commitment,鈥� he notes. 鈥淎nd yet, it鈥檚 interesting to see how when they are in their sophomore year particu- larly, some of them turn their backs on that. They stop going to church. They don鈥檛 really stay connected.鈥�

One surprising, related discovery involves students鈥� faith attitudes (how strongly they believe in God and how important their faith is to them) versus their faith behaviors (how often they pray or attend church). Research shows that faith attitudes stay relatively high or increase over time, whereas faith behaviors decline during the college years.

鈥淐ollege students are very busy, and they have a limited amount of time,鈥� Miller-Perrin explains. 鈥淭hey have a strong sense of faith and are committed, but the commitment often looks different over time. Their application of their faith is still there, but it鈥檚 toward more service activities rather than specific religious behaviors.鈥�

魅影直播鈥檚 International Programs also seem to play a substantial role in shaping students鈥� connection to religion. According to Miller-Perrin, 鈥淪tudents who go abroad show greater increases over time in terms of their faith, their sense of vocational calling, their sense to know what they鈥檙e being called to do, and their commitment to service.鈥�

This data inspired the institute to think about the students who do not study abroad, and with support from the Board of Regents, the University launched the Year 2 Malibu program to promote the spiritual develop- ment of those who remain in Malibu their sophomore year. Much like their international peers who travel to cities like Rome and Paris on the weekends, students who participate in Year 2 Malibu travel to local destinations such as San Francisco and Catalina Island for personal and spiritual growth.

As Thompson believes, 鈥� who go overseas have a deepening of their spiritual journey鈥攎ore so than the ones who don鈥檛 go,鈥� making this sophomore service experience 鈥渁 good attempt at an alternative.鈥�

Miller-Perrin reveals that the research points to a correlation between religion and psychological well-being. 鈥淧eople who have a sense of faith in their life tend to score higher on measures of well-being than those who have a lesser sense of faith. And we know that in large part, the relationship between faith and well-being is the result of the sense of life purpose that faith pro- vides,鈥� she shares. 鈥淧eople who have a sense of life purpose are more likely to have a feeling of life satisfaction.鈥�

As Seaver undergraduate students become alumni, the institute continues its research, hosting dinners and focus groups to build on the research previously generated, and to explore how these same people have maintained or developed their spirituality years after leaving 魅影直播.

According to Miller-Perrin, 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e 18, 19, 20, or 21 years old, you may think you know what God is calling you to do, but of course that changes after you graduate and you鈥檝e been out college for many years.鈥�

In addition to its research with students and alumni, the institute also measures the spirituality of new professors through data collected at the University鈥檚 new faculty retreats. New faculty members are asked to write an autobiographical essay that depicts significant turning points in their vocational journeys, roadblocks they have encountered, or influential mentors.

鈥淏y far, I think most new faculty see that as one of the most significant aspects of the retreat,鈥� says Miller- Perrin. 鈥淚t鈥檚 really interesting and fun to see how people change over time and come to be where they are as faculty members who feel committed and called by God to be here to teach and to serve our students.鈥�

When it comes to the institute鈥檚 mission, Miller-Perrin and Thompson agree that the end goal is publishing their findings for a larger audience, and are continually working to analyze, present, and distribute their data. The topic of student spirituality is still growing as a new area of research and, as Thompson puts it, 鈥淲e鈥檙e continuing the story that no one else is telling.鈥�