This is an introduction to a six-part blog series based on an article I wrote for the Biola Magazine (Fall, 2010) summarizing five years of research on the spirituality of students at Christian colleges.  In each of the next five blogs I will consider and expand on one of five reflections synthesized from the data.  In this blog, I provide a brief overview of the research projects and the theoretical model driving my research program on spiritual transformation.

One of the most important goals of Christian colleges and universities is to help students grow spiritually and develop their character. Likewise, one of the biggest challenges Christian universities (like Biola where I teach) face is evaluating how we are doing in this area. In fact, secular accrediting agencies have begun asking such schools for evidence that they are assessing and improving student spiritual development, since it is a core part of our mission.

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I don’t have one friend who graduated college in the last year or two who isn’t struggling financially right now. These are bright, driven, visionary people too, people who spent thousands to acquire a quality education and worked hard to achieve the grades they did, people who were told all their lives that if they applied themselves and were responsible, they could achieve anything.

Now, Starbucks won’t even hire them. There is a tremendous and overwhelming feeling of failure, regret, frustration, and hopelessness. Thoughts like “I’m not good enough,” “I’m worthless to society,” and “What were the past four years for?” penetrate the restless and weary minds of many.  People who enrolled in universities with the dream of educating future generations are seeing door after door closed in their face. Creative minds with media degrees in film and radio are being rejected by Bestbuys and Blockbusters.

So what should we do?

Do we move back home with our parents and slip into a state of apathy? Come to think of it, our little league trophy shrine and emo mix CD-R's do miss us. And after all,  society seems to understand this notion.  There’s less shame in it now then there was in years past.

Do we flee to the mission field? Maybe 6 months in Brazil will make us feel better about ourselves. South American Starbucks have to brew way better coffee than US ones anyway.

Do we go back to school? Ah, college.. life was AWESOME then. No worries, less responsibilities... a cafeteria!  How hard would it be to take out a few more loans and just ride this recession wave out?

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