As ISIS continues its research, we are focusing on factors for student success which are not getting much attention on the national scene. One of these areas is supporting students’ exploration of their core values and their inner spiritual, personal strengths.
This work is strongly supported by research completed at UCLA and described in the 2010 book Cultivating the Spirit by Alexander Astin, Helen S. Astin, and Jennifer A. Lindholm. This research provides solid evidence that student success is increased and student satisfaction is improved when key elements of spirituality are strengthened. They identified the five key elements of vibrant student spirituality as equanimity / resilience, search for life’s meaning, an ethic of caring, charitable involvement, and a global awareness.
With support from a grant funded by the Council of Independent Colleges through their NetVUE project (Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education), Heritage University and the Institute for Student Identity and Success are working to implement activities and opportunities which can help students explore their core values and can support students as they chart and pursue a life path which expresses their deepest human and spiritual values.
Heritage University, as a non-denominational institution, believes we can provide valuable input for developing this aspect of student support for other institutions. Since the majority of students in the United States attend institutions which have no religious affiliation because they are tax-supported, Heritage’s efforts to explore non-denominational approaches to building spiritual strength could be helpful to many other campuses.
Heritage is piloting several approaches, including regularly-scheduled guided walks on the labyrinth located in the center of the campus, a Spirituality Awareness week, student focus groups to identify spiritually nourishing places and activities on campus, supporting a student club focused on these ideas, and other activities.
In these efforts, Heritage University is drawing on its history as the successor institution to Fort Wright College of the Holy Names (Spokane, 1907 – 1982) sponsored by the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. A campus spirit of mutual support and caring, as well as specific activities to sustain students’ inner strengths and spiritual growth, are a valuable part of the heritage from Fort Wright which are being developed to support student success at Heritage University.