On campuses across the country, students and professional staff are considering student interfaith leadership as one way that students act on their core values to make a positive difference in the world. This kind of student leadership can be framed through student leadership models like the social change model of leadership development. Better…

Many institutions of higher education have chapels, but how often are the chapels used? The authors examine use of chapels on two private higher education campuses in the Southeastern United States. While close to 50% of students visited the chapels on both campuses, visits were primarily for secular activities, although use of the chapels for…

Many scholars have examined religious privilege in society and on campus, evidencing the privileged place Christianity generally enjoys and the marginalization that Jews often encounter, regardless of the school they attend. That said, in considering the Jewish higher education experience, something else is at play here. When juxtaposed with…

This article examines the question of how to best accommodate Hindu practice on college campuses by contrasting the dedication of a prayer room with the hiring of a Hindu chaplain. The author suggests that this dichotomy--of an impersonal physical space ("a room") on the one hand, and a chaplain empowered to lead a community ("a view") on the…

Duke University has a decidedly Christian history, and Duke University Chapel presents a decidedly Christian presence on campus. Yet, the chapel and its university partners are committed to creating an environment on campus where students of any faith may thrive. Staff members understand that it is important for individuals involved in religious…

This ethnographic project explored the extent to which the campus culture at a small liberal arts college was open to student experiences and expressions of the spiritual and the religious. The authors found that despite the college's reputation for valuing diversity and a commitment to social justice, students shared a narrative of religious…

Pluralism and engagement with diverse religious, secular, and spiritual worldviews can contribute significantly to college student growth and civic engagement. But these concepts can be difficult to measure in the framework of student learning. This article describes a process and product undertaken by Elon University, Interfaith Youth Core, and…

This article analyzes the experience of teaching and learning in a "Literature of Service" course in its attempt to utilize the best of civic learning and faith-based reflection to make sense of social inequality. The language of students' final portfolios for the course suggests a direct connection between their classroom talk about literary…

The authors explore ways that faith and a commitment to social justice can be integrated into learning in higher education today. They also seek to highlight six foundational insights emerging from the proceedings of the National Faith, Justice, and Civic Learning (NFJCL) conference related to the importance of effectively reintegrating the…

Given the lack of published spiritual practices in classroom settings, particularly in public colleges and universities, this article provides one way of promoting mindfulness in an academic course format. Personal insights and practices are shared as a way to encourage fellow instructors not only to teach mindfulness but, more importantly, to…

How can Christian colleges and universities promote interfaith cooperation on their campuses while remaining true to their particular theological orientations? The authors explore why Christian colleges are uniquely situated to positively engage religious diversity and offer best practices for interfaith work in a Christian college context from…

This critical essay reviews Small's (2011) book reporting research on the spiritual identities and discursive practices of college students in intrafaith and interfaith dialogue. Small's recommendations and research methods are instructive and helpful to both scholars and practitioners in higher education and student affairs. This research opens…

What does it mean for college men to be authentic? How can we support their efforts to transcend their own immediate needs? And what roles do trusted others play in one's construction of identity? This article describes a preliminary new theoretical model--a Transcendence Model of Identity Construction--based on original research studying…

How can evangelical Christian colleges prepare their students to lead lives of Christian faith in a postmodern world characterized by cultural heterogeneity? Fallibilist Christian spirituality is presented as an orientation that empowers students to be receptive to the insights of diverse perspectives while maintaining their personal faith…

The number of students who do not believe in a higher power is rising, but these students often find themselves marginalized and struggle to gain acceptance on campus. Using data from the Secular Student Alliance, this article explores the interests of nonreligious nontheistic students, identifies issues these students face on campus, and offers…