By D. Paul Harris
5 September 2006

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - As summer break comes to an end and students head back to institutions of higher learning, religion is becoming an increasingly significant part of campus life.

"Over the years, my observation has been that students are very much attuned to increasing more deeply their spiritual faith," said Patrick Stack, director of counseling services and campus ministry liaison at Webster University in St. Louis. "I guess each year that goes by it just astounds me how important this is in people’s lives."

Stack says the religious landscape at Webster University has changed tremendously from when he started there 18 years ago. At that time, there were no religious groups, and now there are 18 campus ministries, representing Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Three Bible studies are held each week by different campus ministries, Stack says.

Aubrey and Tim Dorsch, a husband and wife team, lead the Campus Crusade for Christ ministry at Webster and Washington universities. It’s the largest student organization on the Webster campus and one of the largest at Washington University.

"During this time of the year, we are reaching out to freshmen in a big way," said Aubrey Dorsch. "The freshman year can be very hard. For many of them, it’s their first time away from home and they are dealing with situations they’ve never dealt with before. We feel it’s important for us to get out there and meet and greet them."

Josh Chan, a member of the Campus Crusade for Christ at Washington University, was on hand Friday at the university’s Ursas cafe passing out snow cones and freshmen survival kits, which included Bibles and assorted items.

"I think the freshmen really appreciate the items that they are getting," said Chan, who is a junior majoring in mechanical engineering and finance. "I hope that in their own time and in their personal way that they can just take a look at the items and maybe be intrigued by it, and perhaps think a little more about spiritual matters because that’s the purpose behind the items."

As a counselor, Stack finds that students have concerns about their religious faith and the struggles they have trying to be genuinely faithful.

"I wouldn’t call it a surge, but there has been a noticeable increase of issues pertaining to spirituality and religion by each subsequent new group of students who come to us over the years," said Stack, "and I don’t see that changing."

Jill Carnaghi, assistant vice chancellor for students and director of campus life at Washington University, says college gives students an opportunity to find their niche, and "check out some other religious beliefs just to see if they are compatible or not with their own values."

Carnaghi says students make multiple connections within the university community "and their spiritual and religious life is just one of those connections."

Stack agrees.

"I think people are yearning for more connections," he said. "The emphasis that religion provides to people in general is a connection with one another in fellowship. I think that’s very attractive to many students."

Although many Webster students participate in campus religious groups, resident students as well as commuter students also attend churches, mosques or synagogues in the area.

Jeff Briggs, a senior at Webster from Alabama, is a musician for a Jewish congregation in Creve Coeur.

"Being in a college environment has facilitated spiritual awareness because I am surrounded by people who are pursuing various disciplines and they are very focused." Briggs said. "That keeps me sane because I’m in biology and math. Having music and mysticism is my release, especially doing the prayer services. It’s very grounding, very inspiring."

Campus ministers and ministries have to meet the requirements of the institution.

"We at Webster University do not provide any stipend to any campus ministry," Stack said. "We will assist them in terms of the university’s resources such as helping with a room or with technological equipment. On some occasions I might be able to shake the money tree and get cookies and maybe punch or something. All the campus ministries are here because of our students."

Washington University, like Webster, is not affiliated with any religious group. The 21 student religious groups at Washington University are registered through the student government and work with an adviser.

"As a liaison, I work with priests, rabbis, advisers and lay folks to find out, how do we provide guidance for our students in this area of spirituality?" Carnaghi said.

"It’s not that they (the advisers) are going to direct, proselytize or tell them what to do because that would be the biggest turnoff to a college-aged student. That would be the kiss of death."

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