Student beliefs profoundly affect their identity and impact other student outcomes during their years in college, but contemporary research on college students’ sacred-belief identifiers is scant. We utilized a constructivist, mixed-methods, explanatory, sequential design and surveyed 201 college students and interviewed 27 participants to inquire about their sacred-belief identifiers. In an initial survey, 86% of student participants identified as a religious person, a person of faith, or a spiritual person. We offer definitions for each of these sacred-belief identifiers and make recommendations for campus ministers, diversity and inclusion professionals, and those conducting campus climate assessments.
Bell, L., Sheedy, F., Davis, V. & Grabsch, D. K. (2023). Exploring the sacred beliefs of college students. College Student Journal. 57(2): 113-126.
Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D. 