Student Voices Project Full Report

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BostonCollegeChurchinthe21stCenturyCenter

StudentVoicesProject:TheFutureChurch

ProjectSummaryandFindings

November2020

StudentVoicesProjectTimeline

FutureChurchSurveydesigned,releasedondesignatedC21-SVP webpage,andsharedthroughwordofmouth/flyers.

December2020

SmallpamphletswithSurveyQRCodeplacedinUniversitychapels andlibraries,facilitating50+responseswithinonemonth.

February2021

March2021

May2021

September2021

100+responsesrecordedbyendofFebruary.Focusgroupshostedby C21Directortocollectadditionalqualitativedata.

UponC21AdvisoryCommitteerecommendation,surveyformat slightlyadjusted.200+totalresponsesrecorded.

SpringweatherfacilitatesCOVID-compliantoutdoorgiftcard giveaways,facilitating370FutureChurchSurveyresponsesatendof academicyear.

EspressoYourFaithWeek surveyansweredby100+students:

1. HowhasBostonCollegehelpedyoudeepenyourfaith?

2. HowcanBostonCollegehelpyoudeepenyourfaith?

October2021

Additionaltwo-questionsurveyansweredby75+students:

1. HowhasBostonCollegehelpedyoudeepenyourfaith?

2. WheredoyouseeGodoncampus?

StudentVoicesProjectStructure

StudentVoicesProjectFutureChurchSurvey(370Responses)

- Race/Ethnicity -BestexperienceintheChurch?

- GenderIdentity -WorstexperienceintheChurch?

- SchoolAttendance

- ClassYear

PhaseOne

-IfyoucouldtellPopeFrancisonething...

-Whatnourishesyouinlife?

- ReligiousAffiliation -WhatdoyouwantfromtheChurch?

- CatholicSchoolAttendance

FutureChurchSurveyFocusGroups(45Students)

- HostedbyC21CenterDirector

- 3-5undergraduate/graduatestudentparticipants

- Invitedtodiscusspersonal/educationalbackground

- Particularquestionsaskedabout:

- DistinctiveBCmemories/programs

- Howstudentsbuildcommunity

- BCimpactonpersonalfaithformation

EspressoYourFaithWeek Survey(100+Students)

- StudentsofferedfreeAgapeLatteT-Shirt

- TablingonO’NeillQuad

- Responseswrittenonsmallindexcards

PhaseTwo

OctoberTwo-QuestionSurvey(75+Students)

- StudentsofferedStarbucksgiftcardsorAgapeLatteT-Shirt

- TablingonGassonQuad

- ResponsesrecordedonGoogleForm

PhaseOneResults

StudentVoicesProjectFutureChurchSurvey(370Responses)

- ReligiousAffiliation

- Race/Ethnicity

- GenderIdentity

Catholic

**Note:Onlymostfrequentresponsesdisplayed.**

- MajorLearnings

- Importanceofcommunity

- Importanceofnon-liturgicalformsofengagement,includingretreatsandacademiccoursework

- ImportanceofexperienceinCatholicschools,includingBostonCollege,toformation

- Importanceofhospitality

- MajorLearnings

FutureChurchSurveyFocusGroups(45Students)

- BostonCollegeexperienceallowsstudentstomakefaiththeirown

- Engagementwithquestionsoffaithintheclassroomishelpfultoself-reflection

- Distinctivetheology/philosophyacademicprogramshelpfultostudentsfromnon-Catholichigh schoolswhoareengagingwithquestionsoffaithforthefirsttimeoncampus

- Massattendancemostfrequentwhenindividualsgowithfriends(e.g.,buildingcommunity)

- Availabilityofopportunitiestoengagewithfaithinthefirstyearisveryimportant

- Relationshipswithfacultyandupperclassmenisimportanttobuildingcommunity

- Serviceopportunitiesshowthereal-worlddimensionsoftheCatholicfaith

PhaseTwoResults

EspressoYourFaithWeekSurvey(100+Responses)

- MajorLearnings

- ImportanceoftheMass

- Importanceofnon-liturgicalformsofengagement

- Importanceofacademicopportunitiestoexploringquestionsoffaith

- Importanceofinterreligiousexposure

- Importanceofvalues-basededucation

- Importanceofcommunity

OctoberTwo-QuestionSurvey(75+Responses)

- MajorLearnings

- HowhasBostonCollegehelpedyoudeepenyourfaith?

- Academiccoursework

- Serviceandretreats

- AvailabilityoftheSacraments

- WheredoyouseeGodoncampus?

- Friendsandclassmates

- Facultyandstaff

- Architectureandchapels

- Masses,especiallycandlelight

- Kindnessofcommunity

**Note:Onlymostfrequentresponsesdisplayed.**

ResultsSummary

OverayearsincetheStudentVoicesProjectbegan,wehavelistened toover540studentstellusabouttheirfaith,experienceatBoston College,andhowtheirfaithhasevolvedduringtheircollegeyears.

Reflectingontheresultswehavecollectedfromsurveysandfocus groups,thesearethemajorfindingsoftheStudentVoicesProject:

BostonCollegestudentsdesirea senseofcommunityoncampus andaroundtheirfaith

BostonCollegestudentsarewilling toandinterestedinengagingwith questionsoffaithoutsideofthe Mass

BostonCollege’scourseworkand distinctiveacademicprogramsare majorsitesofengagementwith questionsoffaith

BostonCollegestudentsbelieve thathospitalityaroundtheMass andotherCatholicprogramsis important

MovingForward:BostonCollege

1. HowdowebestleveragetheUniversity’sdistinctiveacademic missionandtohelpstudentsengagewithquestionsoffaith?

Hereiswhatthesurveydatasuggests:

●BuildingnewandexpandingcurrenttraditionsaroundtheMassand otheryearlyliturgicalcelebrations(e.g.,MassoftheHolySpirit)

Community

●SharingamealorhostingothersimilareventsaroundtheMasstohelp studentsmeetothersinterestedinparticipatinginacampus-widefaith community

●EngagingResidentialLifeandStudentAffairstointegratetheresidential studentexperiencewiththefaithcommunityoncampus

Coursework& Academic Programs

●Encouragingphilosophyand/ortheologycourseworkinthefirstyear throughpre-majoradvising

●Creatingnewandexpandingcurrentacademicprogramsthatallow studentstoengagewithquestionsoffaithinnewways,especiallythrough distinctiveCOREclasses

Hospitality& Non-Liturgical Engagement

●Creatingadditionalopportunitiesforstudentstoengageinconversation withmenandwomenreligiousoncampus

●EnsuringthatinvitationstotheMassencouragestudentstoshareina faithcommunityby,forexample,bringingfriends

●MarketingMission&Ministryandrelatedprogramsthatare faith-adjacentinsuchawayastoensurethatnon-practicingstudentsfeel invitedtoparticipate(andnotconcernedaboutlackofcatechetical knowledge,forexample)

●Meetingstudentswheretheyareintheirfaithjourney,especiallyinthe firstyear,bypresentingparticipationintheUniversity’sfaithcommunity asanintegralpartoftheBostonCollegeexperience

MovingForward:YoungPeople&TheChurch

1. HowshouldthemethodologyandresultsoftheStudentVoices ProjectimpactthewaythattheUniversitythinksaboutthe broaderquestionofyoungpeopleandtheChurch?

2. Arethereactionablelearningsaboutengagingyoungpeople, informedbythesurveydata,thatBostonCollegecanofferto theUniversalChurch?

Inthespiritoftheongoing SynodandPopeFrancis’sgoal ofcreatinga “listening Church,”cantheStudent VoicesProjectmodelan effectivewaytolearnfrom youngpeopleoutsideofBoston College?

Wouldsharingtheresultsofthe StudentVoicesProjectmore widelythroughapublicreport beahelpfulwayforthose outsideofCatholichigher education(e.g.,diocese,bishops) tore-thinkhowtheChurch engageswithyoungpeople?

WouldtheDicasteryforLaity andFamilyLife(Vatican)or USCCBcommitteesonyouth benefitfromthelearningsof theStudentVoicesProject?

HowshouldtheAmerican Churchthinkabouttheroleof Catholichighereducationin ministeringtoyoungpeople giventheresultsoftheStudent VoicesProjectandstatusof youthparticipationatthe diocesanlevel?

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