According to data from the most recent National Survey on Student Engagement, conducted by researchers at Indiana University, students with strong spiritual leanings tend to do better in college than their less spiritual peers. As this report from Inside Higher Ed explains, “students who frequently engage in spirituality-enhancing practices also participate more in a broad cross-section of collegiate activities.”
“The bottom line is that these students are more engaged across the board than average students in range of interesting activities,” says George Kuh, director of the survey as well as the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research. “They do a variety of things that are known to be positive contributors to the overall college experience.”
The report continues:
In fact, students who participate frequently in spirituality-enhancing activities tend to exercise more, attend cultural events more often, and are more likely to perform community service. They also report being “somewhat more satisfied†with college and have a more positive view of the out-of-class environment. Researchers offered a broad definition of spirituality, including everything from regular attendance at religious services to private meditation.
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