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?