U.VA. STUDENTS ATTRACTED TO SPIRITUALITY Reflecting what may be a national trend, University of Virginia students appear to be showing increasing interest in religion and spirituality. Students, faculty and representatives of religious organizations across Grounds affirm a widely held belief that U.Va. students are seriously investigating matters of faith through academic pursuits, regular attendance at campus ministries and participation in volunteer service. Although U.Va. is not offering more courses related to spirituality, enrollments in such popular undergraduate classes as "Faith and Doubt in the Modern Age" and "Religion and Modern Fiction" have increased in recent years. For example, 89 students were enrolled in "Faith and Doubt" in fall '93, and there are 115 this fall. The increased numbers reflect an enrollment trend in the religious studies department. "We have higher enrollments this semester than ever before, and enrollments have been steadily climbing over the last several years. We have about 2,300 students taking religious studies courses this semester, compared to about 2,000 last fall, and enrollments are up in most courses," said Harry Y. Gamble Jr., professor and chairman of the department. Student interest in Asian religious traditions and Eastern themes of spirituality appears to be particularly strong, Gamble noted. Department faculty report keen student participation in classes. "Students seem more interested in questions about values and religious issues, as shown by the number of questions raised and the general discussion level in classes," Gamble said. For more information, he can be reached at (804) 924-6714. Showing Distinct Interest in Religion Jamie Ferreira, a religious studies professor who teaches the popular "Faith and Doubt" course, notes a distinct difference in student attitudes. "Students seem to be very interested in finding out about religion, but less concerned about spiritual questions. I'm seeing more and more students who want to know about religion, but they seem less concerned about `meaning of life' issues," she said. Ferreira can be reached at (804) 924-6712. Exhibiting Increased Interest in Prayer Students and directors of campus ministries believe that students are increasingly participating in religious services and related activities. "Students are thinking more about spirituality," said Nicole Boone, a student leader in the New Generation Campus Ministries, a predominantly black group devoted to encouraging Christianity and supporting the development of Christian leaders. Attendance in New Generation prayer meetings held daily at 7 a.m. has doubled, she said. Students are showing more interest in praying themselves, and New Generation members are receiving increasing numbers of requests for prayer on behalf of others, Boone said. "Students seem to have more interest in talking about the Lord," said Boone, noting that New Generation members seek out people to engage in discussions about religion. Boone has one hesitancy. "I definitely think students are showing more interest in spirituality, especially during the holidays and at exams. It's that time of the year when people tend to think about religion. But what will people be thinking about in January?" She can be reached at (804) 243-1011. Searching for Inner Truth "I've become more spiritual in recent years, and there definitely seems to be more student interest in spirituality now than during my undergraduate years," said Jon M. Talotta, student chair of the Judiciary Committee. "I've noticed religion playing a more important, more active role in students' lives than during my undergraduate days. I think people are trying to become more attuned to themselves than in the recent past," added Talotta, a graduate student in political science. He can be reached at (804) 971-7846. "It's almost kind of `in' to be more spiritual now," said Tony Giles, director of undergraduate ministries at the Center for Christian Study, an independent organization that serves as a resource on Christianity to the University. Student attendance at fellowship meetings has increased, and students are asking increasing numbers of questions about religion and spiritual issues, notes Giles, who helps fraternities and sororities to extend Christian outreach. "We had over 1,000 people from the University attend a week-long series that discussed mankind's search for truth," said Giles, who helps students learn about Christian faith by offering seminars and academic programs. He can be reached at (804) 295-2471. Picking, Choosing What's Relevant Brian Connell, the student president of Campus Crusade for Christ at U.Va., believes the number of students involved in the organization is lower this year than last year. However, Daniel Schuttinga, also a Campus Crusade member who tries to "share the gospel" with students, is finding more students willing to be part of an evangelical movement now than last year. He estimates that he talks to 30 or 40 people about the gospel weekly. Campus Crusade for Christ sends an annual survey to students to determine their interest in spiritual matters. "On one of the questions asking how much interest students have in spiritual matters, response has been very high," Schuttinga said. As a Campus Crusade representative who conducts spiritual-interest interviews with students responding to the surveys, Schuttinga has found, "Lots of students are trying to pick and choose among aspects of various religions, trying to find what's relevant to them. Both Connell and Schuttinga can be reached at (804) 979-9829. Growing Belief in Jewish Faith Student interest is strong at the Hillel Jewish Center, particularly during the high holidays, notes executive director David Y. Chack. "There is a very definite, strong belief in God, unlike when I was an undergraduate," Chack said. In a survey of 200 center students about their religious affiliation three years ago, the majority indicated a strong affiliation with the Jewish faith. "Students are taking religion very seriously now. They see religious thinking as an important part of society and our culture," Chack added. He can be reached at (804) 295-4963. To Gain Other Impressions Other contacts include the Baptist Student Union at (804) 977-8743, Canterbury Episcopal Student Fellowship at (804) 295-2156 and the Wesley Foundation, United Methodist Campus Ministry Center, at (804) 977-6500. Searching Through Books At the U.Va. Bookstore sales of "The Celestine Prophecy" were strong while the book was on the New York Times best seller list. More than 75 copies of the hardbound book were sold during fiscal 1995, reports Wayne Terwilliger, manager of the general books department. He said that sales of "The Experiential Guide" have increased slightly this year over last year's tally, and there's been interest in "Embraced by the Light." He can be reached at (804) 924-1074. Gaining Satisfaction Through Service Still another component of the spirituality question could be the increased interest U.Va. students exhibit in "finding themselves" through volunteerism. Student volunteerism continues to grow at U.Va. About one of every six students devotes several hours weekly to volunteer work. During the past academic year 3,075 students volunteered a total of 110,000 hours--an increase of 33 percent over five years. The students provided 110,000 hours of service through 17 programs to an estimated 13,000 area residents -- a 27 percent increase in service hours in five years. For more information, contact Cindy Fredrick, executive director at Madison House, the office that coordinates community service at U.Va., at (804) 977 7051. December 8, 1995