Students Grow More Caring, Spiritual During College Years
Throughout their time in college, many students tend to become more liberal, caring and spiritual, according to new information from the Spirituality in Higher Education project conducted by HERI. Some findings from students surveyed in 2004 and again in 2007 include:

• 41.2% of freshmen considered developing a meaningful philosophy of life "very important" or "essential"; that rose to 55.4% when they became juniors
• 48.7% of freshmen said "attaining inner harmony" was "very important" or "essential"; that rose to 62.6% when they became juniors
• 67.4% of freshmen were interested in "becoming a more loving person"; that rose to 82.8% when they became juniors
• 54.6% of freshmen considered "reducing pain and suffering in the world" to be "very important" or "essential," that rose to 66.6% when they became juniors
• 53.4% of freshmen considered "improving the human condition" important; that rose to 63.8% when they became juniors

Many students may be searching for spiritual connections during their time at college.

Sources: The Chronicle of Higher Education, 12/18/07; press release from www.spirituality. ucla.edu, 12/18/07