Spiritual Quest

Spiritual Quest reflects the degree to which the student is actively searching for meaning and purpose in life, to become a more self-aware and enlightened person, and to find answers to life’s mysteries and “big questions.” Each of the individual items that make up this scale includes words such as “finding,” “attaining,” “seeking,” “developing,” “searching,” or “becoming.”

Students who begin college with high Spiritual Quest scores say that a major reason they enrolled in college is to find their life’s purpose and that they expect the college experience to enhance their self-understanding and contribute to their emotional and spiritual development.

The student’s inclination to engage in a Spiritual Quest grows significantly during the college years. This growth can be facilitated by meditation and self-reflection, having faculty who encourage the exploration of questions of meaning and purpose, involvement in religious activities, and by participation in charitable activities.