Peck, K: Ignatian Spirituality In Higher Education

Higher education in the 21st Century has become increasingly aware of the need to foster student character and moral development. To achieve this goal, many institutions, especially those from faith-based traditions, have included a spiritual domain as part of academic mission. To succeed, faculty must also philosophically agree on how particular faith beliefs are pedagogically embedded. This study incorporated a case study to explore how faculty at one Catholic institution of higher education described their responsibility to foster Ignatian spirituality. Interviews were conducted with Jesuit, Catholic, and non-Catholic faculty, in addition to a college President. Five documents were also analyzed including course syllabi, two sources on Ignatian spirituality and Catholic teaching, and a Presidential inaugural address. Insights from this study will be of interest to faculty and administrators in higher education who desire to specifically integrate faith-based traditions as part of student learning and development.