A Case Study of the Center for Christian Thought and Academic Excellence at Darin University

• In Event: 51.037 - Embracing the Whole Student: Perspectives on College Student Development

Abstract

Evangelical Christian campus ministries are among the most vibrant student organizations across higher education. It has traditionally been thought that evangelical students maintain an oppositional posture toward the secular academic norms at non-sectarian institutions, breeding feelings of alienation on campus. Meanwhile, Christian Study Centers have been overlooked, which are helping students engage productively in the academic life of their institutions while maintaining evangelical commitments. In this exploratory instrumental case study, one Center at a large, private non-sectarian university in the Southeastern U.S. is examined for its influence on students' academic, social, and spiritual habits. Utilizing the framework of cultural congruity, findings reveal that the Center enabled students to embrace a counter-narrative that correlated academic excellence with Christian faithfulness.

Author

• Kevin Singer, North Carolina State University