Socially but Not Spiritually Distant: Narratives of Black Graduate Students in a Virtual Faith-Affirming Community

• In Event: Facets of Racial Identity Development for Marginalized Students in Higher Education

Abstract

Guided by a theory of communion, this study draws on narrative inquiry to explore the role of a virtual faith-affirming community in the lives of Black graduate students attending several historically white institutions (HWIs). Three research questions guided this investigation: (1) How do Black college students make meaning of their spirituality within a virtual faith-affirming community; (2) What role does a faith-affirming community play in the life of Black college students; and (3) What motivates Black college students to remain engaged within a virtual faith-affirming community? Preliminary findings from this analysis point to the power of radical love and relationship and community holistic care as critical pillars for keeping participants engaged in a virtual faith-affirming community.

Authors

• Christopher S. Travers, University of Maryland

• Ashley Hicks, The Ohio State University