Surveys: student satisfaction, spiritual life high at Concordia, Ann Arbor

Concordia University Ann Arbor, Mich., Campus Pastor Rev. Ryan Peterson, right, prays with students in the school’s Chapel of the Holy Trinity. Also pictured, from left, are Mikaela Morgan, Logan Taylor and Michael Salminen. Two recent surveys show high levels of student satisfaction and spirituality at the school, part of the LCMS Concordia University System. (Courtesy of Concordia University Ann Arbor)

Concordia University Ann Arbor, Mich. (CUAA), has released the results of two recent surveys that show high levels of student satisfaction and spirituality. Since 2012, CUAA and Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, have operated as one university, with two distinctive residential campuses.

Results from the Student Satisfaction Inventory — administered last fall to CUAA’s 600 undergraduate students — show gains across the board for the third year in a row. Eleven of the inventory’s 13 scales showed improvement from the previous years in areas such as campus life, academic advising, safety and security, concern for the individual, response to a diverse population, campus climate and campus ministry.

The survey results “demonstrate the tremendous progress happening here,” said Curt Gielow, campus chief executive. “Concordia is taking major steps to ensure students who attend Concordia University, Ann Arbor [CUAA], will receive a high-quality educational experience in all areas, and I believe the results of the survey show that students are noticing.”

The gains place CUAA ahead of the national benchmarks for four-year, private institutions in areas such as “meeting expectations,” “overall satisfaction” and “would enroll here again.”

The University Spiritual Life Survey — completed by a representative sampling of residential undergraduate CUAA students in October 2015 — is based on the expectation that the love of Christ and a commitment to Him grow together with love of and service to others.

“It helps us understand our students, their faith journey and how Concordia can help them grow in their lives and faith,” said Campus Pastor Rev. Ryan Peterson. About a dozen other schools nationwide participate in the survey; this was the first time for CUAA.

According to the results, 98 percent of CUAA students surveyed identified themselves as Christian believers, with varying degrees to which they felt Christ’s presence and guidance from day to day.

The other 2 percent, despite not necessarily identifying as Christians, were nonetheless engaged in service to others.

Of those surveyed, 80 percent indicated they have a favorable attitude toward CUAA Campus Ministry, and 75 percent indicated that that ministry (with chapel and mission activities) is an important part of their Concordia experience.

Areas of improvement for CUAA include helping students develop the practice of prayer; assisting them in times of doubt, when they struggle with obstacles to their faith; and fostering students’ personal passions for service.

Gielow said the survey results represent “a great confirmation of our commitment to not only grow this campus and make it successful, but to move forward as a community, united in mission.”

The Rev. Dr. Patrick Ferry, who serves as president of both the Ann Arbor and Wisconsin campuses, told Reporter that “the love of God in Christ Jesus is the reason we exist. Our mission to prepare students to ‘serve Christ in the Church and the world’ is certainly focused on reaching more people with the love of God as Concordia alumni pursue their vocations.

“However, our mission starts much closer to home, on campus, as faculty, students and staff — each at a different place in their spiritual formation — grow in mind, body and, most essentially, spirit.”

Posted April 22, 2016