Caring for the Whole Student: How Do Chaplains Contribute to Campus Life?

Abstract

In the changing religious landscape of American higher education, campus chaplains offer vital resources to student affairs professionals. Drawing from interviews with 16 religiously diverse chaplains, this article presents the respondents’ perspectives on the challenges facing students, as well as their own contributions to campus life. Chaplains described three central roles: bridge-building, community-building, and tending to the soul of the university. These findings indicate that chaplains, particularly those from non-Christian traditions, contribute to campus life in ways not yet indicated in the higher education literature. In light of these findings, the authors encourage collaboration among chaplains of all faiths and student affairs professionals.