Purpose Statement and Research Questions Update

The Purpose of the Research

The purpose of this study is to explore experiences of undergraduate students who engage in religious activities provided by the Newman Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. This study is aimed at understanding undergraduate students' perceptions of the role religious activities play in their lives and well-being. By providing a better insight into experiences of undergraduate students who participate in religious activities, I seek to legitimize allocation of resources to religious organizations and services on campus as well as encourage universities to provide more religious support to their students and design religious activities aimed at improving students' well-being.

The Research Questions

The study will be focused on the three major clusters of questions.

1)    What religious activities and support does the Neman Center provide students with?

2)    How do undergraduate students describe their experiences of engaging in religious activities at the Newman center? What do they find critical about these experiences?

3)    How do advisors describe undergraduate students' experiences with religious activities provided by the Newman center? What do they find critical about these experiences?