Drew University Library : University Archives : Theses and Dissertations
    
author Scott Morrison Kershner
title Experiences of Native American Students at Susquehanna University and the Renewal of Chaplaincy in Higher Education
abstract Students of color at predominantly white institutions have been underserved by chaplaincy services. This study investigates why that is and what can be done. The experiences of Native American students at Susquehanna University provide a critical lens on this history and potential paths forward.

The growing religious and ethnic diversity in higher education has challenged chaplaincy to adapt. Higher education in the United States was born out of religious commitments. As religious demographics have changed, so has higher education's relationship to religion. Most chaplaincies in higher education institutions were instituted to serve white, Protestant students. As American higher education has grown more ethnically and religiously diverse since the 1960s, chaplaincies have been challenged to adapt to serve these new realities, including the intersection of racial inequities and religious diversity. Critical Religious Pluralism Theory is an analytical tool that discloses the ways in which Christian hegemony has been woven into the fabric of higher education in ways that reproduce inequity. Further, Christian hegemony and white supremacy have been historically linked and mutually reinforcing in contemporary America. These issues related to religious diversity in higher education intersect with a growing body of literature documenting the benefits of spiritual engagement among university students for both traditional academic and wellness outcomes. However, there are significant racial disparities related to staffing and resource allocation. For these reasons, the pursuit of religious equity in higher education is an essential component of building antiracist institutions and providing spiritual support for student of color. The leadership, wisdom, passion, and moral imagination of Native American students at Susquehanna University, as demonstrated through their creation of a Native land acknowledgment site, known as the Susquehannock Tribute Circle, help us imagine what it might look like to nurture spiritual belonging on today's campuses, and how chaplaincy might be transformed to serve the human dignity of every student. I argue for a diversified staffing structure, collaboration with diversity and inclusion infrastructure, interfaith learning, and mentorship.

school The Theological School, Drew University
degree D.Min. (2022)
advisor Jacqueline J. Lewis
J. Terry Todd
full textSKershner.pdf