The Future of Residence Life and Student Affairs in Christian Higher Education

The future of Christian higher education is not certain, and faith-based institutions will need to continue to convince prospective students that the experiences they offer are worth the investment. What is missing in the discussion of what makes Christian higher education special is the transformational experience provided outside of the classroom. To this end, residential life and student affairs in Christian higher education is an area of untapped potential critical to the future of these campuses. When taking into account the lost role of service in the professoriate, the research on the impact of living on campus on student success, and the research on the importance of student-faculty interaction, it becomes evident that residential communities can be transformed into environments that offer an integrated, holistic education that is vital to the mission of Christian institutions.