The Freshman Experience
The need to reach freshmen early
Despite strong levels of spiritual activity during their high school years, many college students are not interested in further developing their Christian faith during their young adult years, according to a 2006 study by The Barna Group. Approximately 60% of 20-somethings who were involved in a church during their teen years cease to have any active spiritual involvement after graduating from high school.
What the CCO is doing about it: The Freshman Experience
CCO staff workers know how important it is to reach out to freshmen early in their first semester. There is no shortage of extracurricular activity on college campuses: introducing students to the Christian community at their school increases the odds that they will choose to stay connected during these formative years.
Ohio Wesleyan University has been offering the Freshman Experience, or Fresh X, for 19 years now. What began as a retreat for first-year students to get to know other students before the craziness of college life officially begins has become a four-day outdoor adventure facilitated by a group of capable CCO campus ministry staff. Trips like Fresh X offer our staff opportunities to get to know students who would never attend church or show up at a Christian fellowship meeting.
The 56 first-year students who participated this year spent three days and four nights camping in Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. They connected to one another in the midst of whitewater rafting, caving, swimming, rock-climbing, meals, card games and late-night conversations. Through discussions and team-building exercises designed by their leaders, they also realized that they aren’t alone in their nervousness about starting college.
CCO staff members and Fresh X leaders Ryan Carlson, Tim Gebhart, Jessica Kynion and Lisa Ho all work with students through OWU’s Chaplain’s Office, where Ryan and Tim serve as Director and Assistant Director of Wilderness Ministry. In addition, CCO Outdoor Leadership Team staff members Emily Bean, Jamie Martin, Phil Mollenkof, Steve Nystrom and Sam Van Eman helped facilitate the 2007 trip, along with 20 Ohio Wesleyan student leaders.
“We spent a lot of time talking about where we’ve come from, where we are now, and where we’re going,” says Phil, one of the CCO leaders. According to Ryan, “This trip is about transitions, relationships, service, leadership and community.”
“Students who meet on Fresh X tend to stay friends throughout the rest of their time in college,” says Phil, who worked with students at OWU for three years. “Many of them come back as student leaders the next year.”
The head start these students gain by participating in this pre-orientation program gives them the advantage of built-in community throughout their college years, and beyond.
What’s new in CCO Adventure Ministry this fall
Outdoor adventure experiences continue to provide wonderful opportunities for students’ lives to be transformed. Please pray for our staff as they invite students to participate in various trips this fall. Westminster College offers a backpacking trip in the Laurel Highlands over fall break in October, as well as a canoeing day trip in September and a caving overnight trip in early October. Students at Penn State University will have opportunities to go caving, climbing and hiking on different weekends throughout the fall, and Geneva College’s four-day fall break trip will take place at the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon in the northeastern part of the state.