“Seeing How the System Works…”: How Do Institutions of Higher Education Support Black Undergraduate Women’s Religious and Spiritual Development?

Affinity groups and counterspaces at predominantly white institutions provide cultural affirmation and support for Black undergraduates’ academic and psychosocial outcomes. Substantial evidence suggests that academic persistence for Black women within these contexts is often linked to religion and spirituality (R/S). To date, no study has explored Black undergraduate women’s perceptions of R/S resources at selective liberal arts colleges (SLACs). The ethnically and religiously diverse sample consisted of 21 women of African descent (12 seniors, 9 juniors; 57% Christian) attending 16 institutions in the United States. Using semi-structured interview data, thematic analyses yielded five themes: religious campus climate, institutional resources, increasing religious inclusivity, commitment to religious awareness, and supportive relationships. Black women exhorted institutions to facilitate R/S inclusivity, campus-wide awareness and tolerance, and culturally affirming religious counterspaces. Each narrative elucidated actionable changes for institutions to support Black women’s R/S thriving and underscored targeted recommendations for developing collectively sustainable and beneficial R/S climates.