6. New Students Focus Group (Part 2)

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FF: Genius?

A - Cool building. That's the first thing I liked about it.

Li - Hospitality here. Even before I walked in the door - at the orientation fair I saw him and he was just beaming and I wanted to meet him. The building is open all the time, he's always here, he's ready to help.

S - It's so quiet and peaceful here, it will be a great place to study especially with finals coming up. I haven't studied here, but I expect that's what it will be like when I come.

La - I think it's about Fred. He's a really nice person - the people on my floor think so - he's approachable and likeable. Like a parent figure, a person you can look up to - a role model or a teacher without the overbearing qualities teachers can have. He's easy to be around, easy going.

M - I agree

A - I think it's Fred. It's really cool - at my old church the pastor would shake hands but he didn't want to talk to anybody. Fred talks to you for like a minute - so there's a big line waiting to get out of church. And while I'm waiting I talk to other people in the line, too.

La - He remembers things about you. He knows I'm an elementary education major and he tells me about service opportunities that go along with the things I'm interested in.

FF: Do you feel like this is a community - that you identify with a solid group, or it's more in and out?

Li - I think it's a little bit of both. Like I get to know people at Bible study - I go on Tuesday, they go on Wed. So Fred does the same thing on different nights, but we don't have to be here every night of the week. The commitment is not as heavy - you can come when you can.

M- There are a lot of different faces here - the people from the community stay the same, like the older people.

FF: God at work?

Li - When I came here I had so much I wanted to accomplish in college - study abroad, etc. I had a really long talk with Fred, and I'm a little more laid back. I'm trusting in God that opportunities will come along and then I can think about them then. I think I'm trusting in God more now than before.

FF: Do any of you go to FCA?

A - I do intervarsity and crusade. I came to know God as being more living there. I didn't always know that I could pray to God and he would listen. Now that I do, I want to come to church more. There it's more about fellowship - hanging out with good Christian friends who will support my values.

FF: Does it tend to be separate groups?

A - It's kind of hard to be a Lutheran and be over there - even though it's supposed to be interdenominational. They base a lot more out of the Bible because they don't have doctrines.

Observations:

• The room was set up as a conference space with tables and chairs in a large square. A doctoral seminar group was scheduled to use the space the next day.
• All students knew each other even though they weren't in the same Bible Study - so some relationships are formed elsewhere in ministry.
• Kids come from a variety of religious backgrounds
• They are getting something from their involvement - deepening their faith walk, learning theology, studying the bible, this is for kids who are interested in more than the youth groupy stuff at FCA, they differentiate between the two kinds of campus ministry
• Fred invites people in, invites discussion, is accepting of and open to different points of view, makes time to talk with students one-on-one, caring approachable, non-judgmental
• Hospitality - it's the atmosphere created by Fred and the facility
• Cool building, great place to hang out, computers, coffee and cookies, always open, quiet and peaceful.
  
  

Quotables:

FF: How has Fred impacted you personally?

M - He's a good listener. I like listening to him talk because he explains everything. He seems to know everything. He's helped me grow my faith, too.

S - If you have something you really really need to talk to somebody about, he would be the one. It's nice to know that there is an adult who I could talk to about things that I can't talk to my parents or other adults. I feel like he really wants to help me. He looks at me when I talk.

A - I've learned a lot from him - he's explained a lot of things that I really didn't get before. He'll tell me what he thinks and what the Bible says, and if I disagree that's ok.