AMONG ALL THE CHOICES, Jesuit schools such as Marquette are indeed different places. While, for example, other schools find it difficult or impossible to deal with religious faith, and even perhaps with ethical values, we find it easy to address such realities in forthright fashion.

At Marquette, we are free to create an environment in which people can shape and form their lives. We hope, obviously, that those students who are Catholic, but also the 30 percent who aren’t, will deepen their faith commitment, and we work to help it happen. We can’t control that, though. These are young adults — adults in the making. They need to be able to spread their wings, to explore, and to question. What we provide is an atmosphere and a whole array of supports where people can pursue their questions, including their faith questions, and not be laughed at.

Religion is a big part of human experience and of all that’s going on in our world today, and we feel students need to know something about it. So, we’re not going to excuse anyone from a course in theology just because he or she says, “I’m not sure I believe.” At Marquette, we are as we are. We lose our soul if we are not that.

Next: The Challenge