CSU-Pueblo ministries provided free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and collected information about student spirituality through surveys Wednesday, Feb. 1, for a campus Spread the Faith event. 

 “It’s really about making connections for people,” Lindsey said. “We want students to know what faith-based options there are at CSU-Pueblo and connect them to the appropriate groups if they’re interested.”

Examples provided on the survey for spiritual definitions included Atheist, Agnostic, Buddhist, Christian-Catholic, Christian-Protestant, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Mormon, Sikh or Wiccan. Students were asked to identify with one of the choices, express how important spirituality is to them and provide contact information if interested in joining a spiritual group on campus.

“We thought it [Spread the Faith] was a fun way to get the word out,” Lindsey said. “And college students really like their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.”

The ministries that participated in the event were responsible for bringing supplies and filling out surveys, said Nick McRee, a student leader for Campus Crusade for Christ. While hungry students customized their own sandwiches and volunteers for Spread the Faith would ask questions and fill out the surveys for them, he said.

After the event, the volunteers will go through all the surveys and start connecting campus organizations with any interested students, Lindsey said.

The original idea for Spread the Faith stemmed from a conversation between Lindsey and Nicky Damania, director of the Office of Student Activities. Both felt a need for students to be more aware of the spiritual options on campus, Lindsey said.

Ministries involved in the Spread the Faith event included Catholic Campus Ministry, Campus Crusade for Christ, Christian Challenge, Young Life and Serenity Wellness, Lindsey said. The Fellowship of Christian Athletes and the Underground were also listed on the survey as groups that were willing to contact interested students.

Other clubs, such as Jewish and Muslim groups, are in the process of becoming established at CSU-Pueblo, Lindsey said. Students that expressed interest in similar groups will be put in contact with those attempting to establish these organizations, he said.

Spread the Faith not only presented students with choices for campus ministries, but also gave them a selection of toppings for their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They had the option of either white or wheat bread; creamy or crunchy peanut butter; strawberry or grape jelly; and apple butter, Nutella, honey or bananas, according to the event’s menu.

To learn more about student organizations or spiritual clubs at CSU-Pueblo, contact OSA at 719-549-2151. They are located in the Occhiato University Center, Room 002.