Sparking Spiritual Formation on Campus

An Interview with Rev. Dr. Andrea Summers ‘00, Dean of Spiritual Formation for IWU-Marion.

Andrea Summers walked onto IWU’s campus as the new Campus Dean of Spiritual Formation in Summer 2020 but is no stranger to the IWU community and the power of spiritual formation on a college campus.

In 1995 she chose to attend IWU to pursue her call to vocational ministry, following in the footsteps of her parents who were both involved in Wesleyan higher education. After graduating in 2000 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Intercultural Relations, she earned a Master of Divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary in 2008. Her ministry began in the local church, which coincidently brought her back to Marion as a part of the College Wesleyan staff, joining her husband in the vibrant J.C. Body Shop youth ministries.

Andrea later felt God’s call to pursue her Doctor of Ministry degree from Candler School of Theology at Emory, an elite program in Atlanta in 2020, while working at Southern Wesleyan University in their school of ministry.

She had just settled into teaching another semester of classes when John Bray, IWU’s previous Dean of the Chapel, informed her about the job opening at IWU. While interested in the prospect, she quickly declined, but soon became restless.

“Over the next three months, I just couldn’t get away from it. I remember wrestling with God, asking him, ‘Why do I struggle so much with contentment? My family is thriving. I love my job. Why would my mind be wandering to this opportunity?’” Andrea said.

Through conversations with God, her mentors, and her family, God made it clear that she should apply for this position.

Andrea Summers Sharing During Summit

“And clearly God was in it,” Andrea said.

In her time at IWU thus far, Andrea has committed herself to create an environment that cultivates spiritual formation. Having most recently held a position where she interacted with college students daily, she brings a unique passion and perspective to the role.

“I truly can’t get enough of students. I love them. I love hearing the ways that God is working in their life and what they’re wrestling with,” Andrea said. “College was such a formative four years of my life, and I know it is for the sestudents as well.”

Her priority as Campus Dean of Spiritual Formation is to create clear pathways for students to engage in spiritual growth. She plans to identify more options for spiritual engagement and spark an understanding across the university that spiritual formation is the responsibility of all employees of IWU.

“It’s tempting to think that the campus pastor will handle spiritual formation, but it’s all of our responsibility. From grounds keeper to the University president, this is one piece of all of our job descriptions that we have in common. Spiritual formation is something that we get to do together.” Andrea said.

Additionally, she hopes to expand the current programming that the chapel office offers to reach a more diverse student group.

“There’s no cookie-cutter path for spiritual growth. The reality is we have students from all walks of life, and I want to see them all take the next step spiritually. Not just the ones who came into IWU loving Jesus, but the ones who are deconstructing, those doubting, those healing...” Andrea said. “We have all these students and everything in between. These are critical years, and if we can give God the opportunity, He will arrest their attention.

One way Andrea is taking steps toward reaching more students is by redefining the student chaplain role. Previously, each resident hall had a Student Chaplain on the Residential Learning staff who was available for students who wanted prayer, mentorship, or spiritual support. While these needs will continue to be met, starting next fall, they will be renamed as Residential Spiritual Life Coordinators with a more narrowed focus on discipleship.

Coordinators will work closely with the Chapel Office for their own personal and spiritual development with the primary task of working with student small group leaders within their residence hall. By providing accountability, resources, and mentorship to small group leaders, Andrea believes that Coordinators can help create a small group revival on campus.

“Our spiritual formation journey isn’t something you do alone or in a room full of people; we walk alongside each other in relationship,” Andrea said. “The kind of formation we need is something that bubbles up out of real relationships, out of the places where people live.”

In a way, Andrea feels like her career has come full circle. She’s back where she first felt God’s call to pursue a career dedicated to ministry, attending the same church she did as an IWU student, and later as staff, and pouring into students – working to fan the spark of spiritual formation on Indiana Wesleyan’s campus into a flame.

Written by Hannah Hood ‘19