young women smiling

Introduction

Following enrollment declines beginning in 2015, Seminaries and Institutes of Religion (S&I) began a multiyear effort to understand audience needs and to adapt the institute experience to better respond to those needs. These efforts led to changes such as renovated classroom environments, new courses and workshops, the expansion of online instruction, and many other innovations.

These efforts are working. In the 2021–22 school year, new student enrollment was up for the first time in seven years and total enrollment was at a five-year high. Initial impact indicators for the 2022–23 school year are also positive.

Building on this success, we have continued to seek to improve the institute experience to reach even more students. For the past year and a half, S&I has been working with the Church’s Priesthood and Family Department to combine research findings on young adults and collaborate to develop updates to the YSA experience across multiple Church programs.

The following statements summarize some of the key insights and shared vision from the collaboration of S&I and the Priesthood and Family Department:

• Young adults seek authentic experiences with Jesus Christ, greater connection with God, practical help with their individual life circumstances, and increased faith and confidence in their lives.

• Young adults want opportunities to associate together, including outside their wards and stakes, to participate in meaningful activities.

• Young adults have a wide variety of significant spiritual, temporal, social, and emotional needs. Church resources already exist that could fill many of these needs, but they can be difficult to access for some young adults.

• Campus institutes are a natural gathering place for a community of young adults with similar needs who can support one another in living the gospel and progressing along the covenant path.

• The Priesthood and Family Department is revitalizing YSA committees in every stake to strengthen local YSA programs and young adults around the world.

Using the above points as a guide, S&I presented and received approval from the Board of Education for three additional changes to continue to update the institute experience in conjunction with changes being made to the YSA programs of the Church. These changes to the institute program are introduced in a video by Elder Clark G. Gilbert and Brother Chad Webb, which accompanies this document.

This document is intended to help S&I coordinators who work with stake institute programs, campus institute faculties, and anyone else who is involved in creating the institute experience implement the three approved changes in their local programs. In implementing the changes to institute programs described herein, please seek to communicate with and be led by local Church leaders. Questions beyond what is introduced in this document can be answered by your region or area director with support from the Strategic Audience Support division of the central office.

We believe this new direction is well-informed and inspired and will lead to institutes of religion having a wider and deeper impact on the lives of young adults. We invite you to participate fully in applying and adapting these principles and approvals to your local S&I programs.