Many of today's students served two-year missions for the LDS Church, and a large percentage are married. "There's just a sense of maturity among them that tends to filter down through the entire student body," he said.

Both faculty members agreed that what was once dubbed "the spirit of Ricks" has become "the spirit of BYU-I," an intangible but real feeling that pervades the campus.

Sabra Martinsen, Murray, a senior majoring in university studies, said it wasn't the course of study but the school's religious emphasis that drew her to BYU-I. "I like the emphasis it places on spirituality in our lives and bettering ourselves, intellectually as well as spiritually. You get a whole education and not just the secular part."

She said the quality of her experience is enhanced because "the spirit is here and people are so friendly. It feels like there is a genuine spirit of love here as a campus. I love it here." President Clark has simply added to that, Martinsen said.

Tyler Hansen, Blackfoot, Idaho, a senior majoring in psychology, said he's been impressed with the faculty in his program and their ability to talk about secular philosophies in tandem with religious truths. "We dissect them both, but bring them back into one. They've been really good at teaching what the field teaches, then letting us as students decide how that incorporates into our belief system. We talk about it in class a lot."

Hansen has met with Clark several times and believes "he is exactly what the university needs at this time."

Kellie Thacker, Littleton, Colo., a freshman majoring in photography, said she chose BYU-I "because I was tired of everything that's going on in the public schools . . . (The school is) more than what I expected. It's amazing. I love to be in class and have the gospel brought up. It's just normal to everyone."

She's impressed with Clark, she said. "I think he will be able to do a lot of great things for this school."

Stephenson said the faculty agree. "There's this tremendous sense of academic credibility that his presence here has given to the entire institution."

In some ways, the irony of cosmopolitan, Ivy League experience transplanted directly into a rural, religious school still lingers among his colleagues. "Of all the people to bring up an in-depth discussion about learning by faith on this campus, it was the Harvard guy that initiated the discussion."

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E-mail: carrie@desnews.com