STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — At Franciscan University of Steubenville you’ll find a group of hardworking college students. They have the usual stuff — laptops, textbooks, notebooks and pens — but there’s one difference between those students and millions of others around the world: those students don’t have a smartphone.
The group of 30 students has applied to be part of a pilot scholarship, called the “Unplugged Scholarship,” where they trade in their smartphones for so-called “dumbphones,” which don’t have advanced software features like email, social media, or internet.
In a society where people have 24/7 access to technology and kids born today never knew a world without it, the idea of the scholarship is to help students get back in touch with the real world, and limit interaction with the artificial one.
“My generation was the first generation to grow up with smartphones and iPads, and social media, and so we’re kind of the guinea pigs, right?,” said Columban Homan, a freshman at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. “And I think in 30, 40, 50 years, we’re going to look back on social media and cellphone usage to the extent that it’s gotten to in 2023, as like, how we look back now on cigarettes or lead paint.”
Heidi Bentrup, a junior at Franciscan University of Steubenville with Hollieann Geike, a sophomore hold up their “dumbphones,” Taylor Bruck/Spectrum News 1
For some, like Heidi Bentrup, a junior at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, it was hard at first, but she said it’s the best challenge she’s ever taken on. She said she’s relieved to not have as many notifications anymore, constantly fighting for her attention.
“When I first started, I went through four out of the five stages of grief,” she said. “There is a hidden cost that no one really talks about to technology. And that’s because with the rise of productivity, and the availability and the connectivity, which are all really great, but there are always so many distractions and notifications that are always pulling on your serotonin levels, your dopamine. They always want to pull you in deeper and always take you away from the things that you mean to do.”
For others like David Cappello, a senior at the university, the change wasn’t as drastic.
“For me, it hasn’t been that hard,” he said. “I think I live a lifestyle in a way where like, I’m just generally hard to get in touch with from people.”
Cappello said not having a smartphone has been freeing. He has more time to be creative and find new ways to entertain himself.
“Just the fullness of life that’s received from just living it how it’s created to be, and physically with the people that you’re around, is, it’s just really unique,” Cappello said.
The scholarship was started by Franciscan University alumni Justin Schneir and Hope (Batchelder) Schneir. Bob Lesnefsky, the director of Evangelization for the university, said the faculty was shocked at the positive response from students. He said 50 more students willingly joined the movement for free.
“I think in a lot of ways what this shows is that students are actually looking for more analog, tangible, touchable moments in their life,” Lesnefsky said. “They’re not looking on being more virtual. They don’t, really their desire is to be seen, is to be loved and to see and love other people. And this is facilitating that.”
David Cappello, a senior at Franciscan University of Steubenville with Columban Homan, a freshman hold up their “dumbphones,” Taylor Bruck/Spectrum News 1
The students said being smartphone free has allowed them to place more focus back on their studies, friendships and spirituality.
“I have an hour now I can go pray, I can just, you know, walk around the student center and mess around, play sports, talk to people,” Cappello said. “You’re in line to get food and normally, you just don’t really want to talk to people so you just put a screen in between, you know, and so, when you’re kind of removing the screen in between, you’re just inviting the relationship.”
They said they’re filling their time now with activities that benefit them like reading, long boarding and socializing.
“A minute is so powerful, an hour is so powerful, a day is so powerful and when I had a smartphone, so much of that time, was occupied by my phone, and now, I feel like I’m planning my life, and I’m living my life in a much more full way,” Homan said. “You need to have time where your subconscious can talk to yourself. So you’re not just always consuming, consuming, consuming.”
They said they feel they’re more productive and efficient in their school work, have more mental clarity and aren’t as anxious anymore.
“I get less anxious just to go up and talk to people,” said Hollieann Geike, a sophomore at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. “Gen Z has an issue with being like, getting really nervous just to like, order food. And so I think it’s helped a lot in that way.”
Homan said the group does not condemn technology. They think technology is a really useful tool, but in moderation.
“We sort of have this assumption that technology will keep getting better and better and better and our life will get easier and easier and easier, but convenience and multifunctionality aren’t necessarily good things, and they can pull you away from the things that are really important to you in your life,” Homan said. “We need to use the tool and make sure that the tool isn’t using us.”
The group is learning to find comfort in being uncomfortable and is taking back control of their days, their lives and, best of all, their minds.
“A lot of this group, a lot of people who have been doing this may go back to smartphones after this,” Capello said. “And they would be able to be in control of that device instead of that device controlling them. And that’s kind of the main goal.”
For more information on the scholarship visit here.
