HISTORICAL PROLOGUE:

     A comprehensive, co-educational institution, The University of Scranton is, by tradition, choice and heartfelt commitment, a Catholic and Jesuit university.  Founded in 1888 as Saint Thomas College by the Most Reverend William G. O'Hara, D.D., the first bishop of Scranton, it achieved university status in 1938, and was entrusted to the care of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) in 1942.

THE MISSION OF THE UNIVERSITY: 

     The University of Scranton is a community of scholars whose ministry of education is informed by the vision of life contained in both the Gospel, and the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius Loyola.  The University is therefore dedicated to freedom of inquiry, the pursuit of wisdom, integrity and truth, and the personal growth and development of all who share in its life and ministry.

THE CHARACTER OF THE UNIVERSITY

     As a Catholic university, The University of Scranton sees in the teaching and example of Jesus Christ the primary sources for the values and attitudes that imbue the culture of its campus.  Thus, it seeks to communicate the fullness of the Catholic intellectual tradition to its students in a systematic way.  Moreover, in the ecumenical spirit that it has manifested since its founding, the University invites faculty, staff and students from other religious traditions to share in its mission.

     As a Jesuit university, The University of Scranton provides its students with a nurturing environment in which a value-laden curriculum challenges them to develop: 

• a commitment to the value system contained in the Gospels,
• a principled respect for the dignity of the human person, 
• a devotion to justice, 
• a dedication to the service of the poor, 
• a love of truth and a restless passion for learning.

     Convinced that the search for truth necessarily involves the search for God, the University also provides its students with opportunities for worship and spiritual development, and for the academic study of theology, religion and religious experience.

     As a university dedicated to education in the liberal arts, The University of Scranton requires that all of its students complete a rigorous curriculum designed to foster the development of their analytical and critical abilities.  Thus, the core curriculum of the University seeks to impart to students a knowledge of scientific principles, methods and skills, an appreciation of literary and artistic expression, an awareness of historical perspectives, and an understanding of religious, philosophical and moral values.

     As an urban American university, The University of Scranton is dedicated to educating "men and women for others" from a wide variety of backgrounds whose lives and talents will enrich the life of the human family.  Thus, although the University remains firmly committed to serving students from Northeastern Pennsylvania, it is also committed to enrolling a culturally and racially diverse student body from other areas of the country and around the world.  In fulfillment of its mission, the University further seeks to attract faculty members from richly diverse backgrounds who share its commitments to excellence in teaching and research, to "cura personalis" (a loving concern for students), and to the incarnational vision of human life that informs its ministry.

     As a comprehensive university, The University of Scranton offers certificate and degree programs on both the undergraduate (associate and baccalaureate) and graduate (master's) levels to traditional and non-traditional students.  Moreover, in order to prepare them for careers in a variety of fields, the University offers its students a wide range of professional and pre-professional programs of study.

     As the oldest and largest university in Northeastern Pennsylvania, The University of Scranton is committed to serving the people of the region.  This commitment is manifested in a special way through the University's dedication to the education of future leaders for the area's professional, political, religious, cultural and business communities.

     Throughout its history, the University has been distinguished by its commitments to liberal arts education, excellence in teaching and the quality of care that it lavishes on its students.  As it moves into the new millennium, the University reaffirms its commitment to these qualities and invites adventuresome scholars and students to join it in its mission in the service of wisdom, integrity and truth.  

Approved by the Board of Trustees
April 7, 1999