Mission & Undergraduate Vision Statement

Mission

Inspired by Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of St. Thomas educates students to be morally responsible leaders who think critically, act wisely, and work skillfully to advance the common good.

Convictions

As a community we are committed to:

1. Pursuit of Truth
   We value intellectual inquiry as a life-long habit, the unfettered and impartial pursuit of truth in all its forms, the integration of knowledge across disciplines, and the imaginative and creative exploration of new ideas.
2. Academic Excellence
   We create a culture among faculty, students and staff that recognizes the power of ideas and rewards rigorous thinking.
3. Faith and Reason
   We actively engage Catholic intellectual tradition, which values the fundamental compatibility of faith and reason and fosters meaningful dialogue directed toward the flourishing of human culture.
4. Dignity
   We respect the dignity of each person and value the unique contributions that each brings to the greater mosaic of the university community.
5. Diversity
   We strive to create a vibrant diverse community in which, together, we work for a more just and inclusive society.
6. Personal Attention
   We foster a caring culture that supports the well-being of each member.
7. Gratitude
   We celebrate the achievements of all members of our community in goals attained and obstacles overcome, and in all things give praise to God. 

Undergraduate Vision Statement

The university’s mission and convictions and our objectives for undergraduate education provide the framework for the Undergraduate Vision Statement.

The strengths of the undergraduate program are embodied in four commitments:

1. A commitment to the Catholic identity that informs its liberal and professional education;
2. A commitment to a common liberal arts foundation that serves as the core of the education in which all St. Thomas undergraduates participate;
3. A commitment to the integration of the liberal arts and career preparation, fostering in students a dedication to work for the common good;
4. A commitment to the underlying unity of the human person with an emphasis on the spiritual, intellectual, ethical and social development of all students. These commitments are manifested in the following features of the undergraduate program:
   1. A strong core curriculum for all students that exposes them to enduring, transcultural human truths, provides for multicultural exploration, and encourages integration that crosses disciplinary boundaries;
   2. A comprehensive and strong set of major and minor fields that meet the increasing demands of career competency and interdisciplinary development, while maintaining a common liberal arts core curriculum;
   3. An energetic, expert and diverse faculty who show their concern for the total development of students through extensive time and effort spent with them, and through their eagerness to involve students in the work of their fields through joint research projects, practicums, and service to the community;
   4. A faculty who model for students a love of learning through continual efforts to enhance teaching effectiveness, ongoing professional engagement, and collaboration with their colleagues in teaching, research and other program initiatives;
   5. A faculty who demonstrate a commitment to service through their willingness to serve as role models for students, demonstrating that compassion for others and lifelong dedication to service are ordinary aspects of being an educated, responsible citizen;
   6. A strong support and professional staff throughout the university committed to fostering the social, spiritual, and intellectual development of students through co- curricular activities, with a special focus on cultivating leadership ability.

As it looks to the future, the undergraduate program seeks to maintain these distinctive manifestations of its key commitments and to:

1. Build on the strengths of our Catholic identity by promoting dialogue between faith and reason and by enabling students to acquire an organic vision of reality which integrates faith and secular learning;
2. Increase efforts to cross departmental and disciplinary boundaries in order to enhance further the integration of liberal arts and professional education, faith and practice, principles and techniques, and education and service;
3. Emphasize more the preparation of students for a life of service in an increasingly diverse world through the development of integrated service learning opportunities for students;
4. Stress the importance of global awareness by encouraging study abroad opportunities, increasing participation in faculty and student exchanges, and increasing involvement with the university’s urban community;
5. Increase efforts to diversify the student body, the faculty, the staff, and the curriculum to reflect the diversity of the broader society;
6. Emphasize the integration of technology in teaching, and the development of computer literacy for all students;
7. Continue our strong emphasis on preparing students to think analytically, write and speak clearly, reason quantitatively, participate in a democratic society, 
8. contribute to the health of their communities and the environment, and know the natural world and their own and other cultures;
9. Continue to foster in our students an appreciation for the dignity of all human persons, created in the image of a just and loving God.