Sponsorship
The University of Saint Mary is an institution of higher learning sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. Rooted in the pioneer spirit of the 19th century American church, the university shares its spacious grounds with the Sisters and celebrates their hard-working and pragmatic tradition as well as their deep trust in God. It strives for excellence in every aspect of teaching and learning in order to develop the whole person in students. In adapting to the needs of the contemporary world, the curriculum meets students where they are educationally and helps them develop their God-given potential.
The University of Saint Mary is informed by a liberal arts tradition. USM’s core curriculum reflects its roots in the liberal arts educational tradition. The basis of a liberal arts education is the belief that learning in a broad and deep range of fields enhances a student’s ability to think. It refines, challenges, and encourages that ability in a student no matter the background or preparedness for university learning. As a graduate of a liberal arts education, a student will be an articulate and fulfilled human being, will find meaningful and gainful employment in a particular field, and will live a just and humane life.
The University of Saint Mary holds also that a critical intelligence, depth and breadth of learning, and liberating aspects of the humanities and sciences are more important than ever in the diverse, interdependent, global society of the 21st century. Thus, the University of Saint Mary concept of applied liberal arts embraces the rich history and meaning of the liberal arts while intentionally connecting learning to the real world in concrete and practical ways. In this way, the liberal arts combine with active, experiential learning, and career preparation so that students may use talents, knowledge, competencies, and energies to make a positive contribution in the world.
The University of Saint Mary is a Catholic university. As a Vatican II Catholic university, rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the university embraces diversity, community, and justice and in that spirit welcomes and respects people of all beliefs including those who seek God through the good, the true, and the beautiful. The university is committed to providing experiences for students to live the Gospel in alleviating suffering in the local areas and the world.
The University of Saint Mary is a Vincentian university. Rooted in the 17th century spirit of St. Vincent de Paul, the university makes practical Vincent’s Gospel values of bringing people together for mutual spiritual, intellectual, and economic benefit. Groups from the university, scholarship sponsors, and civic organizations lead each other to find ways to break the cycle of poverty. The university empowers graduates to continue Vincent’s work after they graduate.
The University of Saint Mary is a community. It is an academic community of students, faculty, and staff. As a community, the university strives both to teach and to be a model of what it teaches – of the humane, intellectual, and cultural values of a liberal education and of continuous learning and professional competence. As a community, it proposes to reflect certain other ideals: religious conviction lived out in behavior; Christian social consciousness that calls for knowledge, responsibility, and world vision; and work that strives to better individual human lives as well as larger human systems. As a community, the University of Saint Mary seeks those human qualities that nurture growth – qualities such as friendliness, simplicity, and respect for the individual person.