Our foundresses, the Sisters of Saint Francis (Oldenburg, IN), were ambassadors of Christ who walked by faith and whose courage to venture made our great university possible. Today, this Gospel work is carried on in new ways by those who represent many faith systems and ideologies through excellent teaching, individualized mentoring, and academically rigorous research. At Marian University students receive an education that empowers them as leaders to promote the Franciscan Sponsorship Values rooted in prayer: the dignity of the individual, reconciliation, peace and justice and responsible stewardship.

Aspects of a Great Catholic University

Marian University, the only Catholic university in central Indiana, traces its roots eight hundred years to the first Catholic universities and is grounded in its Franciscan heritage. This tradition enables Marian University to provide the life changing opportunity of education to students of every race, faith, ideology, gender and economic status in order to promote human progress. As Saint John Paul II stated when writing about higher education, "A Catholic University, as any University, is immersed in human society; as an extension of its service to the Church and always within its proper competence, it is called on to become an ever more effective instrument of cultural progress for individuals as well as for society." We dare to say each Marian University student will experience the following aspects of a great Catholic university:

• Transformative Education
  Marian University educates the whole person and the curriculum prepares students for the lifelong pursuit of wisdom. Faculty and staff provide a mentoring environment emphasizing individual attention, which promotes multi-faceted personal development. In this environment, students at Marian University will come to understand the subject matter taught by excellent educators while discovering their call as leaders in our world today.
  
  All courses are inspired by the search for truth that is at the heart of Catholic higher education. Marian University students will study serious contemporary problems, research with a concern for the ethical implications and promote cultural progress for individuals as well as society. The university's distinctive general education/core is informed by the Catholic and Franciscan Intellectual Traditions, the light of faith, and promotes a liberal arts and ethics-based foundation. Required courses in philosophy and theology provide further exposure to the richness of the Catholic and Franciscan intellectual traditions and serve all other disciplines in their search for meaning. Graduate studies utilize the most advanced methods proper to each discipline and prepare students to make a lasting contribution in their field and profession.
  
• Unity in Diversity
  Marian University forms true community within a multi-cultural, multi-belief system, multi-ethnic and global context. Responding to the great commandment, we celebrate the diversity present on our campus as an expression of God's generous love and promote the love for one another in all our activities. Marian University champions understanding, encountering and sharing the diverse traditions that members of our community claim as their own. This dialogue of life promotes civil discourse, reconciliation, peacemaking, and enhances the intellectual growth of students.
  
• Leadership through Service
  Marian University has boldly answered the needs of society by preparing leaders through excellent teaching and learning. Marian University students explore contemporary social issues, and develop and implement responses that promote human flourishing. The university is an anchor within its neighborhood and a global partner to organizations focused on social development. Students respond to the problems of our age through reflective service, informed by Catholic Social Teaching and oriented toward systematic change. Through these experiences students at Marian University develop the character and intellect of a leaders marked by humility, love for the poor and vulnerable, a commitment to justice, peace and stewardship of creation that is reflective of the spirituality of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi.
  
• Faith and Life
  Marian University empowers students to grow in faith and discern their calling in light of the Franciscan Sponsorship Values. Students integrate faith and life by examining their beliefs, engaging in inter-religious dialogue and experiencing the living Catholic Franciscan tradition of Marian University. The educational experience enlivens each student's exploration of calling as: the courses integrate faith and reason; experiential learning utilizes talents and develops competencies; research seeks to serve humanity prioritizing ethical implications and theological studies explore questions of ultimate meaning.
  
  The exploration of calling is animated by a culture of prayer, liturgy, worship and devotion so that, as it says in the rule written by Saint Francis, "Everywhere and in each place, and in every season and each day, may we have a true and humble faith." In prayer and the celebration of the sacraments, students, faculty, and staff share their unique gifts, encounter God and are strengthened by the Spirit to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others through their actions and words. Marian University celebrates the most significant events of the academic and religious calendar with special all campus liturgies.
  
• Institutional Witness
  The Catholic Franciscan tradition animates Marian University and forms the intellectual and moral foundations for all university policies, including: student services, human resources, and financial practices. Marian University engages the world through dialogue and service in order to promote the common good. Buildings emphasize communal spaces in order to foster relationships and utilize environmentally friendly practices that care for creation. Beautiful works of art are installed throughout campus to tell the story of our rich heritage and dedicated spaces are available for reflection and prayer.

Conclusion

Marian University is a Catholic Franciscan institution of higher learning rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and committed to the spirituality of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi. Guided by the example of Our Blessed Mother, we are called to be a Seat of Wisdom – a university where the wisdom of Christ is held and contemplated. As a Catholic institution, we shape culture by searching for truth, working for justice and the common good for all, in communion with our local Bishop. As a Franciscan institution, we model all of our activities on the witness of Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi and their followers. As a Catholic university, we pursue the knowledge of and relationship between faith and reason. As a Franciscan university, we strive to be a progressive force for faith, justice, and the flourishing of human life at all stages. Marian University exists to prepare transformational leaders for service to the world through the mission and ministry of Catholic higher education.