About Lourdes

Franciscan Education

Lourdes University is a community of learning, reverence, and service.

Our Franciscan Values

Rooted in the Franciscan tradition, Lourdes University expresses its Franciscan identity as:

a Community of Learning
a Community of Reverence
a Community of Service

We are first and foremost a community because community is fundamental to the Franciscan tradition. As a Franciscan institution we acknowledge and celebrate our relationship to God, to self, to others, to all of creation. The mission of Lourdes is carried out in the context of a community that begins on the Lourdes campus among students, faculty, and staff and flows outward to embrace the religious and civic communities whom we engage. As a community we are called to grow, to be hospitable and inclusive, to be peacemakers and justice seekers.

We are a community of learning. In the Franciscan tradition the love of learning stems from a desire to grow in our understanding of God, of creation, and of each other. The quest for truth, understanding, and excellence in academic disciplines allows for growth and transformation to take place both in ourselves and in the world around us.

We are a community of reverence. Reverence recognizes and respects the dignity and worth of each human person and all creation. Reverence takes us beyond tolerance and calls us to treasure the diversity of the human family with its various races, cultures and traditions.

We are a community of service. The Franciscan tradition is intimately tied to service. The members of the community challenge one another to cultivate a spirit of gratitude, to be mindful of those who feel unconnected and who are in need, and to develop and share our gifts with the broader community.

Our Philosophies & Goals

Reflecting the traditions and philosophy of the Sisters of St. Francis, Lourdes commits itself to preparing students with the skills and attitudes they need to lead rich and meaningful lives in a complex, changing world.

Believing that the intellectual life is its primary responsibility, Lourdes affirms that reflection on the life of faith, with its ultimate question, is a true intellectual pursuit, bringing faith and reason into a disciplined and constructive encounter.

Rooted in the Roman Catholic tradition, drawing on the richness of the Judeo-Christian heritage, marked by an ecumenical spirit, and steeped in the spirit of Saint Francis, Lourdes seeks to build a faith community of seekers after truth.

This unified approach underscores the interrelatedness of all knowledge and the interconnectedness of all peoples, influencing each aspect of the life of the academic community. Through its basic liberal arts curriculum, Lourdes provides students with opportunities to integrate their deepest moral convictions with their intellectual and social interests and professional careers. It challenges them to develop a personal philosophy, preparing them for continuing and effective service to family, church, and global society. Believing in the education of the total person, Lourdes seeks to equip students for the world of work by integrating liberal learning with career education. Lourdes recognizes that development of a person's total potential requires lifelong learning; hence, Lourdes encourages students to make the search for truth a continuing quest.

Therefore, Lourdes seeks to provide educational opportunities by which students are challenged:

to work to develop a spirit of inquiry
to learn to think logically, to communicate persuasively, to analyze rigorously, and to solve problems systematically
to formulate worthy goals
to clarify career expectations and explore career options
to gain a better understanding of today's world through a knowledge of their cultural heritage
to meet with Christian insight the challenge of living in contemporary society
to become all that they are capable of becoming

The "Mission Statement" and the "Philosophy and Goals" of Lourdes express the institution's vision and purpose. In order to assure the realization of its vision and the achievement of its goals, key elements of these statements have been distilled into observable and measurable Learning Outcomes. To be understood correctly and appreciated fully, the Learning Outcomes must be interpreted in light of the complete texts of the "Mission Statement" and the "Philosophy and Goals" of Lourdes as they relate to the institution's academic curriculum.

Learn More

Learning Outcomes
Mission Statement
Service Learning