Mission
Assumption University is a comprehensive, Catholic liberal arts institution sponsored by the Augustinians of the Assumption. We awaken in students a sense of wonder, discovery, and purpose, forming graduates known for their intellectual seriousness, thoughtful citizenship, and devotion to the common good. Our curricular and co-curricular programs provide students with an education that shapes their souls, forms them intellectually, and prepares them for meaningful careers. We are a diverse community that welcomes different points of view and embraces all who share our mission. Enlivened by the Catholic affirmation of the harmony of faith and reason and by the pursuit of the truth in the company of friends, an Assumption education transforms the minds and hearts of students.
Objectives
Assumption University is a community of learning in the Catholic tradition where together we pursue the truth wherever it is found. The relationship of professors and students is at the center of the learning process that takes place in this community and is the most effective means for the fulfillment of the University’s intellectual, moral, cultural, social, and religious purpose. In order to assure that the learning process be as successful as possible, the University holds the progress of each individual to be of central importance, encourages its professors to explore with their students the personal and social dimensions of the life of faith, seeks to provide the time and space needed for true learning to take place, sees broad participation in its governance as integral to its life as an academic community, fosters co-curricular activities that complement the academic program, and encourages its teachers and students to pursue the highest standards of excellence in all their activities.
As scholars in a community of learning and as guides to their students, as well as to one another, teachers at Assumption are committed to the liberal education of each student. They strive to act responsibly toward God and neighbor and to encourage students to develop habits of responsible action. They are specialists in particular disciplines who strive to discern each discipline’s relation to all other disciplines and to the goals of the University, and promote and participate in the co-curricular life of the University as an extension of their activity in the classroom.
In their pursuit of a life of inquiry within a community of learning, students at Assumption are intent upon acquiring knowledge of the ideas, achievements, and figures that have formed the Western tradition, and seek to gain knowledge of the ways of peoples beyond their cultural horizons in order to better understand themselves and the world in which they live, maintain a balance between specialized professional preparation and a general program of studies and be aware of the need and place for both in education, and should undertake their studies for personal development while in University and as a basis for lifelong learning.
Character
Dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, Assumption attempts to equip its students with insights and skills that will encourage and enable them to continue their personal pursuit of truth throughout life. The education that the University provides focuses on all dimensions of human life: moral (personal and social), cultural (the arts and sciences), professional (career preparation), and religious. It investigates the traditions of the past as these shape our present. It attempts to develop a capacity for clear and independent thinking. As a Catholic institution bearing witness to the unity of all truth and to the harmony that exists between faith and reason, the University encourages its students to reflect deeply on the truths of their faith and to allow those insights to enlighten their rational pursuit of the truth. Our students are encouraged to give living expression to their faith in the celebration of the Church’s liturgy.
Assumption is aware that education is a process which involves not only the mind but also the total person in one’s relationship to oneself, others, and God. The formal academic programs are therefore interspersed with opportunities for dialogue and counseling in order that each student might better understand himself or herself and more adequately serve mankind in response to the command of God. Recognizing that individual freedom is a correlative of responsibility, the University also seeks to develop self-discipline and dedication in its members as guarantees of the integrity and enhancement of its life and commitment. The University welcomes all persons who share its goals, respect its process, and wish to participate responsibly in its life as a Christian academic community. Students, faculty, and administrators voluntarily affiliate with it. Their activities are expected to be consistent with its purpose and character.