Heider College of Business Mission
Creighton Mission
Creighton University exists for students and learning. Members of the Creighton community are challenged to reflect on transcendent values in an atmosphere of freedom of inquiry, belief, and religious worship. Service to others, the importance of family life, the inalienable worth of each individual, and appreciation of ethnic and cultural diversity are core values of Creighton.
Mission of Service
The University describes five ways in which it carries out its mission of service for and with others:
- Professional Education – more commonly called “field education/clinicals,” is skill-based with emphasis on the student’s professional development. Conducted under the close supervision of faculty and/or community professionals, students apply course work to real-life situations.
- Service-Learning – is a holistic, educational partnership between the instructor, community, and students that integrates service into an academic course in a context of personal growth, shared reflection, and moral and social responsibility.
- Community Service – enables members of the Creighton community to carry out the Jesuit mission of service for and with others through a variety of volunteer opportunities ranging from one-time projects to commitments involving significant time and reflection.
- Faculty/Staff Outreach – describes the many presentations and time devoted to service on boards, commissions, and committees that faculty and staff give to the community locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.
- Community Resource – includes incidences when the University provides venues for the education and personal enrichment of the larger community.
Jesuit Values
- Magis: Literally translated “more.” This is the challenge to strive for excellence.
- Women and Men for and with Others: Sharing gifts, pursuing justice, and having concern for the poor and marginalized.
- Cura Personalis: “Care for the individual person.” Respecting each person as a child of God and all of God’s creations.
- Unity of Heart, Mind, and Soul: Developing the whole person. Integrating all aspects of our lives.
- Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam (AMDG): “For the Greater Glory of God.”
- Forming and Educating Agents of Change: Teaching behaviors that reflect critical thought and responsible action on moral and ethical issues.
Jesuit Business Schools
In April of 2009, Andre Delbecq, former dean and professor of management at the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University penned an article titled “The Jesuit Business School” which appeared in Conversations. In this paper Delbecq stated, “We need a Jesuit Business School position paper framing principles as a stake in the dialog regarding business corporations that are a dominant force shaping the lives of a majority of our graduates as well as the world order.”
The authors of this paper assembled at The Woodstock Theological Center at Georgetown University to begin a dialog in response to Delbecq’s call. The essay proceeded through numerous drafts including not only exchanges between the author team but also responses from theologians, administrators and faculty across the international network of Jesuit Business Schools.
This paper is NOT intended to be a definitive descriptor of all Jesuit business education that encompasses great diversity in many varied settings. Instead, this document is intended to provide some foundational language regarding the distinctive character and nature of business education at Jesuit institutions helpful to faculty, advisory board members and students in exploring the Jesuit tradition as it relates to business education.
Most importantly this paper is intended to invite the reader to engage her/his colleagues in substantive conversations regarding the distinctive character of Jesuit business education in their own institution.
- Conversations In Jesuit Higher Education, No. 34, Spring, 2005, p. 34
“Creighton’s culture is certainly one that is nurturing and supportive. It was a great launching pad into figuring out who I really was and growing into myself.”
Katie Hinz, BSBA’21
Security Engineer at Netflix
