As a university,
we commit ourselves to academic excellence and the pursuit of
wisdom that flows from free inquiry, religious values and human
experience. We strive to preserve and enhance an atmosphere in
which scholarly research, imaginative methodology; global awareness
and an enthusiastic quest for truth serve as the basis for a vital
teaching-learning process and the development of lifelong learning.
Our core curriculum in the liberal arts and sciences aims to enrich
lives as well as professions, and serves to unify the undergraduate
experience. Graduate and professional schools express our
commitment to research, rigorous standards and innovative
application of knowledge. We aim not only to be excellent
professionals with an ability to analyze and articulate clearly
what is, but also to develop the ethical and aesthetic values to
imagine and help realize what might be.
St. John's is a Catholic
university,
founded in 1870 in response to an invitation by the first Bishop of
Brooklyn, John Loughlin, to provide the youth of the city with an
intellectual and moral education. We embrace the Judeo-Christian
ideals of respect for the rights and dignity of every person and
each individual's responsibility for the world in which we live. We
commit ourselves to creating a climate patterned on the life and
teachings of Jesus Christ as embodied in the traditions and
practices of the Roman Catholic Church. Our community, which
comprises members of many faiths, strives for an openness which is
"wholly directed to all that is true, all that deserves respect,
all that is honest, pure, admirable, decent, virtuous, or worthy of
praise" (Philippians 4:8). Thus, the University is a place where
the church reflects upon itself and the world as it engages in
dialogue with other religious traditions.
St. John's is a Vincentian
university,
inspired by St. Vincent de Paul's compassion and zeal for service.
We strive to provide excellent education for all people, especially
those lacking economic, physical or social advantages. Community
service programs combine with reflective learning to enlarge the
classroom experience. Wherever possible, we devote our intellectual
and physical resources to searching out the causes of poverty and
social injustice and encouraging solutions that are adaptable,
effective and concrete. In the Vincentian tradition, we seek to
foster a world view, and to further efforts toward global harmony
and development by creating an atmosphere in which all may
understand and embody the spirit of compassionate concern for
others - so characteristic of St. Vincent.
St. John's is a metropolitan
university.
We benefit from the cultural diversity, the intellectual
and artistic resources, and the unique professional educational
opportunities offered by New York City, Rome, Italy, and other
international cities. With this richness comes responsibility. We
encourage these metropolitan communities to use our resources to
serve their needs. On the local, state, national and international
levels, our alumni serve as effective leaders and responsible
citizens. We pledge to foster those qualities required for
anticipating and responding to the educational, ethical, cultural,
social, professional and religious needs of dynamic cities in a
dynamic world.