MISSION

Enriched by the Catholic, Lasallian heritage, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota awakens, nurtures, and empowers learners to ethical lives of service and leadership.

MISSION STATEMENT

In the Lasallian spirit of faith and zeal, Saint Mary's University - a global and diverse learning community - serves students through relevant and innovative educational programs, experiences, and enterprises.  The university os nourished by its Catholic intellectual, moral, and cultural traditions and is inspired by excellence in teaching as modeled by Saint John Baptist de La Salle, founder of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.  The hallmark of the university is its commitment to serve the needs of individual learners and promote life-long learning in a variety of contexts:

• The College integrates undergraduate education in the liberal arts with a residential experience to challenge and support students in their intellectual, spiritual, personal, and professional development.
• The School of Graduate and Professional Programs provides relevant and rigorous academic experiences for adult learners through an integration of practical, professional, and ethical education offered in dynamic and caring environments.
• Enterprising outreach and consulting programs provide a wide range of services that promote individual growth and organizational development.

The Saint Mary's University community, together and by association, is dedicated to quality, diversity, accessibility, social justice, and sound stewardship in all its endeavors.

CORE VALUES

Learning - Saint Mary's is committed to the value of learning.  The promotion of student learning pervades all education efforts and activities, in all settings and within all groups of learners.  Saint Mary's empowers its students to become life-long learners, competent in an area of disciplinary or professional study, enabled with critical thinking skills, and predisposed to use this knowledge for service and leadership.

Responsiveness and Flexibility - Saint Mary's is committed to a culture of responsiveness to the changing needs of students and society.  The organizational attribute of flexibility allows Saint Mary's to respond to the needs of students and society in appropriate ways and in a timely manner.

Innovation - Saint Mary's continues to thrive because of its ability to adjust to and anticipate the needs of an ever-changing worlds in ways that are consistent with its mission.

Diversity - Saint mary's values diversity; diversity in its student body, in its faculty and staff, in its programming and in its intellectual discourse.  The Saint Mary's community respects and affirms the dignity of all people and supports their freedom to express differences openly and in the pursuit of understanding.

Accessibility - Saint Mary's is committed to providing education that is both affordable and available.  The university strives to offer tuition rates that are competitive and allow access for learners from all economic backgrounds.  Courses are offered at multiple sites utilizing several different delivery models to make education available at convenient times and locations.

VISION

Saint Mary's University of Minnesota will transform society, one learner at a time, so that faith, zeal, service and leadership - all directed toward the common good - become society's defining hallmarks.