Alvernia Mission

Guided by Franciscan values and the ideal of “knowledge joined with love,” and rooted in the Catholic and liberal arts traditions, Alvernia is a rigorous, caring, and inclusive learning community committed to academic excellence and to being and fostering:

  • Broadly educated, life-long learners;
  • Reflective professionals and engaged citizens;
  • And ethical leaders with moral courage.
     

Alvernia University is guided by Franciscan values and a history that is rooted in the Catholic and liberal arts traditions. We offer a rigorous, caring and inclusive learning community that is open to members of all religions. The notion of “knowledge joined with love” is at the core of our university mission, a concept developed by St. Bonaventure, that inspires members of our community, regardless of their academic discipline or field of study, to use what they know and learn to transform the world and the lives of the people around them.


Our curriculum includes a focus on theology and philosophy to assure that students encounter the disciplines devoted to human thought and faith. As part of this, all students at Alvernia are expected to study ethics and morality as a requisite to graduate.


Alvernia also seeks to foster in its students a reverence for the dignity of all life, a commitment to peace and justice, and a devotion to the service of others, particularly the materially and spiritually disadvantaged.


Our students are also active in organizations like Campus Ministry and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship that provide opportunities to engage in a community of faith, pursue a life of service, and advance peace and social justice initiatives, as well as discuss contemporary issues that are top of mind with our students.


The university’s popular Ethics, Leadership & Community Lecture Series attracts national speakers to campus to engage in discussion on topics of global importance that expose students to current thinking on related subjects.


Ultimately, an Alvernia education produces educated citizens that are talented professionals and active community members who work hard to shape the world into a better place.


Simply put, our graduates do well, and do good!

A Franciscan Tradition

St. Francis statue overlooking library patio
Learn Love Serve