Mission Statement

Critical Elements

Focus

As a university, our strength lies in our ability to know and help each other as human persons. Grounded by an internal culture that is characterized by creativity, flexibility, and collaborative relationships, Niagara University in Ontario faculty and staff interact with students in a variety of ways to help them grow as scholars and people. Our students must reach beyond books and websites to realize that building successful personal and professional relationships is the key to achieving goals. Our service activities, shaped by our Catholic and Vincentian heritage, emphasize the need to respect the God-given dignity of all persons.

Inspiration

St. Vincent de Paul, a 17th century Catholic priest, inspired and organized his contemporaries to serve the poor and oppressed. In this spirit, Niagara University in Ontario strives to develop leaders who will make a difference in their local communities and the larger world. We teach students about the challenges and causes of poverty, and we support service learning activities where our students reach out with compassion to serve people’s basic needs. The larger university community is encouraged to study St. Vincent and continue his important work. The Vincentian Mission provides purpose to our institution, and calls on us to strive for both excellence and humility.

Vision

St. Vincent de Paul, a 17th century Catholic priest, inspired and organized his contemporaries to serve the poor and oppressed. In this spirit, Niagara University in Ontario strives to develop leaders who will make a difference in their local communities and the larger world. We teach students about the challenges and causes of poverty, and we support service learning activities where our students reach out with compassion to serve people’s basic needs. The larger university community is encouraged to study St. Vincent and continue his important work. The Vincentian Mission provides purpose to our institution, and calls on us to strive for both excellence and humility.

Heritage

The rich literary and cultural traditions of the Catholic church live on at Niagara University in Ontario. Catholic intellectual life is centred on understanding the philosophical, moral, and practical implications of respecting the God-given dignity of every person. For the individual, this perspective provides a strong foundation of values to lead a good and fulfilling life by nurturing the development of the whole person – mind, body, heart and soul. More broadly, the university supports groups promoting social justice, especially those that focus on issues of poverty and oppression