Mission Priority Examen

Mission Priority Examen (MPE) – A Reaffirmation of Mission

The presidents of the schools constituting the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) and the North American Jesuit Provincials have established a self-study and peer review process for reaffirming the Jesuit, Catholic mission of Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States and Belize, a process requested by the Superior General of the Society of Jesus. Known as the “Mission Priority Examen (MPE),” the process is grounded in the Examen, a practice of Ignatian reflection, and invites the campus community to reflect upon areas of strength in embodying our Jesuit, Catholic identity and opportunities for deepening our mission. In welcoming AJCU colleagues to support one another’s institutional self-reflection, we aim to foster a more vibrant and collaborative network of Jesuit higher education.

Creighton University’s 2022 Mission Priority Examen

In February 2022, at the invitation of the Upper Midwest provincial, the Rev. Karl Kiser, SJ, Creighton University initiated its second MPE process. This process was shepherded by a committee representing a wide cross-section of the Creighton community who, informed by institutional reflection, discerned mission priorities – areas of unique mission emphasis for the next five years – and developed Creighton University’s self-study report based on the Characteristics of Jesuit Higher Education: A Guide for Mission Reflection. In November 2022, the committee hosted a visiting team of AJCU peers that affirmed that “Creighton is an outstanding example of a Jesuit, Catholic university that embraces its mission, builds upon clear mission strengths, and desires to live its mission ever more fully.” The visiting team’s listening and accompaniment also assisted the University in further refining its discerned mission priorities, leading to a narrowing of the five initially proposed in the self-study report to a more intentional and targeted emphasis on two: mission formation and fostering belonging.
In August 2023, the superior general of the Society of Jesus, the Rev. Arturo Sosa, SJ, and Fr. Kiser sent a letter to Creighton President the Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ, jointly reaffirming Creighton University’s Jesuit, Catholic identity and supporting pursuit of the institution’s articulated mission priorities.

Current Mission Priorities

Priority I: Forming Faculty, Staff, Administrators and Trustees

  • The vitality of our mission depends deeply on the contributions of members throughout the Creighton community, notably our faculty, staff, administrators and trustees.

    Therefore, it is imperative that we continue prioritizing the formation of companions in the Ignatian tradition, focusing on breadth and depth, emphasizing engagement of head and heart, incorporating experiential components that invite awareness and accompaniment of people at society’s margins, and deepening understanding of the Catholic intellectual tradition, which is inclusive of Catholic Social Teaching.

Priority II: Fostering Belonging

  • As a Jesuit, Catholic institution, it is incumbent upon us to increasingly foster a community that coheres with God’s vision for humanity, that honors the inherent dignity of all as a child of God and is marked by care, mutuality and a shared sense of belonging. Creighton’s prioritization of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) reflects our mission. In turn, we commit to bolstering the recruitment of and ongoing support for an increasingly diverse faculty, staff and student body; forming leadership in core principles of EDI; developing curriculum and research endeavors that reflect diversity and are grounded in inclusive best practice; and advancing understanding the vast array of intersectionality that makes us uniquely human.

Committee Members

  • Cynthia Schmersal, EdD, Vice President, Mission and Ministry, Chair
  • Max Engel, PhD, Associate Professor, Education and Theology, Co-Chair
  • Eric Baldwin, DMin, Acting Vice Provost, Student Life
  • Marcus Blossom, McCormick Endowed Athletic Director
  • Kevin Dilworth, SJ, Assistant Professor, Medical Education, Phoenix Campus
  • Joe Ecklund, PhD, Assistant Vice Provost, Advising and Support
  • Jeff Feldhaus, Special Assistant to the President, Board Liaison
  • Kevin FitzGerald, SJ, PhD, PhD, Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Medical Humanities
  • Robby Francis, Director, Campus Ministry
  • Janique Hayes, Assistant Director, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and Mission and Ministry
  • Carol Lomneth, PhD, Professor, School of Medicine
  • Tara McGuire, Associate Vice President, Finance
  • René Padilla, PhD, Vice Provost, Global Engagement
  • Nicole Piemonte, PhD, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Associate Professor of Medical Humanities, Phoenix Campus
  • Nicky Santos, SJ, PhD, Associate Professor, Marketing and Management, Jesuit Rector
  • Sarah Walker, PhD, Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, Professor, Marketing and Management
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