RockhuRst univeRsity 2012–2014 catalog

Living Our Tradition Today: We are committed to just action through leadership andservice; therefore, we strive: To take responsibility for our gifts and talents and to helpbuild up the gifts and talents of others. To be agents of transformation especially inthe areas of social justice and equality. To bring our best resources to bear on creativeresponses to problems and challenges.Wisdom—Sapientia Aedificavit Sibi Domum—“Wisdom Has Built Herself a Home”Our Jesuit Heritage: Wisdom is the product of the search for God in all things, thereflection and discernment on God’s good world, the striving for more, and the care ofthe whole person. The more that we know about ourselves, others, and the world, themore we know about God and the better we can make sound judgments. Our searchfor wisdom demands not only academic excellence but also the integration of faith withlearning. If we are true to these foundational principles, the result will be the attainmentof Wisdom.Living Our Tradition Today: We are committed to learning; therefore, we strive: To learnabout all aspects of this God-charged world. To create an environment that values andchampions the search for and communication of knowledge. To examine the moral andethical implications present in each discipline and program. To view religious experienceand religious questions as integral to the understanding of human existence and culture. Tofoster love of the world that leads to the desire to create a better and more just existence.Our HistoryThe underlying spirit of Rockhurst University was born in 1521, when a Spanish soldierwas struck in the leg by a cannonball at Pamplona. That soldier, later to be known as St.Ignatius of Loyola, used his recovery period to develop his spirituality and approach tolife. That new spirituality led to the formation of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Thesubsequent Jesuit tradition of service to others through a value-centered liberal educationhas been renowned worldwide for more than 450 years. Today there are 186 JesuitColleges and universities throughout the world; 28 of them are in the United States.Rockhurst University was founded in Kansas City in 1910 with a charter from thestate of Missouri empowering Rockhurst University to grant degrees. The constructionof Sedgwick Hall in 1914 allowed the opening of high school classes in 1914; collegeclasses began in 1917. Small in numbers but infused with the Jesuit spirit, the first RockhurstUniversity students were all taught by the Rev. Alphonse Schwitalla, S.J. Just as the Jesuitorder grew from the calling of one man into a worldwide force, so Rockhurst has grownfrom the dream of a small, hardy crew of Jesuits into an institution with national reach.Today the University serves approximately 3,000 students at its campus in KansasCity’s cultural district. Both undergraduate and graduate degree programs feature the lifelongliberal arts learning approach that is a hallmark of Jesuit education.A summary of historical highlights is offered in the “Rockhurst Traditions” section.8