Marian University

Here is reflection number eight in the series:

Marian University (Indianapolis) was founded in 1851 by the Sisters of Saint Francis of Oldenburg, IN.

Because of our legacy, the Catholic Franciscan heritage and identity is evident on campus. We have many large works of art that reflect our Catholic Franciscan heritage. These pieces are displayed throughout campus.

We claim four Sponsorship Values that publicly proclaim our Franciscan roots. We are very intentional about naming these values and linking them to the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition.

We take advantage of ‘teachable moments’ to make connections between our daily experiences and moments in the lives of Francis, Clare, Sisters who have gone before us and other Franciscan saints.

In addition to our daily practices, we have programs that specifically provide Catholic Franciscan formation for students (and faculty and staff).

Over the last couple of years, Marian University restructured our General Education Curriculum ~ and renamed the process The Transformational Journey Program.

The Transformational Journey Program (TJP) is a holistic program focusing on the development of transformational leaders through specifically designed classroom and co-curricular experiences. These experiences, in and outside the classroom, align with the University’s Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) to provide our students the opportunity to develop into trustworthy, healthy, inquisitive and skilled leaders. The program weaves, throughout courses and co-curricular activities, the threads of the Catholic and Franciscan Intellectual Traditions, ethics, information literacy, and inclusivity.

Another focus of the Mission and Ministry Department is Marian’s Catholic Franciscan Leadership Programs. These programs include the San Damiano Scholarship Program for Church Leadership and the Missionary Disciples Institute. Both of these programs are opportunities for young people to explore and deepen their faith in light of our Franciscan charism.

At Marian University, we provide many opportunities for each person to embrace our Catholic Franciscan traditions and heritage. We strive to be explicit in our conversations about the Catholic and Franciscan Intellectual Traditions. We are engaging young people in the Franciscan charism ~ and empowering them to continue the traditions.

Many thanks to those at Marian University who wrote this reflection! Just a few more to go! Enjoy your Saturday!