Principles of an Ignatian education

Canisius College is an institution of higher learning in the Catholic, Jesuit tradition that seeks to educate the whole person by caring for and developing the moral and spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical life of its students. The hallmarks of an Ignatian education, which are commensurate with the notion of a classical education, include the following concerns.

• Educating the whole person   To educate the whole person and to attend to instantiating in every way cura personalis.
   
• Developing the intellect   Developing intellectual excellence and integrity in an open and uncompromising pursuit and communication of truth.
 
• Opening spiritual sensibilities   Opening a person’s spiritual sensibilities to concerns of personal integrity and conscience, developing concern for the sublime and reverence for all life.
 
• Promoting moral virtue Promoting moral excellence by cultivating a sense of responsibility in service to and respect for the dignity and worth of our fellow human beings, including a respect for diversity.
 
• Working to achieve social justice To promote a careful consideration of moral values and social justice — to attend always to developing a richer appreciation of what it means to be men and women for others.
 
• Preparing for work Preparing young persons for productive careers and meaningful personal lives.
 
• Striving for more Cultivating a sense of always striving for something more — magis.
 
• Creating a community of care To become a genuine community of care, of love, trust, and compassion — a community that embraces diversity, cherishes human beings, and provides a secure arena for seeking truth.

This tradition promotes Catholic intellectual life, spiritual development, and service to others — all genuine characteristics of good leadership. In this connection, the Jesuit tradition of education, tracing its origins to the Ratio Studiorum, has always promoted the importance of philosophy for training the mind and for stimulating a love of truth and understanding as well as promoting its central place in an excellent liberal arts higher education.