Office of Academic Affairs

Welcome from the Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs

Joe Delap canisius

At the heart of a Canisius education is our mission and our Jesuit identity. We place a high value on academic excellence and the liberal arts that incorporates critical thinking, clear communication, diverse perspectives, meaningful experiences, and accompanied discernment. We work to foster an intellectual understanding of social justice and mobility, along with a willingness to act for and with others. We expect academic experiences to be transformational and generate a level of knowledge and understanding of ourselves and others that allows us to see the world in new ways. These transformational experiences may happen during a classroom discussion or a conversation with a faculty member, while reading a text, writing a paper or reviewing with friends, in a research lab, during an immersion trip or study abroad, or in the deep quiet of our own thoughts. It is our goal to engage students in these experiences so that they can find their path and live their passion.

Canisius faculty members embrace the teacher-scholar model and are active scholars in their fields, often collaborating directly with students. As innovative educators, they create myriad opportunities to engage both undergraduate and graduate students in the discovery and transmission of knowledge. The long list of potential student collaboration includes conducting research with a faculty member and presenting the results at a professional conference, drafting a novel under the mentorship of a faculty writer, immersion experiences in the U.S. and abroad, academic travel to another country with faculty as part of an academic program, musical performances, and many more possibilities.

I encourage Canisius students to seek out those opportunities they find most compelling and take full advantage of them. I welcome you to our community of scholars and look forward to walking with you on this shared journey. 

Joe Delap, PhD
Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs