A Bold Vision for a Bright Future
Academic Distinction
Academic excellence is a key component of the McKendree University mission statement.
The University provides high quality academic programs that are distinctive in content,
academic rigor, course delivery format, and quality of instruction. McKendree University
faculty will create curricula and learning experiences that require students to take
an active role in their own learning; to think critically about the world in which
they live; to integrate knowledge and skills across disciplines; and to apply what
they learn in authentic environments. Students will graduate from McKendree University
with a solid foundation in the liberal arts, expertise in their chosen field of study
and the skills and passion to fulfill their responsibilities as global citizens.
Intellectual Climate
McKendree University believes that a college education should not be the final culmination
of an individual’s educational pursuits but rather a springboard to lifelong learning.
As a result, we seek not only to provide an excellent academic experience but also
to offer a wide variety of intellectual opportunities beyond the classroom. This commitment
allows our students, faculty and staff to come together as a community of scholars
through lectures, theatre, film, art, music, literature and current topics to exchange
ideas, express differing points of view, or simply enjoy a work of art or a great
performance. Our goal in creating this environment is to enrich the life of our campus
and local community, and to inspire in our students the desire to continue to engage
in intellectually stimulating activities beyond their formal academic experience.
The McKendree Experience
McKendree University provides a unique learning environment large enough to offer
students a variety of quality academic options yet small enough to personalize opportunities
for individual development, allowing students to make their mark in a broad variety
of ways. McKendree values engagement by all students and recognizes that the “McKendree
Experience” is different for each student.
Hallmarks of the “McKendree Experience” include an extraordinary education, faculty
and staff collaboration with students, a strong sense of values and community, experiential
learning, civic engagement, and an atmosphere of inquiry and mutual respect.
Faculty Scholarship and Staff Development
McKendree University prides itself in the professional quality of its faculty and
staff and their sense of satisfaction as employees, as evidenced by repeated recognition
as “A Great College to Work For.” We recognize that opportunities for scholarship
and development result in engaged employees that better serve our students and the
University. To this end, McKendree University is dedicated to continuing its current
initiatives and expanding avenues for professional growth and development for all
faculty and staff.
Sharing Our Story
A tradition of academic excellence with the right combination of challenge and support
is a cornerstone of the McKendree University experience. We have been doing excellent
work, producing outstanding graduates, and making important contributions to our community
for nearly two centuries. However, McKendree University is in the midst of significant
transformation. We have experienced tremendous growth in academic and co-curricular
activities, and in our graduate programs and online offerings. This growth, coupled
with so many challenges in our environment from competitors, the economy, and state
and federal regulators, requires us to seek new and innovative methods to share our
McKendree story. Faculty, students, staff, parents, board members, and alumni all
need to participate in the responsibility of sharing McKendree’s success story. We
have a lot to be proud of and a lot to share.
Securing Our Future
McKendree University will provide an environment that is conducive to student success.
McKendree University recognizes that a well-maintained, aesthetically attractive,
and secure learning environment is essential to the educational process. To secure
our future, McKendree University will remain financially sound by strategically growing
the student body, retaining the students enrolled, developing new programs for degree
opportunities, and managing our endowment and resources strategically. Securing our
future is divided into three major areas: human resources, finance and fundraising,
and facilities.
