Service to the poor and marginalized, affirmation of the unique worth of each person, appreciation for beauty, reverence for all creation, and faith in a personal and provident God—these are the values and vision of St. Francis of Assisi.
Siena, as you may already know, is a Franciscan community. Friendship and respect are of the utmost importance to us, as is our commitment to building a world that is more just, peaceable, and humane.
So what does that mean for you, as a student looking for the right college?
If you’re not Catholic or Franciscan… That is A-okay. Our late, former, beloved President, Brother Ed Coughlin, put it perfectly when he said:
“I think when students hear the word Catholic, they think about the church and its rules and regulations. Ours is really a tradition that has been inspired by a vision, and offers a new way of thinking about things in terms of moral and ethical questions.
One of Francis’ messages is to wish people peace and good. That peace, which can mean so many different things today, is about being in a right relationship with yourself and everybody in your life.”
In other words, no matter your religion or faith, if all that sounds like a community you’d enjoy being part of, keep exploring Siena. We won’t push our faith on you. We won’t make you go to church. (But we do love that our students hold the door open for others EVERY SINGLE TIME, so at least carry on that tradition, will ya?)
If you are Catholic and/or Franciscan… Then this isn’t news to you! But it’s up to you how much you want to dig in while you’re here. Pray at our Grotto. Join a service club. Chat with the friars you see rollerblading across campus. Or don’t. You’ll find a mix of faiths here, as well as varying levels of commitment to God, and that’s part of what makes Siena really special.
If you just really want a good job after college…
Here’s another thing Brother Ed said that will resonate with you:
“One of the things that businesses that hire [Siena] graduates consistently say is that our students are very relational. A Siena education isn't just about academics. It’s about guiding our students as persons and giving them opportunities to perform acts of service in Third World or developing countries.
It’s about providing you with a vision that is formative, and that allows you to look at life in different ways.”
That’s how the Franciscan tradition plays out when it comes to careers and standing out to employers. And we’d love nothing more than to chat more about all this with you.
Want to hop on a Zoom or come visit campus?
