Statement of Mission & Identity
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The Ideal McPherson College
Graduate
McPherson College's general education program
provides an opportunity for the development of a life-long learner
who...
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McPherson College is a vibrant community of persons from diverse
faiths and cultural backgrounds committed to its mission: To develop
whole persons through scholarship, participation and service.
Chartered in 1887 by leaders of the Church of the Brethren, McPherson
College has a distinguished history of providing excellent liberal
arts and career-oriented education shaped by the essential values
of its founding denomination. The Church of the Brethren is a
Christian denomination founded in Germany in 1708. It accepts
the New Testament as the rule of faith and emphasizes the inherent
value of all persons, the communal discernment of truth, the necessity
of putting faith into action, and the biblical calls to simplicity,
non-violence, non-conformity and transformation through education.
Brethren strive to "continue the work of Jesus - peacefully...
simply... together."
McPherson College's programs integrate career guidance and practical
experiences into a traditional liberal arts curriculum that upholds
the highest standards of academic excellence. Our goal is to help
students discern a vocational call consistent with their gifts
and interests and to prepare them for a life of meaningful work.
Community is central to McPherson College. We affirm diversity
within the community, emphasizing unity and acceptance rather
than judgment and rejection. Because we believe that the pursuit
of truth is a collective endeavor, and that the point of scholarly
learning is to advance the common good, McPherson College aspires
to be a healthy community of learning where whole persons nurture
and balance their physical, intellectual, and spiritual components;
develop and live in respectful, reciprocal relationships with
others; and are committed to responsible service to the world.
To accomplish our mission, McPherson embraces
the ideals of scholarship, participation and service.
Scholarship. All absolute Truth is God's Truth and humankind
must labor diligently in the pursuit of truth we can know; thus,
McPherson College upholds the highest standards of academic excellence.
Faculty strive to teach students to think critically and independently,
to communicate clearly and effectively, to integrate knowledge
across the disciplines, and to assess the value conflicts in issues.
This is done without coercion, letting the evidence lead the search,
and with respect for the consciences and value differences of
others.
Participation. Students apply knowledge, practice skills,
and deepen and broaden their understanding of themselves and others
through active participation in diverse learning experiences.
A smaller community requires greater participation from its members.
For these reasons, McPherson College is committed to being a small
college and encouraging student participation in a variety of
activities.
Service. God's love is personified in the life of Jesus
who came to serve the world. Through works of peacemaking and
compassion, humanity responds to God's love and becomes an instrument
of God's servanthood in the world. Therefore, McPherson College
emphasizes service to others, encouraging all members of its community
to give selflessly of themselves to others.
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