The University of St. Francis (USF) is committed to providing a quality education, nurturing students and enhancing its local and global communities. Founded in 1920, USFs mission is to educate "the whole person" in mind and spirit, and to prepare women and men to contribute to the world through service and leadership. The success of students as individuals is paramount at USF, and academic excellence is the focus at every level of the educational process. As a Catholic university rooted in the liberal arts, USF is a community of learners challenged by the Franciscan values of respect, integrity, compassion and service. USF also instills the value of lifelong learning in students through real-world experience. Relevant, competitive programming reaffirms the ideal that a liberal education provides the comprehensive cultural background necessary for every profession. Numerous student groups and organizations offer a multitude of activities outside the classroom to further enhance learning, and students may participate in study abroad programs or domestic and international service work to broaden their horizons.The University of St. Francis is consistently ranked in the top tier of Midwest regional universities in U.S. News & World Reports edition of "Best Colleges." It was named a best Midwestern college by The Princeton Review and a "College of Distinction" by collegesofdistinction.com. Because of services it offers military veterans, USF has been recognized as a "Military Friendly School" by G.I. Jobs magazine.The universitys main campus is in Joliet, Ill. with a second campus in Albuquerque, N.M. USF offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs in arts and science, business, education, social work, nursing and health care, with new programs and courses being developed each year to meet the needs and interests of students. USFs reputation for producing top educators and skilled nurses has earned national accreditations in both areas. A leader in offering educational opportunities to working health care professionals, University of St. Francis offers courses of study for aspiring nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical specialists and health care administrators, with masters programs in Nursing Administration and Health Administration and a doctorate in Nursing Practice.For four decades, USF has been focused on serving adult learners with innovative programming and course delivery. The University of St. Francis has been one of the largest providers of online education in Illinois since it piloted its online business program 15 years ago, and was among the first higher education institutions to offer its MBA completely online. USF was recently honored in U.S. News & World Reports "Best Online Education Programs" edition for its outstanding online bachelors programs and online graduate nursing, education and business programs.From summer camps for youth and teens to adult continuing education courses for adults, USF actively promotes learning for all. USF reaches to a diverse constituency, serving as a cultural, social, spiritual and intellectual resource for the community and a partner in local business and industry. USFs commitment to the local community and to real-world learning is evidenced by three downtown Joliet locations; the new state-of-the-art learning center at the Robert W. Free Enterprise Center, which houses a variety of programs in a renovated theater building; a storefront art gallery; and Art & Design facilities in the historic Rialto Square Theater building.University of St. Francis serves approximately 3,600 students nationwide and has more than 45,000 alumni. For more information, call (800) 735-7500 or visit www.stfrancis.edu.
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