Mission Statement

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Gonzaga-in-Florence Mission Statement

Gonzaga-in-Florence

The mission of Gonzaga-in-Florence is a direct extension of the mission of Gonzaga University as a humanistic, Catholic, and Jesuit community of higher education. Since 1963, Gonzaga-in-Florence primarily has served undergraduates. Traditionally a year-long program, semester and summer options also are available.

Gonzaga-in-Florence is situated in the birthplace of the Renaissance and offers a unique lens through which students can critically understand and experience first-hand the interaction of culture, humanities and the arts.  Through encounters with new cultures, students explore the contemporary world, while developing a deeper appreciation for the contributions of Western civilization.

Humanistic
Catholic
Jesuit 

As humanistic, Gonzaga-in-Florence promotes the transformative power of human creativity and love.  Gonzaga-in-Florence specializes in the academic development of the whole person through a rigorous liberal arts curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking and the formation of leadership and virtue in a multicultural environment.

As Catholic, Gonzaga-in-Florence incorporates the teachings of Jesus Christ, the sacraments, traditions, and social justice foundations of the Catholic Church as vibrant components of its faith and service formation.  A commitment to encountering and learning about other faiths flows from this vision.

As Jesuit, Gonzaga-in-Florence challenges students to discern their unique calling from God, to cultivate a faith that transforms culture through justice and, by serving as ambassadors of Gonzaga, to minister to those in need through multicultural service-learning and justice programs.

All three inextricably linked dynamics of the Gonzaga-in-Florence program contribute to the holistic development of student leadership: intellectual, spiritual, and moral accentuating service and justice.  Gonzaga-in-Florence promotes this mission in and outside the classroom, within the city of Florence, and in the various countries and cultures experienced throughout the academic year, semester or summer abroad.