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Creighton University
Creighton University seal.svg
Latin: Universitas Creightoniana
Former names
Creighton College (1878–1958)
Type Private research university
Established September 2, 1878; 146 years ago (September 2, 1878)
Accreditation HLC
Religious affiliation
Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
Academic affiliations
  • AJCU
  • ACCU
  • NAICU
  • Space-grant
Endowment $745 million (2023)
President Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J.
Provost Mardell A. Wilson
Rector Nicholas Santos
Academic staff
686 Full-time and 333 Part-time
Students 8,821
Undergraduates 4,472
Postgraduates 4,349
Location , ,
United States

41°15′53″N 95°56′46″W / 41.26472°N 95.94611°W / 41.26472; -95.94611
Campus Large City, 132 acres (53.4 ha)
Newspaper Creightonian
Other campuses
Colors      Blue
     White
Nickname Bluejays
Sporting affiliations
NCAA Division IBig East
Mascot Billy Bluejay
Creighton University logo.svg

Creighton University (/ˈkrtən/) is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate and undergraduate students on a 140-acre (57 ha) campus just outside of downtown Omaha. It is classified among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". It comprises nine undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools and colleges, including a law school, medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, nursing school, and business school. The university operates the Creighton University Medical Center. It has a second campus focused on health sciences located in Phoenix, Arizona.

History

The university was founded as Creighton College on September 2, 1878, through a gift from Mary Lucretia Creighton, who stipulated in her will that a school be established in memory of her husband, prominent Omaha businessman Edward Creighton. The college began with 120 students, taught by five Jesuits and two lay teachers. Edward's brother, John A. Creighton, is credited with fostering and sustaining the university's early growth and endowment. In 1878, the College of Arts and Sciences was established, and remains the largest college today. Shortly after, in 1885, the Creighton University Observatory was built on campus. Women were first admitted in 1913. In 1958, the college split into Creighton Preparatory Schools and Creighton University.

Academics

U.S. university rankings

USNWR National University 104
Washington Monthly National University 311
Forbes 194

The schools and colleges at Creighton are:

  • College of Arts & Sciences
  • Heider College of Business (formerly known as the College of Business Administration)
  • College of Nursing
  • School of Dentistry
  • School of Medicine
  • School of Pharmacy & Health Professions
  • School of Law
  • Graduate School
  • College of Professional Studies

The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest school, containing about 28% of the university's enrolled students. Creighton's acceptance rate is 72.7%.

In 2018, the university announced a Phoenix Health Sciences Campus, which opened in 2021.

Athletics

First Big East Game
Creighton men's basketball home game, CHI Health Center Omaha

Creighton competes in NCAA Division I athletics as a member of the Big East. Nicknamed the Bluejays, Creighton fields 14 teams in eight sports.

Notable basketball players at the university were Paul Silas, Benoit Benjamin, Kyle Korver, and coach Greg McDermott's son Doug McDermott, while popular Bluejays coaches included Eddie Sutton, Willis Reed, and Dana Altman.

The women's basketball team won the WNIT championship in 2004. It plays all home games on campus at D. J. Sokol Arena.

The men's soccer team maintained 17 straight NCAA tournament appearances between 1992 and 2008. During that time, the Bluejays made three College Cup appearances, including one championship game appearance (2000). It plays home games on campus at Morrison Stadium.

Creighton's baseball team has one appearance in the College World Series (1991). Jim Hendry, the former general manager of the Chicago Cubs, was Creighton's head coach for its 1991 CWS appearance. The program's graduates include Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson.

The women's softball team has had two appearances in the Women's College World Series (1982 and 1986) and appeared in six of eight NCAA Tournaments. Tara Oltman (2007–2010), the best pitcher in MVC history, was a three-time league Pitcher of the Year and finished her career with conference records for wins, innings pitched, starts, appearances, strikeouts, and complete games. She remains the only student-athlete in Bluejays history to earn first-team all-conference honors in four consecutive seasons.

Demographics

Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
Race and ethnicity Total
White 72% 72
 
Hispanic 9% 9
 
Asian 8% 8
 
Other 6% 6
 
Foreign national 2% 2
 
Black 2% 2
 
Economic diversity
Low-income 12% 12
 
Affluent 88% 88
 
Creighton mall west
University mall

As of 2015, Creighton's enrollment was 8,435, of whom 4,163 were undergraduates. From Creighton's Class of 2020, 14% count themselves as first-generation college attendees in their families. 26% are students of color, and 56% of the class is female; 82% of the class have taken part in volunteer service.

Student clubs and organizations

The university has more than 200 student organizations:

St John, Creighton
St. John's Church on Creighton's campus

Residence halls

There are eight residence halls. They are all co-educational. Graves Hall, completed in August 2023, accommodates up to 400 first-year students.

Student government

  • Creighton Students Union (CSU) is Creighton University's comprehensive student government, consisting of students from each of Creighton University's schools and colleges, founded in 1922.
  • Inter Residence Hall Government (IRHG) was formed in 1984 to represent Creighton's residence halls.

John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice

Creighton downtown omaha
Law school with downtown in background

The John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice (SCSJ) promotes service projects and education about justice. The center helped develop the Cortina Community, a sophomore intentional-living community named for Jesuit priest Jon de Cortina.

Performing arts

  • Several vocal groups exist. The Department of Fine and Performing Arts, within the College of Arts and Sciences, houses a Chamber Choir (selective), Gospel Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and University Chorus. The men's a cappella ensemble is known as the Creightones.
  • The Creighton Dance Company's repertoire draws on classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance, jazz and musical theatre dance.
  • The Department of Fine and Performing Arts offers undergraduate degrees in Art History, Studio Art, Dance, Music, Theatre, and Musical Theatre.
  • Several theatrical productions are held each year in the university's Lied Education Center for the Arts.

Student media

  • The student newspaper is called The Creightonian. It was a finalist for the 2007 and 2010 Pacemaker Award for college journalism.
  • Shadows is Creighton's literature and arts publication.

Notable alumni

There are more than 68,470 alumni of Creighton University living in 93 countries. Nearly 30 percent live in Nebraska. The largest number of alumni outside the United States reside in Canada, Japan, and Malaysia.

Alumni include

Notable faculty

  • Raymond J. Bishop
  • Barbara Braden
  • Virgil Blum
  • Patrick Borchers
  • Raymond A. Bucko
  • Judith M. Burnfield
  • John Calvert
  • Edward P. J. Corbett
  • Frank Crawford
  • Blase J. Cupich
  • Ross Horning
  • Henry T. Lynch
  • D. S. Malik
  • Francis I. McKenna
  • R. R. Reno
  • Joseph F. Rigge
  • William J. Riley
  • Robert F. Rossiter Jr.
  • Roger Lawrence Schwietz
  • Hugh Sidey
  • Constantine Joseph Smyth
  • William O. Stephens
  • Lyle Elmer Strom
  • LaNada War Jack

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Universidad Creighton para niños

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