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    Students outside Chapel of St. Ignatius  

    Excellence with Purpose


    The Jesuit tradition animates Seattle University’s values—as well as its rigorous and wide-ranging study.

    It was more than 450 years ago that St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, which has a rich tradition of academic excellence, social justice and service to others.

    The essence of a Jesuit university is educating the whole person—mind, body and spirit. At Seattle University, learning is enriched by service to society. Three out of four undergraduates engage in community service, three times the national average. A good example is the nationally acclaimed Seattle University Youth Initiative, which unites the university and wider community in a pipeline of support for the success of young people starting in pre-kindergarten and continuing through college.

    Jesuits on campus set a tone at SU, one that’s focused on preparing leaders with the fundamental values of the university’s humanistic Jesuit mission.

    Those on many spiritual paths are part of the academic community, which is inclusive and welcoming of all faiths. Students, faculty and staff—no matter their religious backgrounds—are drawn to the Jesuit approach to education, which means more than acquiring knowledge. What you do with that knowledge is equally important. It’s a place to discover your own spirituality, strive to deepen who you are and explore your place in the world.