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Cornell University

Student & Campus Life

Mission and Vision

Mission, Vision, Pedagogy, and Values for the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making and Cornell United Religious Work 

As a unit of Student & Campus Life that operates as part of the Office of the Dean of Students, the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making works in concert with colleagues to inspire transformation and enrich the lives of Cornell students.

Mission: 

The shared mission of the Office of Spirituality and Meaning-Making and Cornell United Religious Work is to nurture the human spirit by inviting our students to make meaning of themselves and the world.

Vision: 

We envision a community whose commitment to the integration of moral and intellectual development forms graduates who are spiritually mature, aware of their ethical agency, and committed to action in service of the common good. 

Pedagogy: 

In service of our mission and vision, we utilize a process of holistic formation that integrates intellectual, social, spiritual, and vocational growth. Through both our presence and our programming, we invite students to: 

  • Believe: We encourage students to reflect on and intentionally live out their deeply held beliefs and values;
  • Belong: We build inclusive communities by inviting students to understand their social identities and equipping them with skills to connect across lines of difference; and
  • Become: We challenge students to become people who live with intention and purpose in service of the common good.

Values:

We are guided in our work by four key values:

  • C - Cultivating curiosity. we value approaching life with a disposition of curious inquiry, and we invite students to do the same. We ask big questions!
  • A - Affirming dignity. We value the inherent human dignity of all people, and we strive to affirm human dignity through our presence and programming. We let student know that they are valued!
  • R - Radical belonging. Belonging is so radically core to who we are that it is mentioned in both our pedagogy and our values. We create space where our students can know that they belong!
  • E - Exploring faith, purpose, and identity. We value our vital role in Cornell's co-curriculum in helping students explore what they believe, who they are, and what they feel called to do. We encourage students to not just explore their fields of study, but also themselves!