Today, Seton Hall finds itself at a pivotal and hopeful moment. God has intentionally called us, as individuals and a community, to advance a greater expression of our foundational values.
For generations, Seton Hall has transformed the lives of students, empowering them to grow in knowledge, character and faith. As we look to the future, we reaffirm our commitment to this mission, embracing opportunities with purpose and resolve. Over the next five years, we will deepen our support for the University’s mission, ensuring that every student has access to an unparalleled learning and faith experience.
As we enact our new plan, we remain committed to embracing change with purpose, ensuring that Seton Hall continues to flourish as a place of academic excellence, faith and innovation.
Academic Vision
Seton Hall’s academic vision remains the backbone of our academic commitment, grounded in five key commitments that continue to guide us forward:
- Breadth of Education
Reinforces our belief in cultivating well-rounded individuals through a diverse curriculum that spans multiple disciplines, ensuring students develop both depth and breadth of knowledge.
- Pursuit, Creation and Dissemination of Knowledge
Commits the University to fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity and inquiry where faculty and students pursue discovery and sharing of knowledge to advance human understanding. This academic commitment reaffirms our interest in remaining a high-research university (R2) that maintains and improves some high-quality doctoral programs and encourages undergraduate and graduate student research.
- Integration of the Liberal Arts and Sciences with the Catholic Intellectual Tradition
Invites the liberal arts and Catholic intellectual tradition to collaborate and form ethical leaders who are intellectually capable and morally grounded in faith and reason.
- Faculty-Student Engagement
Reaffirms the centrality of interactions between faculty and students and prioritizes mentorship, collaboration and personal growth in the learning experience.
- Preparation for an Uncertain Future
States our duty, in a rapidly changing world, to emphasize adaptability, critical thinking and swift decision-making to prepare students to navigate the future and become agents of positive change.
Guiding Values
We are fortunate to have Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton as our patroness. Her faith illuminated the spirituality of her nephew, James Roosevelt Bayley, who converted to Catholicism and later, as the first Bishop of Newark, founded our University. Our strategic plan builds on the principles manifested in the enduring values in Mother Seton’s life to guide us into a rich and vibrant future.
Faith and Hope
Fuel our belief in the transformative power of learning. This pair also underscores that the gift of faith restores our hope for the future and enables us to be guided by the ethical frameworks foundational to our beliefs.
Trust and Integrity
Guide our relationships, fostering openness and honesty within the community. To achieve
authentic dialogue and open communication, we need to start from a position of mutual
respect and understanding of the processes and constraints that face our community.
Only through listening and openly communicating our concerns for the common good will
we be able to establish the trust necessary to guide our community forward.
Courage and Curiosity
We explore new frontiers because fearless inquiry challenges the status quo. Courage without curiosity would be reckless, and curiosity without courage would be limiting. Pairing courage with curiosity opens us up to the wandering of new ideas and the unbounded exploration and refinement of new and existing knowledge.
Compassion and Service
Remind us to care deeply for each other and our communities. They also remind us of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton’s example of serving others with empathy, focusing on uplifting those in need and creating inclusive opportunities for all.
Purpose and Resilience
Stand the test of time, despite uncertainty. With the speed of change upending the what and how of work today, the why — our purpose — endures. Resilience runs deep through Seton Hall’s DNA — it even drives our motto Hazard Zet Forward — inspiring us to navigate life’s hardest challenges with grace, optimism and determination.
Love and Action
Compel us to live out all these values, ensuring our mission serves the greater good and compelling us to reflect and act with purpose. They channel our mission into positive change that makes education a vehicle for justice, social mobility and equity.
Remember Mother’s first and last lesson to you: seek God in all things.
Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
Our Strategic Pillars
Five pillars guide our strategic plan, reflect our mission, values and vision for the future. These pillars shape every aspect of our community — from the classroom to the broader world — ensuring that we prepare students to thrive and lead with purpose.
Transformational Student Experience
This priority focuses on enhancing the student experience at Seton Hall by providing
holistic, affordable and career-building opportunities to all students.
Embracing Community, Catholic Mission And Culture
Rooted in the embracing vision of Catholicsm, this priority aims to integrate faith,
reason and service into campus culture.
Impactful Programs, Research And Innovation
Guided by the example of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton’s visionary leadership, this priority
promotes impactful academic programs and research that address societal challenges.
Engaging Alumni Experience And Partnerships
Fostering a culture of service and shared mission, this priority strengthens lifelong
connections between the University and its alumni, leveraging the community-centered
approach that characterizes a Seton Hall education.
Sustainable Resources
This priority focuses on the responsible stewardship of human, financial, technical
and infrastructural resources to ensure long-term growth, enabling the University
to excel in providing high-quality education while serving those most in need.