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The city of Steubenville is located 42 miles west of Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, 24 miles north of Wheeling, West Virginia, 150 miles east of Columbus, Ohio,
and 120 miles south of Cleveland, Ohio.
Steubenville is located on University Boulevard at the junction of
US Route 22 and Ohio Routes 7 and 43. The Greater Pittsburgh International Airport is just
a 45-minute drive away.
The city of Steubenville serves as a hub for the economy of
approximately 40 smaller cities and villages located within 25 miles of the city limits.
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The University Campus
Franciscan University is located on a high plateau within the
boundaries of the city of Steubenville. The campus overlooks the Ohio River, the business
district of the city, and other smaller river-front communities. A sense of cohesiveness
pervades the campus.
1. Christ the King Chapel is the spiritual center of
the campus and the site for 6:30 am, noon, and 6:25 pm weekday liturgies, and our Sunday
liturgies. Located within Christ the King Chapel is a secluded Eucharistic Chapel
dedicated to Bishop John King Mussio, the first bishop of Steubenville. Its
stained-glass windows beautifully depict the seven sacraments and create an inspiring
atmosphere for personal prayer.
2. The J.C. Williams Center was built in 1970. The
Center is the principal social hub on campus. The facility includes the
University bookstore, mail room, a group study room, the student newspaper office,
and the Gallery on the ground floor; the top level includes the Louis Berkman Fireside
Lounge, named for a leading local businessman, a snack bar, offices, the International
Lounge, and program area where movies, coffee houses, lectures, and dances are held
throughout the year.
3. Finnegan Fieldhouse is our campus athletic
center. It houses two full-sized basketball courts, racquetball courts, saunas,
whirlpools, locker rooms, and athletic offices. Indoor seating for 2,000 is also
available. The University's Wellness Center is located on the ground floor along with the
Campus Counseling Center. The Fieldhouse is named after Father Matthew Finnegan, TOR, one
of the school's first deans of students and athletic directors.
4. The Conference Tent is the site for our
flourishing summer conferences. Since 1975, thousands of lay men and women, priests,
religious, young adults, teens, and youth ministers from around the world have been
challenged to renew and enrich their faith through talks, Mass, and praise and worship
under the Tent.
5. St. Francis Hall is the oldest of our four
residence halls. Named in honor of the founder and patron of the Franciscan friars, it
accommodates 153 residents.
6. Antonian Dining Hall, the main dining facility on
campus, is named for St. Anthony of Padua. In addition to the Gentile Room, named for
local industrialist Anthony Gentile and his wife Nina, it contains the Schiappa
Room, named for Orlando Schiappa, a local businessman and civic leader, and the
Kevin R. Keelan Room, named for the University's second president. These special dining
areas may be reserved by organizations for various functions.
7. Marian Hall, the second residence hall built,
accommodates 202 residents. This residence hall is named after Our Lady, recognizing her
special role in God's plan of salvation.
8. Trinity Hall is situated near the edge of the
campus plateau. Accommodating 149 residents, it is named for the Holy Trinity: Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit.
9. Holy Spirit Friary is the private residence of
the Franciscan friars. We request that you respect the cloistered atmosphere of the
Friary.
10. St. Thomas More Hall is the largest of our
residence halls, accommodating 318 residents. St. Thomas More was a lay Franciscan
martyred during the reign of Henry VIII.
11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22. Outdoor Athletic Facilities include a basketball court, four tennis
courts, a softball field, three flag football fields, and two soccer fields. Facilities
are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Lights for evening tennis are also
available.
14. Kolbe and Clare Halls form our newest
residence, accommodating 136 students and two guest apartments. They were named for the
20th century Franciscan martyr, St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, and St. Clare, foundress of the
Second Order of Franciscans.
15. The Steel Cross was inspired by a similar cross
in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina. Rising 60 feet above the campus, it is a powerful
reminder of the University's Christian commitment to "live under the cross." Its
steel composition conveys our link to the steel industry of the Ohio Valley.
18. Vaccaro Baseball Field is the site of play for
our local American Legion Team and our University club baseball team. Its construction and
maintenance was made possible primarily through local benefactors.
19. The Physical Plant Services Building houses
offices and workshop for the grounds, custodial, and maintenance staffs of the University.
23. The St. Joseph Center is the most western
building on campus. It houses the permanent offices of the Christian Conference Office,
Franciscan University Press, Distance Learning, Franciscan University Journeys, the Alumni
Office, the Development Office, the Public Relations Office, and the academic Business
Department. It also houses LAMP, Lay Apostolate Ministry with the Poor. The meeting rooms
are used regularly for seminars and workshops.
24. The Physical Plant Services Annex houses
additional offices and workshops for the maintenance of the University campus.
25. Egan Hall is named after the founder and first
president of the University, the late Very Reverend Daniel W. Egan, TOR. It is our main
classroom building, which also contains faculty offices, laboratories, and Anathan
Theatre.
26. Starvaggi Hall houses the Admissions Office,
Community Relations Office, and the Nursing Department on the top floor. The ground floor
accommodates the Enrollment Services Offices and administrative offices of the University.
It is named for Michael Starvaggi, an early benefactor of the University.
27. The John Paul II Library, dedicated in
September 1987, houses a book collection of 200,000 volumes and subscriptions to 700
magazines and journals. In addition, through the library's OPAL Catalog and OhioLink
Network students have access to more than 6.4 million books and journals. A computer lab,
Internet access, group study room, and individual study carrels round out the
library's study and research facilities.
28. The Marian Grotto was inspired by student
devotion to the Blessed Mother and the Rosary. The graceful stone alcove encompasses a
statue of Mary, inviting all her children to join her in praise of the Father.
29. Stations of the Cross line an inclined path
behind the Portiuncula Chapel. Resurgence of this timeless devotion to our Lord's passion
reveals a new appreciation of his humility and sacrificial love. Made of cast bronze,
these stations replicate those located in Medjugorje, Bosnia-Herzegovina.
30. The Portiuncula Chapel, also known as St. Mary
of the Angels, greets visitors to our devotional grove behind Christ the King Chapel.
Inspired by Father Sam Tiesi's visit to Assisi in 1985, the Portiuncula, or "little
portion," is available for contemplative prayer, silent reflection, and eucharistic
adoration.
31. The Nativity Scene provides a quiet place of
reflection on the wondrous birth of our Lord. Sculptured in Italy, it recalls St. Francis
as the originator of the modern crèche and his impassioned love for God incarnate.
32. The Tomb of the Unborn Child was erected on
January 22, 1987, as a memorial to the innocent victims of abortion. Its eternal flame is
a constant solicitation to vigilant prayer for our youngest and most defenseless brothers
and sisters and for their parents.
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Our Heritage
The year was 1946, and World War II had just ended. Isolated from
the mainstream of academic life, the city of Steubenville lacked an institution of higher
learning. At the invitation of Bishop John King Mussio, the Franciscan friars of the Third
Order Regular agreed to establish a college in the city. A delegation of friars looked
over available facilities, and in June 1946 purchased the Knights of Pythias Building at
420 Washington Street. With no guarantees except that of moral support, the friars
invested $350,000 in what would prove to be a great educational venture.
As enrollment grew, other buildings were bought or leased, until it
became evident that proper expansion required enough land for a permanent campus. In 1953,
the friars purchased a 40-acre tract on a site overlooking the city of Steubenville. Today
Franciscan University encompasses a 114-acre campus with 15 buildings.
While many graduates pursue careers around the country, many others
are involved in local government, education, medicine, law, business, and industry. Since
Steubenville is the hub of a highly industrialized area, and since the demand for trained
personnel is growing rapidly, it is not unusual to find students remaining in the
Tri-State area after graduation to make the Ohio Valley their home.
The heritage of Franciscan University of Steubenville continues to
be a source of pride for graduates, students, faculty members, and residents of the
Steubenville area.
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Our Founders
In the year 1182, in the little town of Assisi, near Perugia, Italy,
a son was born to a rich merchant named Pietro Bernadone. His baptismal name was Giovanni,
"John," but his father renamed him Francesco, "Frenchman," because
Pietro was fond of France.
As a youth, Francesco eagerly exercised chivalry and arms, and while
taking part in one of the petty feuds of the day, he was imprisoned at Perugia for a year.
While in Perugia, Francesco became ill, and after being released
from prison, he spent much of his time in contemplation. Soon he renounced his former way
of life and went on a pilgrimage to Rome in 1206. Thereafter, Francis, as he was now
known, renounced his considerable inheritance, broke with his family, and consecrated
himself to poverty and a religious life.
No humiliation, no self-sacrifice was too great. He refused any but
the simplest clothing—a single gray tunic of coarse woolen cloth belted at the waist
by a rope —and begged for alms at the gates of monasteries. He served the leper
colony at Gubbio for some time and later worked with his own hands in rebuilding the
churches of St. Damian and St. Mary of the Angels.
Francis founded the Franciscan Order in 1208. The irresistible
gentleness of the Franciscan spirit soon swept throughout Europe, and when the first
general assembly of the Order was held in 1219, some 5,000 friars were present.
Few groups had such a moderating influence on the turbulent times.
Teaching, preaching, and helping the poor were only part of their work. Led by St.
Francis, the friars recorded much of the history of the times and made valuable
contributions to literature and theological writings.
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Our Environment
Franciscan University of Steubenville provides an atmosphere that
fosters the human dignity of all members of the University family. Founded on
Judeo-Christian ideals, this atmosphere reflects the Franciscan charism of our founding
friars. Under the guidance of Student Life and Chapel Ministry, many opportunities to
develop, expand, and enrich a strong faith commitment are available. All students are
encouraged to participate in the level of faith commitment that supports their individual
aspirations. Each member of the University family is also called to respect the dignity of
the individual choice of commitment.
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The University's Mission
The purpose of Franciscan University is to further the higher
education of men and women through programs of liberal, professional, and pre-professional
studies leading to the conferral of the baccalaureate and master degrees in the arts and
sciences.
It is the further purpose of the University, publicly identified as
a Catholic and a Franciscan institution, to promote the moral, spiritual, and religious
values of its students. The University is guided by the example and teaching of St.
Francis of Assisi.
In order to accomplish this mission, the University embraces the
following general policies:
- Intellectual and Faith Community: The specific vocation of a student
is intellectual development.
- Evangelization: Through academic and co-curricular programs, the
University promotes the ongoing and deepening of life in the Lord Jesus Christ and in the
Church.
- Dynamic Orthodoxy: The University has embraced this concept as a
policy standard for its life, thereby striving to promote and maintain a balanced
commitment to truth and life in its faith community.
- Christian Maturity: The University recognizes that its ultimate
purpose is to graduate men and women who are able to take a mature, responsible approach
to life.
- Good Stewardship: The University recognizes that its greatest
resources are its people and pledges to treat each person with dignity and respect.
These five general policies are the basis for many specific
policies, the most important of which are:
- Academic: The University in its purpose is a teaching institution,
which values research primarily for advancing the scholarship of the faculty.
The University requires some specific courses and some balanced
selection of courses to promote liberal arts education and the importance of theological
studies and basic philosophy.
The University promotes responsible academic freedom which includes
observance of the 1940 AAUP statement.
- Student Life: The University desires all its programs to be guided by
the law of love.
The University welcomes entertainment and recreational activities
that upbuild the lives of those involved.
The University promotes participation in physical health programs
and athletic activities as desirable for its students.
The University promotes personal and spiritual development through
group activities, particularly faith households.
The University provides, within its means, counseling and other
support services appropriate to assist student participation in University life.
The University supports Christian morality and respect for life.
The University embraces a Catholic worldview.
The University encourages service off campus to the poor and needy
as an essential part of students' educational experience.
Finally, the University commits itself to this mission believing
that it is promoting a normal, mature, Franciscan, Catholic, Christian way of life for its
students. It believes that its norms for both academic and co-curricular development are
rooted in long and proven tradition and are as relevant today as they were in times past.
The University understands that it proceeds only by God's mercy, and therefore it commits
itself to ongoing prayer so that it may be humble before the face of God and receptive to
those graces and blessings it needs to serve this mission.
For the full text of Franciscan University's Mission Statement, click here.
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