Mission & Ministry

Mission & Ministry

Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies

History and Purpose

The Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies was founded in August 26, 1998, for the purpose of advancing the Catholic and Franciscan intellectual tradition and contributing to the identity of Neumann College as a Catholic, Franciscan educational institution.

The Institute has its home in a renovated area of the Neumann College Library, made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Koch Foundation, Inc. located in Gainesville, Florida. The grant was a capital gift initiative made possible by Dr. Rosalie Mirenda, Neumann College President.

The Institute includes The Assisi Room: a Meeting Place for Contemplation and Conversation which is a forum open to the College community, and The Francis-Clare Room, which provides both literary and artistic Franciscan resources for study and research.

The Institute fosters collaboration and integration of the Franciscan values and tradition within Catholic higher education. It provides opportunities for faculty to design and expand professional and interdisciplinary programs within a Franciscan ethic. It also provides a forum and resources for contemplation, dialog, study and learning in the Franciscan tradition.

As part of their Sponsors’ gift to the College in 2000, the Sisters of St. Francis of Philadelphia created an endowment to fund ongoing efforts to ensure that the vision and values of Francis and Clare of Assisi permeate the campus community and that the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition is appropriately integrated into the curriculum. The endowment supports interaction between members of the Neumann College community and scholars recognized for excellence in teaching, research, and scholarship in Franciscan Studies.

Three individuals have served as Directors of the Neumann Institute for Franciscan Studies: