The Four Pillars of Seton Hill

When St. Elizabeth Ann Seton founded the Sisters of Charity in 1809, she imbued a spirit of acceptance and nurtured a culture of community in her spiritual daughters. Generations of sisters, blessed with this generous inheritance, did not waste the gift of the Setonian spirit. The Sisters of Charity of Seton Hill harnessed this “charism,” or spiritual gift, through works of service, an engaged community life, and an unwavering commitment to God.

It was from this same wellspring of spirit that Seton Hill College was born in 1918. When the Sisters of Charity founded the college, they gladly invited lay colleagues, men and women, Catholic and non-Catholic alike, to join in advancing the Setonian mission. As the institution grew in size and influence, its students and wider community became co-amplifiers of this legacy. Together, they carried forward the Setonian vision, transforming inherited principles into living practice - faith expressed through learning, service, and community.  

Describing the essence of this spirit presents a unique challenge. How can one define what must be experienced - a spiritual inheritance lived and shared in community? In the 1990s, Seton Hill sought to articulate this enduring ethos through the language of the Four Pillars - Welcoming, Learning, Celebrating, and Serving. These Pillars offer both a framework and a reflection of what it means to be a Setonian institution, one that continues to evolve in response to our contemporary circumstances.

Throughout this website, readers are invited to explore these Four Pillars in action. Within its pages, you will find brief exploratory definitions and examples of Seton Hill’s Four Pillars exemplified by “Mission Moments.” These essay excerpts and creative works, derived from Hazard Yet Forward: Framing the Catholic Mission & Legacy of Seton Hill University, were composed by members of the Seton Hill community in an effort to broaden and strengthen the understanding of our Setonian inheritance.