The Core Values

Community is a shared vocation of common purpose to which everyone at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine is called.  We are a community shaped by the teachings of Jesus Christ, the intellectual tradition of the Catholic Church, and the educational vision of the Sisters of Mercy.  In this community, in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy, we strive to give expression to the following core values and, in turn, be formed by them.

Faith
Our Catholic identity calls us to seek and embrace truth and wisdom wherever it may be found.  Accordingly, we welcome diverse religious traditions and honor each person’s spiritual journey. Through the curriculum and co-curricular opportunities, we invite all members of the College community to explore and cultivate faith as an essential dimension of their lives.

Excellence
As a Catholic college in the liberal arts tradition, we seek to combine faith with reason in the pursuit of academic excellence. We call all members of the College community to excel as individuals and as professionals within their specific roles.

Integrity
Concerned for the common good as individuals and as a community, we commit ourselves to honesty in all relations with each other. Through our integrity, we maintain the trust of the surrounding community and of public and governmental agencies, and we endeavor to practice responsible stewardship of the resources available to us.

Inclusion
We demonstrate our spirit of connectedness by welcoming the perspectives, cultures, and abilities of all people of good will, especially the disenfranchised.  In turn, we are enriched and shaped by the distinctive gifts and unique experiences of each person.  In the words of Catherine McAuley, we strive for “true, sincere, and heartfelt affection for all.”

Respect
We value and respect the contribution of each member of the Saint Joseph’s College community, past and present, to the advancement of our mission. We encourage and support each other as colleagues working together for the good of the whole institution.

Compassion
Inspired by the example of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, we open our hearts to those among us in physical, psychological, or spiritual need. We consciously reach out beyond our college boundaries to serve the needs of others with compassion and mercy.

Justice
We embrace the inherent dignity of each person and the responsibility to care for creation. As such, we seek to address instances of injustice that impact people and the earth in solidarity with those we serve and from a position of informed advocacy.