Mission, Vision, & Values

Our Mission

Hilbert College is an independent institution of higher learning that embraces its Catholic Franciscan heritage and values. Students from diverse backgrounds are educated in liberal arts and professional programs to become informed citizens committed to serving and strengthening their communities.

Our Vision

Hilbert College strives to be faithful to the deep and diverse historical foundations on which it rests. From the founding congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of St. Joseph, we embrace the traditions of St. Francis: respect, service, hope, vision, joy, integrity, compassion, and peace. From the noble legacies of the liberal arts academy, we honor intellectual inquiry, freedom of thought, breadth of knowledge, and lifelong learning. And from our own history, we continue to reach out to students from all backgrounds. We are committed to providing them skills and resources to achieve success in a wide range of careers, recognizing that in today’s world, that entails equipping students to respond to a rapidly changing global environment.

The faculty and staff of Hilbert College are dedicated to providing students with individual attention and support while also allowing them to grow and explore new challenges. We celebrate the richness that comes from a diverse campus of individuals from many faiths and cultures. We emphasize the importance of service to our community, and we endeavor to be a voice for social justice in the world.

Hilbert College is rooted in Franciscan values: Service, Respect, Compassion, Peace, Hope, Joy, Integrity, and Vision. The Office of Mission Integration fosters a profound understanding and appreciation of these values among our students, faculty, staff, and trustees. Through diverse programs, activities, and services, we connect our rich Franciscan heritage to the present day, enriching our community and inspiring a legacy of compassion and service.

Our Values

• Service – selflessly working and advocating for the well-being of others, especially the poor, the under-educated, and those in need.
• Hope – the desire for a future good, joined with perseverance and trust that it can be attained with God‘s help.
• Vision – the ability to imagine what can be with God‘s help.
• Joy – a conviction – outwardly manifested in an exuberant demeanor – that throughout the good and despite the bad times in life, the Spirit of God is always within us.
• Respect – recognition and reverence for God‘s presence in all creation including ourselves, others, and the environment.
• Integrity – firm adherence to doing what is right no matter what the circumstances may be.
• Compassion – heartfelt concern for another person‘s suffering or need, accompanied by action to help better the situation.
• Peace – God‘s love radiating from the core of one‘s being to others, resulting in non-violence, forgiveness, reconciliation, and harmony.