About Us

Message from the Dean

"Let the gritty reality of this world into their lives,
so they can learn to feel it, think about it critically,
respond to its suffering, and engage it constructively."

Father Peter-Hans Kolvenbach, Former Superior General of the Society of Jesus

It is USF's vision as a premier Jesuit Catholic, urban University with a global perspective to educate leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world.  In order to realize this vision, we likewise encourage our students to understand the "gritty realities" of this world in order to be moved to remedy them.

Leading the way in this effort are our outstanding faculty.  In recent years, our teacher-scholars have garnered unprecedented national recognition-winning national awards; receiving major new grants and prestigious Fulbright scholarships; and premiering in major art venues and film festivals around the globe.

Our students' achievements are impressive as well.  They’ve published their research alongside our faculty, won prizes for their writing, received highly competitive fellowships, and been accepted at the top graduate schools.

Our students are engaged in the community and they are making a difference.  From building a library for street children in Zambia, to bridging the digital divide in Peru, to fighting against modern day slavery right here in the U.S., our students are changing the world for the better.

I hope you will enjoy perusing these pages to learn more about what the College has to offer.  With 30 majors and 50 minors, I'm confident that you will find what you are looking for—a wide variety of educational options imbued with a mission to provide not only the knowledge and skills needed to succeed as persons and professionals, but also the values and sensitivity necessary to be men and women for others.

Jennifer E. Turpin
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences