Fordham Values

At Fordham, we are guided by Jesuit principles that call us to be endlessly curious, deeply compassionate, and ambitious for the good. These values represent our commitment to listening hard, assuming good intentions, and working across silos to lift the entire university community. Explore the core values that define the Fordham spirit below.

Generosity of spirit/compassion

We treat each other with respect, but more than that, with empathy and kindness.  We listen hard and assume good intentions. We earn each other’s trust. Each of us has the power to help build a caring community full of belonging and imbued with purpose.

Openness and Curiosity

In our teaching, research, and administration of the university, we must be endlessly curious and creative. We should constantly ask ourselves why, and never be satisfied with the answer “because we’ve always done it that way.”  We should let go of our attachment to how we have always done things while holding on fiercely to our core principles. Because our students face an unimaginable pace of change, we must be nimble for their sake. We model for them the desire to keep learning for the rest of our lives.

Ambition for the Good

We embody the Jesuit principle of magis, always striving for more, because our students deserve excellence.  We understand that the world needs us.  Through our work, teaching, and research, we transform lives, solve problems, and build empathy.  We each feel ownership of the whole, working across silos to lift the entire Fordham community.