With numerous on-campus, faculty-led research projects and off-campus summer internships, you’ll have a wealth of interests and locations to choose from, and professionals to work with, as you develop the critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed in your vocation. At Franciscan, research is not just reserved for a select few. In fact, nearly 70 percent of Franciscan undergraduate science students participate in scientific research or internships. It is our goal to provide a quality education, both in and out of the classroom, that will prepare our students for success.
Helping our students develop the scientific and technical skills necessary for success though is not enough. At Franciscan, we encourage students to reflect deeply on the cultural, moral and ethical challenges that science and the development and implementation of new technologies bring to society. We are intent on preparing students who are equipped to tackle the scientific and technical problems of the 21st century in a manner that respects the inherent dignity of the human person. In fact, within the School of Natural and Applied Sciences at Franciscan University, you don’t have to choose science over faith or faith over science. Rather, through your classes, your professors, and numerous guest lectures by world-renowned speakers, you’ll discover that science and faith exist in harmony, supporting each other and helping us come to know God and his creation. You learn how science and faith work together, and you’ll do this in an environment that is grounded within a Catholic moral and ethical framework. As St. John Paul II wrote, “Science develops best when its concepts and conclusions are integrated into the broader human culture and its concerns for ultimate meaning and value. Scientists cannot, therefore, hold themselves entirely aloof from the sorts of issues dealt with by philosophers and theologians. By devoting to these issues something of the energy and care they give to their research in science, they can help others realize more fully the human potentialities of their discoveries.” It is only in this proper integration between Faith and Reason, between Science and Theology, that our students will be prepared to live out their vocations. It is just this sort of integration, integration that strengths both science and Faith, that lies at the heart of a Franciscan education in the sciences.
