View source for Creighton University

{{Short description|Jesuit university in Omaha, Nebraska, US}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox university
 | name                   = Creighton University
 | image                  = Creighton University seal.svg
 | image_upright          = .7
 | former_names           = Creighton College (1878–1958)
 | type                   = [[Private university|Private]] [[research university]]
 | established            = {{start date and age|1878|09|2}}
 | religious_affiliation  = [[Roman Catholic]] ([[Society of Jesus|Jesuit]])
 | endowment              = $782.6 million (2024)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2024-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-for-US-and-Canadian-Institutions-FINAL-Feb-12-2025.xlsx |title=U.S. and Canadian 2024 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2024 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY23 to FY24, and FY24 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student |date=February 12, 2025 |publisher=National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) |access-date=February 12, 2025 |format=XLSX |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212074654/https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/nacubo1-nacubo-prd-dc8b/media/Nacubo/Documents/EndowmentFiles/2024-NCSE-Endowment-Market-Values-for-US-and-Canadian-Institutions-FINAL-Feb-12-2025.xlsx |archive-date=February 12, 2025 |url-status=live }}</ref>
 | president              = [[Daniel S. Hendrickson]]<ref>{{cite news |title=TC Alumnus Daniel S. Hendrickson Named President of Creighton University|url=http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news.htm?articleID=9847 |publisher=[[Teachers College, Columbia University]]|date=February 9, 2015}}</ref>
 | provost                = Mardell A. Wilson<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.creighton.edu/leadership/provost |title=Office of the Provost  |publisher=Creighton University|access-date=May 26, 2022}}</ref>
 | rector                 = Nicholas Santos<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.creighton.edu/office-president/messages-campus/summer-2019 |title=Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ |access-date=September 25, 2019 |archive-date=September 26, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190926011944/https://www.creighton.edu/office-president/messages-campus/summer-2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
 | faculty                = 692 full-time and 282 part-time (fall 2022)<ref name="IPEDS">{{Cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=Creighton+University&s=all&id=181002|title=College Navigator - Creighton University|website=nces.ed.gov}}</ref>
 | students               = 8,838 (fall 2024)<ref>{{cite web |title=Common Data Set 2024-25 |url=https://www.creighton.edu/sites/default/files/CDS_2024-2025_A.pdf |publisher=Creighton University}}</ref>
 | undergrad              = 4,647 (fall 2024)
 | postgrad               = 4,191 (fall 2024)
 | city                   = [[Omaha, Nebraska|Omaha]]
 | state                  = [[Nebraska]]
 | country                = United States
 | coordinates            = {{coord|41|15|53|N|95|56|46|W|display=inline,title|region:US-MA_type:edu}}
 | campus                 = Large City, {{convert|132|acre|ha|1}}
 | colors                 = {{color box|#0054A6}} Blue<br>{{color box|#FFFFFF|}} White
 | sporting_affiliations  = [[NCAA Division I]] – [[Big East Conference|Big East]]
 | sports_nickname        = [[Creighton Bluejays|Bluejays]]
 | mascot                 = Billy Bluejay
 | academic_affiliations  = {{hlist|[[Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities|AJCU]]|[[Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities|ACCU]]|[[National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities|NAICU]]|[[National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program|Space-grant]]}}
 | website                = {{URL|creighton.edu}}
 | logo                   = Creighton University logo.svg
 | logo_upright           = .7
 | free_label1            = Newspaper
 | free1                  = ''Creightonian''
 | accreditation          = [[Higher Learning Commission|HLC]]
 | free_label2            = Other campuses
 | free2                  = {{hlist|[[Grand Island, Nebraska|Grand Island]]|[[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]]}}
}}

'''Creighton University''' ({{IPAc-en|'|k|r|eɪ|t|ən}}) is a [[Private university|private]] [[research university]] in [[Omaha, Nebraska]], United States. Founded by the [[Society of Jesus]] in 1878, the university is accredited by the [[Higher Learning Commission]]. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate and undergraduate students on a {{convert|140|acre|ha|adj=on}}<ref>[http://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/AdminFinance/PublicSafety/docs/Campus_Security_and_Fire_ Safety_Report.pdf "Public Safety – Campus Security Report Fall 2015"]{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. Creighton.edu.</ref> campus just outside of downtown Omaha. It is [[Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education|classified]] among "R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity". The university operates the [[Creighton University Medical Center]]. It has a second campus focused on health sciences located in [[Phoenix, Arizona]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Grant |first=Jeff |date=September 15, 2021 |title=Creighton formally opens new $100M Health Sciences education building in Phoenix |url=https://www.catholicsun.org/2021/09/14/creighton-formally-opens-new-100m-health-sciences-education-building-in-phoenix/ |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=The Catholic Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>

== History ==
{{Expand section|date=December 2023}}The university was founded as '''Creighton College''' on September 2, 1878, through a gift from [[Mary Lucretia Creighton]], who stipulated in her will that a school be established in memory of her husband, Omaha businessman [[Edward Creighton]]. The college began with 120 students, taught by five Jesuits and two lay teachers.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 16, 2022 |title=Creighton University |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/creighton-university |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref> Edward's brother, [[John A. Creighton]], is credited with fostering and sustaining the university's early growth and endowment. In 1878, the College of Arts and Sciences was established, and remains the largest college today.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Creighton University |url=https://www.creighton.edu/about/mission-history/history |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=www.creighton.edu |language=en}}</ref> Shortly after, in 1885, the [[Creighton University Observatory]] was built on campus.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fletcher |first=Adam F. C. |date=December 3, 2019 |title=A History of the Creighton Observatory in North Omaha |url=https://northomahahistory.com/2019/12/03/a-history-of-the-creighton-observatory-in-north-omaha/ |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=North Omaha History |language=en}}</ref> Women were first admitted in 1913.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 23, 2023 |title=Creighton University {{!}} Private, Jesuit, Catholic {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Creighton-University |access-date=December 20, 2023 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 1958, the college split into [[Creighton Preparatory School]] and Creighton University.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://creightonprep.creighton.edu/page.cfm?p=10|title=Creighton Prep: History|website=creightonprep.creighton.edu|access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref> The university ran a four-year series of celebrations from 2012 to 2015 commemorating the fiftieth anniversaries of the four sessions of the [[Second Vatican Council]].<ref>Hamm, Dennis SJ (2014), [http://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/VaticanII/DEI_VERBUM_study_guide_Revised_08302014_01.pdf DEI VERBUM: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Vatican II, 1965): An orientation and quick review by way of questions and answers], Creighton University, page 12, accessed on 12 October 2025</ref> In 2021, the university opened its Phoenix Health Sciences Campus.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.omaha.com/livewellnebraska/creighton-university-plans-nearly-million-project-in-phoenix/article_9d15676e-234e-531f-985d-3ed6bd3088be.html|title=Creighton University plans nearly $100 million project in Phoenix|first=Rick Ruggles World-Herald staff|last=writer|website=Omaha.com|date=September 19, 2018 }}</ref>

== Academics ==
{{Infobox US university ranking
| Forbes = 194
| USNWR_NU = 104
| Wamo_NU = 311
| THE_WSJ = 127
}}

The schools and colleges at Creighton are:
* College of Arts & Sciences: this is the university's largest school, containing about 28% of all enrolled students.<ref name="creighton1">[https://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/AEA/InstitutionalResearch/FactBook_15_16/15_16Table3.3.pdf 2015-2016 Creighton University Fact Book]. Creighton.edu. Retrieved August 22, 2016.</ref>
* [[Heider College of Business]]
* College of Nursing
* [[Creighton University School of Dentistry|School of Dentistry]]
* [[Creighton University School of Medicine|School of Medicine]]
* School of Pharmacy & Health Professions
* [[Creighton University School of Law|School of Law]].

== Athletics ==
{{Main|Creighton Bluejays}}
[[Image:First Big East Game.JPG|thumb|Creighton men's basketball home game, [[CHI Health Center Omaha]]]]

Creighton competes in [[NCAA Division I]] athletics as a member of the [[Big East Conference|Big East]]. Nicknamed the Bluejays, Creighton fields 14 teams in eight sports.

The women's basketball team won the [[Women's National Invitation Tournament|WNIT]] championship in 2004. It plays all home games on campus at [[D. J. Sokol Arena]].

== Demographics ==
{| class="wikitable floatright sortable collapsible"; text-align:right; font-size:80%;"
|+ style="font-size:90%" |Student body composition as of May 2, 2022
|-
! Race and ethnicity<ref>{{cite web |title=College Scorecard: Creighton University|url=https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?181002-Creighton-University |publisher=[[United States Department of Education]] |access-date=May 8, 2022}}</ref>
! colspan="2" data-sort-type=number |Total
|-
| [[Non-Hispanic whites|White]]
|align=right| {{bartable|72|%|2||background:gray}}
|-
| [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic]]
|align=right| {{bartable|9|%|2||background:green}}
|-
| [[Asian Americans|Asian]]
|align=right| {{bartable|8|%|2||background:purple}}
|-
| Other{{efn|Other consists of [[Multiracial Americans]] & those who prefer to not say.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|6|%|2||background:brown}}
|-
| [[Foreign national]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:orange}}
|-
| [[African Americans|Black]]
|align=right| {{bartable|2|%|2||background:mediumblue}}
|-
! colspan="4" data-sort-type=number |[[Economic diversity]]
|-
| [[American lower class|Low-income]]{{efn|The percentage of students who received an income-based federal [[Pell grant]] intended for low-income students.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|12|%|2||background:red}}
|-
| [[Affluence in the United States|Affluent]]{{efn|The percentage of students who are a part of the [[American middle class]] at the bare minimum.}}
|align=right| {{bartable|88|%|2||background:black}}
|}

[[File:Creighton mall west.JPG|thumb|University mall]]

As of Spring 2025, Creighton has a total enrollment of 8,403 students. Of those, 4,276 are undergraduate students and 4,127 are graduate students.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Student Headcount and Full-time Equivalency (FTE) Dashboard |url=https://www.creighton.edu/analyticsandinstitutionalresearch/interactivedashboards/studentenrollmentinteractive |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=www.creighton.edu |language=en}}</ref>

From Creighton's Class of 2020, 14% count themselves as [[First-generation college students in the United States|first-generation college attendees]] in their families. 26% are students of color, and 56% of the class is female; 82% of the class have taken part in volunteer service.<ref>{{cite web|title=Creighton Class of 2020 a talented, diverse, service-oriented group|url=http://www.creighton.edu/publicrelations/newscenter/news/2016/august2016/august152016/class2020nr081516/|website=Creighton University News Center|publisher=Creighton University|access-date=August 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828205031/http://www.creighton.edu/publicrelations/newscenter/news/2016/august2016/august152016/class2020nr081516/|archive-date=August 28, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Admissions ==

Creighton University reported an acceptance rate of 72% in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Creighton University Admissions - BigFuture College Search |url=https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/colleges/creighton-university/admissions |access-date=2025-04-14 |website=bigfuture.collegeboard.org |language=en}}</ref> In Fall 2023, 7,248 first-year students applied whilst 5,241 were admitted. 1,044 enrolled.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Common Data Sets |url=https://www.creighton.edu/analyticsandinstitutionalresearch/commondatasets |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=www.creighton.edu |language=en}}</ref>

== Student clubs and organizations ==
The university has more than 200 student organizations:<ref>{{cite web|title=Creighton University - Student Organizations|url=http://www.creighton.edu/studentlife/studentleadershipinvolvementcenter/studentorganizations/|website=Creighton.edu|publisher=Creighton|access-date=August 22, 2016|archive-date=August 29, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829161305/http://www.creighton.edu/studentlife/studentleadershipinvolvementcenter/studentorganizations/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Image:St_John,_Creighton.jpg|thumb|upright|St. John's Church]]

=== Residence halls ===
There are eight residence halls. They are all [[co-educational]].<ref>[https://www.creighton.edu/student-experience/living/residence-halls-and-apartments/new-first-year-residence-hall "The Future of Living at Creighton"] – Creighton University</ref>

=== John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice ===
[[File:Creighton downtown omaha.JPG|thumb|Law school with downtown in background]]

The [[John P. Schlegel|John P. Schlegel, S.J.]] Center for Service and Justice<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.creighton.edu/ministry/ccsj/index.php|title=Schlegel Center for Service and Justice|website=www.creighton.edu|language=en-US|access-date=July 11, 2017|archive-date=July 28, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728192556/http://www.creighton.edu/ministry/ccsj/index.php|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>
{{cite news
 | last = Cole | first = Kevin
 | title = Creighton center named for the Rev. John Schlegel to honor his work on social justice
 | newspaper = [[Omaha World-Herald]]
 | date = April 19, 2015
| url = http://www.omaha.com/news/education/creighton-center-named-for-the-rev-john-schlegel-to-honor/article_fbdd086e-8145-59ce-a938-370a2edf689e.html
 | access-date = July 17, 2015
}}</ref> (SCSJ) promotes service projects and education about justice.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.creighton.edu/studentlife/departmentofresidencelife/reslifeprograms/livinglearning/|title=Residential Life and Housing|publisher=Creighton.edu|access-date=April 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150423050622/http://www.creighton.edu/studentlife/departmentofresidencelife/reslifeprograms/livinglearning/|archive-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Performing arts ===
* The Department of Fine and Performing Arts houses a Chamber Choir, Gospel Choir, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, and University Chorus. The men's a cappella ensemble is known as the Creightones.
* The Creighton Dance Company's repertoire draws on classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance, jazz and musical theatre dance.
* Theatrical productions are held in the university's Lied Education Center for the Arts.<ref>[http://finearts.creighton.edu Fine Arts: Fine and Performing Arts]. Creighton.edu. Updated on August 6, 2011.</ref>

=== Student media ===
* The student newspaper is called ''The Creightonian''. It was a finalist for the 2007 and 2010 Pacemaker Award for college journalism.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010 |title=2010 Newspaper Pacemaker Winners |url=https://studentpress.org/acp/awards/2010-newspaper-pacemaker-winners/ |access-date=March 18, 2023 |website=Associated Collegiate Press |language=en}}</ref>
* ''Shadows'' is Creighton's literature and arts publication.

==Notable alumni==
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{{Main|List of Creighton University alumni}}

There are more than 68,470 alumni of Creighton University living in 93 countries. Nearly 30 percent live in Nebraska. The largest number of alumni outside the United States reside in Canada, Japan, and Malaysia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.creighton.edu/publicrelations/ncmp/facts/index.php#c50873 |title=Graduation outcomes |publisher=Creighton.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110130235648/http://www.creighton.edu/publicrelations/ncmp/facts/index.php#c50873 |archive-date=January 30, 2011}}</ref>

==Notable faculty==
{{Div col}}
*[[Raymond J. Bishop]]
*[[Barbara Braden]]
*[[Virgil Blum]]
*[[Patrick Borchers]]
*[[Raymond A. Bucko]]
*[[Judith M. Burnfield]]
*[[John Calvert (scholar)|John Calvert]]
*[[Edward P. J. Corbett]]
*[[Frank Crawford]]
*[[Blase J. Cupich]]
*[[Ross Horning]]
*[[Henry T. Lynch]]
*[[D. S. Malik]]
*[[Francis I. McKenna]]
*[[R. R. Reno]]
*[[Joseph F. Rigge]]
*[[William J. Riley]]
*[[Robert F. Rossiter Jr.]]
*[[Roger Lawrence Schwietz]]
*[[Hugh Sidey]]
*[[Constantine Joseph Smyth]]
*[[William O. Stephens]]
*[[Lyle Elmer Strom]]
*[[LaNada War Jack]]
{{Div col end}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Catholicism}}
* [[Education in North Omaha, Nebraska]]
* [[List of Jesuit sites]]
* [[Saint Joseph Hospital at Creighton University Medical Center]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{Official website}}
* [https://gocreighton.com/ Athletics website]

{{Creighton University}}
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[[Category:Creighton University| ]]
[[Category:Jesuit universities and colleges in the United States]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1878]]
[[Category:Landmarks in North Omaha, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Omaha, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Education in Omaha, Nebraska]]
[[Category:Catholic universities and colleges in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities]]
[[Category:Archdiocese of Omaha]]
[[Category:Creighton family]]
[[Category:1878 establishments in Nebraska]]
[[Category:Universities and colleges accredited by the Higher Learning Commission]]