What makes the University of St. Francis Special
The University of St. Francis is dedicated to the values of Respect, Service, Integrity and Compassion and to the tradition of Franciscan hospitality. In fulfilling its Catholic Franciscan mission to serve unmet needs of adult students, USF developed off campus undergraduate and graduate adult degree programs sites around the country thirty five years ago. Currently, the university has programs at the graduate and undergraduate degree completion level in ten states and offers online degree completion and graduate programs online across the country. Another example of meeting unmet needs is the Masters Degree in Physician's Assistant Studies and the Masters of Nursing degrees which are available on our campus in Albuquerque, New Mexico. These programs began to serve the health care needs of New Mexico residents.
The main campus in Joliet is located in the historic, residential Cathedral area. The campus is located 35 miles southwest of Chicago which is a rich resource for internships and the fine arts. Joliet is enjoying considerable growth as an entertainment center. Residents enjoy sports teams and theme parks, a NASCAR race track, shopping, theaters, museums and restaurants, plus miles of nature trails and parks such as the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. Students enjoy internships at Joliet companies such as Caterpillar, Catholic Charities and the Joliet Jackhammers.
Saints Facts
Top 25 percent
USF is ranked in the top tier of U.S. News & World Report's America 's Best Colleges, appearing in the top quarter of Midwestern master's colleges and universities.
Champions
USF's Fighting Saints athletic teams have made 63 NAIA national tournament appearances, won 60 Chicago land Collegiate Athletic Conference championships and produced 77 NAIA All-Americans.
Climate Neutral
USF is among the first to commit to the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, sharply reducing and eventually eliminating global warming emissions, as well as to accelerating the research and educational efforts to equip society to re-stabilize the earth's climate.
Logistics First
The University of St. Francis is the first American university to sign a working agreement with The Logistics Institute of Canada. The agreement will promote a healthy Will County business climate by providing specialized training and professional certification of logisticians. Logistics is about managing goods, services, and information in the most efficient and effective manner possible.
Best Colleges
The University of St. Francis has been named one of the best colleges in The Princeton Review's “Best Colleges: Region by Region.” USF is one of 161 schools receiving Best in the Midwest designation.
Health and Wellness
USF's College of Nursing and Allied health operates a community health and wellness center that serves senior citizens, school children and victims of domestic violence. The clinic is funded by a $2.1 million federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Division of Nursing grant (No. D11HP07363-01-00). It is the first nurse-managed clinic in the county and at the forefront of health care trends.