Creighton University

Creighton University (/ˈkreɪtən/) is a 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 140-acre (57 ha) campus just outside of downtown Omaha.

It is classified among “R2: Doctoral Universities – High research activity”. It comprises nine undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools and colleges, including a law school, medical school, dental school, pharmacy school, nursing school, and business school. The university operates the Creighton University Medical Center. It has a second campus focused on health sciences located in Phoenix, Arizona.

Creighton University

Former names	Creighton College (1878–1958)
Type	Private research university
Established	September 2, 1878; 146 years ago
Accreditation	HLC
Religious affiliation	Roman Catholic (Jesuit)
Academic affiliations	AJCU ACCU NAICU Space-grant
Endowment	$745 million (2023)
President	Daniel S. Hendrickson
Provost	Mardell A. Wilson
Rector	Nicholas Santos
Academic staff	692 full-time and 282 part-time (fall 2022)
Students	8,397
Undergraduates	4,290
Postgraduates	4,107
Location	Omaha , Nebraska , United States 41°15′53″N 95°56′46″W
Campus	Large City, 132 acres (53.4 ha)
Newspaper	Creightonian
Other campuses	Grand Island Phoenix
Colors	Blue   White
Nickname	Bluejays
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Big East
Mascot	Billy Bluejay
Website	creighton.edu

History

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, prominent Omaha businessman Edward Creighton.

The college began with 120 students, taught by five Jesuits and two lay teachers. 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. Shortly after, in 1885, the Creighton University Observatory was built on campus. Women were first admitted in 1913. In 1958, the college split into Creighton Preparatory Schools and Creighton University.

The schools and colleges at Creighton are:

• College of Arts & Sciences
• Heider College of Business (formerly known as the College of Business Administration)
• College of Nursing
• School of Dentistry
• School of Medicine
• School of Pharmacy & Health Professions
• School of Law
• Graduate School
• College of Professional Studies

The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest school, containing about 28% of the university’s enrolled students.^[17] Creighton’s acceptance rate is 72.7%.

In 2018, the university announced a Phoenix Health Sciences Campus, which opened in 2021.

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

Notable basketball players at the university were Paul Silas, Benoit Benjamin, Kyle Korver, and coach Greg McDermott’s son Doug McDermott, while popular Bluejays coaches included Eddie Sutton, Willis Reed, and Dana Altman.

The women’s basketball team won the WNIT championship in 2004. It plays all home games on campus at D. J. Sokol Arena.

The men’s soccer team maintained 17 straight NCAA tournament appearances between 1992 and 2008. During that time, the Bluejays made three College Cup appearances, including one championship game appearance (2000). It plays home games on campus at Morrison Stadium.

Creighton’s baseball team has one appearance in the College World Series (1991). Jim Hendry, the former general manager of the Chicago Cubs, was Creighton’s head coach for its 1991 CWS appearance. The program’s graduates include Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson.

The women’s softball team has had two appearances in the Women’s College World Series (1982 and 1986) and appeared in six of eight NCAA Tournaments. Tara Oltman (2007–2010), the best pitcher in MVC history, was a three-time league Pitcher of the Year and finished her career with conference records for wins, innings pitched, starts, appearances, strikeouts, and complete games. She remains the only student-athlete in Bluejays history to earn first-team all-conference honors in four consecutive seasons.

As of 2015, Creighton’s enrollment was 8,435, of whom 4,163 were undergraduates. From Creighton’s Class of 2020, 14% count themselves as 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.

The university has more than 200 student organizations:

There are eight residence halls. They are all co-educational. Graves Hall, completed in August 2023, accommodates up to 400 first-year students.

• Creighton Students Union (CSU) is Creighton University’s comprehensive student government, consisting of students from each of Creighton University’s schools and colleges, founded in 1922.
• Inter Residence Hall Government (IRHG) was formed in 1984 to represent Creighton’s residence halls.

The John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice (SCSJ) promotes service projects and education about justice. The center helped develop the Cortina Community, a sophomore intentional-living community named for Jesuit priest Jon de Cortina.

• Several vocal groups exist. The Department of Fine and Performing Arts, within the College of Arts and Sciences, houses a Chamber Choir (selective), 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.
• The Department of Fine and Performing Arts offers undergraduate degrees in Art History, Studio Art, Dance, Music, Theatre, and Musical Theatre.
• Several theatrical productions are held each year in the university’s Lied Education Center for the Arts.^[30]

• The student newspaper is called The Creightonian. It was a finalist for the 2007 and 2010 Pacemaker Award for college journalism.^[31]
• Shadows is Creighton’s literature and arts publication.

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.

Alumni include

• Marcia Anderson, the first African-American woman to attain the rank of major general in the United States Army Reserve
• Michael P. Anderson, an astronaut killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
• Mary Nicholas Arnoldy, mathematician
• Barbara Braden, nurse and medical researcher
• Bob Gibson, Major League Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
• Ron Hansen, novelist
• Cathy Hughes, second wealthiest African American woman as of 2018^[33]

• Mike Johanns, former Governor of Nebraska, former United States Senator, and former United States Secretary of Agriculture
• Donald Keough, chief operating officer of Coca-Cola
• Kyle Korver, basketball player
• Doug McDermott, basketball player
• John W. Pehle, director of the War Refugee Board
• Joe Ricketts, founder of TD Ameritrade and owner of the Chicago Cubs
• Symone Sanders, spokesperson for Bernie Sanders’ 2016 presidential campaign, MSNBC host and commentator
• Heather A. Smith, nurse and academic administrator
• J. Clay Smith Jr., dean of Howard University School of Law
• Anthony Tolliver, basketball player
• Mark Walter, founder and chief executive officer of Guggenheim Partners, and part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Theodore Wheeler, novelist