Mission & Identity
Our Mission
Wartburg College is dedicated to challenging and nurturing students for lives of leadership and service as a spirited expression of their faith and learning.
Our Vision
Wartburg College is called to be the leading institution in education of the whole person. Together, we create an inclusive community combining diverse curricular and co-curricular experiences to prepare students to be resilient leaders of positive change through service in a complex world.
Our Identity
Wartburg College is a selective liberal arts college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), internationally recognized for leadership development. Primarily focused on residential undergraduate education, the college offers degree programs in the arts and sciences and in the professions to help students discern and claim their callings.
Many colleges work from a common creed or statement of belief where faith is imposed. Other colleges keep faith out of community life entirely. At Wartburg College, we use the Lutheran approach to education, which builds community around a lively and inclusive conversation of faith and learning.
Martin Luther, who sparked the Reformation in 1517, was both a pastor and a university professor. He wrestled with the bigger questions of life and how faith could truly change the world around us. Because of our Lutheran theological perspective, we want you to also wrestle with these big questions as you work through your four years at Wartburg. We invite and encourage conversations with people of diverse backgrounds and with differing spiritual perspectives. In turn, you will learn more about your own beliefs and values.
Our Values
PURSUING
EXCELLENCE
Excellence includes:
- Reading and critical inquiry
- Communicating effectively
- Using technology and information effectively
- Using and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data accurately
DEEPENING
ENGAGEMENT
Engagement includes:
- Caring for and developing the whole person
- Developing a sense of purpose and vocation
- Participating in learning as a lifelong pursuit
BUILDING OUR
LEGACY
The college honors its rich history and traditions while empowering students and faculty to innovate and contribute to a lasting impact for future generations.
INSPIRING
INTEGRITY
Develop personal, professional, and social convictions that inform ethical action, promote the common good, and enhance civic responsibility in local as well as global contexts.
PROMOTING
STEWARDSHIP
The college promotes stewardship as a core value by encouraging students to responsibly manage resources, engage in community service, and lead initiatives that support sustainability and social well-being.
STRENGTHENING
COMMUNITY
Community includes:
- Active citizenship, leadership, mentoring, and service experiences
- Collaborating effectively with others
- Enhancing competency to thrive in an inclusive and multicultural world
Discover and claim your calling.
Wartburg College helps students discover and claim their callings—connecting their learning with faith and values, their understanding of themselves and their gifts, their perspective on life and the future, and the opportunities for participating in church, community, and the larger society in purposeful and meaningful ways.
