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One of the nation's top Catholic universities, Duquesne University, provides a well-rounded education that will challenge you academically while nourishing your spiritual and ethical development. Founded 140 years ago by the Holy Spirit's Congregation, Duquesne University is the only Spiritaninstitution of higher education in the United States. At Duquesne University, you will learn from teacher-scholars who provide excellent classroom experience and produce some of the most critical research in their fields. The Chronicle of Higher Education ranked us No. 16 among 61 small research universities that were rated according to an index measuring faculty productivity. You'll benefit from a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an academic experience hallmarked by personal attention from an award-winning faculty. Almost half of all classes have 20 or fewer students, which means you'll have plenty of opportunities for direct interaction with your professors. The Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a Catholic university founded by members of the Holy Spirit's Congregation, the Spiritans, and sustained through a partnership of laity and religious. Duquesne University was founded in 1878 by a group of Catholic missionaries, also known as the Spiritans. From humble beginnings as a school for the children of Pittsburgh's poor immigrants, Duquesne today is an educational and economic powerhouse comprising nine schools of study that serves nearly 9,500 students. The concept of sustainability is best expressed through the Catholic commitment to "the integrity of creation," profound respect for and fundamental attitude of reverence toward the natural world and its interdependent realms of plant, animal, and human life. At Duquesne, we work each day to find new ways to reduce the consumption of our natural resources and promote sustainable living. Achieving the goals of sustainability—whether through green operations, construction projects, research, academic coursework, or community engagement initiatives—is one of the principal ways that we have been able to transform respect for the integrity of creation into action and honor our Catholic founding in the Spiritan tradition. Our Spiritan heritage imparts a worldview that challenges us to embrace a deeper understanding of the world's working and accept our role as stewards who must care for creation. Moreover, as a Catholic university, in light of the recent encyclical of Pope Francis, Laudato Si (Praised Be), we appreciate that it is not only a moral issue but also a responsibility to confront climate change and other environmental problems and to do what we can to eliminate their causes and mitigate their effects. The timeliness and persuasive power of Laudato Si, as well as the Spiritan, Catholic mission combined to make Duquesne University the ideal environment for a conference focused on the environmental problems that confront us. Our annual Integrity of Creation Conference is a free public event that invites scholars, policymakers, and concerned citizens to raise awareness, present research, and fosters interdisciplinary discourse on a selected topic. Known for our commitment to providing an education that emphasizes intellectual growth and ethical development, a degree from Duquesne prepares you to make substantial contributions in your field and your community. A Duquesne education helps you to develop job skills, learn to think critically and come to understand yourself and the world around you better. Every undergraduate student in every school of study here at Duquesne takes a series of courses that emphasize intellectual and moral development through the liberal arts study. In addition to building skills for later success, this core curriculum allows you to study a wide variety of subjects and graduate with the wealthiest possible academic experience. While studying at Duquesne, you will enjoy a low (14:1) student-to-faculty ratio, and in small classes, you get the personal attention needed to achieve your best. Most importantly, our faculty exemplify the ideal of the teacher-scholar. This means your professors are committed to providing an exceptional learning experience. They are top-notch teachers, but they also value and participate in scholarship and research, making significant contributions to their fields. Many students—both graduate and undergraduate—have the chance to assist their professors with research projects that are changing the world around us. The Carnegie Foundation even classified Duquesne as one of only seven Catholic universities in the nation with a "research university with high research activity" distinction. Students' service experiences provide them with a new perspective and impact communities close to home and far away. At Duquesne University, our faculty, staff, and students share a deep commitment to making our world a better place. Through Spiritan Campus Ministry, community service projects, community-engaged learning classes, and community-engaged research, the Duquesne family has the opportunity to participate in hands-on outreach that makes a real difference right here in Pittsburgh or as far away as Africa. Connecting undergraduate and graduate students with the opportunity to conduct robust research is a priority among Duquesne faculty members. Duquesne is among the top research institutions in Pittsburgh, contributing to and tapping the critical mass of knowledge shared among public and private universities and many willing corporate and community partners, from Fortune 500 corporations to neighborhood nonprofits. The Duquesne difference in research is that each faculty member is expected to be a great teacher and an outstanding scholar. Because of this close connection with students, faculty are committed to guiding students through research that will impact the world around us, whether on campus in the high-tech Center for Excellence in Mass Spectrometry, in community-based research with neighbors in the Hill District and Hazelwood, or as far away as Africa. View full university