Mission/Vision/Values

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of Esperanza College, a Christian college program dedicated to the service of the Hispanic and local communities, is to enhance the knowledge, skills, and outlook of young people and adults so that they can live even more thoughtful, positive, productive, and purposeful lives.

We achieve our mission through the integration of faith, reason, and justice and acknowledge the importance of forming this integration within the academic program, in its instruction, and in the learning of our students, in order to

A. develop a Christian worldview that informs intellect, attitude, and behavior;

B. sharpen skills of critical thinking, reflection, and analysis, as well as linguistic and communication skills;

C. appreciate the sources, values and contributions of Latino cultures; and lead to the enhancement of the spiritual, social, and economic well-being of the individual, the family, and the community.

VISION STATEMENT

Esperanza College seeks to provide members of the Hispanic and local communities a Christian faith-based education that is affordable and culturally appropriate so that they can continue their contributions to and leadership in their communities and become even more effective in their service.

VALUES/COMMITMENTS STATEMENT

A. Scholarship and Teaching

We believe in the unity of God's truth, whether supernaturally revealed or humanly discovered, and we value the search for knowledge and understanding in all areas of life. We are guided by our faith in Jesus Christ, who is "The way, the truth and the life." We value the integration of faith, reason, and justice, and as educators and/or as students we are committed to a critical examination of what we believe, what we learn, and how we live. We value excellence in teaching, self-discipline in learning, and individual accountability to the learning community. We seek through our teaching, learning, and interactions together to develop and model a Christian worldview that is culturally appropriate and that affects the lives of students, their families, and the community and organizations to which they belong.

B. Scripture

We recognize the Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, as inspired of God and as the supreme and final authority in faith and life. We submit ourselves to carrying out our mission under its authority and to using biblical principles in all facets of human aspiration and action. Based on our commitment to Scripture and to the God revealed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, we intend for every student to have a meaningful and appropriate opportunity to hear and respond to the call for repentance, faith, and obedience to Jesus Christ.

C. Church

We affirm our conviction that the Church of Jesus Christ, as a visible community of believers inclusive of persons of all cultures, races, and nationalities, is central to faithful obedience in living the Christian life and advancing the work of the Gospel. While valuing the established relationship with the American Baptist Churches, we are committed to developing relationships with other Christian groups and to serving the larger Church in ways appropriate to our mission.

D. Justice

We acknowledge with sorrow the brokenness of the world at personal, national, and international levels, and we seek to work for justice, reconciliation, and Christian transformation in all arenas of life. We particularly seek to work with and for the socially marginalized and economically poorer communities, especially those of Hispanic origin, to provide affordable and locally available educational opportunities to attend a private Christian college.

E. Community

We value the bonds of social interaction that bind us together. We are committed to mutual service and responsibility and to expanding the community by accepting and seeking to understand those who are different either by race, age, gender, religion, or national origin. We are committed first to deepening our understanding of Latino cultures and communities and then to developing our understanding of the local, regional, national, and global communities and to responsible citizenship in each and all of these communities.