Our Mission
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.

Driven by the biblical mandate to serve and advocate for “the least of these,” we strengthen Hispanic communities.

“I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters; you were doing it to me!” (Matthew 25:40)

Core Values

E – Excellence:
We strive to achieve the highest standards in serving our community through distinctive academic experiences, student services, and community life.

A – Authenticity:
We live with integrity and honesty, upholding the highest ethical standards as we seek to honor God with our lives, relationships, and work.

S – Stewardship:
We treat our resources as gifts God has entrusted to us, including our earth, environment, facilities, and finances.

T – Thoughtfulness:
Inspired by our commitment to truth, we think deeply, holistically, and critically about the world God has given us, benefiting from the insights offered by each individual in our rich learning community.

E – Enthusiasm:
Anchored by our hope and joy in Christ, we approach each situation with optimism, working toward favorable outcomes, and celebrating our successes.

R- Relationships:
With an attitude of humility and kindness, we honor and respect the dignity of each individual, promoting community, working to bring reconciliation to broken relationships, and championing diversity, equity, and belonging.

N – iNnovation:
Promoting accessibility and affordability, we seek new and more effective approaches to education, exercising creativity to chart inventive paths forward into the future.

Our Story

Esperanza College is a fully accredited branch campus of Eastern University and a federally recognized Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) located in the Hunting Park neighborhood of North Philadelphia. 

Esperanza College is an essential part of a family of programs, institutions and services established by Esperanza, a non-profit dedicated to “strengthening Hispanic communities” driven by the Biblical mandate in Matthew 25:40. Esperanza was established in 1986 by the Hispanic Clergy of Philadelphia and the Reverend Luis Cortés, Jr.  Reverend Cortés had a vision to build a college within the heart of this neighborhood to provide access to quality higher education opportunities and economic mobility out of poverty to a community that was often underserved. After a meeting with then President of Eastern University, Dr. David Black, they formalized the partnership to establish Esperanza College. Enhancing educational opportunities in the urban context resonated with the vision and ministry direction of Eastern as well.

Esperanza College seeks to impact the lives of people within and beyond its unique setting, by providing a holistic and affordable education to students and fostering relationships with the community at large. It is an institution of redemption, grace and hope.

Esperanza College offers a variety of quality Associate Degree Programs. At the heart of the Esperanza College experience are essential and universal courses that prepare students for careers or for continued academic pursuit at Eastern University or other colleges and universities.

Strategic Development Statement

Esperanza College will create an environment where students are challenged, inspired, and empowered to achieve their academic and career goals. We are committed to strengthening student’s academic and college life experience by providing quality programs, accessible services and a talented and engaged faculty. We will continue to enthusiastically serve the Hispanic and local communities in the Philadelphia area by maintaining our mission to provide a Christian, faith-based education.

The Mission of Eastern University

Eastern University is a diverse, Christ-centered community preparing graduates to impact the world through faith, reason, and justice.

Accreditation

Esperanza College in Philadelphia, a branch campus of Eastern University, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Its different programs are also accredited by different field specific accrediting agencies. Esperanza College is also authorized to teach online. For more information about accreditations and authorizations, please see Eastern’s website.

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