Creighton University

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, 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 School and Creighton University. The university ran a four-year series of celebrations from 2012 to 2015 commemorating the fiftieth anniversaries of the four sessions of the Second Vatican Council. In 2021, the university opened its Phoenix Health Sciences Campus.

Academics

The schools and colleges at Creighton are:

• College of Arts & Sciences: this is the university's largest school, containing about 28% of all enrolled students.
• Heider College of Business
• College of Nursing
• School of Dentistry
• School of Medicine
• School of Pharmacy & Health Professions
• School of Law.

Athletics

Main article: Creighton Bluejays

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

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

Demographics

As of Spring 2025, Creighton has a total enrollment of 8,403 students. Of those, 4,276 are undergraduate students and 4,127 are graduate students.

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.

Admissions

Creighton University reported an acceptance rate of 72% in 2022. In Fall 2023, 7,248 first-year students applied whilst 5,241 were admitted. 1,044 enrolled.

Student clubs and organizations

The university has more than 200 student organizations.

John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice

The John P. Schlegel, S.J. Center for Service and Justice | access-date = July 17, 2015

Performing arts

• The Department of Fine and Performing Arts houses a Chamber Choir, 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.
• Theatrical productions are held in the university's Lied Education Center for the Arts.

Student media

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

Notable alumni

· Only people who already have a Wikipedia article may appear here. This establishes notability. · The article must mention how they are associated with Creighton. · The fact of their association should have a reliable source cited. · Alphabetical by last name, please. · All others will be deleted.

Main article: List of Creighton University alumni

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.

Notable faculty

• Raymond J. Bishop
• Barbara Braden
• Virgil Blum
• Patrick Borchers
• Raymond A. Bucko
• Judith M. Burnfield
• John Calvert
• Edward P. J. Corbett
• Frank Crawford
• Blase J. Cupich
• Ross Horning
• Henry T. Lynch
• D. S. Malik
• Francis I. McKenna
• R. R. Reno
• Joseph F. Rigge
• William J. Riley
• Robert F. Rossiter Jr.
• Roger Lawrence Schwietz
• Hugh Sidey
• Constantine Joseph Smyth
• William O. Stephens
• Lyle Elmer Strom
• LaNada War Jack

Notes

References

References

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2. (February 9, 2015). "TC Alumnus Daniel S. Hendrickson Named President of Creighton University". [[Teachers College, Columbia University]].
3. "Office of the Provost". Creighton University.
4. "Rev. Daniel S. Hendrickson, SJ".
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6. "Common Data Set 2024-25". Creighton University.
7. (June 16, 2022). "Creighton University".
8. "History of Creighton University".
9. Fletcher, Adam F. C.. (December 3, 2019). "A History of the Creighton Observatory in North Omaha".
10. (November 23, 2023). "Creighton University {{!}} Private, Jesuit, Catholic {{!}} Britannica".
11. "Creighton Prep: History".
12. Hamm, Dennis SJ (2014), [http://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/VaticanII/DEI_VERBUM_study_guide_Revised_08302014_01.pdf DEI VERBUM: Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation (Vatican II, 1965): An orientation and quick review by way of questions and answers], Creighton University, page 12, accessed on 12 October 2025
13. writer, Rick Ruggles World-Herald staff. (September 19, 2018). "Creighton University plans nearly $100 million project in Phoenix".
14. [https://www.creighton.edu/fileadmin/user/AEA/InstitutionalResearch/FactBook_15_16/15_16Table3.3.pdf 2015-2016 Creighton University Fact Book]. Creighton.edu. Retrieved August 22, 2016.
15. "College Scorecard: Creighton University". [[United States Department of Education]].
16. "Student Headcount and Full-time Equivalency (FTE) Dashboard".
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18. "Creighton University Admissions - BigFuture College Search".
19. "Common Data Sets".
20. "Creighton University - Student Organizations". Creighton.
21. "Schlegel Center for Service and Justice".
22. "Residential Life and Housing". Creighton.edu.
23. [http://finearts.creighton.edu Fine Arts: Fine and Performing Arts]. Creighton.edu. Updated on August 6, 2011.
24. (2010). "2010 Newspaper Pacemaker Winners".
25. "Graduation outcomes". Creighton.edu.