Creighton University

Creighton University is a private Jesuit, Catholic research university located in Omaha, Nebraska. Founded in 1878, it is affiliated with the Society of Jesus and is part of a national network of Jesuit institutions. Creighton offers undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs across nine schools and colleges, including medicine, law, business, nursing, and the health sciences. The university also operates a health sciences campus in Phoenix, Arizona. Known for integrating liberal arts education with professional training, Creighton emphasizes service, ethics, and community engagement. It attracts students interested in health professions, business, law, and the sciences within a values-based academic environment.

Creighton University was founded in 1878 in Omaha, Nebraska, through a bequest from Mary Lucretia Creighton in memory of her husband, Edward Creighton. At the request of Bishop James O’Connor, the Society of Jesus agreed to operate the new institution, and the first president, Rev. Roman A. Shaffel, S.J., opened Creighton College on September 2, 1878. Initially offering secondary and collegiate instruction, Creighton University awarded its first baccalaureate degree in 1891. Over the next decades, the institution expanded with the establishment of the School of Medicine in 1892, the School of Law in 1904, and additional professional schools in dentistry and pharmacy in 1905. The university formally became Creighton University in 1958. In the 21st century, Creighton University expanded its health sciences presence with a campus in Phoenix, Arizona, reflecting its continued growth as a Jesuit research university.