The Mission of ACU
ACU’s mission is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world. This mission is achieved through:

• Exemplary teaching, offered by a faculty of Christian scholars, that inspires a commitment to learning; 
• Significant research, grounded in the university's disciplines of study, that informs issues of importance to the academy, church, and society;
• Meaningful service to society, the academic disciplines, the university, and the church, expressed in various ways, by all segments of the ACU community. 
  

 

Values
Fulfilling our mission is possible because of important values held by all members of the ACU community:

1. God is the source of strength, purpose and hope. The only natural response is to glorify Him in all things.
2. People are the greatest resource. Members of the ACU community will treat students, parents, colleagues, alumni and friends as they would wish to be treated.
3. Learning is the reason for existence as a university. It is a part of everything done at ACU.
   Principles

Achieving our mission depends upon loyalty to God, to the university, and to each person in this kingdom matter. Five important principles guide the way people live and learn at ACU:

1. Integrity: Conduct as individuals and as a university will be trustworthy.
2. Service: The motivating question behind all relationships is “How can I be of service?”
3. Stewardship: Being good stewards of the things, which God entrusts to us, is essential.
4. Involvement: Decisions and actions, which are beneficial for the university, require broad-based participation and teamwork.
5. Excellence: Doing the very best requires continuous improvement and learning.

Abilene Christian University is comprised of “people with a purpose.” This is not just a clever motto – it’s who we are. The ACU community is committed to “purpose-full” living.

The Mission of Student Life
Student life works in partnership with Academic Affairs to integrate living, learning, and faith, whereby students learn to live lives of Christian service and leadership throughout the world. Student Life educates the whole student by providing opportunities outside of the classroom that challenge the intellectual, spiritual, emotional, physical, and social development of students. Our core purpose is to instill within our students strong moral character and wisdom-focused learning, manifested through Christ-centered living. As such, we are committed to the following objectives in your preparation for life:

• Provide and support on-going co-curricular experiences that challenge students to practice critical thinking and Christ-centered leadership.
• Encourage among students responsible and active participation in community through service-learning experiences, in chapel and worship opportunities, among student clubs/organizations, and within residence hall communities.
• Foster efforts throughout the campus community and beyond that embrace integration and commonality among all of God’s people on the one hand, yet encourage the understanding and celebration of cultural and ethnic uniqueness.
• Promote habits among students that encourage strong physical and mental health in their readiness to learn and in their pursuit of personal excellence.
• Working from a “student led/staff mentoring” approach, engage students in creating an exciting, fun, and meaningful campus life experience.
• Strengthen collaborative partnerships with academic affairs, student services, and other campus departments to support overall student success, culminating in graduation from ACU.