Photo included in the press release, showing the quad highlighting the core Lasallian principles.
MANHATTAN.EDU / COURTESY
Joshua Reichard, Asst. Arts & Entertainment Editor / Asst. Social Media Editor
Manhattan University (MU) has recently received a $3 million gift from the Brothers of the Christian Schools with the purpose of enhancing the student experience on campus and strengthening the university’s Lasallian Catholic mission.
The university announced the gift in a press release, stating that the gift will support and expand opportunities for students throughout the school.
“The investment will help MU expand opportunities that support students inside and outside the classroom, including programs that foster academic success, personal growth, belonging, leadership and service,” the press release stated.
The press release, however, did not go into specific details about how the funds will be allocated.
“Specific allocations will be guided by the university’s strategic priorities and its commitment to ensuring that every student has the resources and experiences needed to thrive,” the press release stated.
A statement from Robert Schaefer, FSC, the provincial of the Brothers of the Christian Schools was also included. Schaefer emphasized the Brothers’ years-long partnership with MU, and their continued commitment to support the university.
“The Brothers of the Christian Schools are proud to deepen our longstanding partnership with MU through this significant investment in its students,” Schaefer said. “For generations, MU has brought the Lasallian mission to life by providing a transformative education, one that joins academic excellence with faith, service and concern for each student. We are pleased to support the university as it creates even more opportunities for students to learn, grow and lead.”
The Quadrangle spoke with Fr. Robert Joerger, the campus ministry co-director and university chaplain. Joerger described the gift as an affirmation of the Brothers’ continued commitment to education, and the mission that the university was founded upon.
“I think it’s an affirmation that [the Brothers] remain committed to their ministry of education,” Joerger said. “I think it’s a commitment to their charism.”
Joerger added that he anticipates portions of the money will be used to support scholarships on campus, as well as faith formation opportunities.
“I would imagine that significant amounts of this money will be used for scholarships, for people who might not otherwise be able to come to MU,” Joerger said. “I would also imagine that a significant amount of the money will be for faith formation.”
Joerger also added that while MU continues to expand and become more diverse, its Lasallian Catholic identity remains a core aspect of its mission.
“Fundamentally, [MU] is a Catholic school,” Joerger said. “It’s diverse, and that’s a hallmark of Lasallian ministry, but at the same time, you have to operate out of your own foundation, which is a Catholic religious community of Christian brothers.”
The Quadrangle also received a statement from Bridget Chalk, Ph.D., associate provost of MU. Chalk shared that the gift is an opportunity to further incorporate the Lasallian tradition into academic experiences on campus.
“The Brothers’ gift is a generous and inspiring reminder of the mission that knits us together,” Chalk wrote in an email to The Quadrangle. “Particularly in our technology-infused moment, the Lasallian tradition provides us with guiding principles that center attention on human learning, potential, and connection. The gift will allow us to pursue programming that develops these priorities through lectures, new courses, and experiential learning opportunities.”
Chalk added that the gift will help advance the university’s mission as a place of higher education, particularly as artificial intelligence continues to shape the college experience.
“The gift supports the university’s long-term objectives to highlight the power of education to make the world a better place as a distinctively Lasallian charge,” Chalk wrote. “In the context of AI, refocusing our attention on cultivating interiority, forming connections with our peers, and serving those in need provides a rejoinder to public skepticism about the value of a college degree.”
Chalk concluded by highlighting the Brothers’ longstanding influence on MU and their continued involvement in upholding the university’s Lasallian identity.
“The Brothers are the soul of this institution and the broader global network of Lasallian schools, and their continued engagement on the Board of Trustees, in our classrooms, and throughout our organizations maintains the integrity of our work at MU – to carry out the legacy of the patron saint of educators: St. John Baptist de La Salle,” Chalk wrote.