The Marymount Institute for Faith, Culture, and the Arts is jointly founded by the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary (RSHM) and Loyola Marymount University. It was established in 1991, endowed by a generous contribution from the Leavey Foundation, to preserve the legacy and contributions of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary.
The institute preserves the transformative educational tradition of the RSHM and promotes dialogue between different faiths, diverse human cultures, and the arts. It promotes interdisciplinary research, teaching, and conversation, challenging faculty and students to think in creative and holistic ways about human knowledge as we move forward in the 21st century. It is defined by the educational ideals of a Marymount and Jesuit education, including:
- The fierce pursuit of intellectual excellence
- An unwavering commitment to social justice
- The promotion of transformative teaching
- The sustenance of rich, transnational, and diverse communities of thinkers, artists, writers, and leaders.
The institute encourages the involvement of women faculty, students, and religious in order to nourish and support the roles of women on campus and beyond in the 21st century.
Mission Statement
Rooted in the RSHM charism, to know and love God so that all my have life to the full, the Marymount tradition supports the education of the whole person, explores the demands of a faith that does justice and fosters the development of leaders capable of transforming society. Interdisciplinary by design and with a concentration on the liberal and fine arts, the tradition focuses on the education and empowerment of women. Through interdisciplinary scholarly and creative activity centered in the humanities, the institute honors the RSHM legacy at LMU by (a) supporting transformative work that explores the dynamics between faith and the arts through a culturally diverse lens and (b) strengthening the formation of women leaders throughout the institution.