Core Values That Guide Our Actions
- We expect ACCOUNTABILITY for our actions at all levels, to each other and to Park University.
- We treat all with CIVILITY and RESPECT while being open and honest in our communication.
- We seek EXCELLENCE in all we do, with passionate learning as our highest priority.
- We celebrate GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP through our connected learning and working environment, liberal arts education and community stewardship.
- We embrace INCLUSIVITY that fosters diversity, teamwork and collaboration.
- We act with INTEGRITY through honesty, efficiency and reliability.
Mission Statement
Park University transforms lives through accessible, student-centered, quality higher education.
Vision Statement
Park University will meet learners’ needs for a lifetime.
History of Park University
Founded in 1875 in Parkville, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City, Park University has developed into a comprehensive, independent institution that is a national leader in higher education. In 2000, Park achieved university status and now serves 16,500 students annually at 41 campus centers in 21 states and online, including 35 campuses at military installations across the country. The University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, and dedicates itself to affordability, innovation and quality.
Serving an ethnically diverse student population and nontraditional adult learners has, for many years, been central to Park’s educational mission. Even in its first year, the University enrolled women students as well as men, something that was unusual at the time; and two of the original 17 students were Native Americans. Park was also an early integrator when it welcomed African-American students to live in Park’s residence halls in the 1950s. Park has educated generations of students from diverse backgrounds providing affordable access to a private university education.
Park University’s flagship Parkville Campus is situated high on a bluff commanding an inspiring view of the Missouri River, which sweeps in a broad bend around the quiet community of Parkville. To the south and southeast, the skyline of downtown Kansas City, Mo., is visible. The 700-acre campus is a site of breathtaking natural beauty with woodlands, waterfalls and wildflowers.
Steeped in history, one can almost sense the presence of former Parkites who assisted in constructing many of the Parkville Campus buildings. Mackay Hall, on the National Register of Historic Places, houses administrative offices as well as classrooms. Construction began in 1886 with students quarrying stone from the surrounding land and carrying it to the site, building the structure as a means of earning their tuition. With its clock tower overlooking the residence halls, classrooms and other more modern facilities around it, Mackay is the symbol of Park University.
You can still work to help pay for your Park University education, and there is still a Park family atmosphere. This is the part of the University we can’t put on a map or show on a tour, yet it is as much a part of Park as the buildings and the landscape. This is friendliness, helpfulness, caring and concern for one another. It transcends race, religion, gender, cultures and income bracket. It is known as the Park Spirit.
Park University is committed to being one of the finest institutions in the nation, providing quality education in a wholesome environment for all students, including traditional and nontraditional full-time students on the historic Parkville Campus, and fully employed, full-time and part-time students on campus centers across the nation. And Park prides itself in its long-standing partnership with the U.S. military, and it is recognized as one of the largest providers of online undergraduate education to the armed forces.
Parkville and Kansas City
Park University calls Parkville, Mo., and the Greater Kansas City area home, offering students both small-town life and the flashing lights of a big city. With a population of more than 5,000, Parkville allows students the small-town lifestyle and tightly knit community often times associated with smaller universities. The Kansas City metropolitan area, the 29th largest in the U.S. with an estimated population just more than 2 million, provides numerous entertainment and shopping options, along with excellent opportunities for student employment in industries, businesses and agencies throughout the region.
Parkville is ideally located in the Heart of America, just 10 minutes northwest of downtown Kansas City, Mo., and 15 minutes south of Kansas City International Airport. Just minutes away are tradition-rich barbeque spots and professional sports venues, recreational activities, performing arts, museums, galleries, theaters and parks, making the Kansas City area one of the hottest tourist destinations in the country.
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
Park University is committed to equality in employment in all personnel matters, both academic and non-academic areas. Park University shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, and veteran status. The University will follow procedures to prohibit discrimination in accordance with appropriate legal principles, including, but not limited to, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Inquiries or concerns may be directed to the Associate Vice President and Chief Human Resource Officer.
Diversity Statement
Park University is committed to recruiting, developing, retaining, and promoting talented employees with diverse backgrounds, talents, skills and experiences. At Park University, diversity encompasses a variety of characteristics, lifestyles, and perspectives. The University firmly believes this diversity is essential to enhancing the quality of service to its students, to meeting the needs and goals of its learners, and to ensuring the personal satisfaction of its employees and the Park University community.
Physically Inaccessible Classrooms
Park University takes seriously its commitment to removing educational barriers and providing accessible facilities to all students, employees, and visitors. Due to its historic campus, the University has a limited number of classrooms that are only accessible by staircase. These rooms include the following: Lower level of the Chapel, Alumni Hall 3rd floor, Herr House (except limited first floor access), and Dearing (except first floor). The University encourages all students to check schedules for classroom assignments as soon as possible to determine the location of their classrooms, and whether they have any concerns about the accessibility of the assigned classroom. Students who have accessibility concerns due to a documented physical or mobility-related disability should contact Disability Services, Ms. Florenda Jarrard, Assistant Director of Academic Support Services, (816) 584-6313 or disabilityservices@park.edu. The University encourages students to notify Disability Services as early as possible to allow the University the opportunity to provide appropriate accommodations prior to the start of classes.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Park University prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, sex, color, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, religion and age in employment, and in its admission, education, programs, and activities of students under state and federal law, including Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended. Title IX specifically prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex. Park University will not tolerate sex discrimination or harassment of applicants, students, or employees, whether by students, faculty, staff, administrators, contractors, or outside vendors. Park University recognizes not only its legal responsibilities but also its moral and ethical responsibilities to prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of sex and to take appropriate and timely action to ensure an environment free of such inappropriate conduct and behavior. Additionally, Park University will not tolerate retaliation in any form against an applicant, student, or employee for reporting a violation of this policy or assisting in the investigation of a complaint. Inquiries or concerns about the Non-Discrimination Policy may be directed to the Associate Vice President for Human Resources or the Dean of Students.
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