Making History

Since its founding in 1923, Rowan University has evolved from a teacher preparation college to a public research institution ranked among the top 100 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Rowan University offers bachelor’s through doctoral degrees and professional certificates in person and online to nearly 25,000 students through its main campus in Glassboro and its eight other locations in southern New Jersey. Rowan focuses on practical research at the intersection of health care, engineering, science and business, while ensuring excellence in undergraduate education. 

The University has earned national recognition for innovation; commitment to high-quality, affordable education; and the development of public-private partnerships. A Carnegie-classified R2 (high research activity) institution, Rowan is the fastest-growing public research university in the Northeast and among the nation’s top 10 fastest-growing, as reported by The Chronicle of Higher Education. In 2025, Rowan opened New Jersey’s only veterinary school and is one of only two universities in the nation to offer M.D. , D.O. and D.V.M. medical degrees.  

Mission Statement

Rowan University will become a new model for higher education by being inclusive, agile, and responsive, offering diverse scholarly and creative educational experiences, pathways, environments, and services to meet the needs of all students; maintaining agility by strategically delivering organizational capacity across the institution; and responding to emerging demands and opportunities regionally and nationally.

Click here for a printable pdf including the Strategic Pillars, Institutional Goals, Operational Values, and Strategic Domains.

This mission statement was approved on June 14, 2017, by the Rowan University Board of Trustees. For information on the development process, please visit the Mission Statement Development webpage.