Mercer university's mission is to teach, to learn, to create, to discover, to inspire, to empower and to serve. In fulfilling this mission, the university supports undergraduate, graduate, and professional learning as well as basic research and its application in service to others. As a university committed to excellence and innovation, mercer challenges members of its community to meet and exceed high standards in their teaching, learning, research, scholarship and service. Founded by baptists in 1833, mercer is an independent university that remains grounded in a tradition that embraces freedom of the mind and spirit, cherishes the equal worth of every individual, and commits to serving the needs of humankind. As a reflection of this heritage: o we encourage our students to discover and develop fully their unique combination of gifts and talents to become leaders who make a positive difference in the world. O we seek to inspire members of our community to live virtuous meaningful lives by using their gifts and talents to serve the needs of humankind as an expression of their love for GOD and neighbor. O we seek to enrich the mind and spirit by promoting and facilitating an open and rigorous search for truth and understanding, including an examination of the moral, religious and ethical questions of this and every AGE. O we affirm and respect the dignity and sacred worth of every person and celebrate both our commonalities and our differences.