A “We Thrive Together” banner hangs along the Mall on Creighton University’s campus, reflecting the school’s commitment to student community, wellness, and support.
A $3 million donation to Creighton University will fund a new office dedicated to supporting students’ mental health, spiritual development and overall well-being, university officials announced.
The Fritz Family Office of Cura Personalis Services, established through a gift from alumni Lance and Julie Fritz, will expand access to student support resources, coordinate care across departments and provide programming focused on resiliency and life skills. The gift will also fund an endowed director position to oversee a cross-divisional team of case managers working directly with students.
The office is rooted in cura personalis, a Jesuit value meaning “care for the whole person,” which emphasizes supporting students academically, emotionally and spiritually. In fall 2025, Creighton reaffirmed cura personalis as one of six core Jesuit values guiding the university’s mission, according to a previous report by the Creightonian. The value reflects the university’s broader commitment to holistic student development.
Creighton President Daniel S. Hendrickson, S.J., said the new office will strengthen existing support systems by centralizing services and expanding access.
“True to our mission, Creighton provides a strong focus on the individual student. No matter what they are facing, our faculty and staff are ready and waiting, offering their time and talent to support the unique needs of all students,” Hendrickson said in a university statement. “The Fritz family’s generosity allows us to scale this strength into a centralized, university-wide effort, ensuring that our students have access to a team devoted entirely to every dimension of their well-being.”
University officials said the office is intended to enhance coordination between existing services while increasing visibility and accessibility of support resources for students.
Students said the investment reflects increased attention to mental health and well-being on campus.
“I think it is nice that we are devoting more attention and resources to the student body given that it is going to extend to every involvement and experience on campus,” said Caroline Deeter, a junior in the College of Arts and Sciences. “I am curious about the new features of these facilities.”
Deeter said she is interested in how the office will integrate spiritual and mental health support.
“I’m excited to see how the spiritual aspect will collaborate with mental health services,” Deeter said. “Having been involved in a retreat, I think that there is a lot of potential for beneficial crossover, but I wonder if it will be structured for students who are also not spiritual.”
She said the investment is notable because it supports the broader student population.
“It is nice to see that we are putting money into something that applies to all students beyond subsets of the student body population, like athletes,” Deeter said. “We see a lot of money given to athletics. It’s nice to see it given to the mental health of all students.”
Deeter said expanding access to support services could positively impact students’ overall experience.
Bridget Fauteck, a senior in the College of Nursing, said increasing awareness of counseling services could help more students access available support.
“I think it would help to advertise counseling services more,” Fauteck said. “It’s getting the attention it deserves.”
Fauteck said counseling services helped her adjust during key transitions throughout college.
“Counseling services have been really helpful in difficult transitions, from moving away from home and starting college and now the transition out and into graduation,” Fauteck said. “I think it’s a good resource for students wanting to explore well-being.”
The new office represents an expansion of Creighton’s efforts to support student well-being and reflects a continued emphasis on cura personalis as a guiding principle. University officials said the initiative is intended to help students access resources, develop life skills and navigate challenges during their college experience.