Complementing the overarching positioning are support positionings that further underscore Valpo's strongest features and benefits:

Global Learning
Endowed faculty chairs, lectureship, centers on-campus and abroad, undergraduate and graduate degree programs, student/faculty exchanges, internships, international service learning trips, opportunities for international students, student organizations and clubs, and recognition through Fulbright awards make Valparaiso University a leader in global learning.

Civic Engagement/Service
Through professional work and volunteer service, students carry out the Valparaiso University mission and make an impact in their community, church and world.

Connecting thought and Action, Theory and Practice
Valparaiso University combines the best aspects of both a traditional liberal arts foundation and pre-professional preparation.  Drawing on an array of programming options that is unusual for a smaller university, all graduates receive a rigorous grounding in the technical competencies of their chosen field, while also developing a broader set of superior critical thinking and communications skills.

Students in pre-professional fields, as well as those in liberal arts majors, become creative thinkers and problem solvers through exposure to the liberal arts.  At the same time, liberal arts majors, alongside students in more pre-professionally oriented majors, participate in experiential learning opportunities that result in a distinct set of skills that can be applied in their post-baccalaureate professional pursuits, regardless of their aspirations.

Placing Faith at the Center of Learning
Anchored in the Lutheran tradition, which affirms the interaction of faith and learning, Valparaiso University nourishes not only the intellectual but also the spiritual, emotional, social, and physical dimensions of students' lives.  Valparaiso University's enduring commitment to values - faith, personal integrity, social responsibility, and respect for human diversity - permeates each student's educational experience at the University.  Emphasizing the concept of vocation, Valparaiso University prepares students to affirm one of the fundamental tenets of Lutheranism: to connect their work and faith in the service of God's world and its people.  Beyond simply having a job or career, Valparaiso University graduates exhibit a dedication and passion to meet profound human needs.

Right-sized
Valparaiso University has the variety of programs and majors typical of a large university.  It offers the individual attention, sense of community, and opportunity to belong that are normally found in a small college.  Significant opportunities for leadership, competitive participation in athletics, and meaningful participation in music, arts, and other activities are more plentiful than at small colleges and more accessible than at large state schools.