Our founders believed that a new approach to education would be able to address global problems and issues. They believed in an institution that was dedicated to engendering mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between people.
The "Golden Rule" is central to Claremont Lincoln University's mission: to be a place where students learn how to treat others as they would like to be treated.
It was David Lincoln's philanthropic vision for the future of the world that led him to join together with renowned interfaith and higher education leader Reverend Dr. Jerry Campbell to create Claremont Lincoln University, a non-profit, online graduate institution. In May of 2011, with a founding gift from David and Joan Lincoln, Claremont Lincoln was born.
The partnership of David Lincoln and Claremont Lincoln's first President, Jerry Campbell, began through relationship, dialogue, and collaboration. Our early leaders, board members and supporters were committed to two complementary concepts: the idea of the Golden Rule as transformative for society, and the teaching from Mr. David Lincoln, that "good ethics is good business."
Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) is incorporated in the State of California as a private non-profit public benefit corporation organized exclusively for educational purposes and is approved as a tax-exempt educational institution under IRC 501(c)(3). The headquarters is located at 250 West First Street; Claremont, California 91711.
The vision as conceived by the founders is a world that lives by the Golden Rule; a world in which disputes between those that have conflicting views are addressed peacefully without violence.
Joan and David were particularly pleased with the idea of creating a university that reflects the power and potential of the Golden Rule, treating others as you would like to be treated. They believed the outcome of this approach to education will be tolerance and respect among different cultures & religions and the ability to better address global problems where collaboration and cooperation are needed to reach solutions and repair the world.
"If we created a way for people to find their better selves and apply them in better ways --they will do it. Everyone has that 'good' part in their nature and it wants to come out. And we have given them a tool to help that come out [here at Claremont Lincoln University]. It's an unusual idea for an education but it's going to be the way of the future." — Rev. Dr. Jerry Campbell
Our students, faculty, and staff are emboldened by our mission to integrate self-knowledge with critical perspectives and contemporary skills to create sustainable social change—how to implement the Golden Rule. They are changemakers in their own communities and organizations, and as an institution, we are proud of their remarkable stories and impact. Read about some of our student statistics in this PDF. #WeAreCLU
The mission of Claremont Lincoln University is to be a place where students learn how to treat others as they would like to be treated. Students learn the skills necessary to understand differences among religions, governments, other organizations, and individuals; how to respect those differences; and how to cooperate and collaborate with those of different viewpoints to resolve problems between them peacefully without violence. Our students will integrate self-knowledge with critical perspectives and contemporary skills to create sustainable social change—how to implement the Golden Rule. Claremont Lincoln University embed the Golden Rule in the Claremont Core® which teaches the skills of mindfulness, dialogue, collaboration, and change.
Adopted by the Board of Directors on October 14, 2016.
