Join us for Founders Week 2026

Members of the Duquesne University community speak on how we as a Spiritan community are called to find our purpose and bring hope to those around us even in the darkest times.
This year's Founders Week celebrates the theme Called for a Purpose, Rooted in Hope. We hope that you will join us for one of the many events during the week!  In a season where sunlight is fleeting, and the world can seem cold and dark, we remember that we in the Duquesne community are called to a higher purpose, to be the light for one another.  Inspired by our Spiritan founders who established our school to bring hope to those in need, we continue to stand beside one another committed to use our gifts to build our community and reach out to the world. 

We are
called to show compassion,
called to be bold,
called to discover,
called to connect,
called to open our hearts.
We are called for a purpose, rooted in hope.

Upcoming Events

2026 Run for Tengeru Duquesne Heritage Week 5K

Run for Tengeru 5K

Employee RSVP! Heritage Week will be kicking off with a 5K to raise money for the Spiritan-led Tengeru Boys School in northern Tanzania! Student registration is only $5 and employee registration is only $20! All proceeds benefit the Tengeru School. First 50 registrations get a free race day t-shirt!

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  • Academic Walk
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Heritage Week Luncheon

Heritage Week Luncheon

RSVP! Please join us for our annual Heritage Week luncheon where Fr. Marc Whelan of the Irish Province will be sharing his journeys and how we came to serve at Duquesne. Fr. Marc is the new Director for the Center for Spiritan Studies, and is excited to meet members of the campus community. 

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  • Spiritan Room
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Meet and Greet with the Centers for Catholic Faith and Culture & Spiritan Studies

Meet and Greet with the Centers for Catholic Faith and Culture & Spiritan Studies

RSVP! Stop by for a bite to eat and meet some of our new staff in the Division of Mission and Identity!  Alek Schrenk (Center for Catholic Faith and Culture), Fr. Marc Whelan (Center for Spiritan Studies), and Fr. Michel Protain (Spiritan Scholar in Residence) will be there for a lunchtime meet and

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  • Spiritan Room
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Banner Making and Birthday

Banner Making and Birthday

Register! Student groups can register to attend this annual event where we will be making banners reflective of each student organization.  The banners will be hung on the Student Union Perron during Spirit Week and Homecoming & Family Weekend!

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  • Towers MPR
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148th University Birthday

University Birthday Party

RSVP! Come on out as we celebrate Duquesne’s 148th birthday!  We will have games, fun food, giveaways, and a chance to sing Happy Birthday as we cut the birthday cake!

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  • Academic Walk
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Together for Tengeru Wine Tasting

Together for Tengeru Wine Tasting

RSVP and purchase tickets! We hope that you will join us at the annual event to raise funds for the Tengeru Boys School, a Spiritan school in Tanzania. Ticket purchase ($25) includes tastings of four different wines and heavy hors d’oeuvres. Students and faculty that have visited the school will be

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  • Spiritan Room
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Make Your Own Duquesne T-Shirt

Make Your Own Duquesne T-Shirt

Register! Pick from custom graphics and heat press yourself a one-of-a-kind Duquesne t-shirt! 

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  • Student Union
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Red and Blue for Tengeru / Feast on Feast Days!

Red and Blue for Tengeru / Feast on Feast Days!

As we close Heritage Week, we are encouraging departments to have their employees wear red and blue on October 2! We ask that you stop by with members of your department if you can, and take a photo at our photo booth on Spirit Day. If your department, school, or even group of friends would like to

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  • Student Union
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Feast Day Mass for Claude Poullart des Places

Feast Day Mass for Claude Poullart des Places

RSVP! We hope that you will join us as we celebrate the feast day of Spiritan Founder Claude Poullart des Places with a liturgy led by our Spiritan community. 

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  • Chapel of the Holy Spirit
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