On a mission

By Christopher DaCosta

When Carlos Jimenez decided to attend Santa Clara, his choice was primarily based on the school's religious focus.

"The Jesuit identity was a great aspect of consideration for me, since I have been with the Jesuits all my life," said Jimenez, a freshman political science major from Mexico.

According to some students, Santa Clara's long-standing Jesuit identity plays a significant role in college decisions due to the Jesuit presence in classrooms and around campus. Many student's say that along with the school's various organizations, the Jesuit faculty served as encouragement to attend the university.

Some students, like undeclared Arts and Sciences freshman, Colleen Romchelli, were initially unsure of the Jesuit tradition but gained more knowledge through Jesuit-taught courses. "It [religion] didn't play much of a role in coming here, but now that I am here I am glad I came because I can feel really connected to the professors," Romchelli said.

Students who graduated from Jesuit high schools found themselves drawn to Santa Clara because they desired to be part of a nurturing "community of scholars," as the university Web site calls it.

Interacting directly with prospective freshmen is Admissions Counselor Alistair Grant. Most candidates for admission are chiefly concerned with academics and then the general value system that the Jesuit character attempts to instill, according to Grant.

Grant, a Santa Clara alumnus, has found that many prospective students do not fully understand the university's Jesuit nature. "When we market the school as a Jesuit university, typically the non-Catholic students have a lot of questions about what it means to attend a Jesuit school," Grant said.

According to Grant, prospective students are worried that religion will be forced upon them, but many are surprised to find that the school does not press students to participate in masses and other religious events.

Sophomore history major, Marshall Davidson attended a Jesuit high school. "I thought it was a great experience of growth and I wanted to continue that tradition," Davidson said.

Jimenez discovered that Santa Clara's Jesuit identity had so much to offer. "It's not just a focus on academics, it's also about moral values and learning about the community," said Jimenez. "Some schools don't put much into that."

Mario Prietto, S.J., director for Campus Ministry, believes that students from public high schools are enticed by theology, community service and retreat programs offered by the university.

"These things aren't usually offered at public schools," he said. "Students who went to public schools and their parents might find the Jesuit programs here attractive."

While Santa Clara is centered on Jesuit ideals, these ideals do not necessarily affect all students. Kami Sidhu, a junior finance major, believes that each individual can take and apply what the university offers at their leisure. "The religious experience on campus, for me so far, has been entirely what I have made of it," she said.

Spiritual and religious communities, like the Santa Clarans for Social Justice and InterVarsity, are in place on campus and available to students who wish to pursue them.

"We have all these organizations on campus and you can take advantage of them and if you don't, it's your fault; they're right there for you," said Jimenez.

Ross Egge, a sophomore philosophy and religious studies double major, agrees that students have a large role in their religious education outside classrooms.

"I think the Jesuit experience plays whatever role you want it to, because I am a religious studies major, I really try to take advantage of what the school has to offer in that respect," Egge said.

Jesuit faculty members also contribute to a student's choice to attend Santa Clara. When Egge first began at Santa Clara, one of the deciding factors pertained to Jesuit-taught courses. "I did know that the Jesuits had a reputation for being really knowledgeable, so I was looking forward to taking classes from some of them," he said.

There are about 40 Jesuit professors currently teaching courses on campus, according to James Reites, S.J., a Christian Traditions professor.

"I think by university standards, the number of Jesuits we have in our community is pretty good," said Prietto, S.J.

In comparison, Gonzaga University, another Jesuit institution, has 29 active Jesuit faculty members, according to their Web site and office of admissions.

Both Santa Clara's mission and strategic planning statements outline a commitment to a Jesuit and Catholic education. In the non-Jesuit taught courses, many of these values are integrated into most courses, said Reites.

"I think many faculty members tie into the vision of educating the whole person, having concern for issues of justice, some also, for faith and justice, concern for building a more just world," Reites said. "A good number of faculty [members] are aware of that vision and share it."

This vision has been directly exhibited in Egge's education at Santa Clara so far. "The Jesuit view is a large view that takes in just about everything," said Egge. "In that sense, I think all of my classes have been provocative."

Political science professor Peter Minowitz teaches courses in political philosophy. "Something that is very important for me personally, and a lot of other teachers, is the way that we teach," said Minowitz. This method of teaching encompasses the Jesuit vision through "the education of the whole person," a relationship with students and attention to character and intellect, according to Minowitz.

"Perfect eloquence is something else that Jesuit schools really highlighted in the past," said Minowitz. "They were concerned with training students to speak and to write and for me this is almost a crusade. I have the students speak in class frequently and I have placed a lot of emphasis on writing."

Davidson has taken many courses led by Jesuit professors and he feels that non-Jesuit professors do good job instilling Jesuit ideals in their classes. "Part of the Jesuit tradition is academic excellence, and I can feel teachers wanting us to grow and learn," Davidson said.

Growing and learning is extended into the Residential Learning Communities. Paul Fitzgerald, S.J., lives among students as the Jesuit in residence in the Loyola learning community. "All kinds of education take place outside the classroom, through chance conversations, during dinner or liturgy," Fitzgerald said.

This quarter, Fitzgerald teaches Introduction to Catholic Theology, as a link course for residents of the Loyola community. "I love being in the classroom, it's a good context for good conversation, helping students to think clearly and think things all the way through," he said.

Fitzgerald is a Santa Clara alumnus and found that it was his school of choice when deciding where he wanted to pursue his education. Like many students today, Fitzgerald considered the school's reputation and Jesuit identity. "I wanted to come here because I heard about the Jesuits and I had heard it was good place," Fitzgerald said.

When returning to teach, Fitzgerald wanted to pass along the faith and social justice-themed education he received to the new students.

A deciding factor in returning was the presence of the Jesuit body on campus. "I thought that this was a really good Jesuit community to live in."