Jesuit Education at SCU
For the past three years, I have given countless tours to prospective families and students as a Student Ambassador with the Santa Clara University (SCU) Office of Undergraduate Admission. One of the questions I get asked most frequently is some version of: Can you explain how SCU’s Jesuit Catholic identity manifests itself on campus?
This is an important question to ask. For many, SCU may be the first Jesuit institution (or religious institution of any kind) that they will attend. Whether or not students come from a Catholic or Christian faith background, there is unique value in a Jesuit education.
As of 2024, over 3,700 Jesuit schools have opened around the world. From the earliest Jesuit schools of the 16th century to those that are in their infancy, a central philosophy has guided each of these institutions.
SCU, along with every other one of the 30 Jesuit universities, is founded on the basic principle of cura personalis, a Latin phrase which translates to “care for the person.” As someone who graduated from a Jesuit high school and is entering their third year at a Jesuit university, I find cura personalis to be the single most transformative aspect of a Jesuit education.
Through a broad core curriculum, robust extracurricular offerings, and a steadfast commitment to social justice, SCU applies cura personalis in all corners of campus–in and out of the classroom. This focus allows SCU to produce well-rounded graduates who, yes, have been very well-educated in their area of study–but who have also developed a wide variety of “soft skills” that they may take with them and apply to their post-SCU endeavors. This holistic approach is the hallmark of a Jesuit education.
For example, students in SCU’s Leavey School of Business–regardless of which major they end up completing–will take a broad core curriculum consisting of courses from all areas of study in the business school. As a result, their specialization in whatever major they choose to complete will be built upon a strong foundation of skills that span several business disciplines.
As a Jesuit university, SCU also offers a variety of resources for students who wish to more deeply engage with their faith journey while attending SCU. Campus Ministry, daily masses in the Mission Church, and live-in Spirituality Facilitators in each of the residence halls are all very accessible ways for students to further their faith journey while attending SCU.
Additionally, the Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education at SCU serves to further the Jesuit mission of serving the local and global community. Their offerings include a number of immersion trips to both domestic and international destinations as well Arrupe Engagement opportunities where students are placed in community-based learning opportunities that allow students to engage with the community over an 8-week period.
I knew from very early in my time at a Jesuit high school that I wanted to attend a Jesuit university. From the emphasis placed on community-building at my high school to the diverse, well-rounded, socially conscious curriculum, I felt that I was being prepared uniquely well for college and beyond. Having completed my first three years at SCU, I feel the same exact way about my time here.
I am a Political Science and Communication major, but fulfilling core requirements through courses such as Ethics and the Law, Warfare and Statecraft in the Hebrew Bible, and The Italian-American Experience has given me an opportunity to expand my worldview and learn a great deal about topics outside of my major. Regardless of the career path a student plans to pursue after their graduation from SCU, there is value to undertaking a Jesuit-influenced core curriculum.
If a student is unsure exactly what they want to pursue in college, a Jesuit education allows and empowers them to explore a wide variety of courses and subjects in order to discern their future path. If a student knows exactly what they want to study, a Jesuit education supplements the skills and concepts learned by a student in their major with a broad core curriculum.
Whether or not a student knows what they want to study, a Jesuit education has something to offer them!
