As a Jesuit school, Prep seeks to form graduates who are Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving, and Committed to Doing Justice. These are the characteristics set forth in the Profile of the Graduate at Graduation (“Grad at Grad”), a publication of the Jesuit Schools Network. Following is an overview of these five key characteristics, as defined by the JSN.
Open to Growth
The Jesuit high school student at the time of graduation has matured as a person — emotionally, intellectually, physically, socially, religiously — to a level that reflects some intentional responsibility for one’s own growth. The graduate is beginning to reach out in his or her development, seeking opportunities to stretch one’s mind, imagination, feelings, and religious consciousness.
Intellectually Competent
By graduation the Jesuit high school student will exhibit a mastery of those academic requirements for advanced forms of education. While these requirements are broken down into departmental subject matter areas, the student will have developed many intellectual skills and understandings that cut across and go beyond academic requirements for college entrance. The student is also developing habits of intellectual inquiry, as well as a disposition towards life-long learning. The student is beginning to see the need for intellectual integrity in his or her personal quest for religious truth and in his or her response to issues of social justice.
Religious
By graduation the Jesuit high school student will have a basic knowledge of the major doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. Having been introduced to Ignatian spirituality, the graduate will also have examined his or
her own religious feelings and beliefs with a view to choosing a fundamental orientation toward God and establishing a relationship with a religious tradition and/or community. What is said here, respectful of the conscience and religious background of the individual, also applies to the non-Catholic graduate of a Jesuit high school. The level of theological understanding of the Jesuit high school graduate will naturally be limited by the student’s level of religious and human development.
Loving
By graduation, the Jesuit high school student is continuing to form his or her own identity. He or she is moving beyond self-interest or self-centeredness in close relationships. The graduate is beginning to be able to risk some deeper levels of relationship in which one can disclose self and accept the mystery of another person and cherish that person. Nonetheless, the graduate’s attempt at loving, while clearly beyond childhood, may not yet reflect the confidence and freedom of an adult.
Committed to Doing Justice
The Jesuit high school student at graduation has acquired considerable knowledge of the many needs of local, national, and global communities and is preparing for the day when he or she will take a place in these communities as a competent, concerned and responsible member. The graduate has been inspired to develop the awareness and skills necessary to live in a global society as a person for and with others. Although this commitment to doing justice will come to fruition in mature adulthood, some predispositions will have begun to manifest themselves earlier.
Source: Jesuit Schools Network