Jesuit Educational Tradition

The Jesuit Educational Tradition has a rich 500 year history, beginning with the first Jesuits who founded a school in Messina, Italy, and continuing to the present day with a vision of whole-person education that empowers leaders to build a more just and humane world.

Arrupe Seminar on the Foundations and Vision of Jesuit Education 

ENGAGE  EMBODY  EMPOWER

The Arrupe Seminar is a 15-session seminar for faculty and staff to explore the Society of Jesus and Jesuit Education over an academic year.  Designed and led by members of the Arrupe Jesuit community and lay colleagues, Seminar topics include the life of Ignatius, Ignatian Spirituality, Jesuit Education and Ignatian Pedagogy, the Jesuit Commitment to a Faith that Does Justice, and Inter-religious Dialogue.   

Colleagues in Jesuit Education  

ENGAGE

Colleagues in Jesuit Education is a program that gathers Seattle University faculty, staff and Jesuit colleagues for conversation about our Jesuit and Catholic educational mission in the atmosphere of a social and discussion on three evenings each academic year.  Co-sponsored by the Office of the President and the Jesuit Community and coordinated by the CJE, approximately 100 participants explore topics of mutual interest developed by a planning team.

Conversations Magazine Discussions

ENCOUNTER  ENGAGE

The CJE offers a discussion and panel presentation that highlights the themes of each Conversations on Jesuit Higher Education magazine issue.

Endowed Mission Fund (EMF)

ENGAGE

The EMF awards funds to faculty and staff who develop programs, projects, and research related to the Jesuit Catholic mission of the University. Each year, the EMF Awards Committee, composed of seven faculty and staff members, evaluates the applications. There are often 20-30 applications for the $50,000 in funds that are distributed each year.

New Faculty Institute

ENCOUNTER

The CJE plays an important role at New Faculty Institute, as part of the planning team and also in offering new faculty an opportunity to learn about “Teaching in the Jesuit Tradition” at Seattle University.

New Staff Jesuit Mission Orientation Series

ENCOUNTER

All new staff are oriented over three sessions to the Jesuit Catholic mission of the university. Topics include:  an overview of the Jesuit Catholic mission at Seattle University, a campus tour of art and architecture that reveals Seattle University values in action, and an exploration of strategies for integrating the tools and practices of our Jesuit educational mission more intentionally into work.

University Mission Day

ENCOUNTER  ENGAGE

University Mission Day is a program of the President’s Office, facilitated by the CJE and campus partners, that has been annual university commitment since 1999, when Fr. Sundborg launched “First Annual Day of Reflection on Our Mission.”  It plays an important role in the ongoing strengthening of our Jesuit Catholic mission, gathering an average of 600 faculty and staff for a half-day program about topics like the SU Youth Initiative, the relationship between faith and science, the Jesuit commitment to racial justice, ecumenical and interfaith dialogue, and others.