By Steven D. Robinson, Gonzaga Board of Regents
Why make the investment in a Jesuit education? In other words, why attend Gonzaga instead of a state school or secular private school?
The answer for me is simple: the return on investment, in the form of the richness of the rewards of a Jesuit education, makes the investment worthwhile.
Steven D. Robinson and his daughter, Erin class of ’16.
One of the guiding principles of Jesuit education is the education of the whole person—the intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions of personhood. The experience of Jesuit education is much, much more than classroom learning.
Students at Gonzaga are encouraged (some might say GUided) to learn to think critically and to explore the ethical ramifications of issues in ways that will enable them to translate their acquired knowledge into meaningful action for the betterment of others. By adding dimensions of service and social justice to the foundation of a liberal arts education, Gonzaga students become equipped to achieve great things, not only for themselves, but also for their families, their communities, and those whom they encounter in their work and play. They become prepared to follow St. Ignatius’ directive to “Go forth and set the world on fire!”
I firmly believe that four years at Gonzaga will make students much more capable of making meaningful changes for the better in the world. Students who have been the beneficiaries of education of their “whole persons” will be the business people and professionals who become “difference makers” in their day-to-day work and their day-to-day lives.
At the center of the educational experience at Gonzaga is the core curriculum, a compendium of classes that all students take as part of their Jesuit educations. Encountering the core curriculum for the first time, one might think, “Why should I have to take a speech class?” I know from my own experience that the confidence I developed in my Speech 101 class—the ability to stand in front of a group and make my point through clear and cogent verbal communication—helped me tremendously when I was a first year law student and was called upon to stand in front of the class and engage in a Socratic discussion of the nuances of a particular legal case with a law professor. Having an understanding of ethics honed by the core philosophy class I took from Fr. Royce when I was undergraduate let me take the discussion with the law professor to deeper level by being able to discuss the public policy aspects of the court’s holding. The core curriculum served me well then and has continued to serve me well in the more than 30 years I have been a lawyer.
Many, many colleges and universities provide their students with excellent academic educations to make them competent business people, scientists, service people or professionals. Making the investment in Jesuit education at Gonzaga enables our students to not only become competent in their career fields, but to be dynamic, innovative, and ethical. The investment is well worth making and the return on investment is immeasurably rewarding.