Bellarmine charges its students to strive for six essential characteristics throughout their high school journeys. These characteristics—documented as the "Graduate at Graduation"—are common to all Jesuit secondary schools. They encompass every aspect of the Jesuit educational experience: religious, social, psychological, and academic. The "Graduate at Graduation" is put forth as an articulation of the kind of Ignatians we are striving to form—"men for and with others" (Pedro Arrupe, S.J., former Jesuit Superior General).
The Graduate at Graduation
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Open to Growth
By graduation, the Bellarmine student has matured as a person—emotionally, intellectually, physically, socially, religiously—to a level that reflects some intentional responsibility for his own growth (as opposed to a passive, drifting, laissez-faire attitude about growth). The graduate is at least beginning to reach out in his development, seeking opportunities to stretch his mind, imagination, feelings, and religious consciousness.
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Intellectually Competent
By graduation, the Bellarmine 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 which cut across and go beyond academic requirements for college entrance. Moreover, the student is beginning to see the need for intellectual integrity in his personal response to issues of social justice.
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Religious
By graduation, the Bellarmine student will have a basic knowledge of the major doctrines and practices of the Catholic Church. The graduate will also have examined his 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. 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.
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Loving
By graduation, the Bellarmine student is well on his way to establishing his own identity. The graduate is also on the threshold of being able to move beyond self-interest or self-centeredness in relationships with significant others. In other words, the student is beginning to be able to risk some deeper levels of relationship in which he can disclose himself and accept the mystery of another person and cherish that person.
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Committed to Doing Justice
By graduation, the Bellarmine student has achieved considerable knowledge of the many needs of local and wider communities, and is preparing for the day when he will take a place in these communities as a competent, concerned, and responsible member. The graduate has begun to acquire the skills and motivation necessary to live as a person for others.
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Pursuing Leadership Growth
By graduation, the Bellarmine student has become aware of the difference between actions appropriately taken as an individual and the effectiveness of concerted group actions in affecting the outcome of issues in which he is interested. The student has learned through study, observation, and experience that some tasks are performed better by individuals acting on their own initiative, and that other projects are better undertaken by group actions, directed, supervised, and coordinated by leaders. The student has learned that not all leaders are entirely ethical and moral in their conduct, and that there is a great need for educated Christian leaders to assist all vocations to conduct themselves in accord with Christian principles. The graduate has had some experience as a follower and as a leader at a variety of levels within groups, and has begun to acquire some leadership qualities.
Intended Student Outcomes
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Open to Growth and Leadership
The Bellarmine student:
- Embraces the values expressed and promoted by the school’s mission: the search for justice, truth and service. Understands his growth as spiritual, intellectual, emotional, imaginative, and physical.
- Develops and shares talents that have been given as gifts from God. Sees leadership as an opportunity for service to others in the local and global community.
- Takes intentional responsibility for ethical growth. Develops a sense of humility and gratitude.
- Grows through individual and group reflection. Learns to approach failure and challenge as valuable to his development.
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Religious and Committed to Social Justice
The Bellarmine student:
- Encounters Jesus’ teaching and demonstrates an understanding of His redeeming mission.
- Learns to express himself in various methods of prayer. Experiences Ignatian spirituality through communal worship, retreats and individual prayer.
- Serves others, seeks justice, reflects upon his experiences, and comes to an empathetic appreciation for the value of life and human dignity.
- Takes responsibility for initiating social changes that work to restore God’s Creation to its fullness.
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Intellectually Engaged
The Bellarmine student:
- Communicates effectively. Thinks logically, critically, and creatively.
- Acts with integrity and takes ownership for his learning.
- Demonstrates critical awareness of and responds to the contemporary injustices facing our larger society