At two special ceremonies Wednesday (September 27), first during Convocation in the Chapel of the Holy Cross and then afterward in Faber Hall, Jesuit High School honored the outstanding students who are part of the school's Saint Ignatius Scholar Program, with the eight students who are Ignatius Scholars receiving special recognition.
All students who score in the top 2% nationally on the HSPT as 8th graders and then enroll at Jesuit are part of the Saint Ignatius Scholars Program. There are currently 79 Jesuit students in the program from a total enrollment of 868, nearly 10% of the student body. They all stood and were recognized during the Convocation.
Among those 79 are the 17 who were named Ignatius Scholars (8) and Loyola Foundation Scholars (9), selected on the basis of character, faith, service, and need. The eight Ignatius Scholars receive an annual award of one-half tuition for all four years, while the Loyola Foundation Scholars receive one-quarter tuition all four years. All 79 students in the program received a $1,000 tuition award when they enrolled.
The two seniors completing their fourth year as Ignatius Scholars, James Slack and Tyler Tyson, both addressed the student body Wednesday in the chapel. They spoke about the tremendous impact the scholarship has made in their lives, their love of the brotherhood at Jesuit, and their appreciation for the school's academic excellence.
The other Ignatius Scholars honored Wednesday are juniors Camden Haywood and Oscar Olivera, sophomores Ben Burke and Jack Fults, and freshmen Juan Amador and Rhys Marriott.
The Loyola Foundation Scholars at Jesuit in 2023-24 are seniors Ethan Hahn and Evan Rordam, juniors Garrett Boyes and Jake Taylor, sophomores Austin Blewitt and Noah Reese, and freshmen Austin Boyle, Joseph Cusimano, and Evan Voor.
September 27 is a special date in Jesuit history, as on that date in 1540 the Jesuit Order was confirmed by Pope Paul III. Therefore, Wednesday’s event also marks the 483rd anniversary of the founding of the Society of Jesus, known as the "first confirmation of the Society," and every year on or close to September 27, Jesuit's Ignatius Scholars are honored.
After Convocation, the eight Ignatius Scholars and their families attended a special breakfast reception in Faber Hall. There, the two freshmen, Amador and Marriott, each spoke about becoming an Ignatius Scholar. Jesuit president Fr. Richard C. Hermes, S.J. then shared the history and legacy of the Jesuit Order and its profound impact on education across the globe over nearly five centuries. He also presented the seniors, Slack and Tyson, with a special plaque depicting Saint Ignatius from a portrait by famed Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens, in recognition of their four years as Ignatius Scholars.
In order to maintain their scholarship, the Ignatius Scholars must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 4.0, complete all required community service by the designated dates, remain free of serious disciplinary sanction (i.e., notice or probation), and participate in at least one non-athletic school club or activity. The program was founded in 2014, making this the beginning of its 10th school year, and the seventh year that every grade level has been represented.
For more information about the Saint Ignatius Scholar Program, contact Admissions Director Steve Matesich '91 at (813) 877-5344, ext. 715, or email admissions@jesuittampa.org.
See below photos from Wednesday's recognition and Faber Hall reception.