Jesuit's Ignatius Scholars

At two special ceremonies Monday (September 28), 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 Scholars Program, with the eight students who are Ignatius Scholars receiving special recognition.

The scholars program is comprised of all students who score in the top 2% nationally on the HSPT as 8th graders and then enroll at Jesuit. There are currently 76 Jesuit students in the program from a total enrollment of 850, about 9% of the student body.

Among those 76 are the 20 who were named Ignatius Scholars (8) and Loyola Foundation Scholars (12), 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. 

The two seniors completing their fourth year as Ignatius Scholars, Rhys Marriott and Juan Amador, both addressed the student body Monday in the chapel (click for video from the Convocation of principal Mike Scicchitano as well as the presentations by Marriott and Amador). They spoke about the tremendous impact the scholarship has made in their lives – without it they likely could not have enrolled at Jesuit – and their extraordinary experience.

The other Ignatius Scholars honored Monday are juniors Cole Knutzen and Robbie Martin, sophomores Jack Etzkorn (who was absent Monday) and Jevey Solak, and freshmen Javi Ballesteros and John Heilig.

The Loyola Foundation Scholars at Jesuit in 2026-27 are seniors Austin Boyle, Joseph Cusimano, and Evan Voor; juniors Luca DeMeo, Andrew Hyde, and Mayo Olaleye; sophomores Max Caterinicchia, Giovani Giraldo, and Will Salvi, and freshmen Will Henriquez, Ben Hughes, and Arthur Kappler.

After Convocation, the eight Ignatius Scholars and their families attended a special breakfast reception in Faber Hall. There, the two freshmen, Ballesteros and Heilig, each spoke about becoming an Ignatius Scholar. Afterward, Jesuit president Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, S.J. presented the seniors, Burke and Fults, 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 achieve 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 13th school year.

Every year, Jesuit honors its Ignatius Scholars on or close to September 27, which is a special date in Jesuit history. On September 27, 1540, the Jesuit Order was confirmed by Pope Paul III. Therefore, Monday’s event also marked the 486th anniversary of the founding of the Society of Jesus, known as the “first confirmation of the Society.” 

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.

Scroll below to view additional photos or visit the Facebook page Jesuit High School of Tampa.

In addition to the eight Ignatius Scholars and 12 Loyola Foundation Scholars listed above, the students below are members of the Saint Ignatius Scholars Program at Jesuit:

SENIORS
Acosta, Joseph
Basile, Mason
Beavers, Ben
Flores-Sanchez, Jaime
Fogarty, Oliver
Garcia, Vincent
Harding, Fletcher
Himes, Evan
Kuo, Gavin
Lauritano, Armando
McCullough, Bodhi
Miller, Bobby
Sadlowski, Fisher
Smith, Ethan
Tuomy, Will

JUNIORS
Arey, Evan
Braccia, Anthony
Burkett, Beau
Cucanan-Potoy, Nick
D'Angelo, Ethan
Frost, Cole
Hoar, Benji
Jones, Grant
Kakish, Ethan
Kuhn, Sawyer
Menendez, Ryan
Moon, Cooper
Pecev, Nicholas
Perez Dorantes, Jayden
Perez, Matthew
Timbol, Santi

SOPHOMORES
Hale, Wilson
Jennings, Collin
Johnson, Jake
Kaseman, Arthur
Kimball, Hawkins
Ledford, Ethan
Lieb, Lucas
Scardino, Cory
Thompson, William

FRESHMEN
Anand, Akshath
Balicki, Colin
Bozone, Will
Broussard, Andrew
Castro, Colton
Garland, Winston
Gonzalez, Sebastian
Jennings, Daniel
Klatt, Trey
Marcum, Felix
Mitchell, Noel
Novatkoski, CJ
Ochotorena, Titan
Peacock, Jake
Silver, Ryan
Terry, Cannon