Message
every Ivy League university and every service academy, as
well as premiere Catholic, Jesuit, private and public institutions.
• Service to the community: During their senior year alone,
our students perform 17,000 hours of Christian service in
community-based organizations throughout the
metropolitan area.
• Improvements in campus facilities: This summer, we are
investing more than $1 million in the construction of a new
chapel, a new sound system for the Leonard Theatre, faculty
offices, group study rooms, a technology office suite, and
classroom and locker room renovations. Our future plans
call for a dramatic expansion of the building’s east wing to
develop larger classrooms and a new counseling suite.
• Global education and cultural competence: Through our
global Jesuit educational network, this summer students are
participating in academic, service-learning and cultural
immersion programs in Australia, China, Ecuador,
Tennessee and Camden, NJ. Last year, students studied
marine biology in Belize and classical languages in Rome. In
the next two years, they will study at Jesuit high schools in
Ireland, Uruguay, Rwanda and Tanzania.
I write to you as we conclude the school year which marks
our celebration of the 175th Anniversary of Fordham Prep.
It has been a year to remember!
From Ronan Tynan’s booming tenor echoing through the
Leonard Theatre and our elegant gala dinner at La Sirena to
the exciting conclusion to our Turkey Bowl victory and our
inspiring Mass at the basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral,
the blessings of this year continue to reverberate in our
memories and hearts.
In fact, this issue of RAMVIEW is full of images and stories which
capture the drama and excitement of this extraordinary year.
This year has also presented many opportunities for members
of the Fordham Prep community to express their gratitude for
our mission through generous service and financial gifts.
In this issue (cf. pages 44-45) you will read about a few special
parents whose volunteer service to our community has been
extraordinary: Fred Berrios and Linda and Joe Costelloe.
The next issue of RAMVIEW will recount in full detail the
philanthropic generosity generated this year. However, I am
thrilled and profoundly grateful to share with you the news
that over 3,000 donors have made a gift during our 175th
fiscal year.
What does your generosity of time and treasure support?
• The pursuit of excellence in learning and teaching: Our
faculty is our greatest resource and we have recommitted
our efforts to help them pursue meaningful professional
development opportunities which will allow them to bring
transformative learning experiences into their classrooms.
• Recognition from the nation’s top colleges and universities:
In the past five years, our graduating seniors have attended
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• Scholarships and tuition assistance to families of limited
financial resources: Next year, we will commit nearly
$5 million to almost 500 academically qualified students
whose families need tuition assistance. This support allows
Fordham Prep to enroll a truly diverse student population
from over 110 zip codes which includes students from middle
income backgrounds and the sons of new immigrants.
• Athletic and arts programs: With almost 20 different sports,
a vocal and instrumental arts program and our historic
Dramatics Society, Fordham Prep students can experience
a full range of activities and experiences.
What does this support engender?
At the beginning, St. Ignatius Loyola and his first companions
in the Society of Jesus did not intend to establish schools.
Over time they became convinced of the efficacy of
education—rooted in faith, scholarship and service—to
produce a vanguard in society whose commitment to the
common good would make a critical difference.
By educating students to become Men for Others, dedicated
to God’s greater glory, the Jesuits believed their students
would set the world on fire, on fire with a desire to find God
in all things and share God’s love.
This is the goal of Jesuit education, and indeed it is the goal of
Fordham Prep.
As we embark on our second 175 years, may Fordham Prep,
renewed by your generous support, continue to pursue this
blessed goal and purpose.
Christopher J. Devron, SJ
President