At the threshold of the Prep’s doors stand the beautiful
reliefs of our patron saints, St. John the Baptist and St.
Ignatius Loyola. Their presence is a sign of what stands
true for each generation: that the gift of Jesuit education
at Fordham Prep is found in the proclamation of the
Gospel as we strive for the magis. For the past 175 years,
the Prep has transformed the lives of tens of thousands of
young men, c alled to learn and live in ways that bring
greater glory to God. I am truly blessed to be one of them,
and privileged to take upon this new responsibility as
Principal. The Prep is a place deeply rooted in tradition
and history. What will never change is our commitment to
the ideals of Jesuit education. We continue to educate
young men to be open to growth, intellectually
accomplished, religious, loving, committed to doing
justice, and striving for wellness of mind and body. These
core values come alive in our students’ reflection and
prayer, at Mass, in retreats and service projects, in their
achievements in the classroom, on stage, on the athletic
field, and in the way they treat one another with dignity,
care and respect. At the heart of these efforts is our
exceptional faculty and staff—dedicated women and men
who live out their vocation as Ignatian educators in the
spirit of cura personalis, the care of each individual
student, so that he may flourish in academic learning,
grow in character formation, and in all things strive for
human excellence.
One of the most exciting strategic initiatives is our Global
Education Program. In the 16th century, St. Ignatius
inspired his companions to live the mission of the Society
of Jesus in a global context, to travel to the frontiers. They
would find God in all things, in all places, in different
cultures. Almost 500 years later, we strive to continue this
mission at Fordham Prep, to educate young men in a
new, vibrant and challenging global context. We seek to
raise student awareness of the world through the
exploration of diverse cultures in the global community.
This awareness will prepare them to be more empathetic,
accepting of differences, aware of social justice and
human rights issues, and better prepared for an
interconnected world in which they will live and work.
Our global network of Jesuit schools offers us an amazing
opportunity to collaborate in our shared mission as
companions sent to the frontiers in the 21st century.
“So, how much has changed since you were a student?” I
have received this question many times since the start of
the school year, from parents and alumni, to my own
family and friends. It’s always an opportunity to share so
much of what has changed since my graduation from the
Prep in 1998. Of course, I didn’t carry a Surface Pro tablet
around school like our students. Cell phones were a few
years away, let alone our current 1 to 1 technology
program. In my time, the library had not yet been
renovated to the beautiful space it is today. My AP Studio
Art and Architectural Drawing classes in senior year were
in a much smaller classroom. Now our Fine Arts offerings
benefit from open spaces in the Art Room and Band
Room. I never had the chance of studying Biology or
Chemistry in one of the nine state-of-the-art labs in the
Boller Science Center. There was no fourth floor at all, and
no greenhouse either. The upgrades to our athletic
facilities were yet to come. Now our students practice and
compete on the Rowen Athletic Field, Joe Fox Track, and
Donnie Walsh Basketball Court. Most striking is the
expansive space of the new lobby and the remodeled
Lynch Commons, where our students gather for meals
and fellowship each day.
Most recently, we were honored to host thirteen students
and four faculty members from St. Ignatius’ College
Riverview in Sydney, Australia. These days were filled with
companionship, dialogue and collaboration, values that I
hope will continue to guide our community in the good
work that lies ahead. As we boldly look to the future, the
Prep stands ready to find God at the frontiers of our
global network, with upcoming student experiences in
Belize, China, Rome and Tanzania. This is a
transformative moment in Jesuit secondary education
worldwide, and is captured gracefully by the concluding
words of a new working paper on global education from
the Jesuit Secretariat of Education in Rome: “The signs at
the entrances of our buildings should no longer welcome
students and families to our schools; they should instead
welcome them to the global community of Jesuit
education … they should welcome them to the world.”
Joseph A. Petriello, PhD ‘98
Principal
W IN T E R 2017 | 5