Educating the whole person is a cornerstone of Jesuit education, focused on forming young men and women in mind, body, and spirit to help build a more just, compassionate, and sustainable world.

At De Smet Jesuit, our faculty and staff engage students both in and out of the classroom, helping them recognize their potential and their impact on the world around them.

Finding God in all things invites us to recognize His presence in every moment, to see His beauty in the world around us, and to notice His work in our lives through ongoing reflection and discernment.

At De Smet Jesuit, students are encouraged to seek God in their daily experiences and surroundings, using tools like journaling and writing assignments to reflect on how He is at work in their lives.

The "Grad at Grad" (Graduate at Graduation) is a foundational framework used by Jesuit schools across the country to describe the five key characteristics they hope each student will develop by the time they graduate: Open to Growth, Intellectually Competent, Religious, Loving, and Committed to Doing Justice.

At De Smet Jesuit, this framework serves as a roadmap for forming young men of character and purpose. We’ve expanded it to include a sixth characteristic—Developing as a Leader—to better reflect the unique experiences and opportunities our students have both in and out of the classroom. This addition underscores our commitment to helping students grow into confident, compassionate leaders who serve others and make a positive impact in their communities.

Ignatian spirituality is a practical approach to everyday life, rooted in the belief that God is present in all things and actively working in our lives. It encourages deeper prayer, thoughtful decision-making through discernment, and a life of service to others.

At De Smet Jesuit, students are introduced to Ignatian spirituality through classroom prayer and are taught to use reflection as a tool for making meaningful decisions in their lives.

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The Ignatian Pedagogical Paradigm (IPP) is a teaching approach used in Jesuit schools, inspired by the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. It emphasizes not just what students learn, but how they grow through the learning process.

The IPP is built on five key principles:

• Context: Understand each student’s background, experiences, and culture.
• Experience: Create learning moments that engage both the mind and the heart.
• Reflection: Encourage students to connect what they learn to themselves and others.
• Action: Inspire students to apply their learning in meaningful ways.
• Evaluation: Assess student growth beyond academics, including personal and moral development.

"Men for Others" is the motto of De Smet Jesuit and a core value of the Jesuit tradition. Coined by Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ, in a 1973 speech to Jesuit alumni in Europe, the phrase calls students to live with a sense of social justice and a commitment to serving others.

At De Smet Jesuit, students are challenged to live out this ideal through various service opportunities, especially during their junior and senior service projects, where they work directly with marginalized communities in the St. Louis area and gain a deeper understanding of injustice in the world.