Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas is providing real-world opportunities for students to turn their faith into action.
Guided by its mission to form a community of men with high moral principles who are dedicated to serving others, the school has gone beyond the traditional curriculum with initiatives such as its new Community and Belonging Leadership Immersion program.
“The Leadership Immersion program directly supports the mission of Jesuit Dallas by forming Men for Others: young men who recognize their responsibility to live lives rooted in faith, compassion, and commitment to others,” said community service and social justice coordinator Claire Moore.
Recently, Moore accompanied 16 Jesuit students as they participated in a multi-day immersion at The Brookwood Community.
Brookwood is a faith-based residential and vocational community for adults with disabilities located near Houston. Brookwood helps those it serves, called Citizens, find purpose in an educational environment where they can do meaningful work. Its mission is to change how the world thinks about adults with disabilities.
During Jesuit’s initiative, students worked alongside Brookwood Citizens in vocational areas such as horticulture, ceramics, retail, and the café.
They also participated in a Brookwood panel discussion highlighting the diverse talents and professions that sustain the community and performed in a talent show alongside Brookwood Citizens.
“This immersion invited students to move beyond serving others and into building authentic relationships rooted in empathy, accompaniment, and mutual respect,” said Moore. “By becoming part of the daily life at The Brookwood Community, students saw what it looks like when a community creates opportunities for every person to contribute, grow, and live a purpose-filled life.”
With the fall semester underway, innovative programs like these will shape unique educational experiences that develop what Jesuit Dallas calls The Profile of the Graduate. By giving students the opportunity to listen and learn from different perspectives, these experiences provide foundational leadership skills that will translate to all areas of their lives.
“Students returned to Jesuit Dallas with a stronger sense of how they can lead with compassion and help create spaces where every person is welcomed, valued, and belongs,” said Moore. “This was an incredible experience for both the students and citizens, and it’s a partnership we’re very excited to continue building.”
As part of this transformative program, Moore is already planning subsequent visits to the Brookwood Community to provide students with ongoing opportunities for encounter, reflection, and leadership formation.
“Ideally, we hope to visit Brookwood twice each year,” said Moore. “We are currently making plans to return to The Brookwood Community this upcoming school year so students can continue developing relationships, deepening their understanding of inclusion and belonging, and growing as Men for Others through faith-in-action.”
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