Seattle Prep Personal Statement

Fr. Pedro Arrupe meant that developing a willingness to put others before one’s self for the greater glory of God, AMDG, is the most important role of education. AMDG, a common Jesuit saying, – defined as “Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam”, or rather, “all for the greater glory of God” – is a particular acronym taught in Jesuit education to remind scholars that everything they learn, think, and act does not have an impact on just individuals but it also plays a role in a much larger picture. Having the opportunity to attend a Jesuit college preparatory school has drilled the idea of becoming a man and woman for others into my brain. Seattle Prep, as well as other Jesuit institutions across the nation, is dedicated to its students becoming Graduates at Graduation: committed to justice, loving, intellectually competent, spiritually alive, and open to growth. When Fr. Arrupe said, “Our prime educational objective must be to form men and women for others, who believe that a love of self or of God which does not issue forth in justice for the
Thirty of those fifty service hours are a mandatory aspect of the junior year curriculum and must involve work with either the poor or marginalized. Personally, I chose to complete my necessary hours with the organization Outdoors for All, specifically working with the marginalized. Outdoors for All (OFA) strives to enrich the quality of life for children and adults with disabilities through outdoor recreation by offering programs just as skiing, kayaking, and biking. I participated in their downhill ski program, teaching lessons to people ranging from four to thirty-five years old with a vast array of both mental and physical disabilities. Volunteering with OFA improved not only my teaching skills but my ability to work with all people regardless of their