The distinctiveness of a Jesuit education stems from its deep-rooted history and a mission grounded in faith and intellectual rigor. Since its beginnings in 1548 when the first Jesuit institution opened its doors in Messina, Sicily, Jesuit higher education remains committed to expansive and critical thinking, to service, leadership and to care for the whole person.

Jesuit higher education in the United States is one of the largest and strongest networks of private higher education institutions in the world. The 28 Jesuit colleges and universities are located in 18 states and the District of Columbia, and are independent yet united by their common heritage and mission.

The Society of Jesus, founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola, was one of the first orders of educators within the Catholic Church. A Jesuit education is grounded in the liberal arts tradition with a focus on quality teaching, critical thinking and rigorous academic standards and scholarship. Today, U.S. Jesuit colleges and universities employ nearly 22,000 faculty members who continue the tradition of Ignatius.

Jesuit higher education is guided by a spirituality that seeks justice. Inspired by the tenets of Catholic social teaching and its intellectual and social justice traditions, a Jesuit education places great emphasis on forming "women and men for others," that students are engaged in a process of exploring the ways in which their knowledge and talents will best serve society in the most distinctive and constructive ways.

Today, Jesuit institutions provide students with more than $1.3 billion in institutional aid – eight times what the federal government provides for Jesuit colleges and universities in federal grant aid. On average, 22 percent of our students receive federal aid in the form of Pell Grants.

Last year, more than 217,000 students were enrolled at Jesuit institutions of higher education on the undergraduate and graduate/professional levels. Reflective of their rich academic experience, students at Jesuit colleges and universities have received Rhodes, Truman and Fulbright Scholarships.

Many distinguished graduates of Jesuit institutions have reached the highest levels in their fields, including former President Bill Clinton, scientist Anthony Fauci, journalist Maria Shriver, actor Denzel Washington and NBA Coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers. Descartes, Moliere and James Joyce were likewise shaped by their Jesuit education.

While some Jesuit alumni might be more recognizable than others, many share the distinction of using their education to serve and to lead. Of the roughly 1.9 million living alumni of Jesuit colleges and universities in the United States today, there are 54 members (10 percent) of the U.S. Congress, two members of the U.S. Supreme Court and more than 30 appointees in the current presidential administration. Countless more have assumed leadership positions as governors, mayors and judges.

Jesuit higher education provides students the opportunity to become thoughtful, competent, and compassionate men and women, with a commitment to the greater good and a passion for justice, preparing them for lives of leadership and service. It is through this distinctive mode of education that Jesuit colleges and universities are changing the world, one student at a time.