About

President's Welcome

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (The Jesuits), believed and understood the importance and value of education as a constitutive characteristic necessary for what he called the “progress of souls.” Gonzaga College High School was founded on, and continues to serve by, this principle.  
Since 1821, we have been offering the young men of the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area an education based on the philosophy of St. Ignatius Loyola. The Jesuit philosophy of education is grounded in the reality that God is present in all things – from the subtle to the sublime, from the classroom to the cafeteria, from the chapel to the athletic field, from the service project to the stage – God is present! A large part of what we do each day is to help our students learn to see and understand both the beauty and the complexity of life and the world in which they find themselves. The men and women, both Jesuit and lay, who serve our students and their families are outstanding educators who believe wholeheartedly in this mission, and who strive every day to deliver on the promise of a Jesuit education here on Eye Street.
    
At Gonzaga we seek to form a community of lifelong learners that encourages and supports students as they develop into young adults. With a commitment to faith, intellectual excellence, leadership, service, and justice, our students are urged to strive to recognize and respond confidently to the opportunities and challenges of our time. Through a rigorous and integrated program of academic, spiritual, and co-curricular activities, Gonzaga strives to educate all aspects of our students according to the Jesuit philosophy of Cura Personalis, care for the whole person. Our educational efforts endeavor to broaden a student’s mind, heart, and spirit in order to form young men of competence, conscience and character eager to engage the world they encounter. 

Our ultimate desire is to help form young men into the persons that God has created them to be – men for and with others.


Sincerely,

Rev. Joseph E. Lingan, S.J.
President
The Jesuit philosophy of education is grounded in the reality that God is present in all things – from the subtle to the sublime, from the classroom to the cafeteria, from the chapel to the athletic field, from the service project to the stage – God is present!
Celebrating 200 Years of Jesuit Education in the Nation's Capital