among those who have experienced it. And they’ve passed that along to others. Nowadays, in the digital, Internetdriven era, spreading the word about something has become easier. If you hear about a school and it piques your interest, you don’t have to schedule a tour (though Matesich gives hundreds of Jesuit tours annually), or inquire about a brochure, or know someone who works there to learn much more about it. Just go to the website. Sometimes information about a school has already come to you. Via your social media friends on Facebook, or retweets of people you follow on Twitter, the information pops up on your phone or computer screen. If you live in the Tampa Bay area, there’s a fair chance you are Facebook friends with someone who likes the Jesuit High School of Tampa Facebook page (2,600 people), or follow @ JesuitTampa on Twitter (3,000). Being connected with them connects you with Jesuit. “I’ve seen it increase incrementally, year after year, since I’ve been here,” Matesich said. “Not only are more people interested in Jesuit, but they know more about the school from visiting the 16 JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • WINTER 2016-17 website, or seeing something on social media.” Jesuit’s website redesign in late 2014 included a rotating carousel of nine Jesuit news stories front and center on the homepage. Every few days, a new story is added as the lead item. The Robotics team. The Thanksgiving Basket Drive. The new AP Capstone and engineering courses. The success of the football team. The mission trips. It’s easier than ever for prospective students and families to learn about Jesuit, with just a click. The Internet, and the school website specifi cally, also has served as a critical tool for those moving into the area. “Many people moving into the Tampa Bay area already know about Jesuit schools – the parents, or friends, may have attended a Jesuit school – and they are excited that there is a Jesuit school here in Tampa,” Matesich said. “And many others have scoured the Internet looking at high schools in the area, and via simple searches they quickly become much more educated about Jesuit than someone moving to Tampa 15 years ago would have been. “They already know much of what Jesuit is about, because we’re broadcasting it out there for them on our website and primary Facebook page. People outside of the school community are picking it up.” The annual Open House for prospective 8th grade students and families grew beyond the capacity of St. Anthony’s Chapel, with approximately 1,000 visitors the past few years. This fall, with Open House moved to the gym as the new Chapel of the Holy Cross is under construction, Open House visitors fi lled the seating on the gym fl oor and much of the bleachers. “The development of our Open House has mirrored the increased interest in Jesuit,” Matesich said. “We make adjustments each year to keep up with that increased interest. It’s really one of the most exciting nights of the year – the campus is electric.” It’s all part of the process of fi nding the best school and the right fi t. Increasingly, prospective students are looking to Jesuit. “Young men and their families are confi dent in choosing a Jesuit education because of it’s outstanding reputation for forming young men,” Matesich said. “And that’s no surprise as college admissions offi ces grow more selective and scrutinizing with each graduating class. “Nationally and in the state of Florida, colleges expect well-rounded applicants of high character, ambition, and confi dence. They expect applicants to have spent their high school years doing more than just honing their talents and discovering their passions—they expect applicants to have spent time refl ecting and anticipating how they will utilize those talents in contribution to (continued from page 15) The new administration building (foreground) and the foundation of the new chapel, photographed days before the chapel began building upward in late January, will allow for an expanded enrollment Clubs such as Agmen Christi and students such as Reece Tappan ’19 are making extraordinary commitments to service “It’s truly an exciting time of growth here at Jesuit. The state-of-the-art and cutting edge additions and improvements around campus are taking our tradition of academic excellence, dynamic spiritual formation, and abundant extracurricular leadership opportunities to new heights. This will continue to allow Jesuit to benefi t the young men of the Tampa Bay area for many generations to come.”
19632JH
To see the actual publication please follow the link above