The completion of the new
Administration and Student
Services Center is a milestone
in Jesuit’s Campus Master Plan
and will serve the school and
the greater Tampa community
for generations
Jesuit High School celebrated a momentous
occasion in the school's
119-year history on March 2 – the
Blessing & Dedication of Gonzmart
Hall.
The spectacular new 32,000-square
foot Administration and Student
Services Center is the handsome
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Ave, and will serve the school and
the greater Tampa community for
generations to come.
Jesuit president Fr. Richard C.
Hermes, S.J. bestowed the blessing,
and one of Jesuit's most generous
benefactors, Richard Gonzmart '71,
was recognized with the dedication of
the facility.
"Today we are celebrating not just
the progress of the construction
effort, but we're also celebrating the
legacy of a very special man, a very
special alumnus," Fr. Hermes said. "A
man who has faithfully served our
community for so many years, in so
many ways: Richard Gonzmart."
The completion of Gonzmart Hall
marks a major milestone in Phase I of
Jesuit's Campus Master Plan, which is
supported by the school's landmark
$40 million 'For Greater Glory' capital
campaign. The remaining primary
elements of Phase I, which broke
ground in the summer of 2016, will be
completed this summer: the Chapel
of the Holy Cross at the heart of
campus, and Oliva Courtyard, which
will connect Gonzmart Hall with Holy
Cross Chapel on Jesuit's beautifully
developed campus.
"The best investment one can
make is in the education of a child,"
Gonzmart said. "I just hope the young
men receiving this gift of this great
education will look back when they're
my age and say it was the best years
of their life."
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Chair of Jesuit's Board of Trustees,
Joe Caballero '86, principal Barry
Neuburger (see p. 39), and student
council president Tyler Peterson '18,
who presented the time capsule that
was then sealed inside the building, to
be opened in 2118.
"This was planned and supported
by the generous alumni who lived the
transformational experience at Jesuit
and who believe in the mission of the
school and the impact it has on men,"
Caballero said. "The core and the
heart of the school hasn’t changed,
but this is a step toward another 100
years."
The Jesuit orchestra, led by the
school’s music director, Nina Wegmann
performed during the ceremony,
and the student altar servers led
the processional.
Others in attendance included Joe
Capitano Jr. '84, who, along with
his father, Joe Capitano Sr. '56, and
brother, Frank Capitano '87, donated
$3 million to the 'For Greater Glory'
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recognized with named spaces within
Gonzmart Hall; and Ray Hyer, P '01,
Ronald Leal P '09, and John Oliva '60.
Capitano Jr., Hyer, Gonzmart, and
Oliva all are Chairs of the President's
Campaign Cabinet.
After the ceremony, guests toured
the spacious new facility, which
includes the Valdes Family Lobby
(Michael Valdes '81), and new space
for Jesuit's administration, college
counseling, IT, admissions, foreign
language department, digital commu-
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Tigers News Network), in addition to
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The event was live-streamed by
JTNN, and covered by the Tampa
Bay Business Journal and Tampa Bay
Times.
JESUIT PERSPECTIVES • SPRING 2018 19