Trustee Formation Program

Short Program Description:

Gonzaga University’s Trustee Formation Program provides Board of Trustees members with formation sessions on Gonzaga’s Catholic, Jesuit and humanistic mission as part of their regular board meetings. In addition, Spiritual Exercises conducted in the SEEL format (Spiritual Exercises in Everyday Life) are made available.

Program Goals/Intended Outcomes:

Develop a foundational understanding of:
– The Society of Jesus
– The life of St. Ignatius of Loyola
– The spirituality of the Spiritual Exercises and Jesuit education
– The origins of Jesuit education
– Key movements in the discerned mission of the Jesuits
– Catholic identity
– Jesuit higher education today
– Discernment and Ignatian governance

– Articulate the connection between Ignatian spirituality and Jesuit higher education.
– Cultivate an understanding of how the “service of faith and promotion of justice” shapes Jesuit higher education.
– Practice habits of spiritual leadership and Ignatian discernment.

How long does it take to complete the program?: Multiple Days

Total Program Length: 3 years

Key University/Other Partners: Presenters include faculty, staff, other subject matter experts

Funding Source(s): Trustees budget, Mission Integration budget

Lessons Learned:

– Interactive sessions are better than lectures.
– It is critical to connect the material to what the trustees need in their role.
– It is most effective to connect to hearts, not just minds.