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Saint Ignatius High School

Global Education

Come to Saint Ignatius and see the world! Students travel across the globe on mission trips, sports excursions, study abroad ventures and foreign exchange programs. Travel to international and domestic locations through the Global Education program.

These unique “open to growth” opportunities help our students see beyond Northeast Ohio and gain an appreciation for the unity and diversity of our human family and our common home. At their best, these encounters support our mission by inspiring a hunger for justice, a commitment to global solidarity, and yet another way to answer the question “What does God want from me?"

Augie Pacetti ’96
Director of Mission
Augie Pacetti ’96 <br> Director of Mission image

In response to St. Ignatius Loyola’s call to “Go forth and set the world on fire,” Saint Ignatius High School provides students with a wide range of opportunities to do so—in the United States and beyond. Global Education forms Saint Ignatius students into Global Citizens.

What is Global Citizenship?

Global Citizens are those who continuously seek to deepen their awareness of their place and responsibility in an increasingly interconnected world, both locally and globally; those who stand in solidarity with others in the pursuit of a sustainable earth and a more humane world as true companions in the mission of reconciliation and justice.

Our Global Education program falls into the following categories: domestic and international mission trips, academic trips and athletic trips.

U.K. and Irish Studies Program

Saint Ignatius is pleased to offer a robust Irish Studies program for upperclassmen that includes regular coursework and study during the spring semester, followed by a two-week trip abroad to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. In partnership with Walsh Jesuit High School, Saint Ignatius coordinates the trip for students from both schools. 

Vatican Studies

This is an academic summer course focusing on the development of the Catholic Church in Rome and a survey of the development of the Catholic Church through the centuries. The course involves both pre and post-trip academic study, and a two-week experiential residency in Rome (with side trips to Assisi and Monte Cassino). Students will explore how the Church came to be established in Rome, the early development of the Papacy, an overview of major historical events of the Church in Rome, and how the Vatican operates today. Students will visit St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Colosseum, the catacombs, and many other sites. This course is open to rising juniors and rising seniors. Students will receive a semester Theology credit. Students must have a GPA of at least 3.25 to apply. 

Ignatian Experience

This is an academic summer course focusing on the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola and Jesuit spirituality. There is an online pre-trip academic component and a post-trip project. The 2 ½ week trip following the life of Ignatius from his family home in Azpetia (Basque country), through Barcelona, Montserrat, Manresa, and on to Rome. Additionally, three days are spent in Lourdes, France and two in Sorrento, Italy. This course is open only to rising seniors.  Students will receive a Theology credit and be excused from taking Theology in the first semester of senior year. 

Adventure in Spain

A biennial cultural immersion program open to all students, this program showcases Spain's unique history, culture and cuisine. Participants will meet as a group several times before embarking on the nine-day trip, which is held every other year, and travels through Madrid, Granada, Seville and Málaga. Contact Mrs. Sebring with questions. 


Exchange Programs

Through some exciting partnerships with Jesuit high schools across the globe, Saint Ignatius students have the opportunity to participate in exchanges with peers from different countries:
  • Colegio de la Inmaculada - Lima, Peru
  • St. Peter Claver High School - Dodoma, Tanzania
  • Lycée Saint-Joseph - Avignon, France
  • Collegi Casp-Sagnat Cor de Jesús - Barcelona

Summer Mission Trips

Under the direction of Campus Ministry, students can take an immersion trip into domestic and international locations, with time spent understanding the social and other issues at play. Several of the trips are work-intensive, as students assist with community projects as part of their immersion and relationship-building with the people they encounter.

Contact Mr. Mike Tracy in Campus Ministry to learn more.

  • Mission/Service International

    Mission Trips to the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua run annually and provide students with an immersive international experience of working, living and serving people in developing countries.

  • Mission/Service Domestic

    Opportunities to encounter Christ in the poor and marginalized, of course, exist in the United States, too. Saint Ignatius students travel to Appalachia, Cleveland, Louisville and the Mexican Border each year to engage with and assist people in need.

  • Academic/Cultural

    Learning and cultural immersion are the focus of trips to Europe, with destinations like France, Ireland, Italy, and Spain. Some trips are part of a structured course, others are during students’ summer, and others are exchange-type trips, where a student is matched up with a peer from another country.

  • International Sportsmanship

    On occasion, certain athletic teams take major trips to foreign countries for competitions, explorations of culture and team building. In recent years, Saint Ignatius athletic teams have visited England, France and Ireland for trips that take place during school vacations.

Director of Global Education