For more than 25 years, the Alumni Discernment and Volunteer Program has allowed recent college graduates to return to Cleveland and reconnect with the Saint Ignatius community. Alumni Volunteers provide significant support to the Christian Action Team, Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership, the Welsh Academy, Sophomore Service and other areas of campus while spending a year discerning their futures.
Saint Ignatius welcomes Carter Spearry ’16, Nick Ventura ’16 and Anthony Edwards ’15 back to campus to serve as Alumni Volunteers for the 2021-2022 school year. These young alumni will receive opportunities for personal and professional development while living as an example of service to our Wildcats.
Anthony Edwards '15
"COVID has pressed both entire industries and countless individuals to ask the question: 'What is it that really matters?' As the pandemic shut me out from China, I found myself not only unable to return to my Shenzhen office, but totally unable to return to the country in which I had been both studying and working for the past five years.
I had a choice: wait and see, or find and do. Certain that the example set by the Saint Ignatius community, with its thoughtful teachers and robust alumni network, were the reason for much of my collegiate and professional success, I knew that giving back to my alma mater was simply the right thing to do. Constant and prayerful encouragement offered by teachers-turned-colleagues has helped me further discern the answer to that question of what really matters. Working here has reaffirmed my belief that others-centric giving, especially to those forgotten or left behind by societal safety nets, is what really matters. For this reason, I've found great value in the work of the St. Bernard Movers Ministry, where students help move people who cannot typically afford furniture, moving services, or even a U-Haul, all of which we provide to them free of cost."
Carter Spearry '16
"I felt called to become an Alumni Volunteer as a way to give back to the place that I called home for four years. I am in the middle of running my own business remotely and the Alumni Volunteer Program has given me the opportunity to both leverage the alumni network and engage with the dynamic community Saint Ignatius offers. I have truly enjoyed being back on campus and reminding myself how much of a blessing it is to be a part of this great place. Working with the students at Welsh Academy and Urban Community School gives me a great sense of purpose as I foster relationships with them throughout the year."
Nick Ventura '16
"The Alumni Volunteer Program is a way to give back to the place that has given me connections and guidance. Saint Ignatius treated me so well and this is my opportunity to say ‘thank you.’ After college, I was looking for direction and I surely got that here at Saint Ignatius. As each day goes by, I always think to myself how lucky I am to be welcomed back to my high school and to aid the students individually throughout their day. My favorite aspect of the program has been meeting fellow alumni, but also working day in and day out with both the students at Welsh Academy and Urban Community School. I'm looking forward to continuing a great year!"
We are grateful for the presence of these young men on campus this year and for their important work in conjunction with our Jesuit mission.