Our school, a legacy school, has been open now for 150 years in Detroit. U of D Jesuit is a prestigious and formative institution that has changed many boys into men.
The school was one of two Jesuit high schools in the Arch Dioceses of Detroit. The school had originally started at Trowbridge Mansion on Jefferson Avenue but shortly moved down the street to Dowling Hall. Around the late 1920s the school would once again move as construction started on our now permanent building, 8400 South Cambridge. As the years went on, the school soon acquired a new Gymnasium in 1950, then in 1992 a science center with labs was built. When the year 2001 rolled around, a major donation campaign was made, and students then received new classrooms, an art room, and two new gymnasiums. When 2017 came around, the school found what is now known as the Johnson Rec Center at auction.
U of D Jesuit has a community unlike any other, as the alumni are always more than helpful and this makes for a connective community. According to Mr. Thomas O’Keefe` 62, our school’s alumni records keeper, “our best estimate is 13,000 Alumni.” The school is rooted in traditions of faith as well as school pride. To name the most important tradition: Religion. This includes the daily examen, monthly mass, Kairos, the grad at grad principles, and senior service. We also have our fair share of fun, traditional athletic events, such as the pack the park game, where the whole school is invited to attend a hockey game at Hazel Park Viking arena. Also, our yearly homecoming football game. For as challenging as the workload can be, the school still finds a way to accept and allow students to have fun but stay focused on both academics and sports.
Without the help of many generous donors and donations, we would not be where we are today. We are happy to celebrate our 150th anniversary, especially with our Alumni. The Alumni always give back, as they have lunch with students in their senior year, and give great advice. And there are many of them. Some of our most notable achievements are two Pulitzer Prize, one Oscar award, one Tony, Two Emmy Awards, and one Super Bowl win.
