×
Skip to main content
Three members of the Jesuit First Studies group spending summer ministering in Guadalajara

Summer Experiences

Summer experiences are integral to the First Studies program at Loyola University Chicago. These spirited opportunities help Jesuit men in formation advance their faith and become more understanding, empathetic, and worldly servants of the Lord.

Following the conclusion of the spring academic semester and the one-week ecology seminar at the Loyola University Ecology and Retreat Center, men in First Studies continue their formation with a personally customized summer experience, such as:

  • A Spanish language study and/or cultural immersion with ministry opportunities in Latin American countries such as Guatemala, Peru, or the Dominican Republic.
  • A cultural immersion with ministry opportunities in the Kohima region of India.
  • An immersive experience that challenges Jesuits in formation to grow in the experience of giving the Spiritual Exercises.
Two members Loyola's Jesuit First Studies group serve during a Summer Experience

A global classroom

International immersion and language-study are part of a 12-month learning experience for Jesuits in First Studies.

Consultation with one’s Province Formation Director and the local Superior of the community is required to discern a summer experience, though some students may stay in Chicago and continue with their academic coursework and ministry site depending on academic program requirements.

Consultation with one’s Province Formation Director and the local Superior of the community is required to discern a summer experience, though some students may stay in Chicago and continue with their academic coursework and ministry site depending on academic program requirements.