Welcome, Fr. Van Dyke!

Below is a message from Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J., to the Georgetown Prep community on his first day as the school's president, Sunday, July 1, 2018.

Dear Members of the Georgetown Prep Community:

I write you this morning on my first official day as president of Georgetown Preparatory School. It is an incredible privilege to lead our nation's oldest Catholic school and only Jesuit boarding school.

When the Board of Trustees elected me as the school's next president, I knew then, as I surely know now, that I am walking into a remarkable legacy. Entering its 230th year, Georgetown Prep has educated young men for generations, quite literally from all over the world. I am humbled to start my role as Director of the Work and to collaborate with Prep's outstanding faculty and staff in our sacred mission of forming men of competence, conscience, commitment and compassion; men of faith, men for others.

This year, my top objective will be to learn about Prep from you. I have spent my entire career in Jesuit secondary education and have learned that, while Jesuit schools have a shared mission, each school has a personality of its own, and Prep's personality is truly unique.

Over the past year, through meetings with Board of Trustees and the opportunity to meet with some of you, one point has come through loud and clear: you love and care about Prep. In all my years in Jesuit education, I have seldom seen a more enthusiastic school community.

I am energized and ready to begin our shared work to ensure Prep's continued success as an outstanding Catholic and Jesuit institution and to safeguard an accessible, global Georgetown Prep for future generations.

I have been blessed to have been preceded by one of my closest friends of 35 years, Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, S.J. Fr. Pilarz has been an exemplary and successful leader during his tenure as Prep's president. He and I were in constant contact over the course of this past year and I will be forever grateful for his leadership and guidance as I transitioned into this role. Prep is in an excellent position today because of his leadership.

I ask that you pray for Fr. Pilarz as he begins his next journey as president of the University of Scranton, and for Georgetown Prep, especially for all the students as they continue to grow into men of faith and men for others.

With great gratitude for your love and support of Prep, my prayers and best wishes for you and your families, especially for a wonderful and relaxing summer.

Sincerely in Christ,

Rev. James R. Van Dyke, S.J.
President