Jesuit Hosts 2025 Black Student Summit

Two hundred students and faculty members from local Catholic and private schools, as well as Jesuit schools from around the country, attended the Black Student Summit on October 24 and 25 at Jesuit High School. The event promoted leadership development, identity exploration, appreciation of cultural expressions, and networking. 

Hosted by Jesuit and in collaboration with Central Catholic High School, the summit featured two keynote addresses from Ivan McClellan and Jordan Blue ‘14. Ivan McClellan is a Portland-based photojournalist, designer, creator of 8 Seconds Rodeo, and a TedxPortland speaker. Jordan Blue is the driving force behind Execute Your Blueprint, a platform dedicated to empowering individuals to design and live out their purpose with intention and excellence. He also serves as Campus Supervisor and assistant men’s varsity basketball coach at Central Catholic High School. 

Students also attended a variety of workshops – two of which were led by Jesuit alumni Anthony Blake ‘09 and Paul Marshall ‘09. Participants also met with affinity groups to connect and share their experiences. 

Beyond workshops and reflection, students had the chance to unwind and celebrate with a cheer-off, a DJ battle and dance, and open gym. The Jesuit parent community supported the event through music and food, including a live performance from the Brown Sisters and delicious meals from Ami’s Tacos and Eleni’s Kitchen. 

Jesuit schools have hosted Black Student Summits for more than 20 years, and this year marked the third time it has been held at Jesuit Portland. Participating schools at this year’s event represented a broad range from across the Jesuit Schools Network, including Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose, CA), Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, WA), Brophy College Prep (Phoenix, AZ), Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle (Seattle, WA), Gonzaga College High School (Washington, DC), Gonzaga Preparatory School (Spokane, WA), Regis High School (New York, NY), Seattle Preparatory High School (Seattle, WA), St. Ignatius College Preparatory (San Francisco, CA), and St. Louis University High School (St. Louis, MO).

From the Portland area, Catlin Gabel, Central Catholic, La Salle, and St. Mary’s Academy also attended.

It was a joyful and meaningful weekend celebrating community, identity, and shared experiences!