The US Bureau of Labor Statistics cites that only 36% of companies last 10 years, 21% survive to see their 20th anniversary, and a mere 12% are older than 26 years. So, who endures? The prevailing theory is that only about a half a percent of all companies have what it takes to last 100 years.  

That puts Seattle Prep, at 133 years old, in a rare class. Even rarer is our Jesuit mission that stretches back over 500 years. So, what is the secret sauce to this longevity? How have we continued to stay relevant over time? Why does Jesuit education continue to be in demand --over 5 centuries, across 66 countries and throughout 570 schools? 

Can the answers to our success lay in our rich history? Our leadership? Our traditions? Our way of thinking about the world, about people? Is the answer buried in the many values we instill in our students--The magis. Cura personalis. AMDG. What is it about the Jesuit ethos that endures and yet proves it can evolve with the times?  

As alum Dominique Alex ’00 says, “two things can be true at one time.” We can have one foot in our past and one foot in our future. We can be steeped in tradition and core beliefs and still have our eyes fixed forward. In fact, it is this very idea of roots and wings that makes us stronger.  

Seattle Prep has seen many changes in its history, with its faculty, buildings, leadership, program, and student body. But yet, here we are in 2024 thriving as a community that is deeply committed to Jesuit education.  

This year, as the school embarks on its new Strategic Plan, Together We Rise, Together We Lead we know we face two truths: 1) We are our past and 2) We are our future. We are always building on the shoulders of those who came before us--with their generosity, their ingenuity and their commitment. Everything and anything is possible because “together we rise and together we lead.” That is the Seattle Prep way.