Formative Education in Practice at md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College

At md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College, formative education is at the heart of academic and co-curricular life. Through a wide array of programs, students, faculty, and staff are invited to engage deeply with questions of purpose, community, and personal growth. These opportunities span classrooms, retreats, mentoring relationships, service initiatives, and immersive experiences—each offering unique avenues for reflection and transformation.

Academic Programs Integrating Formative Education

students sitting together on a mountain at sunset during capstone pilgrimage program

md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College seniors retrace the journey of St. Ignatius in Spain during the Capstone course “The Discerning Pilgrim"

md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College offers courses and academic initiatives that intentionally incorporate reflection and holistic development. These programs are offered across various schools, fostering both discipline-specific and interdisciplinary engagement throughout a student’s academic journey.

Co-Curricular Programs

md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College students and local youth smiling together and holding a big sign during a mentoring program event.

Through BC Bigs, md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College students mentor local youth ages 8–16, fostering community connections and making a lasting difference in young people’s lives

Outside the classroom, students can engage in hands-on learning and personal development through co-curricular initiatives focused on service, mentoring, and community building.

Programs for First-Year Students

md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College first-year students presenting a design-thinking project poster as part of the Experience, Reflection, and Action (ERA) program.

ERA first-year students showcase their end-of-year design-thinking projects, applying formative education principles to real-world challenges and solutions

To support the transition to college life, md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College offers formative experiences tailored to first-year students. These programs foster self-awareness, connection, and a strong sense of belonging.

Division of Mission and Ministry

The Division of Mission and Ministry offers a wide range of reflective and spiritually rooted experiences for students, faculty, and staff.

md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College students and faculty seated in a circle during a Halftime Retreat discussion

At the Halftime Retreat, students reflect with peers, faculty, and staff on their life experiences and future direction

Two md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College students working together on a reflection activity during the Halftime Retreat.

Halftime participants engage in guided activities that encourage discernment, connection, and self-discovery

View of the mountainside in Spain along the pilgrimage route

The Compañía Pilgrimage takes md´«Ã½¹ú²ú¾ç College faculty and administrators to Spain and Rome, fostering reflection and community while retracing the journey of St. Ignatius

Formative Projects at the Lynch School of Education & Human Development

City Connects

Student and teacher

City Connects builds a network of support for students, their families, and the schools that serve them, improving outcomes now—and for years to come.
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Purpose Lab

Belle Liang
Photo by Victoria Levy

The Purpose Lab, led by Principal Investigator Dr. Belle Liang, specializes in youth purpose intervention and research. We facilitate purpose learning and development among college students.

DevTech

Student and teacher

The Developmental Technologies Research Group promotes young children’s learning in computational thinking, coding, making & engineering in a playful, developmentally appropriate way.

CSTEEP

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The Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP) conducts research to improve school assessment practices and international comparative research.

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