Formation: The Work of Flourishing

Words vs. Works

Through mission formation programs, there has been a clear shift across Gonzaga’s campus. Staff and faculty have moved from knowing the words of the written mission statement to working in ways that embody the Mission.

Early efforts began with Joe Mudd and Kevin Brown (both religious studies professors) who gathered faculty to discuss topics grounded in Jesuit and Catholic traditions. When Beth Barsotti joined GU as senior specialist for faculty and staff formation, she helped support the launch of programming for staff, adding active forms of engagement with the Ignatian traditions, such as more practice of the Examen, a Jesuit reflection tool. Plus, there would be opportunities to apply the topics of discussion to real-world work at GU.

Participants hear from Barsotti and her colleague Lauren Hackman-Brooks, director of mission formation, questions they likely haven’t heard in usual work environments: “What am I drawn to? What am I resisting? What am I curious about? What unsettles me?” And of course: “What do I understand of these Jesuit ideals of cura personalis and magis, and how do I breathe them into my role at GU?”

Coined with terms reflective of key names in Jesuit history (Cardoner and Arrupe, for example) the groups have regular opportunities to practice discernment individually but also as a part of our shared responsibility. That discernment, Barsotti clarifies, is “more than decision making. It’s paying attention to the interior movement of the Spirit.”

In the final component of formation, faculty and staff come together in the Manresa Collective, a capstone experience where participants create projects to integrate the Mission more fully into their work.

“All of us at Gonzaga participate in and are co-responsible for the Mission,” Barsotti says. “This program provides scaffolding for faculty and staff to more deeply engage with the Mission and bring it to life in ways particular to their gifts. Bringing together staff and faculty in this final phase honors the way we partner in living the Mission.”

Practical Application

In May 2024, the first participants to complete the multiyear journey became Mission Advocates. Here are some of the ideas they presented as capstone projects.

Love: Two faculty members adapted or created firstyear seminars related to formation topics: Noralis Rodriguez Coss (women’s and gender studies) on love, with a focus on Fr. Pedro Arrupe; and Tyler Tritten (philosophy) on Jesuit tradition, pedagogy and mission.

Reflection: Trena Redmond (nursing) developed a standard for including Ignatian practices in meetings. And because some individuals who are asked to lead reflections want support in finding appropriate materials, Rebecca Larson (organizational development), Tara McAloon (College of Arts and Sciences) and Max Kwenda (institutional research) curated meditations and prayers from campus partners and built a searchable library.

Art: Aaron Danowski (admission counselor) is championing the Jesuit Universal Apostolic Preferences through an art project to engage students and prospective students alike.

Ease: Jacqueline McCormick (marketing for the College of Arts and Sciences) sought ways to tag web content with the characteristics of Jesuit higher education for easy identification.

Dignity: Joshua Somrah (housing and residence life) developed training for “identity conscious supervision” among students.

Care: Jim Simon (sustainability), Jenn Klein (institutional assessment) and Tomson Spink (plant services) all presented ideas related to achievement of environmental goals – including a plan for the campus community to plant trees in neighborhoods the University is already supporting.

Brenda Warrington (instructional design and delivery) thought it would be helpful to have a repository for all Mission Formation exercises and materials. As an instructional technologist, she knew exactly how to create that. She used the structure of an academic course, including a syllabus and modules with reading assignments, reflections, discussion guides and more.

The project was an act of gratitude for Warrington, who says: “Thank you for the opportunity to participate in Cardoner, where I was able to learn more about the Mission of Gonzaga, how to incorporate it into my work, and share it with my colleagues.”

Barsotti says that’s only one piece of the vision.

“The Mission is bigger than our institution,” she says. “It’s about who people are becoming. If they leave Gonzaga, our hope is they continue to live more integrated lives wherever they go — that is the fullness of flourishing.”