The Latin noun alumnus (pl. alumni) means "foster son, pupil" and is derived from the verb alere - "to nourish".
Every student, who has finished a Jesuit gymnasium (i.e. high school) or university and was educated with the tradition of Ignatian spirituality is called an alumnus.
What is an alumnus like?
- Trying to strengthen his relation to God, able to envisage his print in his own experience.
- Proud of belonging to the Jesuit community, with respect to its values and his teachers.
- Joyful, friendly, confident, with a sense of humor and aware of the presents that God has given to him.
- Ready to share his talents with people in need.
- Trying to understand better and better who Christ really is.
- Well prepared to find his place in the community without striving for prestige or selfish ambitions and aware of how he can contribute to the general well-being.
- Determined to ask himself in any circumstances of life: “What more can I do? How else can I help?”
The jesuit alumni embrace these mottos (by Ignatius Loyola):
En todo amar y servir (To love and serve all)
Magis (More)
Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (For the greater glory of God)
Where are more alumni in the world?
Jesuit alumni are concentrated around most of the Jesuit schools of the world. They have local organisations, which are united to national ones. National alumni organisations unite to become regional organisations or one worldwide organisation. See ECJA and WUJA.