Office of International Studies Established

Belen Jesuit Preparatory School is excited to announce the establishment of the Office of International Studies. This new initiative will be under the direction of Luis-Alejandro Dinnella-Borrego, Ph.D., a member of the Social Studies Department since 2018. The first program will be a Catholic pilgrimage to Portugal, Spain, and France in June 2025, where we will visit Marian and Jesuit sites.

Establishing the Office of International Studies fulfills one of the objectives in the school’s Strategic Plan. In the third pillar, Formation and Care of the Whole Person, the directive to explore greater global experiences for our students is laid out. 

“Over the last six years, I have enjoyed teaching and connecting our students with the love of God in various U.S. History courses,” said Dr. Dinnella-Borrego. “I am humbled to have been chosen to serve as the Director of the Office of International Studies. I plan to carry over my work in teaching and evangelization in the classroom through the trips, student exchanges, and pilgrimages we undertake. Learning about history and God’s role in our lives in the classroom is vitally important, but living it by visiting sacred and historically relevant sites is an incomparable experience from which our students would benefit immensely.”

Dr. Dinnella-Borrego graduated from Dartmouth College in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Theater. He has a Master of Arts in History from the University of Virginia (2008) and a Ph.D. in History from Rutgers University (2013). He received a bachelor's in philosophy from Saint John’s Seminary in 2014 and a Master's in Theology from Saint Leo University in 2022. He is currently on track to complete a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Catholic University of America in the Spring of 2025. 

“We are very excited to offer our students this exciting new opportunity. It will allow them to not simply travel, but expose them to a rich Catholic tradition found literally all over the world,” said school president Fr. Willie García-Tuñón, S.J. '87. “Our young men will learn not only in the classroom, but will also experience how their Catholic faith is intertwined in all things. From art to science to culture, our students will expand their horizons and explore beyond our campus and city. This program will expose them to life beyond Belen Jesuit and help widen the possibilities for their future.”

The mission of the Office of International Studies is to engage students in their faith through experiencing Catholic culture worldwide. The goal is to create unique cultural excursions for Belen Jesuit students to engage in an unparalleled experience of Catholic cultural immersion. Traveling to other countries, learning new languages, and appreciating unique cultures is critical to our students. Yet, all of this would be less meaningful without the students gaining a rich appreciation for the treasury of their Catholic faith. The programs created by the Office of International Studies seek to provide insights into other cultures while firmly rooting students with families and institutions that grow and cultivate their faith as Catholic men for others.

The Office of International Studies will make opportunities available to students in grades 6-12. Different programs will be offered for middle and high school students. The program will incorporate student exchange programs (domestically and abroad) with immersive Catholic pilgrimages. In essence, these Catholic pilgrimages will replace what used to be Overseas Study Program trips in the summer.

“The establishment of this office perfectly aligns with our Catholic values, Strategic Plan, and the importance of preparing our students for a global marketplace,” said school principal José E. Roca '84. “Being able to demonstrate to our young men that you travel, explore, and remain faithful to the Catholic Church teachings is essential. I’m excited to see how this program will grow and flourish.”

 

Information on how to register for this summer's program will be sent at a later time.