During a Mass held on July 28 in the Sacred Heart Chapel on the campus of Loyola Marymount University, PLACE Corps and the LMU School of Education's nationally renowned Catholic school teacher preparation program commissioned 24 new teachers to begin their careers as educators in Catholic schools.
Beginning of Their Assignments in Coming Semesters
The upcoming academic year will mark the beginning of duty for the 24 newly commissioned teachers who make up the two cohorts of the Partners in Los Angeles Catholic Education (PLACE) program.
According to LMU News, Cohort 21, which consists of 16 people, and Cohort 22, which consists of eight members, were commissioned jointly due to historical pandemic concerns.
For LMU SOE, the dual commissioning was a first of its kind.
Michelle Young, dean of the LMU School of Education, said that the Jesuit mission is brought to life through the PLACE Corps program, and its members shine as sources of inspiration for the students and communities they serve.
Young noted that members of PLACE Corps encourage their students to think more deeply, work harder, and look beyond themselves to consider their responsibilities in helping to establish the kind of society in which they would like to live.
The news also revealed that PLACE Corps recognized Sacred Heart High School, a Catholic high school in Los Angeles exclusively for female students, by bestowing Father Albert P. Koppes, O.Carm. Alumni Award upon the institution.
This took place in addition to the new teachers beginning their professions.
Raymond Saborio, the principal of Sacred Heart School, accepted the award, which was given in recognition of the school's twenty-year partnership with PLACE Corps.
Twenty-one PLACE Corps members have been placed at Sacred Heart University since the program's inception in 2001.
Ten PLACErs, both current students and recent graduates, will be joining the school's teaching staff for the forthcoming academic year.
Meanwhile, as per the news report, during their commitment to the program, which lasts for two years, PLACE Corps members live together in an intentional community while investigating and bolstering common values anchored in Catholicism.
The program strives to create inclusive experiences while demonstrating a commitment to social justice.
About PLACE Corps Program
The Loyola Marymount University School of Education houses the nationally recognized Catholic teacher service corps, PLACE Corps. This corps is a part of the School of Education's Center for Catholic Education.
According to the university, members of the PLACE Corps work full-time as teachers in primarily under-resourced Catholic schools in Southern California while earning a master's degree and a teaching credential through the program.
It also stated that these schools are located in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, the Diocese of Orange, and the Diocese of San Bernardino.
About Loyola Marymount University
LMU is a top-ranked national university established in 1911 and has its roots in the Catholic heritage and the Jesuit and Marymount traditions, according to the university's website.
They are dedicated to promoting an academic community that is both diverse and abundant in opportunities for intellectual engagement and experience relevant to the actual world.
They also enroll a diverse student body in terms of socioeconomic background, cultural background, and intellectual aspirations.
