Bellarmine College Preparatory
Bellarmine College Preparatory has been educating young men in San Jose since 1851, making it one of the oldest educational institutions in California. The all-boys Jesuit school operates in the tradition of the Society of Jesus, which has been running schools for nearly five centuries on the principle that rigorous academics, spiritual formation, and service to others create well-rounded human beings. In a city defined by its technology industry, Bellarmine's emphasis on the humanities, ethics, and social justice offers a different kind of preparation for life.
Jesuit Education in Silicon Valley
The Jesuit approach to education emphasizes critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and what the order calls cura personalis, care for the whole person. At Bellarmine, this translates into a college preparatory curriculum that combines advanced academics with required community service, retreat programs, and the study of theology. The school's campus in central San Jose serves students from across the Santa Clara Valley, drawing from families that value the Jesuit educational tradition alongside or instead of the public and charter school options available in one of the country's wealthiest metropolitan areas.
Alumni and Legacy
Bellarmine's alumni network extends across the professional landscape of California and beyond. Graduates have gone on to careers in government, business, law, medicine, and technology. The school's athletic programs, particularly in football and basketball, have produced athletes who competed at the collegiate and professional levels. The institution's longevity, spanning more than 170 years in a city that reinvents itself every generation, speaks to the durability of the Jesuit educational model and the community's sustained support for it.
From the Air
Located at 37.34°N, 121.92°W in San Jose. Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (KSJC) is approximately 3 miles northwest. The campus is near Naglee Park in central San Jose.