Beyond Belen

In the fall, the newly named Codina Courtyard was used as the new event space where 170 students were given an opportunity to meet with an alumni mentor with respect to the students’ desired career path. The Beyond Belen, Mentoring and Networking Program, was initiated in 2018 and since then, has taken a leap in both participation from students and alumni alike. For the past two years, juniors have been invited to participate, which has positively impacted the growth of the program. Since then, an emphasis has been placed on the understanding that Beyond Belen is a professional networking opportunity and an introduction to what our Alumni Association is all about - the brotherhood.

with someone who has walked in your shoes, through the same hallways,” said Basso. “This year, we had the largest student participation with the largest number of alumni mentors who took time out of their workday to meet their mentees personally.”

The behind-the-scenes coordination of the pairing process is incredible. The team, this year, which the Career Development Office spearheaded, included Carlos Bravo ‘86 and Carlos Jiménez ‘15 (Alumni Office), Kevin García ‘23 and Daniel Real ‘24 (Chairpersons for their respective classes). Our meetings were engaging and informative as we browsed through student surveys making sure we paired based on career interests, future goals and sometimes even personalities.

“The professional networking aspect is incredibly important for these young men. They not only need to hear the phrase often, but they also need to experience and embrace it,” said Claudia Basso, Career Development Program Coordinator. “Most of these young men have never had the opportunity to speak with a professional about their educational or career goals and Beyond Belen takes them there, completely out of their comfort zone. We make sure students are prepared for what to expect and practice carrying themselves through possibly challenging conversations, yet meaningful ones.”

The Beyond Belen Program is an important event for upperclassmen to become involved. Students are educated on how to ask engaging questions and understand the value of leaving a good first impression. “It’s as if you are practicing for your first job interview

“Working as the Junior Chairperson for Beyond Belen was an incredible experience,” said Daniel Real ‘24. “Being able to assist in pairing my classmates with an alumnus that could potentially become a future career mentor to them was a great feeling. The hours dedicated to ensuring pairings are successful are endless. We may not always get it right at the moment, but students come back months later and finally understand and see the connection. That, for me, equals success.”

Through the Beyond Belen Program, a mentorship relationship is formed. These alumni mentors understand what they are being called to do and will be there to support, advise and guide their mentees throughout their educational and career path. Mentors leave their doors open with the opportunity to contact them when mentees are ready to do so. Beyond Belen is a testament to the Belen brotherhood and a program that will continue to enhance that culture.

For more information on our 2023-2024 Beyond Belen Program or ways to become more involved with our Career Development Office, email Mrs. Claudia Basso at cbasso@belenjesuit.org.

The largest exhibition of art from the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Periods to be assembled in Miami from a private art collection is heading to South Florida this fall. Faith, Beauty, and Devotion: Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque Paintings is being organized by Federico Gandolfi Vannini, a fourth-generation art dealer and owner of Frascione Arte in Florence, Italy, his wife Daisy Diaz (a native South Floridian) as the Cultural Director of the Gallery, and Sylvie Daubar-San Juan, Humanities Department Chairperson and Director of the Olga M. & Carlos A. Saladrigas Art Gallery at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School.

“This collection from Italy, now arriving in America for the first time, is the embodiment of our family’s constant and passionate pursuit of representations of beauty and history,” comments Vannini. “Belen Jesuit, with its tradition of faith, is the ideal setting to highlight the intrinsic meaning of the work of art: its Divine message.” The Frascione Fine Art Collection was founded in 1893 by Enrico Frascione, Vannini’s greatgrandfather.

“In a cultural landscape dominated by contemporary art, this historic exhibition will provide a rare opportunity to view works by European masters such as Venetian painter Tintoretto, and Baroque artist Peter Paul Rubens,” says Daubar-San Juan, who will oversee the curation of 30 historically significant artworks loaned by Frascione Arte to Belen Jesuit.

Dates and Programming

From mid-September through Art Basel/Miami Art Week 2023, the South Florida community will be invited to encounter works of art tracing the Western canon of art history from the thirteenth to the seventeenth centuries. The exhibition will be housed in the Olga M. & Carlos A. Saladrigas Art Gallery at Belen Jesuit Preparatory School at 500 SW 127 Avenue, Miami, FL 33184.

A VIP Opening Reception will be held on September 14, and the public opening will be on September 16. In addition to the exhibition, visitors can anticipate a robust schedule of programming such as lectures, panels, dinners, and both small and large gatherings.

About Frascione Arte (Florence): Frascione Arte is located on Via Maggio (Oltrarno District), in Florence (Firenze) and known historically as the city’s most important commercial artery when the Medici family transferred their court to the Palazzo Pitti in the 16th Century. The gallery is steps away from Piazza Pitti and lavish Boboli Gardens, Ponte Vecchio, Duomo, Uffizi Gallery, and other key cultural hubs in Florence.

Art lovers will welcome a “glimpse of the Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque periods” in Miami. Additionally, Vannini and Diaz offer a wealth of knowledge and insights that expose the hidden mysteries behind meticulously preserved paintings that have selectively transferred hands from the original patrons to private collectors and museums in Europe, East Asia, and the United States.

Faith, Beauty, and Devotion will include both sacred and secular artworks from Italian and Flemish Masters, including among others:

• Umbrian master close to Rinaldo di Ranuccio (c. 1300)

• Tintoretto (full name Jacopo Robusti; 1518 – 1594)

• Circle of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio (Italian, 15621609)

• Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640)

• Valerio Castello (1624-1659)

The full list of paintings will be announced in the coming months.

“We are honored to host such an impressive collection of art at Belen Jesuit,” said Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J., President of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. “From the perspective of an educator, this is an exciting opportunity for our students to see works of art in person. From an art aficionado perspective, I’m incredibly excited to see firsthand not only the religious art that will be part of this exhibition but the other paintings as well. We are fortunate to have the Olga & Carlos Saladrigas Art Gallery on our campus and look forward to welcoming the community to see this fantastic exhibition.”

Many events are being planned for the community to visit the exhibition. Additionally, sponsorship opportunities are available for this historical exhibition. Detailed information is available online, at www.belenjesuit.org/exhibition.