Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

To the Band of Brothers: November 4, 2020

Fr. Willie ‘87
Good morning!

You have probably heard by now that Dr. Thomas de Quesada ’94 will be coming back to work at Belen for the next academic year. While there is a large number of you who know who I am talking about, many probably don’t. So, I thought I would dedicate this morning’s email to making an introduction.

Mr. DQ graduated from Belen in 1994. While he played basketball for several years, he dedicated his senior year to the student council after being elected president of the student body. I remember his high school years well. I was a scholastic (priest-in-training) in those days, teaching in the middle school, but recall his great leadership and, most importantly, his love and dedication to the school. 

While in college, Mr. DQ realized he really wanted to dedicate his life to teaching and the formation of young minds. Belen seemed like the logical choice, so right after graduation, he applied to teach social studies and was hired. From that point, he began to sharpen his pedagogical skills. Everything from incorporating new technology in the classroom, to his involvement with student council to coaching basketball, he attacked with such passion and made a strong impact on the lives of his students.

When I was appointed president of Belen Jesuit in 2016, one of the first things I did was appoint Mr. DQ to the role of Dean of Men. There was no question in my mind he would do an outstanding job. This is a position that requires the person to serve as a model for all Belen students. It’s the reason we have Mr. de Angulo as the current Dean. DQ fit the bill perfectly and did so until he was hired away as Principal of the Jesuit school in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Now, after several years away from the Magic City, honing in on his skills in a school and environment slightly different than ours, he is ready to come back. Dr. Lucila Marazita-Espinosa, our current Director of Admissions, has finished her term in that capacity and will be serving the school community in the classroom, teaching our challenging Physics courses. We decided to take the opportunity and revamp the admissions department and expand its reach.

From now on, the position will be called Executive Director of Enrollment and Community Outreach. While sitting on the President’s Council, this director will have three major responsibilities. First, he will continue to develop and administer the admissions process for Belen. Second, his role will be to help in the marketing of all the programs and initiatives of the school. Miami is an even larger community than before and there is a need for locals to understand what we have to offer. Third, he will be responsible for bringing the best possible teachers and staff to our school. There is a lot of talent out there and we want to be sure they’re teaching and working here.

We are excited to have Mr. DQ back where he belongs. His years of service at Fairfield Prep will only enhance the work he will be doing here at Belen Jesuit. These are exciting times for our school and the sky’s the limit. We will continue to focus all our attention and energy on making your experience here the best it can possibly be.

Auspice Maria
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BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: communications@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba, by Queen Isabel II of Spain.  The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline.  In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the school's property and expelled the Jesuit faculty.  The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit is situated on a 34-acre site in western Dade County, just minutes away from downtown Miami.