Belen Alumni Association: 100 Years of Brotherhood

The history of the Belen Alumni Association of Jesuit Schools from Cuba and Miami goes back to 1923 when the Colegio de Belén resided at the Compostela Campus in Havana. The original Asociación de Antiguos Alumnos del Colegio de Belén held its first general assembly on January 31, 1923, followed by a luncheon on February 24, at the Quinta de la Asunción in Luyanó, where 230 alumni participated in the founding of the Alumni Association.

At its inception in 1923, the association enrolled 700 alumni and operated out of an office on Prado Street in Havana, where the International Court of Justice at the Hague Magistrate, Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirvén, served as its first president. The Asociación de Antiguos Alumnos del Colegio de Belén members participated in many of the Colegio de Belén’s community outreach efforts and established scholarships at the school to fund the education of those that could not otherwise afford to attend the school.

In addition to funding scholarships and obtaining corporate sponsorships, the asociación conducted fundraising activities to support and found some of their most notable community outreach achievements. In 1941 the association founded two vocational colleges - the Escuela Electromecánica de Belén and the Escuela Nocturna Obrera de Belén (ENOB). It remained responsible for the ongoing financial support of these two endeavors and carried out fundraising activities such as theatrical and musical events. Of these events, the most notable was La Tómbola de Belén, whose proceeds were earmarked for funding scholarships.

The schools were staffed by Jesuits, the schools’ upperclassmen and Belen alumni. Many of these staff members were also members of the Agrupación Católica Pre-Universitaria (ACPU) and the Congregación de San Luis Gonzaga, who also donated their time for this worthwhile endeavor. At ENOB, students were trained first in basic subjects of study and then offered to pursue technical careers during a seven-month program that included classes in civics, arithmetic, geometry, geography, history, Spanish, English, and religion. The technical schools functioned from 1941 until 1961 at the Colegio de Belén and taught a student body of 140 to 200 students yearly, free of charge.

THE TRANSITION FROM CUBA TO MIAMI
The Cuban government shut down the Colegio de Belén in 1961, nationalized its holdings, and expelled the members of the Jesuit religious order. On September 18, 1961, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School reopened without interruption at the Centro Hispano Católico and Gesu School building. At the end of the 108th academic year (1961-1962), with the official induction of twenty-seven new alumni, the Asociación de Antiguos Alumnos de los Padres Jesuitas de Cuba, which later came to be known as the Belen Alumni Association of Jesuit Schools from Cuba and Miami (the “Alumni Association”), was also re-established in the United States, by Fr. Francisco Barbeito, S.J.

In early 1968, Fr. Daniel G. Baldor, S.J. 1919 called on Colegio de Belén and professor, Fr. Juan M. Dorta- Duque, S.J. ‘40, who had been serving the Jesuit order in Quito, Ecuador, to assist Fr. Barbeito, S.J. in strengthening the Alumni Association. As an initial step, Fr. Dorta-Duque compiled a list of alumni, most of whom were in Miami. Others were scattered throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Latin America, Europe, and even Asia. Fr. Dorta-Duque also began to compile an archival collection, including the Ecos de Belén yearbooks and photographs from the Colegio de Belén in Havana.

He expanded the Boletín Informativo (alumni newsletter) that Fr. Barbeito, S.J. had begun to publish in 1964 and updated its format to include not only a review of what was taking place at the school, but also documenting the news and gatherings of alumni throughout the world. Most significantly, Fr. Dorta- Duque, began visiting alumni throughout the world almost immediately after his arrival. He visited alumni and coordinated reunions in Jacksonville, Washington, D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Denver, Tucson, St. Louis, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Boston, and Puerto Rico. He also traveled throughout the years as far away as Europe and Latin America in search of establishing vital links with Belen alumni. Fr. Dorta-Duque also held spiritual retreats based on St. Ignatius of Loyola’s Spiritual Exercises, Masses, weddings, baptisms, and conferences about religious topics for alumni not only in Miami but also wherever else he traveled to visit them.

Besides class reunions and raising scholarship funds for the school, Fr. Dorta-Duque began coordinating the Belen Jesuit Tombola at the campus in Little Havana. Ninety-three out of the 240 students enrolled for the upcoming 1968-1969 academic year were on financial aid, and he knew that its success would be instrumental to being able to provide necessary aid to families. The success of the Tombola would endure throughout the decades, making it one of the most important events at the school and the largest fundraiser for the Financial Assistance Program. In 2019 the school named the Tombola in his memory.

In 1997, after the death of beloved teacher, disciplinarian, and administrator Fr. José María Izquierdo, S.J., the Alumni Association launched a new fundraising endeavor for the school. The Fr. Izquierdo, S.J. Memorial Golf Tournament was a success from its inception and has become a key fundraising event that is hosted by the school and Alumni Association annually in the spring.

The role of the Alumni Association was cemented further during the school’s 150th-anniversary celebration when the Cuba and Miami Jesuit Alumni Congress was held. The congress took place May 28- 29, 2004, at the West Miami-Dade campus. Attended by 535 Belen alumni and over two dozen Antilles Province Jesuits, the congress proved to be a significant event for the development of the Alumni Association. It was during the congress that the professional sections were developed, the focus on serving the community in leadership roles was also emphasized, and perhaps most significantly, the association was reorganized, and a Board of Directors was established.

Another important milestone for the association was the establishment of the Belen Sports Hall of Fame in 2007. The Sports Hall of Fame allowed the association and the school’s athletics program to recognize alumni for their playing ability, sportsmanship, character,  and exemplary contribution to their teams when they participated in athletics at any of the Jesuit schools in Cuba and Miami.

PRESENT DAY, PAVING THE PATH FORWARD
Most recently, within the last decade, the Alumni Association shifted its framework to support the school’s efforts in a more profound way and to provide various opportunities and services to students. From mentorship to externships and internships to speaking engagements, alumni are now more accessible than ever before.

“Belen Jesuit recognizes that its greatest resource is the alumni,” said Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J.,‘87, President. “The association has worked tirelessly to launch a mentoring program where older alumni are paired with younger alumni. Helping promulgate these relationships and introducing alumni to each other in places far away from Miami will not only benefit Belen Jesuit in the long run but will also have a more immediate benefit for the alumni themselves.”

A focus on strengthening the brotherhood, reengagement, and philanthropy are ongoing efforts by the Alumni Office to continue to forge tight bonds and foster a stronger association. In 2019, the association took a big leap forward in technology by creating the BConnected platform and reinvigorating its social media presence. The shift has been monumental.

“The recurring theme is staying connected— connected to the school and to each other—and the most effective way of doing that is through a social platform just for Belen where we can stay up-to-date and interact with members of our Belen community,” said Carlos Bravo ‘86, Executive Director of the Alumni Association. “We’ve also centralized communication by creating weekly eNews to alumni and targeted emails for more specific endeavors. Increasing the circulation of the bi-annual Alumni Magazine to reach the entire Belen community. Focused on networking events and social gatherings not exclusive to professional sections but to alumni at large.”

To that end, the Alumni Tour that was developed in the early years of the association in Miami by Fr. Dorta- Duque was reinstated after Fr. Willie, S.J., began his tenure as Belen President in 2016. The goal remains to connect with alumni (active or inactive) from around the country and re-engage them by informing them about all the wonderful things happening on campus. The list of cities visited since 2016 continues to grow. From NYC, Atlanta, D.C., to Boston, Houston, L.A. and Gainesville, Tallahassee, Tampa, and more, the Alumni Office hopes to continue to form a bridge between alumni living out of the Miami area and Belen.

Alumni spiritual formation and growth are goals set by Fr. Willie, S.J. for the future betterment of the association. “As men brought up in a faith-filled community, we must continue to offer opportunities to alumni to grow in their relationship with God,” said Fr. Willie, S.J. “By offering the spiritual exercises, reflections and seminars, opportunities to gather for Mass, and by enhancing the relationship with the Agrupación Católica Universitaria (ACU), we can promote not just our faith but improve our overall well-being.”

The future remains bright, and the Alumni Association is only growing stronger. There are now more opportunities to connect with one another, and professional and personal bonds are being nurtured through many events and opportunities. Alumni engagement is high, and participation amongst alumni classes is soaring. Alumni are also coming back home once they have families of their own, whether it be to get married at the Our Lady of Belen Chapel or have a baby baptized there, reminisce on campus during Grand Reunion weekend, or enroll a son at the school. Currently, every grade has at least 15% of students with an alumnus dad. Alumni are paving the way and are showing by their actions that Belen will indeed last forever.