Jesuit High School in Tampa broke ground on Phase III of its long-term campus master plan, adding the Jenkins Science Center, the Schellman Student Activities Center and the Leal Family Dining Hall as part of the school’s broader $50 million “For Greater Glory” campaign. The new facilities are designed to expand STEM education, student collaboration and campus life while preparing students for college and future careers.
The project is funded by transformational gifts from Carole and Richard “Steve” Jenkins ’75 and Lauren and Chris Schellman, P ’20 ’24 ’27, each giving $5 million—the largest in school history—and more than $1.2 million from the Leal family for the dining hall and annual support of Jesuit’s Gaudiosa gala.
“These facilities will give students hands-on experience in labs, collaborative spaces and leadership programs,” said Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, S.J., Jesuit president. “They will ensure the school continues its mission in ways that are rigorous, relevant and rooted in faith.”
The Jenkins Science Center will feature state-of-the-art laboratories and collaborative areas designed to engage students in scientific discovery.
“They will prepare our students for advanced collegiate work and careers in science and medicine,” said Debbie Pacheco, assistant principal for academics. The Student Activities Center and dining hall will provide spaces for informal learning, collaboration and shared experiences outside the classroom, she said.
Creative Contractors will lead construction, and PBK Architects designed buildings to complement Gonzmart Hall, the Chapel of the Holy Cross and the Antinori Center for the Arts. Phase III is scheduled for completion in fall 2027.
Jesuit’s decade-long master plan began with Holy Cross Chapel, Gonzmart Hall and the Oliva Courtyard, continued with the Antinori Center for the Arts in 2023, and now Phase III expands campus facilities for the all-male Catholic school, which has been educating Tampa Bay students since 1899.
Read More Tampa Bay Business News
Explore the latest Tampa Bay business news, real estate deals, development projects, executive moves and company updates shaping the region.