By PJ Williams
For most students, starting college is a mix of excitement and anxiety. Making new friends, adjusting to rigorous coursework, and navigating independence can all be challenging. For students from Micronesia studying in the United States, these challenges are amplified by distance, culture shock, and homesickness.
The USA East Province is home to more than 20 Jesuit high schools, including two located in Micronesia: Xavier High School on the island of Chuuk and Yap Catholic High School on the island of Yap. Like Jesuit schools across the province, these institutions offer a rigorous education grounded in Ignatian spirituality. But making the leap from a small Pacific Island to a Jesuit college or university on the East Coast of the U.S. is no small feat.
Most students who make this transition have never set foot in North America before. Few have family or friends nearby, and flights to and from Micronesia are costly and infrequent. Many students are only able to return home once or twice during their college years.
“The students need to go into it with the mentality of knowing that there are going to be some challenges,” said Michael Weineck, director of Yap Catholic High School. “They have to work at creating support systems.”
While there are closer options— such as a community college in Micronesia, as well as schools in Hawaii and the Philippines—these students continue to work toward getting accepted by Jesuit institutions in the United States.
“The USA East Jesuit Province colleges and universities are like the Ivy League for us here in Micronesia,” explained Michael. “Many students went through Catholic elementary school on Yap. They went through Catholic Jesuit education at Yap Catholic High School, and they want to be able to continue that Catholic education.”
A major draw for students also tends to be that of the teachers and administrators. “Many of our volunteer American teachers are alumni of Jesuit colleges and universities, myself included,” said Michael, a University of Scranton alumnus.
For Margie Carl, a graduate of Xavier High School and the University of Scranton, Jesuit values played a central role in her college search. “My top three college choices were actually all Jesuit schools. They were Loyola in Chicago, Fairfield, and Scranton,” she said. After graduation, Margie returned to Xavier High School in 2023 to serve as a college counselor. She now helps students follow in her footsteps, guiding them through the complex process of applying to colleges thousands of miles away.
Others have been drawn in by the way the people working at Jesuit institutions live out their mission. Jamie Mooteb, an alumna of Yap Catholic High School and Saint Joseph’s University, recalled a pivotal moment. “I had an interview with the director of the McNulty Scholarship program at Saint Joe’s, and a week or two after the interview a typhoon hit the Pacific. It didn’t hit Yap, but it came close, and I got an email from the director of the program checking in on me. And that’s what made me more seriously think about Saint Joe’s.”
For Xavier alumnus Sean Maluchluw, now a student at Saint Joseph’s University, the decision was rooted in a desire to continue experiencing cura personalis—care for the whole person. “I wanted a school that cared not just about academics but also about mental health, spiritual development, and personal growth,” he said.
Rhynner Franz Rodriguez, a Fairfield University student, said his Jesuit education has grown with him. “I think starting my Jesuit education at Xavier High School was beneficial because I was able to build on it in college in more concrete ways. Doing things like serving the community or being part of Ignatian programs helped me build on that Jesuit foundation.”
While the transition can be tough, students often find that their Jesuit background helps them adjust. “The theology courses that I took at Yap Catholic helped me a lot with the ones that I took at Scranton,” said Eliana Tinngig. “There was a girl in a theology class of mine who I became good friends with. She had no theology background, and she was struggling. But because of my background at Yap Catholic, I was able to help her.”
Staying connected to family is also important—even when it is emotionally difficult. “There was a brief period where I didn’t want to answer calls from my family because I thought, ‘If I see them, I’m going to miss them,’” said Jamie. “But it’s a bad idea because you’re just going to be more miserable.”
Being homesick was not the only thing that Jamie had to contend with. “The weather took some getting used to. I realized that that my ears could hurt because of the cold and I was freaking out,” Jamie recalled. Micronesia only has two seasons, a rainy season and a dry season, both of which are hot. But like any Jesuit-educated student, Jamie was resilient and was able to get over her initial reservations about all the snow in Philadelphia. “I have a love and hate relationship with snow. One of the happiest memories at Saint Joe’s was the first time I tried snow sledding. Snow is not bad.”
Asked what advice she would give future Micronesian students, Eliana offered this: “It’s OK to go out and ask for help. There are people at the Jesuit schools who want you to succeed, especially at Scranton. They had a lot of resources and people who were willing to help you if you were struggling.”
After graduation, students take different paths. Some return home to support their communities, while others remain in the U.S. to pursue careers or graduate studies.
“My hope for them is that they’re successful in whatever path they choose,” said Margie. “Whether that is actually graduating from the university, pursuing postgrad or graduate studies, or even starting a family, if that’s something that they would like to do, just do it!”
Those who return to Micronesia often make a significant impact. “We take it for granted in Jesuit circles,” said Michael, “but the people who have gone away to Jesuit colleges and have come back to Yap, you can really see how much they have grown.”
Some graduates aim to make an even broader impact. Sean plans to work in diplomacy representing his home island of Palau. He is majoring in international relations and minoring in Chinese. “I hope to continue to fortify the connection between Taiwan and the Republic of Palau.”
Some students return to their alma maters to teach the next generations. Eliana will be a teacher at Yap Catholic High School starting this fall. Jamie spent three years teaching at Yap Catholic High School before continuing her education.
Jamie is currently pursuing a master’s in electrical engineering and wants to return to Yap to support renewable energy efforts. “In Yap, a lot of people are getting into renewable energy, but the issue is how that integrates into a grid with traditional forms of energy,” explained Jamie. “Renewable energy is less stable in terms of voltage and when it is generated—since wind and solar power are reliant on the weather.” She hopes to help address the problem of getting the energy sources to integrate properly to provide power for the locals.
As products of Jesuit education, these students and graduates are not only academically competent with a passion for justice; they are also grateful for the opportunity they had to study in the USA East Province.
“Coming here and being given this opportunity, to study at a Jesuit institution with a full scholarship, I think it makes us more appreciative,” said Rhynner. “We get to meet new people and continue our Jesuit education. We want to make the most of it.”
Through their resilience, service, and commitment to their communities, these Micronesian students embody the very ideals of Jesuit education. Their stories reflect not only personal transformation but the power of education to cross oceans and build bridges—between cultures, people, and generations.
