A New Voice, A Familiar Mission: Mary Jesurun joins Columbus
by Liam Gatcliffe
Sophomore year is the critical bridge of high school where the novelty of freshman year fades and the real pressure of college readiness begins. There are people employed here at Columbus to facilitate this important time in the high school career. On the second floor of the B Building, sophomores are asked to consider this question:
“Is what I am doing now creating the future I want?”
Helping to guide sophomores to success one day at a time, a new sophomore counselor is forging new stories in her new role: Mrs. Mary Jesurun.
A New Face on Campus
Mrs. Mary Jesurun is the new sophomore counselor who joined Mr. Jason Hill in assisting the sophomores. Aiming to provide meaningful contact with her assigned students, Jesurun schedules 1-on-1 appointments, facilitates classroom presentations and intervenes when a student needs it.
On an average day, Mrs. Jesurun reviews academics with students, helps them with the Maia Learning App and discusses future goals and careers. However, her path to Columbus was more than straightforward.
Background
Mrs. Jesurun has an educational background in social work. She earned her Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree from Saint Leo University in 2008 and her Master’s degree from Florida International University (FIU) in 2011. She worked for the Department of Children and Families as a case manager in the adoption unit.
Her passion for counseling developed when she returned to her alma mater, FIU, to serve as an academic advisor for the Department of Biology. After she and Mr. Jesurun welcomed their son, Ezra, she worked at St. Louis Covenant School as a music teacher before transitioning to a full-time counseling role.
Mrs. Jesurun's appreciation for Columbus began with her husband, who is an alumnus of the school. Additionally, she enjoyed witnessing her former middle school students graduate and succeed at this institution.
“One of the many things I love the most about Columbus is that there is a place for everyone. I never had to worry about my students moving on to Columbus because I had full faith that no matter their interests, they would find their place and be supported,” she said.
During School Hours
Mrs. Jesurun’s work as sophomore counselor has already been very impactful in such a short time. Her style is one she describes as “strengths-based.”
“I always begin with acknowledging all that the student is doing very well. Yes, there are always things to work on, but I believe it is so important to pause and acknowledge the effort and hard work that the student is putting forth,” she said.
She is always in her office to offer support and wants all sophomores to know that it will always be a safe place. She encourages all students to take advantage of the many academic service opportunities available on campus, even before a crisis arises.
Finding Her Voice
As we approach the halfway mark of Mrs. Jesurun's first year, her liturgical contributions are very clear as a singer. However, this was not always the case.
“I found out that I could sing during middle school when I did not make it into Spanish II. It was a super popular thing in my Clearwater, FL middle school to get into Spanish II and those that did not make the cut got put into choir!" she recalled. "It was because of that closed door that my world opened up to the love of vocal music.”
From there, Mrs. Jesurun went on to perform at Carnegie Hall, Epcot, and St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, as well as on singing tours through Germany, Austria, and Italy. She currently serves as the cantor at St. Louis Catholic Church for the 5 p.m. Sunday Mass, offering a contemporary style of worship. Additionally, she is assisting students at Columbus in discovering their own voices.
“Being able to now share my love for worship at Columbus is truly a blessing that I hope to encourage others to engage in,” she said. “Honestly, my ultimate goal is to not lead worship at the student masses but to support the students in being the ones to lead. It's now my time to build up the next generation of liturgical worshippers like my mentors did for me.”
She acknowledges her parents, who instilled in her the virtue of service, as well as her former colleagues, as instrumental to her success today. She especially credits the lessons learned from Mrs. Annie Baixauli, the assistant principal at Saint Louis Covenant School.
Another Jesurun on Campus
Her husband, Mr. Jesurun, a Columbus alum, has been on Columbus' campus for a few years and has been instrumental in faith formation at Columbus during retreats. Freshmen are encouraged to book spots on the Brotherhood for Good retreat.
His wife now joins him on campus every morning. When asked about sharing the Columbus experience with her, he said:
“I am so happy my wife gets to experience the community I love here! I knew she would be working with me, but the first morning she walked out the door in a polo with the Columbus C on it, it became real. Then she was on all the screens being introduced as a new counselor, and I was so proud of her.”
Mrs. Jesurun has seamlessly integrated into the Columbus family and looks forward to sharing experiences and supporting both faculty and students in the years to come.
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