Andrew Olivo ’00

Andrew Olivo ’00 was raised to be socially aware, and although he knew of Ignation education, he was introduced to Jesuit Dallas as an outsider who wasn’t always in the system. As an inspiring young professional who continues to dedicate his time and resources to numerous educational boards and social justice organizations, Olivo is quick to point to his Jesuit education for helping to fuel his professional efficacy, and for providing the motivation to devote a considerable portion of his personal estate to the school that shaped his world view.

“Jesuit fosters the ideas, personality, and curiosity to do well in a professional setting,” expressed Olivo. “Not only traditional subjects, but a curiosity about humanity. Go into your community and do what you can. We are privileged to have been exposed to this kind of thinking, but it’s a privilege with responsibility.”

As a probate attorney, it may seem coldly practical for Olivo’s keen understanding of estate planning to drive his action to give so early in life, but it would be imprudent to not interpret his benevolence as a reminder of the impact Jesuit has played in his formation as a citizen. Like many of his fellow alumni who have given of their talents and treasure, Olivo’s fond memory of the Jesuit experience and the belief in its mission served as the trigger. “What I got out of Jesuit Dallas is worth more than my weight in gold. More importantly, the only reason why I’m in a position to give what I can is because of the community that I got here. There is no way that I can repay it. There are plenty of places you can go for a quality education, but I’ve never witnessed another school who values awareness of one’s surroundings, experiential learning and the sense of community more than Jesuit.”

And while Olivo made a planned gift with the knowledge that it provided an immediate benefit to the school while allowing the benefactor to design, change and grow it as time goes on, his defining message is that you can never do too little.

“For a lot of people, especially young alums, it’s a difficult time. Planned giving is great in the sense that it serves as a real testamentary of what’s really valuable to you—that some part of what was valuable will always live on. But the amount isn’t important. The key metric is participation. Words are insignificant when describing the impact Jesuit has had on our lives. It can’t be put into a brochure and it’s a recipe that can’t be packaged or sold. I’m thankful every day for the teachers and community who paved the way for my success.”