It is with tremendous joy that the Midwest Jesuits introduce the 10 men who entered the USA Midwest Province of the Society of Jesus at the Jesuit Novitiate of St. Alberto Hurtado in St. Paul, Minn., on August 17, 2019: [back row:] David Herr, Noah Banasiewicz, Ryan Serfas, Brian Burtka, Min Keun “Daniel” Park; [front row:] Thomas Doran, Evan Krummel, John “Ty” Wahlbrink, Nathaniel Cortas, Benjamin Jansen.
Ben, 34, studied Japanese at the University of Hawaii and Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan, before working in hotel management in Waikiki. He returned to his science roots and worked in a biomedical engineering lab before completing preclinical studies at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Ben spent the past two years working as a medical writer for a health care marketing firm while discerning a religious vocation. He first encountered Jesuit spirituality while learning about St. Francis Xavier during his time in Japan and has continued to explore the order through the works of Walter Ciszek, SJ; James Martin, SJ; and others. Ben enjoys astronomy, running, tennis, cooking, reading and playing strategic board games with friends.