Gonzaga University 2026-27 Supplemental Essay Prompt Guide

Gonzaga University 2026-27 Application Essay Question Explanations 

The Requirements: 1 short essay of 5-10 sentences

Supplemental Essay Type(s): Why, Community

Gonzaga University’s mission states: 

“Gonzaga University is an exemplary learning community that educates students for lives of leadership and service for the common good… The Gonzaga experience fosters a mature commitment to dignity of the human person, social justice, diversity, intercultural competence, global engagement, solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, and care for the planet.”  

Grounded in this Jesuit, Catholic, and humanistic mission, Gonzaga seeks students who demonstrate these values through their experiences, commitments, and aspirations.  

Please select all areas where you have personal experience.

 – Resilience, perseverance, or personal development

 – Leadership (formal roles such as club leadership, scouting, student government, sports captain, manager/assistant manager/trainer in a job, or similar) 

 – Service to community or commitment to the common good 

 – Social justice, advocacy, or addressing systemic inequities through your personal involvement or experiences (school clubs focused on social justice efforts, community-based organizations with social justice intent, participation in community advocacy events, etc.) 

 – Intercultural competence and global awareness (a month or more living in a foreign country, participation in cultural clubs at school, etc.) 

 – Ethical decision-making and integrity in challenging situations

 – Intellectual curiosity and commitment to lifelong learning 

 – Environmental stewardship or care for the planet (environmental clubs, community-based sustainability efforts, etc.) 

 – Solidarity with marginalized, vulnerable, or underserved populations

 – Commitment to the dignity and respect of all people

Select at least 1 options.  Select no more than 10 options. 

Please share additional information about your experience in one or more of the areas that you selected above (5 – 7 sentences): 

Gonzaga wants to enroll a cohort that shares its passion for social justice, community, and respect and they’re asking you to describe how you have lived out one or more of these values. Looking back at the list, jot down each occasion you can remember when you displayed any of these values. Remember, you don’t have to be a protest organizer to impress admissions here; it can be just as bold to engage in a dialogue with family members from older generations on controversial topics or to found an Amnesty International club at your school. Which experiences have meant the most to you? Which ones illustrate one of your core values? Which ones show a side of your personality that hasn’t come out elsewhere in your application? Don’t just tell Gonzaga about something you’ve done recently; tell them why you did it, how you did it, and maybe even how you would like to continue engaging with or embodying that value in the future. Ultimately, the key to writing an excellent response to this prompt is in the details, so you might do well to write deeply about one or two things rather than trying to say something about each area you selected above. As long as you show thoughtful engagement with one of the Gonzaga’s core values, you’ll ace this response.