From Oxford to Xavier, Inczauskis brings perspective of the world to campus

By Jesse Dolojan, Staff Writer

Sporting a short sleeve black shirt and a clerical collar, David Inczauskis, S.J., has become a beloved face on campus. As a teacher, mentor and friend to students and his fellow Jesuits, he brings invaluable experiences from his time overseas to his philosophy and Spanish classes.

“There are some great figures from the past, like Father Dunch and Father Norton, who were formed and taught at Xavier and went on to become Jesuits,” Inczauskis said. “I’m following in the footsteps of those great Jesuits who taught here before as both philosophers and classicists.”

As a student, Inczauskis studied at Oxford University. Despite his personal successes, he felt empty. 

“I would go home and sometimes just look at the ceiling and think to myself, ‘What am I doing with my life? Is this all that there is to it?’” Inczauskis said. 

According to Inczauskis, a friend saw that he wore a crucifix and invited him to a dinner with some priests. He accepted the invitation, and when he arrived, he sat next to Father Simon, a Jesuit. He was taken aback by how kind, loving and happy he was in life. To Inczauskis, this was a man who had nothing, but was so much happier than himself. 

Inczauskis was so perplexed by this encounter that he asked Father Simon if he could meet with him later on to talk. 

From this meeting, Inczauskis began to form a personal relationship with God and learned how to see God in all things. 

“I think that through Father Simon, I discovered this personal relationship with God,” he said. 

“It led me to think, ‘Wow, I really like this guy… I like the way that he prays. I like the work that he does,” Inczauskis recalled. “He was a graduate of Cambridge and was wicked smart. I kind of want to be like him, and so I think that’s what led me to my senior year of college to apply to the Jesuits.”

During his time at Xavier, Inczauskis said he has been most touched by the students and their commitment to justice and loving others. Groups that he has been involved with include Life After Sunday, Hispanic Organization and LatinX Association (HOLA) and the Xavier Catholic Ministry Team. 

Anthony Bartosiewicz, a sophomore Life After Sunday board member, said that Inczauskis has been a huge part of his life at Xavier. 

“I don’t even know how I would be enjoying this campus if I didn’t have that club, and he’s such a big part of helping get things done, just helping out with the faith on campus,” Bartosiewicz said. “He’s always been somebody that I’ve known that I could go and talk to.”

Bartosiewicz also loves having Inczauskis as a teacher. 

“All the students that have had David, they all love him. He is such a good teacher, the way that he likes to run his classes, the way that he’s willing to help his students,” Bartosiewicz added.

Inczauskis is leaving at the end of this school year in order to continue his training as a Jesuit. 

“I’m very thankful for the students and faculty of Xavier who have formed me, my heart and my mind for the service and generosity,” Inczauskis said. “(I will) remember this time at Xavier with love and affection and an openness of the possibility of one day coming back to this place that I’ve come to love.”