​​Purcell Marian High School Class of 2024 graduates Ismael Espinoza Calderon, Carson Hall, and Luke Schomaker were awarded the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma by the IB Organization. This marks the first time multiple candidates have received the IB Diploma since Purcell Marian students became eligible for the Diploma in 2022.

“Earning the IB Diploma is a significant achievement, demanding that students stretch themselves as thinkers, researchers, and writers,” said Barret Bell, Director of the International Baccalaureate Program. “I admire how our first IB Diploma cohort supported one another through this endeavor, and I am thrilled that all three candidates now join the ranks of IB Diploma recipients around the world!”

Espinoza Calderon will study Civil Engineering at the University of Dayton, Hall will pursue a degree in International Business Management at the American University of Paris, and Schomaker will enroll at the University of Cincinnati, studying business.

"Getting the IB Diploma means that everything my family and I have worked for is paying off,"  said Espinoza Calderon. "Going through the Diploma process with Carson and Luke meant a lot to me. I had other students to relate to and who could help me through the process. At the same time, it allowed me to help them."

Conferred by the International Baccalaureate Organization, the IB Diploma is the culmination of the IB Diploma Program (DP), the most rigorous curriculum available to high school students worldwide. Students must complete six IB subject courses and the three-part DP Core.

Through the DP core, students reflect on the nature of knowledge in Theory of Knowledge (TOK), complete independent research with a 4,000-word Extended Essay, and undertake a collaborative project to meet their Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirement.

“The IB program was a rigorous path through high school,” said Schomaker. “But the Purcell Marian staff and students made it possible for Izzy, Carson, and myself to buy in and get the most out of it. My hard work paid off in the end, but whether I had received it or not, just participating in the Diploma Program made me feel successful in high school and confidently prepared for college.”

Students receive a grade for each course attempted, ranging from 1 to 7. A student’s final diploma result score is made up of the combined scores for each subject. The diploma is awarded to students who gain at least 24 points and meet minimum levels of performance in all subjects.

“Completing the IB Diploma means countless hours of hard academic work that opens up pathways for scholarships and credit transfer while developing critical thinking, time management, and leadership skills,” said Hall. “Being part of the cohort was a life-changing experience that developed some of my closest connections through shared challenges.”

Currently, seven Class of 2025 seniors are pursuing the IB Diploma, marking the largest Purcell Marian DP Cohort since the program’s inception.

Students can take IB courses without enrolling in the DP. Beginning this fall, all PM juniors will be enrolled in IB English. This unique program will ensure all Cavalier graduates will have an IB course on their academic record in 2026. Over 90 percent of the 32 Purcell Marian students who took the IB English assessment this year received a 4 or better.

Since becoming an IB World School in December 2019, PM students have earned credit and placement at elite schools worldwide, including top-ten American universities Northwestern University and the University of Chicago.

For more information, visit the Purcell Marian International Baccalaureate website.