Loyola University Chicago facts for kids
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Former names
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St. Ignatius College (1870–1909) |
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| Motto | Ad majorem Dei gloriam (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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For the greater glory of God |
| Type | Private research university |
| Established | 1870 |
| Founder | Arnold Damen |
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Religious affiliation
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Catholic (Jesuit) |
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Academic affiliations
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ACCU, AJCU |
| Endowment | $1.26 billion (2024) |
| President | Mark Reed |
| Provost | Margaret Callahan |
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Academic staff
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784 |
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Administrative staff
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1,608 |
| Students | 17,397 (2023) |
| Undergraduates | 12,487 (2023) |
| Postgraduates | 4,910 (2023) |
| Location |
,
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United States
42°00′00″N 87°39′28″W / 41.9999°N 87.6578°W |
| Campus | 45 acres (18 ha) |
| Colors | Maroon and gold |
| Nickname | Ramblers |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I – A-10 |
| Mascot | Lu Wolf |
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Loyola University Chicago (often called Loyola or LUC) is a private university in Chicago, Illinois. It was started in 1870 by a group called the Jesuits. Loyola is one of the biggest Catholic universities in the United States. It is named after Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The university is known for its strong programs in medicine, nursing, and law. It is also a top university for research.
Loyola has thirteen different colleges and schools. It offers over 80 programs for undergraduate students and 140 for graduate students. About 17,000 students attend Loyola. The university has six campuses around Chicago and one in Rome, Italy. The main campus, Lake Shore Campus, is right by Lake Michigan.
Loyola's sports teams are called the Ramblers. They compete in NCAA Division I. The men's basketball team won the national championship in 1963. This makes them the only team from Illinois to do so. The men's volleyball team also won national championships in 2014 and 2015.
Contents
History of Loyola University Chicago
Loyola University Chicago began on June 30, 1870. It was founded by a Jesuit priest named Arnold Damen. Back then, it was called St. Ignatius College. Chicago was a fast-growing city at that time. The first campus was closer to the city center.
In 1909, the school changed its name to Loyola University. By 1912, it started moving to its current Lake Shore Campus. The original building is now part of St. Ignatius College Prep.
To help the growing city of Chicago, Loyola added new schools. These included schools for law (1908), medicine (1909), and business (1922). The nursing school opened in 1935. In 1914, a downtown campus was started. This campus had the School of Sociology, which was the first to enroll female students. Loyola became fully coeducational, meaning both boys and girls could attend, in 1966.
The Water Tower Campus opened in 1949. In 1962, Loyola opened a campus in Rome, Italy. In 1969, the School of Education was created. Medical programs were brought together at the Loyola University Medical Center. This is a hospital and health care center in Maywood, a suburb near Chicago.
In 1991, Loyola bought Mundelein College, which was a nearby college.
Since the year 2000, Loyola has made many improvements to its campuses. In 2005, the Loyola University Museum of Art opened. The Rome campus was also renamed to honor its founder, John P. Felice. In 2009, Loyola received a huge gift of $50 million. This gift included the Cuneo Mansion and Gardens. This is a large estate with an Italian-style mansion and many art collections.
In 2010, Loyola bought the Resurrection Retreat Center. This became the school's fifth campus. It is used for retreats and studying nature. In 2012, a former student, Michael R. Quinlan, gave $40 million to the business school. It was then named after him.
Loyola is ranked among the top universities in the country. The university has also built many new, eco-friendly buildings. In 2015, Loyola started Arrupe College. This two-year college helps students from lower-income families get a Loyola education.
On May 23, 2016, Jo Ann Rooney became Loyola's 24th president. She was the first woman to hold this position. She served until September 2022, when Mark Reed became the new president.
Loyola University Chicago Campuses
Lake Shore Campus
Loyola's main campus is the Lake Shore Campus. It is located right on the shores of Lake Michigan in Chicago. This campus was founded in 1912. It is where most students live and where the College of Arts and Sciences is located. The campus has over 40 buildings. It offers green spaces and access to the lake.
Some important buildings here include:
- The Madonna della Strada Chapel: This beautiful church was finished in 1939. It is the center of religious life at Loyola.
- The Mundelein Center: This tall building was completed in 1930. It is home to Loyola's arts programs. It is also a National Historical Landmark.
- The Joseph J. Gentile Arena: This arena holds 5,500 people. It is used for basketball, volleyball, and other campus events.
- The Halas Recreation Center: This center was updated and is now part of the Damen Student Center. This is a popular spot for students to hang out.
The E.M. Cudahy Memorial Library has over 900,000 books. In 2008, it was expanded to include the Information Commons. This is a great place to study with amazing views of the lake. Science classes and research happen in the Quinlan Life Sciences building. The Institute of Environmental Sustainability is also here. It has classrooms, a dorm, a greenhouse, and Chicago's largest geothermal energy system.
The Lake Shore Campus is easy to reach by public transport. The Loyola station on the CTA Red Line is right there.
How Loyola is Sustainable
Loyola works hard to protect the environment. The university has cut its energy use by 33% since 1998. Many of Loyola's buildings are "LEED certified." This means they are designed to be very energy efficient and good for the environment. Loyola has more green roofs than any other college in the Midwest. In 2014, the Sierra Club ranked Loyola as one of America's Greenest Colleges.
Water Tower Campus
The Water Tower Campus opened in 1949. It is located on Michigan Avenue, a famous street in Chicago. The campus is named after the Chicago Water Tower. This landmark survived the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This campus is home to many of Loyola's professional schools. These include the business school, law school, and communication school.
The campus has many tall buildings. Some of these include the Corboy Law Center and Lewis Towers. Lewis Towers is home to the Loyola University Museum of Art. A new building for the Quinlan School of Business opened in 2015. It is also LEED-certified.
The campus is close to many major companies and famous shops. It is also near museums like the Museum of Contemporary Art. Holy Name Cathedral, a large church, is right next door.
The Water Tower Campus is also connected to the 'L' train system. Students can take a free shuttle bus between the Water Tower Campus and the Lake Shore Campus.
Health Sciences Campus
The Health Sciences Campus opened in 1969. It is located in Maywood, a suburb west of Chicago. This campus is home to the Stritch School of Medicine and the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing.
The Loyola University Medical Center is part of this campus. It includes the main hospital, a children's hospital, and a cancer center. In 2011, the medical center was sold to another company. However, Loyola still owns and runs the academic buildings and research facilities on campus.
John Felice Rome Center
Loyola has a permanent campus in Rome, Italy. It opened in 1962. The campus is located on Monte Mario, a hill about two miles from Vatican City. This campus hosts the oldest American university program in Italy. Students from Loyola and other universities can study abroad here. In 2005, the campus was renamed to honor its founder, John P. Felice.
Other Campuses
In 2010, Loyola opened the Retreat and Ecology Campus. It is located in Woodstock, about fifty miles northwest of Chicago. This campus is used for university ministry programs. It also offers a special learning experience for students and teachers interested in science. The property has 20 acres of natural land. This includes ponds, streams, woods, and prairie.
Loyola also owns the Cuneo Mansion and Gardens. This is in Vernon Hills, Illinois, north of Chicago. The mansion and its grounds were given to the university in 2009. It works as a museum and hosts special events. It also has academic programs in business, education, and law.
Academics at Loyola
| 2022 | |
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| New Freshman | 2,864 |
| Mean GPA | 3.90 |
| 50% ACT Range | 27-32 |
| 50% SAT Math | 580–660 |
Loyola University Chicago is a highly-ranked university. For example, U.S. News & World Report ranked it among the top "National Universities." Forbes also ranked Loyola among the top private colleges in America.
Tuition and Costs
For the 2022–2023 school year, the cost for full-time undergraduate students was about $50,270 per year. This amount does not include housing, food, or other fees. The cost for graduate school programs can be different.
Religious Studies
Loyola's Department of Theology offers classes about religion. These classes cover different topics like ethics and the Bible. They are not just about Catholic studies.
Loyola also hosts a special program for Jesuits. This program helps train future Jesuit priests. It is one of only three such programs in the country.
Schools and Colleges
Loyola Chicago has many different schools and colleges. These include:
- College of Arts & Sciences
- Quinlan School of Business
- School of Communication
- School of Continuing and Professional Studies
- School of Education
- The Graduate School
- School of Law
- Stritch School of Medicine
- Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
- School of Social Work
- Arrupe College
- Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health
- School of Environmental Sustainability
Student Life
Living on Campus
Most of Loyola's dorms and apartments are near the Lake Shore Campus. One dorm, Baumhart Hall, is at the Water Tower Campus. Many of the dorms are named after other Jesuit colleges.
Student Groups
Loyola University Chicago has many different student groups. These include social fraternities and sororities. There are also professional groups and cultural groups.
Radio Station
Loyola University has its own radio station called WLUW. Students broadcast different types of music and shows.
Athletics
Loyola has 11 varsity sports teams. Most of these teams compete in NCAA Division I. The teams include men's and women's basketball, soccer, volleyball, and more. The nickname "Ramblers" was first used for Loyola's football team in 1926. This was because they often traveled to play games across the United States.
The university's mascot is LU Wolf. He was inspired by the coat of arms of St. Ignatius of Loyola. This crest shows two wolves standing over a kettle. The wolves and kettle represent the Loyola family's generosity. They had enough food to feed their family, staff, and even wild animals.
Loyola's men's basketball team, the Ramblers, won the national championship in 1963. They are the only Division I NCAA school in Illinois to win a national title in men's basketball. In 2018, they had a great run in the NCAA tournament. They won four upset games to reach the Final Four.
The Loyola Ramblers men's volleyball team won national championships in 2014 and 2015.
In October 2018, the Loyola Ramblers Women's Soccer team won their first Missouri Valley Conference regular season title.
Notable Alumni
Many famous people have graduated from Loyola University Chicago. Here are a few:
- Leslie David Baker, actor from The Office
- Ian Brennan, writer and co-creator of shows like Glee
- Susan Candiotti, a reporter for CNN
- William M. Daley, who held important government roles for Presidents Obama and Bill Clinton
- David Draiman, lead singer of the band Disturbed
- Lori Greiner, inventor and TV personality from Shark Tank
- Mary Gross, actress and comedian from Saturday Night Live
- George Halas Jr., former president/owner of the Chicago Bears football team
- Jennifer Morrison, actress from Once Upon a Time and House
- Bob Newhart, a famous actor and comedian
- Michael R. Quinlan, former Chairman of McDonald's Corporation
- Todd Ricketts, co-owner of the Chicago Cubs baseball team
- William Scholl, founder of Dr. Scholl's footcare products
- John York, co-owner of the San Francisco 49ers football team
See also
In Spanish: Universidad Loyola Chicago para niños
- List of Jesuit sites
