Did you know that Loyola Hall is part of a university with a history stretching back to 1870? Loyola University Chicago. It started as St. Ignatius College. Jesuit priest Arnold Damen founded it.
Originally, the campus was near Roosevelt Road. That was closer to the city center. Chicago was smaller then. In 1909, the school became Loyola University. The move to the Lake Shore Campus began in 1912. Today, the original building is St. Ignatius College Prep. It sits next to the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Loyola expanded to meet Chicago’s needs. Professional schools opened. Law in 1908. Medicine in 1909. Business in 1922. Nursing in 1935. The Chicago College of Dental Surgery joined in 1923. It closed 70 years later. A downtown campus started in 1914. The School of Sociology was there. It enrolled Loyola’s first women. Full coeducation came in 1966.
Loyola Academy used to be in Dumbach Hall on the Lake Shore Campus. It moved to Wilmette in 1957. The Water Tower Campus opened in 1949. In 1962, Loyola opened a campus in Rome. The Loyola University Medical Center opened in 1969. It is in Maywood. That is a Chicago suburb. The university separated from the Jesuits in 1970. A board of trustees governs it now.
Loyola purchased Mundelein College in 1991. Capital campaigns have improved Loyola’s profile. The Loyola University Museum of Art opened in 2005. The Rome campus was renamed for John P. Felice. In 2009, the Cuneo Foundation gave Loyola the Cuneo Mansion and Gardens. It was a 100-acre estate. The gift was worth $50 million.
In 2010, Loyola bought the Resurrection Retreat Center in Woodstock. This became the school’s fifth campus. Michael R. Quinlan donated $40 million to the business school in 2012. It was named after him. Loyola has built many LEED-certified sustainable spaces. These are on the Lake Shore and Water Tower Campuses.
Loyola is a top-ranked university. It is undergoing $800 million in construction projects. In 2015, Arrupe College was founded. It helps low-income students access Loyola education. Jo Ann Rooney became Loyola’s first female president in 2016. Mark Reed succeeded her.
Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus is on Lake Michigan. It is in Rogers Park and Edgewater. The Lake Shore Campus is home to many buildings. The Madonna della Strada Chapel is a masterpiece. The Mundelein Center is a skyscraper. The Joseph J. Gentile Arena hosts basketball. The E.M. Cudahy Memorial Library holds many volumes. Science education occurs in the Quinlan Life Sciences building.
Loyola is committed to sustainability. The university has reduced energy use. Loyola has LEED-certified buildings. Loyola has many green roofs. In 2014, Loyola was ranked as one of America’s Greenest Colleges. Loyola’s athletic teams are called the Ramblers. They compete in NCAA Division I. Loyola won the 1963 NCAA men’s basketball championship. The Ramblers have also won NCAA titles in men’s volleyball. The LU Wolf is the university mascot. It represents the Loyola family’s generosity. Loyola’s motto is “Ad majorem Dei gloriam.” That means “For the greater glory of God”. Loyola’s colors are maroon and gold. Loyola University Chicago has a rich history. It has a strong commitment to education.