One Community, One Mission

In 1994, Loyola Academy and Saint Louise de Marillac High School came together in a historic affiliation that transformed Catholic secondary education on Chicago's North Shore. The decision was the culmination of years of research, discernment, and collaboration among educational leaders who sought to strengthen Catholic education while responding to the evolving needs of students and families. Rather than simply combining two schools, Loyola and Marillac set out to create a coeducational Jesuit institution that would draw upon the strengths, traditions, and values of both communities.

The affiliation was rooted in a shared mission and a common set of values. While Loyola Academy and Marillac had distinct histories and charisms, both schools were committed to academic excellence, faith formation, service, leadership, and the development of the whole person. School leaders believed that educating young women and men together would better prepare students for the realities of college, careers, and leadership in an increasingly interconnected world. As Loyola Academy President Rev. Raymond J. Callahan, SJ, explained, the Academy's mission of educating leaders in service required preparing young women and men to learn, lead, and work alongside one another.

On September 6, 1994, Loyola Academy welcomed 502 young women—many from Marillac High School—as part of a student body of 1,925 students. Those trailblazing young women joined their classmates not simply as the first female Ramblers, but as partners in a shared mission. Together, the Loyola and Marillac communities built something greater than either could have achieved alone—a school where young women and men learn, lead, serve, and grow alongside one another. More than thirty years later, that vision continues to shape Loyola Academy. What began as a bold decision has become one community united by faith, excellence, and a commitment to forming women and men for others.