Saint Ignatius College Prep is a selective private, coeducational Jesuit college-preparatory school located in the Near West Side neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois. The school was founded in Chicago in 1869 by Fr. Arnold Damen, S.J., a Dutch missionary to the United States. History Inception In 1836, the Dutch Jesuit Fr. Arnold Damen, S.J. (March 20, 1815, Leur, Netherlands – January 1, 1890, Omaha, Nebraska), was recruited to work with Native Americans in the Dakotas by Fr. Peter De Smet, S.J. In 1844 he was ordained a priest in Missouri. In 1857, Damen was first assigned to Chicago to start a parish for Irish immigrants on Chicago's near-West Side, then an area of the sprawling prairie. The construction of the Holy Family Church was completed in 1860. The culmination of Father Arnold J. Damen, S.J.'s work in Chicago, the St. Ignatius campus was opened in 1870 as St. Ignatius College. Loyola University originated from this institution but, since 1922, St. Ignatius has operated solely as a college preparatory school. The Second Empire-style edifice is among the oldest in the city, a rare and distinctive example of institutional designs pre-dating the Chicago Fire of 1871. Admissions Demographics The demographic breakdown by race/ethnicity of the 1,373 students enrolled for the 2019–2020 school year was: Extracurricular activities Athletics Saint Ignatius competes in the Chicago Catholic League (CCL) and the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC) and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) which governs most sports and competitive activities in the state. The school's teams are stylized as the "Wolfpack". Notable alumni Charles Bidwill, owner of the Chicago Cardinals (1933–47); inducted in 1967 into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Chloe Bennet (2010), actress and singer Lawrence Biondi (1957), President, St. Louis University John P. Daley (1965), Cook County Commissioner William M. Daley (1966), former White House Chief of Staff under Barack Obama and former U.S. Secretary of Commerce (1997–2000) Richard Driehaus (1960), businessman and philanthropist; namesake of the Driehaus Prize given in architecture Nnanna Egwu (2011), professional basketball player, former center for Illinois Fighting Illini Mellody Hobson (1987), Co-CEO of Ariel Investments; also TV correspondent in the field of finance; married to filmmaker George Lucas Dan Lipinski (1984), former U.S. Representative representing Illinois's 3rd congressional district (2005–2021) Michael Madigan (1960), former Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives John J. McNichols, Illinois state representative and lawyer Stanley Miarka, Negro league