When Jesuit priests founded Loyola in 1852, they looked to the very heart of their order for inspiration in choosing a name. They found their inspiration in St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus, and that’s how Loyola—our Loyola—became the first institution of higher education in the United States to bear his name. To this day, we remain committed to the ideals embodied by the priests of the Society of Jesus throughout its rich history. Those Jesuit ideals include an emphasis on academic excellence, the importance of the liberal arts, and cura personalis—the education of the whole person. We strive to live up to the ideals set by St. Ignatius, and know they are integral to what Loyola has become.