Fenwick High School is a selective private
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
college preparatory school located in Oak Park, a town in Cook County, Illinois that is bordered by Chicago on the north, east, River Forest and Forest Park on the West, and Cicero and Berwyn on the south. Fenwick was founded in 1929
as part of the Province of St. Albert the Great (
Dominican Friars
The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and mystic Dominic of Cal ...
). It is the only school directly operated and staffed by the
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
Order of Dominican friars in the United States.
It is named in honor of
Cincinnati Bishop Edward D. Fenwick.
History
Fenwick High School was founded as an all-boys college preparatory high school in 1929 by the Catholic
Order of Dominican Fathers and Brothers of the Province of St. Joseph. Since its founding, Fenwick has maintained a strict dress code which includes slacks, dress shirts and ties for the boys and
plaid skirts and knee-high socks for the girls. During assemblies, blazers must be worn. Fenwick was originally intended to be a prep school for
matriculation
Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination.
Australia
In Australia, the term "matriculation" is seldom used now ...
to the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
in the Midwest and
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
on the East Coast, similar to
Phillips Academy Andover
("Not for Self") la, Finis Origine Pendet ("The End Depends Upon the Beginning") Youth From Every Quarter Knowledge and Goodness
, address = 180 Main Street
, city = Andover
, state = Ma ...
's matriculation to
Yale
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
,
Portsmouth Abbey School
Portsmouth Abbey School is a coeducational Benedictine boarding and day school for students in grades 9 to 12. Founded in 1926 by the English Benedictine community, the School is located on a 525-acre campus along Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. ...
's matriculation to
Fordham University and
Boston College and
Phillips Exeter Academy's matriculation to
Harvard. Today, Fenwick's students matriculate to many top American and international universities.
[''The Magazine'', Fall 2007, Robert Dixon, Oak Park, Il.] In 1939, the St. Joseph Province was divided and Fenwick High School became part of the new Province of St. Albert the Great, with headquarters in Chicago. Fenwick became coeducational in 1992, rather than raise tuition costs or see enrollment decline. Today, Fenwick is known as a secondary school. Students have access to many athletic facilities, including a
baseball field, two football fields, a softball diamond, a pool, and a soccer field on the campus of Fenwick's Dominican Priory in the nearby suburb of
River Forest.
Since its founding, Fenwick has maintained a 100% college matriculation rate.
In 1983 Fenwick was selected by the
U.S. Department of Education
The United States Department of Education is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government. It began operating on May 4, 1980, having been created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was split into the Department ...
as a
Blue Ribbon School. On January 18, 1999, ''U.S. News & World Report'' classified Fenwick as an "Outstanding American High School", making Fenwick tied for the #1 ranked preparatory school in the Chicago area.
For 2009, Fenwick's 290 student class had 211 of them receive 718 academic scholarships to top universities around the country with the monetary value of these awards in excess of $16,000,000 (up from $13,900,000 in 2008–2007, $12,555,800 in 2007-2006 and 9,370,000 in 2006– 2005). The 2009 graduating class also boasted 187 Presidential Scholars and 30 National Merit Finalists, with 22 additional receiving commendation for being named to the top 5% in the nation. Fenwick's 2010–2011 class achieved $40,000,000 in merit based scholarships.
Around the time Fenwick started admitting girls, there was a proposal to officially move classes to the school's priory in River Forest, or construct a brand new school in collaboration with nearby
Trinity High School Trinity High School is the name of high schools:
United Kingdom
* Trinity High School, Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland
* Trinity High School, Rutherglen, Lanarkshire, Scotland
* Trinity High School and Sixth Form Centre, in Redditch, England
*Trini ...
, its all-girls counterpart run by the Dominican Sisters.
The idea almost passed, but was dropped when Fenwick insisted on maintaining complete control over the standards of the new school. Instead, Fenwick has commenced several expansion campaigns at their present location in Oak Park based around their original Neo-gothic designed school created by the New York architect
Wilfred E. Anthony, who also redesigned the
Basilica of the Sacred Heart, Indiana
The Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Notre Dame, Indiana, is a Catholic church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1 ...
for the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
in South Bend, Indiana. The latest expansions include: a new field house with a 1,100-seat gymnasium and a 450-seat natatorium; several new classrooms and updated athletic lockers; a new school entrance and gateway inspired by the ''Arch'' at
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
; and additional science laboratories and art studios, all of which are in keeping with the original
Neo-gothic
Gothic Revival (also referred to as Victorian Gothic, neo-Gothic, or Gothick) is an architectural movement that began in the late 1740s in England. The movement gained momentum and expanded in the first half of the 19th century, as increasingly ...
look of Fenwick's school and priory.
Fenwick is the only high school in the United States owned and operated by the Dominican Order.
Fenwick's school mottoes are the same as those of the Dominican Order: ''Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare'' (praise, bless, preach); ''Veritas'' (truth); ''Contemplare et Contemplata Aliis Tradere'' (to study and hand on the fruits of study). Fenwick often uses the
Blackfriar
The Order of Preachers ( la, Ordo Praedicatorum) abbreviated OP, also known as the Dominicans, is a Catholic mendicant order of Pontifical Right for men founded in Toulouse, France, by the Spanish priest, saint and Mysticism, mystic Saint ...
as a mascot over a generic friar mascot since the Blackfriar is specifically associated with the Dominican Order.
Academics
The first sentence of the school's philosophy statement, defines the school as a "college preparatory high school". Students are required to study four years of theology, English, mathematics, and a foreign language in order to graduate.
As a part of the third-year theology course, students are required to plan and conduct a "Christian Service Project". The project requires a minimum of thirty hours of service, no more than 20 of which may be completed prior to the start of the student's junior year.
The school offers 20 courses as a part of the
Advanced Placement program:
English Language
English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...
,
English Literature,
Art History
Art history is the study of aesthetic objects and visual expression in historical and stylistic context. Traditionally, the discipline of art history emphasized painting, drawing, sculpture, architecture, ceramics and decorative arts; yet today ...
,
French Language,
Spanish Language
Spanish ( or , Castilian) is a Romance language of the Indo-European language family that evolved from colloquial Latin spoken on the Iberian peninsula. Today, it is a global language with more than 500 million native speakers, mainly in th ...
,
AP Latin
Advanced Placement (AP) Latin, formerly Advanced Placement (AP) Latin: Vergil, is an examination in Latin literature offered by the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. Prior to the 2012–2013 academic year, the course focused on poetry s ...
,
Statistics,
Computer Science A,
Biology
Biology is the scientific study of life. It is a natural science with a broad scope but has several unifying themes that tie it together as a single, coherent field. For instance, all organisms are made up of cells that process hereditary i ...
,
Chemistry,
Physics (C),
Physics 1,
Physics 2,
Environmental Science,
Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior. Psychology includes the study of conscious and unconscious phenomena, including feelings and thoughts. It is an academic discipline of immense scope, crossing the boundaries between ...
,
U.S. History,
European History
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (800 BC to AD 500), the Middle Ages (AD 500 to AD 1500), and the modern era (since AD 1500).
The first early ...
,
Economics
Economics () is the social science that studies the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Microeconomics analyzes ...
,
World History
World history may refer to:
* Human history, the history of human beings
* History of Earth, the history of planet Earth
* World history (field), a field of historical study that takes a global perspective
* ''World History'' (album), a 1998 albu ...
, and
U.S. Government.
The school offers
AP Calculus BC
Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus (also known as AP Calc, Calc AB / Calc BC or simply AB / BC) is a set of two distinct Advanced Placement calculus courses and exams offered by the American nonprofit organization College Board. AP Calculus AB cover ...
, and gives students the option to take either the "AB" or "BC" test at the end of the year. Beyond AP Calculus, the school offers courses in
multivariable calculus
Multivariable calculus (also known as multivariate calculus) is the extension of calculus in one variable to calculus with functions of several variables: the differentiation and integration of functions involving several variables, rather ...
,
linear algebra
Linear algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning linear equations such as:
:a_1x_1+\cdots +a_nx_n=b,
linear maps such as:
:(x_1, \ldots, x_n) \mapsto a_1x_1+\cdots +a_nx_n,
and their representations in vector spaces and through matrices ...
and
differential equations.
Extracurricular achievements
Athletics
The Fenwick Friars compete in two conferences. Male teams compete in the
Chicago Catholic League (CCL), while the female teams compete in the
East Suburban Catholic Conference
The East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC) is an athletic conference consisting of 9 Catholic high schools in the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois (though despite its name, two schools are located in the city itself). The conference became indepe ...
. The school competes in state championship series sponsored by the
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is an association that regulates competition of interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level for the state of Illinois. It is a charter member of the National Fe ...
(IHSA).
The Girls’ hockey team won the State Championship in 2019 at the United Center.
The boys' varsity hockey team has played in the state championship game, held at the
United Center
United Center is an indoor arena on the Near West Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is home to the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League (NHL). It is named ...
, in five consecutive seasons (2002–2006), winning the state title (the Blackhawk Cup) in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons. The 2003–2004 team compiled a record of 62–9–2 and is considered one of Illinois' most accomplished high school hockey teams to have ever played in the Midwest.
The hockey team has won five straight Kennedy Cups, three of them over their hockey archrival Loyola Academy.
The boys lacrosse team took the state championship in just its second year as a varsity program.
Fenwick has been a dominant force in water polo. Since the IHSA first started sponsoring a water polo state tournament in 2002, Fenwick's men's and women's teams have won a combined eleven of the first fourteen state championships.
Prior to the institution of a state playoff system for football in the 1970s, Fenwick competed to play in the Prep Bowl, which pitted the champions of the CCL against the champion of the
Chicago Public League. Fenwick won two Prep Bowl titles at the game's usual home of
Soldier Field
Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since ...
. The first was in 1945 when a crowd of 80,000 fans saw Fenwick defeat
Tilden High School, 20–6. The second was in 1962, and saw Fenwick defeat
Schurz High School
Carl Schurz High School is a public 4–year high school located in the Irving Park neighborhood on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. The school is named after German–American Carl Schurz, a statesman, soldier, and advocat ...
, 40–0. The win not only capped an undefeated season, but was played before over 91,000 fans; the third-largest crowd to witness a high school football game in Illinois history. The 1945 game is tied for seventh in terms of crowd size.
In 2021, Fenwick won its first-ever IHSA Football State Championship, winning the 5A division after beating
Kankakee High School in the finals, while going 12-2 overall on the season.
By 2007, Fenwick had over 77 all-conference championships. The boy's JV hockey team and the girls pom pom team have also earned state championships.
''
Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twi ...
'' has added Fenwick to its list of the "50 Best High School Athletic Programs in the Country", recognizing Fenwick as having the best athletic program in Illinois.
Fenwick's 2006–2007 swimming and swim/polo teams produced 12 NISCA Academic All-American athletes. For 2009, two state championships were achieved in water polo, 11 regional, sectional or supersectional championships were earned, along with 15 conference titles. There were also 17 All-State athletes, 19 All-American athletes and 12 All-Academic athletes named. Five students were granted NCAA athletic scholarships.
State championships
The following teams have finished in the top four of their respective state tournament sponsored by the IHSA:
*football 2021-2022
*basketball (girls) 2000–01, 2006–07
*swimming & diving (boys) 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92
*water polo (boys) 2001–02, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13
*water polo (girls) 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2013–14, 201516
Non-athletic activities
Fenwick's academic teams are also highly competitive. The Math Team was state champion in 2002, in large part to the great teaching of Roger Finnell, a teacher there for 50 years now, and has also been the highest scoring private school in the AA Division for 14 years in a row.
2009 marks the 16th consecutive year for Fenwick's Math Team to qualify for state.
Fenwick's
Scholastic Bowl Team has been league champions for the last 4 years,
and has twice finished in the top four at the
Illinois High School Association
The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) is an association that regulates competition of interscholastic sports and some interscholastic activities at the high school level for the state of Illinois. It is a charter member of the National Fe ...
State Championship Tournament (2001 & 2004).
Fenwick is the 2011 Chicago Conference Chess Champions.
Fenwick's
Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) and
Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS) teams are also highly accomplished; Fenwick's WYSE/JETS teams were national champions in 1989 are 13-time Illinois state champions. 2011 marks the 8th consecutive year to be so.
The 2011 JETS team placed first in their conference with the highest possible score of 74/80, earning a "Best in the State" award and a 2nd place national ranking from 1229 teams of 43 states. Fenwick's team was only one point behind the first place nationally ranked team. After a two-year championship drought, Fenwick placed first in the state and fifth in the world in TEAMS, beating teams such as
University of Chicago Lab and
Marist High School.
''The Wick'' (school newspaper), ''The Blackfriars Yearbook'', and the ''Touchstone'' (literary magazine), have all been recognized with awards by the American Scholastic Press Association. The 2006–2007 edition of ''Touchstone'' was awarded first place with special honors by the American Scholastic Press Association, placing Fenwick's publication at the top 5% of all high school literary publications in the country. ''Touchstone'' has earned 970/1000 possible points by the American Scholastic Press Association, thereby allowing it to be a contender for the "Most Outstanding High School Literary and Art Magazine".
The Fenwick Student Congressional Debate team is also ranked highly. In 2014, Fenwick Student Congress ranked 1st in the Northern Illinois District Sectionals, and had the most semi-finalists in State out of any high school. Student Congress has also been 1st in the Chicago Catholic Forensics League for five years in a row. 2015 will also mark the 10th year that fenwick has brought students to the highly prestigious Harvard, Yale, and Isidore Newman national tournaments.
Notable alumni
Public service and politics
*
Daniel Cronin (class of 1977) is the DuPage County Board chairman and a former
Illinois State senator
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the State of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. Under the I ...
representing Illinois' 21st Legislative District (1993–2010).
*
William J. Cullerton (class of 1941),
World War II flying ace and radio host. He was taken prisoner by the
Gestapo
The (), abbreviated Gestapo (; ), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe.
The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of Prussia into one orga ...
, shot and left to die, but survived, then escaped and returned to the U.S. where he was inducted into the Illinois Military Aviation Hall of Fame. He was the 4th highest ace of World War II with a total of 29 hits, flying a
P-51 Mustang called "Miss Steve".
*
Jim Durkin
James Brian Durkin (born January 28, 1961) is a Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives, representing the 82nd District since 2006 when he was sworn in to replace Eileen Lyons after she retired mid-term. Durkin previously rep ...
(class of 1979) has been a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The House under the current constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 re ...
since 1995.
* Major General
Michael D. Healy
Major General Michael D. Healy (June 13, 1926 – April 14, 2018) was a general officer in the United States Army who spent 35 years serving in the military, completing tours in Korea and Vietnam. Healy began his career with parachute training ...
(class of 1945). U.S. Army from 1945 to 1981. Highly decorated for valor in the Korean War and Vietnam War. Commanded the United States Army John F. Kennedy Center for Military Assistance/Institute for Military Assistance (now Special Warfare Center and School). Served as the inspiration for Colonel Mike in the book and movie ''The Green Berets''.
*
Joseph Kerwin (class of 1949) was a
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...
who flew on the
Skylab 2 mission, becoming the first American medical doctor in space. He was also a
CAPCOM
is a Japanese video game developer and video game publisher, publisher. It has created a number of List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil' ...
for the
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo space program and the third meant to land on the Moon. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the lunar landing was aborted aft ...
mission.
*
Peter Newell
Peter Sheaf Hersey Newell (March 5, 1862 – January 15, 1924) was an American artist and writer. He created picture books and illustrated new editions of many children's books.
A native of McDonough County, Illinois, Newell built a reputati ...
(class of 1997) served as the
White House
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
scheduler for President
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, Obama was the first African-American president of the U ...
.
[Fenwick, ''The Magazine'', Summer 2009]
*
Chris Nybo is a
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
member of the
Illinois Senate, representing
Elmhurst, Illinois
Elmhurst is a city mostly in DuPage County and overlapping into Cook County in the U.S. state of Illinois, and a western suburb of Chicago. As of 2021, the city has an estimated population of 47,260.
History
Members of the Potawatomi Native A ...
.
*
Pat Quinn (class of 1967) was Illinois state treasurer (1991–95), Illinois
lieutenant governor (2001–2009) and
Illinois governor (2009–2015).
*
Anne Smedinghoff
Anne Smedinghoff (September 18, 1987 – April 6, 2013) was an American diplomat who last worked for the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Personal life
Smedinghoff grew up in River Forest, Illinois, a suburb about 10 miles west of Chicago. She ...
(class of 2005) was an American diplomat who served in Venezuela and Afghanistan. She died on April 6, 2013, while serving her country in a diplomatic mission in Zabul province, Afghanistan.
Arts, sciences, and letters
*
Philip Caputo
Philip Caputo (born June 10, 1941) is an American author and journalist. He is best known for '' A Rumor of War'' (1977), a best-selling memoir of his experiences during the Vietnam War. Caputo has written 16 books, including two memoirs, five b ...
(class of 1959) is an author (''
A Rumor of War
A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes' ...
'') and
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning reporter for coverage of Chicago election fraud.
*
Patrick Creadon
Patrick Creadon (born May 4, 1967) is an American filmmaker primarily known for his work in documentaries. His first film, ''Wordplay'', profiled ''New York Times'' crossword editor Will Shortz and premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. ...
(class of 1985) is a documentary filmmaker (''
Wordplay
Word play or wordplay (also: play-on-words) is a literary technique and a form of wit in which words used become the main subject of the work, primarily for the purpose of intended effect or amusement. Examples of word play include puns, phon ...
'', ''
I.O.U.S.A.
''I.O.U.S.A.'' is a 2008 American documentary film directed by Patrick Creadon. The film focuses on the shape and impact of the United States national debt. The film features Robert Bixby, director of the Concord Coalition, and David Walker, ...
''), and has twice been nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,66 ...
.
*
Aimee Garcia
Aimee Sandimés Garcia López de Ordóñez (born November 28, 1978) is an American actress and writer. She is known for her television roles as Veronica Palmero on the ABC sitcom ''George Lopez'', Yvonne Sanchez on the CBS period drama ''Veg ...
(class of 1996) is an actress (Veronica on the ''
George Lopez
George Edward Lopez (born April 23, 1961) is an American comedian and actor. He is known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican American culture. Lopez has rece ...
'' TV series).
*
Bernard M. Judge (class of 1957) was part of a
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...
winning team, Pulitzer Prizer Juror, Chicago Journalism Hall of Fame, and is a journalism professor at the
Medill School of Journalism
The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications is a constituent school of Northwestern University that offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. It frequently ranks as the top school of journalism in the Unite ...
of
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world.
Charte ...
[Fenwick Distinguished Alumni, weblink]
*
Jim Quinlan (class of 1952) is a screenwriter and author.
*
R. Emmett Tyrrell (class of 1961) is founder of ''
The American Spectator
''The American Spectator'' is a conservative American magazine covering news and politics, edited by R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr. and published by the non-profit American Spectator Foundation. It was founded in 1967 by Tyrrell, who remains its editor- ...
'' and best-selling author of ''
Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House'' and ''The Clinton Crack-Up''.
*
Gene Wolande
Gene Wolande (born September 3, 1956) is an American character actor, writer, and director who has appeared in many mainstream film and television projects. He is best known as Ray Pinker in the Academy Award-winning film ''L.A. Confidential'' ...
(class of 1974) is a
character actor
A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...
, writer, and director.
Athletics and gaming
*
Fred Baer
Frederick N. Baer (July 2, 1932 – March 21, 2007) was an American football player. He played at the fullback position for the University of Michigan from 1952 to 1954. He was chosen as the Most Valuable Player on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines ...
(class of 1951) was selected as the
Most Valuable Player
In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
on the
1954 Michigan Wolverines football team
The 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1954 Big Ten Conference football season. In its seventh year under head coach Bennie Oosterbaan, Michigan compiled a 6–3 record (5–2 against conference ...
.
*
Bates Battaglia
Jonathan "Bates" Battaglia (born December 13, 1975) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, Washington Capitals and the Toronto Mapl ...
(class of 1993) is an
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
forward (1997–2004, 2005–present). He played for the
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes (colloquially known as the Canes) are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
during the
2002 Stanley Cup Finals.
*
Colby Burnett
Colby Burnett is the first ''Jeopardy!'' contestant to have won both the Teachers Tournament and the Tournament of Champions. Burnett, who at the time was a teacher at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois, won the Teachers Tournament in ...
(class of 2001), ''
Jeopardy!
''Jeopardy!'' is an American game show created by Merv Griffin. The show is a quiz competition that reverses the traditional question-and-answer format of many quiz shows. Rather than being given questions, contestants are instead given genera ...
'' champion
*
John Giannini
John Manfredo Giannini (born October 31, 1962) is an American college basketball coach. He served as the head men's basketball coach at Rowan University from 1989 to 1996, the University of Maine from 1996 to 2004, and La Salle University from 2 ...
is the head coach of La Salle University men's basketball team.
*
Mike Heathcott
Michael Joseph Heathcott (born May 16, 1969) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played during one season at the Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox. He was drafted by the White Sox in the 13th round of the 1991 Ma ...
is a former
MLB
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
player (
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
).
*
Johnny Lattner
John Joseph Lattner (October 24, 1932 – February 12, 2016) was an American football player. While playing college football for the University of Notre Dame, he won the Heisman Trophy in 1953. He also won the Maxwell Award twice, in 1952 and ...
(class of 1950) is a former professional football player for the
Pittsburgh Steelers. He won the 1953
Heisman trophy
The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
playing for the
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
, and is one of only two two–time winners of the
Maxwell Award
The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best all ...
(1952 & 1953). He was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
*
Erin Lawless
Erin Lawless (born May 6, 1985), also known as Erin Lawlessová, is an American born-Slovak women's basketball player. She played for Slovakia at EuroBasket Women 2011, where she was her nation's top scorer. She played club basketball in Italy, S ...
(class of 2003) played international basketball for
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the s ...
.
*
Corey Maggette
Corey Antoine Maggette (; born November 12, 1979) is an American former professional basketball player who played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He became an analyst for Fox Sports.
High school and college career
Magget ...
(class of 1998) was an
NBA forward (1999–2013), and first–round draft pick in the
1999 NBA Draft. He has spent most of his career with the
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division in the league's Western Conference. The Clipper ...
.
He is currently an analyst with
Fox Sports West
Bally Sports West is an American regional sports network owned by Diamond Sports Group, a joint venture between Sinclair Broadcast Group and Entertainment Studios, and operated as part of Bally Sports, along with its sister network Bally Spor ...
.
*
Ben Ponzio (class of 1993) was a 2007
World Series of Poker
The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments held annually in Paradise, Nevada and, since 2004, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best-known poker pla ...
Bracelet Winner in the $2,000
No Limit Texas Hold' em
Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is one of the most popular variants of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five community cards are dealt fac ...
event.
*
Mike Rabold
Michael Rabold (March 12, 1937 -October 13, 1970) was an American football offensive guard who played eight years in the National Football League. He played college football at Indiana University and finished second in the 1958 voting for the Chi ...
(class of 1955) was an
NFL offensive lineman (1959–62, 1964–67), mostly with the
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...
.
*
Dave Schrage (class of 1979) has been a collegiate head baseball coach at
Northern Iowa University
The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa. UNI offers more than 90 majors across the colleges of Business Administration, Education, Humanities, Arts, and Sciences, Social and Behavioral Sciences and gra ...
(1991–99),
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois. It was founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895, by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld as part of an expansion of the state's system ...
(2000–02),
University of Evansville
The University of Evansville (UE) is a private university in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded in 1854 as Moores Hill College. The university operates a satellite center, Harlaxton College, in Grantham, England.
UE offers more than 80 differ ...
(2003–06), and
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic university, Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend, Indiana, South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin fo ...
(2006-10).
*
Ken Sitzberger (class of 1963) was a diver who won the gold medal in the
3-meter springboard at the
1964 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 ( ja, 東京1964), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this ho ...
. He was a three time U.S. champion, and was a television color commentator for 16 years. He was inducted into the
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum (ISHOF) is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests and serving as the central point for the s ...
in 1994.
*
Robert Spillane (class of 2014) is a professional football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
*
Tim Stapleton
Timothy Gabriel Stapleton (born July 19, 1982) is an American former professional ice hockey center. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets between 2008 and 2012. In 2011, Staple ...
(class of 2002) is a former
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
center of the
Atlanta Thrashers.
*
Marques Sullivan
Marques D. Sullivan (born February 2, 1978 in Chicago, Illinois) is a former professional American football offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills, the New York Giants, the New England Patriots and the Chicago Rush.
Early life
Sullivan was ...
(class of 1996) was a professional
offensive lineman for the
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
,
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
,
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
, and
Chicago Rush.
Business and industry
*
Edward A. Brennan (class of 1951) is the former CEO of
Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co. ( ), commonly known as Sears, is an American chain of department stores founded in 1892 by Richard Warren Sears and Alvah Curtis Roebuck and reincorporated in 1906 by Richard Sears and Julius Rosenwald, with what began as ...
(1986–95); and later served on the boards of
American Airlines
American Airlines is a major airlines of the United States, major US-based airline headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the world when measured ...
,
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
,
3M, and
Exelon
Exelon Corporation is an American Fortune 100 energy company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois and incorporated in Pennsylvania. It generates revenues of approximately $33.5 billion and employs approximately 33,400 people. Exelon is the larges ...
, among others.
*
John Corvino
John Frank Corvino (born 1969) is an American philosopher. He is a professor of philosophy and the dean of the Honors College at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan and the author of several books, with a focus on the morality of homosexu ...
(class of 1974) is the General Counsel for the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
*
George M. Keller (class of 1941) served as chairman and CEO of
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation. The second-largest direct descendant of Standard Oil, and originally known as the Standard Oil Company of California (shortened to Socal or CalSo), it is headquartered in S ...
*
A. G. Lafley (class of 1965) is the President & CEO (2000–present) and chairman of the board (2002–present) of
Procter & Gamble
The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer hea ...
*
Michael R. Quinlan
Michael Robert Quinlan (born December 9, 1944) is a graduate, and currently the chairman, of Loyola University Chicago, where he was initiated into the Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity. Quinlan served as a director of McDonald's Corporation ...
(class of 1962) is the former chairman of the board (1990–99) and CEO (1987–98) of The
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechri ...
Corporation. Since 2000, he has been a Director of
Dun & Bradstreet
The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation is an American company that provides commercial data, analytics, and insights for businesses. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the company offers a wide range of products and services for risk and financia ...
.
*
Paul E. Tierney, Jr. (class of 1960) served as the Director of
Liz Claiborne
Anne Elisabeth Jane Claiborne (March 31, 1929 – June 26, 2007) was an American fashion designer and businesswoman. Her success was built upon stylish yet affordable apparel for career women featuring colorfully tailored separates that co ...
Inc., member of the
Council on Foreign Relations
The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank
A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, mi ...
, and is an adjunct professor at
Columbia Business School
Columbia Business School (CBS) is the business school of Columbia University, a Private university, private research university in New York City. Established in 1916, Columbia Business School is one of six Ivy League business schools and is one ...
Notable staff
Roger Finnell who graduated from Fenwick in 1959 retired from teaching in 2022 after serving as a Fenwick teacher for 59 years.
*
John Jardine was the school's football coach (1959–63). He later served as head football coach of the
University of Wisconsin
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
(1970–77).
*
Pascal Bedrossian is a former French pro soccer player in France and US, was coach of Fenwick varsity girls' soccer team.
References
Additional information
*
External links
Fenwick High School
{{authority control
Educational institutions established in 1929
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
Catholic secondary schools in Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois
Private high schools in Cook County, Illinois
Dominican schools in the United States
1929 establishments in Illinois