Fenwick High School (Chicago, Illinois)
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Fenwick High School is a private
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
college preparatory school located in Oak Park, a town in Cook County, Illinois that is bordered by Chicago on the Northeast, River Forest and Forest Park on the West, and Cicero and Berwyn on the South. Fenwick was founded in 1929 and is a ministry of the Province of St. Albert the Great ( Dominican Friars). It is the only school directly operated and staffed by the Order of Preachers (Dominican friars) in the United States. It is named in honor of the first Bishop of Cincinnati, Dominican friar Edward Dominic Fenwick, O.P.. Retired Marine Corps Col. Otto J. Rutt, a Harvard University graduate and Fenwick alumnus, became the school's first lay president in November 2024.


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 for the girls. During assemblies, all students are required to wear blazers and boys are additionally required to wear ties. 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 no ...
to the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
in the Midwest and
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...
on the East Coast, similar to
Phillips Academy Andover Phillips Academy (also known as PA, Phillips Academy Andover, or simply Andover) is a Private school, private, Mixed-sex education, co-educational college-preparatory school for Boarding school, boarding and Day school, day students located in ...
's matriculation to
Yale Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges ch ...
,
Portsmouth Abbey School Portsmouth Abbey School is a coeducational Catholic, Benedictine boarding and day school for students in grades 9 to 12. Founded in 1926 by the English Benedictines, the school is located on a 525-acre campus in Portsmouth, along Rhode Island's N ...
's matriculation to
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
and
Boston College Boston College (BC) is a private university, private Catholic Jesuits, Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1863 by the Society of Jesus, a Catholic Religious order (Catholic), religious order, t ...
and
Phillips Exeter Academy Phillips Exeter Academy (often called Exeter or PEA) is an Independent school, independent, co-educational, college-preparatory school in Exeter, New Hampshire. Established in 1781, it is America's sixth-oldest boarding school and educates an es ...
's matriculation to
Harvard Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher lear ...
. 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. Fenwick's first coeducational graduating class, was led by valedictorian, Bridgid Esposito, one of the few females in her class. Today, Fenwick is known as a secondary school. Students have access to many athletic facilities, including a
baseball field A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refer ...
, 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 United States Cabinet, cabinet-level department of the federal government of the United States, United States government, originating in 1980. The department began operating on May 4, 1980, havin ...
as a
Blue Ribbon School The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States Department of Education award program that recognizes exemplary public and non-public schools on a yearly basis. Using standards of excellence evidenced by student achievement measures, ...
. 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 2007–2008, $12,555,800 in 2006–2007 and 9,370,000 in 2005–2006). 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. As of 2025, Fenwick is currently ranked in the top 5 Catholic high schools in Illinois. 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 * Trin ...
, 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 on the campus of the University of Notre Dame, also serving as the mother church of the Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C.) in the United States. The neo-gothic church ...
for the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
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 (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
; 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 or neo-Gothic) is an architectural movement that after a gradual build-up beginning in the second half of the 17th century became a widespread movement in the first half of the 19th century ...
look of Fenwick's school and priory. Fenwick is the only high school in the United States owned and operated by 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
AP Calculus BC Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus (also known as AP Calc, Calc AB / BC, AB / BC Calc 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 Calculu ...
, 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 multiple variables ('' mult ...
,
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 matrix (mathemat ...
and differential equations.


Extracurricular achievements


Athletics

The Fenwick Friars compete in two conferences. Male teams compete in the
Chicago Catholic League The Chicago Catholic League (CCL) is a high school athletic conference based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. All of the schools are part of the Illinois High School Association, the governing body for Illinois scholastic sports. While some ...
(CCL), while the female teams compete in the East Suburban Catholic Conference. 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 F ...
(IHSA). 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 The Chicago Public High School Athletic Association, commonly known as the Chicago Public League (CPL), is the interscholastic competition arm of the Chicago Public Schools. The governance of the CPL is set through the Department of Sports Admi ...
. 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, Chicago, 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 from the National ...
. 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 four-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 advoc ...
, 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. The Prep Bowl has continued as a separate competition since the introduction of the statewide playoff, for teams which do not make those playoffs or are eliminated early, and Fenwick has won it in 1991 and 2010. ''
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 a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...
'' 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.


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. ''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".


Notable alumni


Public service and politics

* Daniel Cronin (class of 1977) is a former 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 th ...
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 (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, 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 F ...
, 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 The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is an American long-range, single-seat fighter aircraft, fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II and the Korean War, among other conflicts. The Mustang was designed in 1940 by a team headed ...
called "Miss Steve". * Jim Durkin (class of 1979) served as a Republican 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 constitution as amended in 1980 consists of 118 representativ ...
from 1995 to 2003, and 2006 to 2023. * 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 i ...
(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 agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
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 company. It has created a number of critically acclaimed and List of best-selling video game franchises, multi-million-selling game franchises, with its most commercially successful being ''Resident Evil'', ''Monster ...
for the
Apollo 13 Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo program, Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was abort ...
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 reputa ...
(class of 1997) served as the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...
scheduler for President
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...
.Fenwick, ''The Magazine'', Summer 2009 *
Chris Nybo Chris Nybo (born April 30, 1977) is an American attorney and politician who is a former Republican member of the Illinois Senate. He represented the 24th District. Previously, he had been a member of the Illinois House of Representatives, repres ...
served as a Republican member of the
Illinois Senate 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 ...
, and the Illinois House of Representatives. * Pat Quinn (class of 1967) was Illinois state treasurer (1991–1995), Illinois
lieutenant governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
(2001–2009) and
Illinois governor The governor of Illinois is the head of government of Illinois, and the various agencies and departments over which the officer has jurisdiction, as prescribed in the state constitution. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by p ...
(2009–2015). *
Anne Smedinghoff Anne Smedinghoff (September 18, 1987 – April 6, 2013) was an American diplomat who last worked for the Embassy of the United States, Kabul, U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. Personal life Smedinghoff grew up in River Forest, Illinois, a subur ...
(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 18 books, including three memoirs, five ...
(class of 1959) is an author ('' A Rumor of War'') and
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
winning reporter for coverage of Chicago election fraud. *
Patrick Creadon Patrick Creadon (born May 4, 1967) is an American filmmaker 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. The film ...
(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, phone ...
'', '' I.O.U.S.A.'', '' Catholics vs Convicts), and has twice been nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the
Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with 423,234 combined in-person and online viewership in 2023. The festival has acted ...
.'' *
Aimee Garcia Aimee Sandimés Garcia López de Ordóñez (born November 28, 1978) is an American actress. She is known for her television roles as Veronica Palmero on the ABC sitcom '' George Lopez'' (2006–2007), Jamie Batista on the Showtime drama '' D ...
(class of 1996) is an actress (Veronica on the ''
George Lopez George Edward Lopez (born April 23, 1961) is an American stand-up comedian and actor. He is most known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom '' George Lopez''. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican ...
'' TV series). * Bernard M. Judge (class of 1957) was part of a
Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
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 (branded as Northwestern Medill; formally the Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications) is the journalism school of Northwestern University. It offers both undergraduate and graduat ...
of
Northwestern University Northwestern University (NU) is a Private university, private research university in Evanston, Illinois, United States. Established in 1851 to serve the historic Northwest Territory, it is the oldest University charter, chartered university in ...
Fenwick Distinguished Alumni, weblink * Jim Quinlan (class of 1952) was 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 (the current editor-in ...
'' and best-selling author of '' Madame Hillary: The Dark Road to the White House'' and ''The Clinton Crack-Up''. * Gene Wolande (class of 1974) is a
character actor A character actor is an actor known for playing unusual, eccentric, or interesting character (arts), characters in supporting roles, rather than leading ones.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrie ...
, 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 Wolverine ...
(class of 1951) was selected as the
Most Valuable Player In team sports, a most valuable player (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 particular competition, or ...
on the 1954 Michigan Wolverines football team. *
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 Ma ...
(class of 1993) is an
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
forward (1997–2004, 2005–2012). 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. The Hurricanes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Con ...
during the
2002 Stanley Cup Finals The 2002 Stanley Cup Finals was the championship series of the National Hockey League's (NHL) 2001–02 season, and the culmination of the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was contested by the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and t ...
. * Colby Burnett (class of 2001), ''
Jeopardy! ''Jeopardy!'' is an American television 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 g ...
'' champion *
Ryan Fitzgerald Ryan James Fitzgerald (born 16 October 1976) is an Australian radio personality, television presenter, comedian and former Australian rules footballer. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club, he made his Australian Football ...
(class of 2012), MLB infielder *
John Giannini John Manfredo Giannini (born October 31, 1962) is an American college basketball coach, Director of Athletics at Rowan University, and college basketball analyst for NBC Sports and other networks. He served as the head men's basketball coach at ...
is the head coach of La Salle University men's basketball team. * Mike Heathcott is a former
MLB Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
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) American League Central, Central Division. The club plays its ...
). *
Johnny Lattner John Joseph Lattner (October 24, 1932 – February 12, 2016) was an American football player who was a halfback. He played college football for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning the Heisman Trophy in 1953 and the Maxwell Award in both 195 ...
(class of 1950) was a former professional football player for the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. Founded in 1933 P ...
. He won the 1953
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
playing for the
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
, 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 and 1953). He was elected to the
College Football Hall of Fame The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and interactive Tourist attraction, attraction devoted to college football, college American football. The National Football Foundation (NFF) founded the Hall in 1951 to immortalize the players ...
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, officially the Slovak Republic, 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 west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
. *
Scottie Lindsey Scott Christopher Lindsey (born May 20, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He played college basketball for the Northwestern Wildcats. High school career L ...
(class of 2014) is a guard for the
Long Island Nets The Long Island Nets are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Uniondale, New York, and are affiliated with the Brooklyn Nets. The team plays its home games at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Nassau County ...
*
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 The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada). The NBA is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Ca ...
forward (1999–2013), and first–round draft pick in the
1999 NBA draft The 1999–2000 NBA season, 1999 NBA draft was held on June 30, 1999, at the MCI Center (now Capital One Arena) in Washington, D.C. It was the first draft in which four players from the same college were picked in the first round, with Elton Bran ...
. He has spent most of his career with the
Los Angeles Clippers The Los Angeles Clippers are an American professional basketball team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Clippers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. The ...
. He is currently an analyst with
Fox Sports West FanDuel Sports Network West is an American regional sports network owned by Main Street Sports Group (formerly Diamond Sports Group) and operated as part of FanDuel Sports Network, along with its sister network FanDuel Sports Network SoCal. The ...
. * 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 Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment. It dates its origins to 1970, when Benny Binion invited seven of the best ...
Bracelet Winner in the $2,000
No Limit Texas Hold' em Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is the most popular variant 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 face up in t ...
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 (NFL). He played college football at Indiana University and finished second in the 1958 voting for ...
(class of 1955) was an
NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league in the United States. Composed of 32 teams, it is divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The N ...
offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...
(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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. They are one of two remaining ...
. * 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, United States. UNI offers more than 90 majors across five colleges. The fall 2024 total enrollment was 9,283 students. The university was initially founded in 1 ...
(1991–99),
Northern Illinois University Northern Illinois University (NIU) is a public research university in DeKalb, Illinois, United States. It was founded as "Northern Illinois State Normal School" in 1895 by Illinois Governor John P. Altgeld, initially to provide the state with c ...
(2000–02),
University of Evansville The University of Evansville (UE) is a private university in Evansville, Indiana. It was founded in 1854 as Carnegie Hall of Moores Hill College, Moores Hill College. The university operates a satellite center, Harlaxton Manor, Harlaxton College ...
(2003–06), and
University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac (known simply as Notre Dame; ; ND) is a Private university, private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, United States. Founded in 1842 by members of the Congregation of Holy Cross, a Cathol ...
(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 (), 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 honor was subseq ...
. 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 stu ...
in 1994. * Mike Smith (class of 2016) is a basketball player who plays professionally in Germany. *
Robert Spillane John Robert Spillane (born December 14, 1995) is an American professional football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Western Michigan Broncos. Early life Spillane ...
(class of 2014) is a professional football player for the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
. *
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, Stapl ...
(class of 2002) is a former
NHL The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
center of the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL sea ...
. *
Marques Sullivan Marques D. Sullivan (born February 2, 1978) is an American former professional football offensive lineman for the Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, New England Patriots and Chicago Rush. Early life Sullivan was a multi-sport athlete at Fenwick ...
(class of 1996) was a professional
offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line (OL), while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line ( ...
for the
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East div ...
,
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 of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC East, East division. The ...
,
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. The Patriots compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East division. The Pa ...
, and
Chicago Rush The Chicago Rush were a professional arena football team based in Rosemont, Illinois. The team was founded in 2001 and played in the Arena Football League's Central Division. The Rush qualified for the playoffs in 11 of 12 AFL seasons, during w ...
.


Business and industry

* Edward A. Brennan (class of 1951), former CEO of Sears, Roebuck and Co. (1986–95); and later served on the boards of
American Airlines American Airlines, Inc. is a major airlines of the United States, major airline in the United States headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, and is the Largest airlines in the world, largest airline in the ...
,
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
, 3M, and
Exelon Exelon Corporation is an American public utility headquartered in Chicago, and incorporated in Pennsylvania. Exelon is the largest electric parent company in the United States by revenue and is the largest regulated electric utility in the Uni ...
, among others. * George M. Keller (class of 1941) served as chairman and CEO of
Chevron Corporation Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation predominantly specializing in oil and gas. The second-largest direct descendant of Standard Oil, and originally known as the Standard Oil Company of California (shortened t ...
*
A. G. Lafley Alan George "A. G." Lafley (born June 13, 1947) is an American businessman who led consumer goods maker Procter & Gamble (P&G) for two separate stints, from 2000 to 2010 and again from 2013 to 2015, during which he served as chairman, president ...
(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. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
*
Michael R. Quinlan Michael Robert Quinlan (born December 9, 1944) is a graduate, and former chairman of the board of trustees, of Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago (Loyola or LUC) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit res ...
(class of 1962) is the former chairman of the board (1990–99) and CEO (1987–98) of The
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
Corporation. Since 2000, he has been a Director of
Dun & Bradstreet The Dun & Bradstreet Holdings, Inc. (D&B) 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 a ...
. * 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 cou ...
Inc., member of the
Council on Foreign Relations The Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) is an American think tank focused on Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy and international relations. Founded in 1921, it is an independent and nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organi ...
, 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 one of ...


Notable staff

* 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 tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Uni ...
(1970–77). *
Pascal Bedrossian Pascal Bedrossian (born 28 November 1974) is a French professional Association football, footballer who currently is head coach at Chicago Fire's Academy. Career Born in Marseille, France, Bedrossian began his playing career for the France nati ...
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