2023-2023 Admissions Viewbook

The Admissions Process

The Admissions Process

You and your family are one step closer to discovering the extraordinary difference a Loyola education delivers. Here is a list of next steps you should take:

APPLY

Application deadline is December 15th

loyolablakefield.org/apply

After applying, you can schedule your Don for a Day experience for your chance to experience Loyola through the eyes of our students.

VISIT US!

View dates, topics, and times at loyolablakefield.org/visitus

APPLY FOR NEED-BASED GRANTS (OPTIONAL)

Our online application opens October 15th, and is due by January 2nd, 2024

loyolablakefield.org/financialaid

Open House

Sunday, October 22nd

Small Group Tours

Take part in a small group tour of our campus with a member of our Admissions team. Multiple dates and times are available.

NOTES

Dear Future Loyola Dons,

On behalf of the Loyola Blakefield community, I would like to welcome you and your family as you explore Loyola! We encourage you to come visit us, ask questions, and learn about what makes a Loyola Don stand out in the community.

Loyola Blakefield’s state-of-the-art campus stretches across 65 beautiful acres in Towson, Maryland. From St. Ignatius Hall to Connor Stadium, Loyola was built to encourage its students to make their own personal connection to their learning, faith, and co-curricular interests; whatever they may be. As a school built for boys, and with our Jesuit foundation as guidance, Loyola was designed to provide an experience where students can build community, brotherhood, and life-long memories.

At Loyola, we recognize that 21st century learning does not only happen in the classroom. Loyola students embark on a journey while they are here that encourages learning to happen in many unique forms. Whether it is in economics class, on the soccer pitch, or during the Ignite retreat, students will have an encompassing experience designed for their growth and future ambition.

At Loyola, we are guided by our Graduate at Graduate goals: Open to Growth, Intellectually Ambitious, Religious, Loving, and Committed to Diversity and Doing Justice. It is through these goals that the intentional nature of a Loyola education comes to life. Nothing is left to chance, but it is through discernment and reflection that we designed a community that encourages students to be a part of the joyful explorations of life.

We can’t wait to welcome your family to campus this fall so you, too, can have your very own Loyola experience!

Roll Dons!

Stephen Abrams Director of Admissions and Enrollment Management

Mr. Stephen Abrams Chief Admissions and Enrollment Management Officer

Mr. Sebastian Price ’02

Assistant Director of Admissions, Upper School

MrS. SINA COOK Assistant Director of Admissions, Middle School

MrS. Kristi Skinner

Coordinator

What is a Don?

A Loyola Don is on a journey to graduate as a man of integrity, who, because he strives to find God in all things, is open to growth, intellectually ambitious, religious, loving, and committed to diversity and doing justice. A Don is challenged in ways that go beyond most college preparatory environments. Our Dons develop knowledge for sure. But they also develop values, spiritual growth, responsibility for others and a lifelong love for learning - the core that really prepares them to transform into active members of the global community. In the words of St. Ignatius to St. Xavier they “Go forth and set the world on fire.”

What questions do you have as you begin to explore Loyola?

What are your favorite classes in school? Are there any classes Loyola offers that you would like to take?

Dons can frequently be found doing community service work. What community service projects have you done, or would like to do?

What co-curricular activities do you want to participate in here at Loyola?

Loyola Dons are multifaceted and involved in all aspects of student life. Tell us about your interests and the things you would like to participate in here at Loyola!

Why is a Jesuit Education So Powerful?

Why is a Jesuit Education So Powerful?

In the nearly five centuries that they have been in existence, Jesuit schools have come to be known for educational excellence. While these schools span six continents and vary in almost every way possible, they share a few hallmarks: a firm foundation in faith, a commitment to the holistic development of each individual student, and a connectedness to a wider, global mission.

Jesuit education is rooted in the Catholic faith. This means that it is not simply about gathering the credits needed to complete a degree. It is instead about inviting students to go beyond self-interest and to strive continuously for truth, beauty, and goodness. This basic idea – that there is some greater good animating our lives – is an idea shared by many faith traditions. Students of all faith traditions therefore can participate in Jesuit education, and in fact a diversity of thought and belief enriches Jesuit schools.

Because the search for meaning and truth is not purely an intellectual endeavor, Jesuit education focuses on the holistic development of each individual student. Jesuit schools invite students to take a wide range of classes and offer countless opportunities for students to excel in athletic and co-curricular activities. Through all these experiences, students at Jesuit schools are mentored by caring and passionate educators, who seek to acknowledge and honor the unique abilities, challenges, and goals of each individual student.

Finally, Jesuit education is about a global mission. Students at Jesuit schools engage in activities that encourage them to seek the betterment of their community, their nation, and their world. Loyola sends students to service sites nearly every day of the school year and offers several week-long service experiences in the summer. In terms of global education, Loyola has hosted exchange students from Jesuit schools Chile and Italy, has sent Loyola students to visit Jesuit institutions in China and Peru, has arranged service trips to Jamaica and Belize, and has facilitated videoconferences in the classroom with Jesuit schools in the Philippines and Nigeria.

Loyola Blakefield has been a proud Jesuit school since 1852. Come and experience the Jesuit difference for yourself right here in Baltimore!

Brian Maraña ’00 Upper School Principal

The Middle School Experience

The Middle School Experience

The middle school years here at Loyola Blakefield are an exciting time as young adolescents are in the midst of profound personal change and identity development. Our boys are growing physically, intellectually, morally and socially. Loyola’s middle school teachers make it their priority know each student individually and create an environment of belonging. Our teachers create lessons that are responsive, challenging, empowering, equitable, and engaging, all essential attributes of a successful middle school experience.

The middle school experience outside of the classroom is also essential to the overall development of our boys. Our students thrive in an environment where health, wellness and social/emotional needs are a priority. These priorities are met through a comprehensive wellness program which includes daily physical education, recess, advisory, intramurals, clubs and activities.

Loyola middle school students engage in faith formation retreats, service opportunities and explore more socially just and ecologically sustainable ways of living.

Loyola has been committed to educating boys in our middle school for the past 40 years. We encourage you to explore all the Loyola has to offer and to be a part of our proud legacy.

Roll Dons!

John O’Hara ’96 Middle School Principal

Academics

Jesuit schools are among the best in the world, and we are proud to serve our region by providing an unrivaled spiritual and educational experience in the Ignatian tradition. Our students achieve academic excellence as the beginning of a lifelong discipline and pursuit, inseparable from faith and serving others.

Built for Boys

We tailor every facet of the educational experience (schedule, technology, instruction models, co-curriculars, etc.) to the unique ways in which young men learn and interact. Our recipe for success produces graduates who have all the skills to succeed in college and beyond.

Learning to Lead

Through their formation, Loyola students grow to learn and lead with courage. Beyond their academic studies, our Dons explore their faith, stretch beyond their comfort zones, and set a course toward becoming a servantleader — an unrivaled Jesuit formation that only we can deliver.

Student Support

At Loyola, no student is left to embark on his journey alone. It is through the intentional design of our schedule and the commitment of our teachers, administrators, and students, that every Don can feel confident and capable as he tackles his studies. Whether he meets with a teacher during a free period, or receives tutoring from a fellow Don, every Loyola student receives the level of support and care needed to thrive.

Dons 4 Dons Tutoring

National Honors Society Tutoring

Math Lab

ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER

MURRAY LEARNING SERVICES

Peer Writing Center

Ignatian Honors Program

Loyola’s Honors Program is a mission-driven educational experience that challenges students to explore and discuss ideas through a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum. The program offers two tracks: a humanities track that integrates History, English, and Theology; and a STEM track that integrates Math, Science, Computer Science, and Engineering. The program is designed for students who demonstrate the desire and ability to generate personal insights through critical and creative thinking.

Certificate Program

A traditional liberal arts education is designed to liberate the minds of young men, allowing them to pursue a multi-disciplinary education. Our Certificate Program recognizes and rewards students who identify and practice their passions through a combination of coursework and co-curricular activities.

Students can choose from one of the following exciting options and earn a specialized certificate upon graduation.

• Cyber & Informatics

• Expression & Creativity

• Global Mindedness & Inclusion

• Integral Ecology

• Service & Justice

Beyond the Bell

Any Loyola Don will tell you that his experience goes well beyond the daily academic schedule. With a wide variety of co-curricular opportunities, there are no limits to what you might discover beyond the bell. Between the array of intramural sports, clubs that are open to all students, and our athletics program that offers no-cut sports each season, it is rare to see a Don leaving campus at the sound of the last bell.

Clubs & Activities

Part of what makes Loyola a fun and engaging place for our Dons is the variety of co-curricular opportunities in the midst of a school culture that encourages everyone to get involved! Whether writing for the literary magazine, performing stand-up comedy, planting trees in the community, or playing flag football with friends, Loyola offers a variety of co-curricular clubs and activities to keep our Dons entertained and enriched long after the last bell rings. Clubs are open to both middle school and upper school Dons.

Athletics

Our athletics program is an indispensable part of our mission to educate the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. Our coaching staff stresses competing with character. That means keeping one’s humanity, grace, and perspective no matter the outcome of an individual or team competition. Beginning in 6th grade, Dons can experience a robust intramural program to help foster competition and comradery. All Dons in 7th12th grade can play on one of our interscholastic teams that compete in the competitive MIAA. Loyola student-athletes have been recognized as high coveted by colleges and universities, where many go on to receive scholarships to play at the Division I, II, and III levels.

Student Life

Life at Loyola centers around the Latin phrase “cura personalis”. The individual and genuine care for each student is at the focus of many of our policies, practices, and procedures here at Loyola. In Ignatian tradition, cura personalis, care for the person, compels each member of the Loyola community, adult and students alike, to respect the unique talents of each individual on campus.

Daily Schedule

Loyola operates on a schedule that incorporates a 4-day cycle. Each day, Loyola students will have six 50-minute periods throughout the day. During the day, each student is guaranteed two 30-minute free periods to be used for lunch and down time. Because of the cascading schedule, you never begin or end the day with the same classes on consecutive days. The first bell rings at 8:00 a.m. and the school day concludes by 3:00 p.m.

Students may arrive to campus as early as 7:15 a.m. and don’t forget breakfast will be served in our award-winning dining hall beginning at 7:30 a.m.!

Free Periods

Each day, high school students will have two 30-minute free periods in their schedule. These periods can be used for lunch, study, or meeting with a teacher. Whether a student chooses to hang out on the concourse overlooking Hargaden Field, the Learning Commons in St. Ignatius Hall, or the Senior Balcony overlooking the dining hall, there is no shortage of spaces for our Dons get work done or share a meal with their classmates.

Student Leadership

Our Dons don’t just participate in school-wide events and initiatives. In fact, they take the lead in planning many of our proudest traditions! From forums to fun spirit weeks, there is always something fun happening at Blakefield.

Student Body Forums

Peer Educators

Student Government Association

Spirit Weeks

Clubs & Activities Fair

Middle School

Students in grades 6–8 experience an academic program that ignites curiosity, stretches imaginations, and ultimately leads to success at the high school level. With the addition of our brand new, stateof-the-art St. Ignatius Hall, being a Middle School Don is better than ever!

While actively integrated with grades 9–12 for all aspects of student life (sporting events, student forums, Mass, pep rally, mentorship opportunities, and more) they have an experience that is all their own.

• Advisory program and Peer Educators program

• PE and recess everyday

• Brain breaks between consecutive classes

• Computer science courses

• Grade level field trips

Upper School

• Students have homeroom daily.

• Students in 9th and 10th grades assigned a Guidance Counselor.

• Students in 11th grade assigned a College Counselor to work with them through college applications and beyond.

• Activities period begins at 3:10, where students can join a club meeting, meet with teachers, or get homework done before athletics practice.

• 4:00 - 6:00pm Athletics practices

Inclusion

We believe in the power and necessity of diversity to achieve a greater richness of ideas and to prepare our Dons to be leaders in an increasingly global community. Our students enjoy a campus that draws from the entire metropolitan region, bringing young men who possess a variety of talents and perspectives. Each blazes his own path as he grows during his time here. We celebrate the engineer-artist, the poet-athlete, the cyber-musician and everything in between.

Fostering a Community for Everyone

Creating a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion is the responsibility of our entire school community. At Loyola Blakefield, our dedication to academic excellence and to educate men to serve others is inseparable from our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. It is at the root of our mission to ensure that each member of our community has full opportunity to thrive in our environment.

Read More about our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives

Retreats & Conferences

Affinity Groups & Clubs

against Racism

Retreats

Retreats at every grade level provide opportunities for students to grow in their faith and form lasting bonds of brotherhood. Together, they become aware of God’s presence in their lives, discover the importance of community, and share experiences that create empathy and understanding. Many of our retreats are student-led, which strengthens our retreat experiences, and allows students to form relationships with mentors and friends across our campus.

Service at Every Grade Level

Community work is where spiritual growth and being a man for others takes concrete form. Each grade level partners with a local organization and members of the class visit and participate in one service day per year.

6th Grade

Blakehurst Retirement Community

7th Grade

Ridge Ruxton School

8th Grade

Beans & Bread, Community Assistance Network Food Pantry

9th Grade

Loyola School

10th Grade

Gallagher Services at Gribbin Center

Service

Our Ignatian Service and Justice Program makes the concepts of love for the human family and commitment to social justice vivid and relevant. More than just an added requirement for graduation, global and local Ignatian service is an integral part of a Jesuit education and courses through the heart and soul of our curricula.

11th Grade

The Franciscan Center

Senior Service Requirement

Seniors are required to complete 40 hours of Christian Service before graduation. We ask students to choose one organization in which to complete 40 hours of direct service working with a marginalized group, or they can take one of our many Summer Service Trips, both national and international. Students are also asked to write a reflection piece on the work they completed.

Arts at Loyola

Our fine and performing arts programs give Dons the opportunity to dive in and experience many different cultural, social, and spiritual perspectives. At Loyola, our Dons create their own masterpieces as budding artists, musicians, or actors, and express themselves in their own creative ways.

Performing Arts

Grab your favorite instrument, or just your voice, and join one of our choral or instrumental ensembles. Don’t have any experience? No problem! With our disciplined performing arts curriculum and dedicated faculty, you’ll be hitting those high notes in no time. Once you get enough practice in, you’ll get a chance to represent Loyola at a variety of music festivals and concerts throughout the school year.

The Blakefield Players

The Loyola Blakefield Players present three productions each year for the school community including a drama, a musical, and a comedy. In addition to performing on stage, our Dons also serve as the technicians for sound, lights and backstage for each show. This year we are proud to present The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Addams Family (the musical), and Noises Off.

FIND OUT MORE AT LOYOLABLAKEFIELD.ORG/ blakefieldplayers

Act,

Play, Sing We’ve Got It ALl!

In addition to a multitude of after school clubs and activities, each of our instrumental and choral ensembles are offered as courses through our curriculum and many require auditions before joining. See a few of our offerings below!

Instrumental

Middle School Concert Band

Upper School Concert Band

Jazz Ensemble

Jazz Combos

Choral Arts

6th Grade Chorus

7th & 8th Grade Chorus

The Blakefield Singers

AnDONte

Speech & Debate

This award-winning program has represented Loyola Blakefield on the local and national stage for decades. Members meet every day after school to refine their oratory skills in areas such as Lincoln-Douglass debate, congressional debate, declamation, interpretation, extemporaneous speaking, and more. This program builds leadership skills while raising the craft of speech and debate to an art form.

We strive to make a Catholic education accessible and affordable by offering a variety of merit and need-based grants and awards. Our goal is to ensure that we partner with families in making their son’s dream of a Loyola education a reality.

Need-Based Scholarships

Our mission is to extend the opportunity to attend Loyola to students across the entire region. Financial aid grants are awarded to families with demonstrated financial need as determined through an application process.

Academic Merit Scholarships

We provide multiple levels of scholarship grants to students who display outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and involvement in co-curricular activities. Recipients are identified during the admissions process.

Financial Aid And!

Athletics & Co-Curricular Scholarships

Program directors, activity moderators, and coaches partner with our Admissions team to identify candidates for awards in a variety of areas, including speech and debate, interscholastic athletics, and the arts.

Transportation

Our students hail from all around the Baltimore region, and we are proud to offer families many bus transportation options in partnership with Kangaroo Coach. With both A.M. and P.M. routes serving a wide variety of regional locations, you have the option to make the choice that best serves your family’s needs. Learn

Family Involvement

When your son enrolls, the whole family becomes part of the Loyola Blakefield community. Campus events, volunteer opportunities, and robust parent/guardian associations provide valuable outlets to make new friends, engage in meaningful social and service experiences, and grow as one Ignatian family. We hope you’ll discover the many ways that your family can be part of the blue & gold spirit at Loyola!

The Journey of a Loyola Don

Whether you play a sport, perform with the Blakefield Players, or devote yourself to service and justice, there is a place for you at Loyola. No two Dons take the same path from his first day on campus to graduation in the Hollow. While we all share some of the same experiences, at Loyola you have the freedom and opportunity to be yourself and share your passions with fellow Dons.

Play a sport

Perform on stage

Graduate as a Man for Others

Win championships

CONTACT US

Chief Admissions & Enrollment Management Officer

Mr. Stephen Abrams (443) 841-3684

sabrams@loyolablakefield.org

Assistant Director of Admissions, Middle School

Mrs. Sina Cook (443) 841-3682

scook@loyolablakefield.org

Assistant Director of Admissions, Upper School

Mr. Sebastian Price ’02 (443) 841-3360

sprice@loyolablakefield.org

Attendance & Enrollment Coordinator

Mrs. Kristi Skinner (443) 841-3544

kskinner@loyolablakefield.org

Baltimore Sun 2023

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