Expanding Our Legacy Of Excellence

Marmion Together: Co-Education Transition
Frequently Asked Questions

What is the planned co-educational model?

In Marmion’s co-educational model, freshman and sophomore students will experience core classes in single-gender classrooms to preserve smaller class sizes, thus enabling them to build confidence, minimize distractions, and develop a strong academic foundation.

Students in all grade levels will be in co-ed environments for leadership classes (JROTC or LEAD), above grade level courses, dual credit courses, extracurricular activities, Mass, specialized electives, and more—fostering collaboration, mutual respect, and shared traditions.

You can view a sample freshman and sophomore schedule here.

Will lunch periods be single-gender?

Lunch periods will be co-ed for the Freshman/Sophomore lunch period for the 2026-27 school year.

How many female students is Marmion anticipating for the 2026-2027 school year?

We’ve had promising interest from both current families and new families looking to enroll their daughter at Marmion and we’ve seen strong participation in our girls’ sports camps and our admissions events. We’re looking to enroll 80 total young women in the freshman and sophomore classes for the 2026-2027 school year.

How are students shaping this transition?

Student voices are essential! Representatives serve on our Steering Committee, and we gather input through focus groups and forums. Current and prospective students help shape everything from uniforms to programs—they’re our best guides for creating a thriving community.

What will the uniform for young women look like?

The girls’ uniform will reflect the same quality, variety, and practicality that our families have come to expect, offering options that are both professional and comfortable for every season and activity. Our uniform standards emphasize modesty, professionalism, and school pride equally for all students, ensuring that everyone feels confident and appropriately dressed for success.

With input from future female students, we are thoughtfully developing uniform options that honor Marmion’s traditions while meeting the unique needs of our school community. This includes ensuring access to women’s-cut polos, blazers, and other tailored pieces as part of the final uniform selection. We are excited to develop this in collaboration with future Cadets.

Can young women sign up for a shadow day?

Yes! In fact, many young women have already begun to shadow at Marmion. Any 8th or 9th grade student interested in learning more can sign up for a Shadow Day with one of our current students.

When you register, we’ll ask a few questions about your interests, so we can pair you with a student who’s a great match, or you can request shadowing someone you already know.

Click here to learn more or sign up or email us at admissions@marmion.org

Which sports will be offered for girls?

We’re excited to announce that the IHSA Board has approved a recommendation to waive transfer eligibility rules for female students transferring to Marmion Academy for the 2026–2027 school year.

As Marmion transitions to a co-educational model, this decision opens the door for our future female student-athletes to fully participate and compete from day one.

Marmion will offer female students the opportunity to participate in basketball, volleyball, soccer, swimming, track and field, cross country, cheerleading, and bass fishing – with more sports to be added as interest grows.

The future of Marmion Athletics is bright, and we can’t wait to welcome our first generation of female Cadet athletes!

What courses and extracurricular activities will be available for girls?

All courses, electives, and more than 50 student clubs at Marmion will be open to both young men and young women. This includes our full JROTC program, LEAD, engineering, law, publications, world languages, honors and dual credit opportunities, fine arts, band, choir, campus ministry, and much more. Some classes may remain single-gender in structure, but all will be available to students of both genders.

A complete list of courses for the 2026–2027 school year will be released closer to the start of the year. In the meantime, you can view our current offerings in the 2025–2026 Program of Study Guide on our website.

Marmion remains committed to expanding academic opportunities and introducing new courses available to all students.

Will the young ladies participate in the Marmion Mentors program?

All Marmion students, young men and women, will participate fully in the Academy’s Mentors Program.

Will there be a choir for young men and women?

Marmion will continue to offer the Marmion Men’s Chorus for young men and will offer a comparable experience for the young women in the Marmion Women’s Chorale.

In the 2027-2028 school year, as the young women progress into their junior and senior years, opportunities to audition for a more advanced vocal ensemble will become available.

How will the co-ed transition affect the Performing Arts Programs (Marmion-Rosary Band, Jazz Band, Drama Productions, etc)?

Marmion will continue to welcome Rosary College Prep students who are in the class years of 2027, 2028, and 2029 to continue their participation in the Performing Arts Programs until they graduate.

Starting in the fall of 2026, the Marmion drama program will offer an additional opportunity in the fall for Marmion students to perform in a theatrical production.

We’re embarking on an exciting new chapter! As Marmion prepares to welcome young women in Fall 2026, we’re building on 95 years of excellence while creating something truly innovative. This transition isn’t just about adding students—it’s about expanding our Benedictine mission. The following questions and answers offer key insights to this next chapter.

What are Marmion’s top priorities in 2025-2026 and 2026-2027?

As a Catholic, Benedictine school, our priority is always to ensure continued building of a community of faith. We also will continue to build community trust, honoring our current students with exceptional education, and maintaining academic excellence while preparing for our exciting co-educational future. Every decision centers on serving students—past, present, and future—while staying true to our Benedictine mission.

Who is leading the co-ed transition and ensuring it is successful?

Everyone—Leadership, Monastic Community, Faculty, Staff, Students, Families, Alumni. This belongs to all of us, working together in our Benedictine tradition with shared commitment. Expert consultants are also supporting our efforts.

How can we support the transition?

Stay engaged, share ideas, volunteer your talents, and help tell Marmion’s story to prospective families. Most importantly, it helps create a welcoming environment for all students.

What are the high-level goals of the transition?

1. Preserve the Catholic Character and Benedictine Charism: Continue to develop strong faith and values by educating the whole person.
2. Expand Academic Programs: Innovative curriculum considering both young men and women’s needs while maintaining rigorous standards.
3. Hire Exceptional Personnel: Outstanding faculty, staff, and comprehensive professional development.
4. Facilities Enhancements: The Marmion campus is distinctive and offers exceptional facilities that are innovative and support faith-driven student success. One of our priorities is to ensure our facilities integrate welcoming spaces through thoughtful renovations for our expanded community.
5. Expand Student Life: Provide expanded athletics and activities for both young men and women

What makes Marmion’s approach unique?

At Marmion, students embark on a unique educational journey that blends the strengths of single-gender and coeducational learning. Freshmen and sophomores will experience core classes in single-gender classroom allowing them to grow in focus, confidence, and leadership, while still engaging in co-ed campus life and activities. Juniors and seniors then unite in integrated classrooms that prepare them for college and life beyond. Rooted in Benedictine values and strengthened by unmatched leadership and faith formation, Marmion continues to form young people ready to lead with purpose and integrity.

Community Update – October 2025

Reflections on Change: Fr. Michael Burrows ’70, O.S.B.

Few have lived through Marmion’s evolution more deeply than Fr. Michael Burrows.
He graduated from Marmion in 1970. After college and seminary, he returned to campus to begin a lifetime of teaching and mentoring generations of students. “It’s been a life of blessings,” he says.

Over the decades, Fr. Michael has seen significant changes. “Each time, my first instinct was to resist,” he admits. “When we closed the boarding school, I thought I’d never recover. But eventually, you realize it’s the right thing to do.”

That perspective shapes how he views Marmion’s next chapter. “At first, I wasn’t sure about going co-ed,” he says. “But I came to see it as a thoughtful and necessary step forward. The young women who join us will bring energy, balance, and strength to our community.”

He reflects on his life of service: “My identity is tied closely to Marmion’s. I’ve always felt called here. It’s a blessing to live here, to teach here, and to watch God keep renewing this wonderful and spiritual place.”

A New Leadership Position for a New Era

Marmion is recruiting for a critical new leadership role: Dean of Women. This full-time position will help shape the student experience, support our first generation of female Cadets, and uphold the Catholic and Benedictine values that guide our community. Serving as a mentor, advocate, and role model, the Dean of Women will ensure a safe, inclusive, and faith-centered environment where all students thrive. Qualified candidates can apply here.

Game On: IHSA Paves the Way for Marmion’s Female Athletes

The IHSA Board has approved a waiver of transfer eligibility rules for female students transferring to Marmion Academy for the 2026–2027 school year. This ensures that future female student-athletes can compete from day one in basketball, bass fishing, cheerleading, cross country, soccer, swimming, track and field, and volleyball. More sports will be added as interest grows.

Make it Marmion Day 2025

More than 100 students and parents joined us on campus to experience life as a Cadet. The group explored campus, met teachers, counselors, coaches, and current students. It was a day filled with energy, curiosity, and Cadet spirit!

Upcoming Admissions Events:

• Prospective Parent Night: Thursday, Nov. 6 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
• Open House: Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 PM
• Scholarship Qualifying Entrance Exam: Saturday, Dec. 6 at 9:00 AM

The 2026–2027 Enrollment Process is OPEN!

Marmion is offering a one-time $1,000 tuition grant to all new students joining us for the 2026–27 school year, including new students transferring to Marmion. This tuition grant will be available to families that complete registration by December 15, 2025. Also, incoming freshmen must take the scholarship qualifying entrance exam on December 6, 2025. Visit www.marmion.org/admissions to begin the journey.

In Focus: Engineering a Co-Ed Future

Among the leading resources young women will benefit from day one, is our state-of-the-art Computational Prototyping and Research Center (CPARC). This is a signature resource where Cadet’s dive into hands-on engineering projects, cutting-edge technology, and real-world problem-solving.

Women continue to be underrepresented in STEM careers nationwide, and Marmion is proud to offer a learning environment where every student has the tools, mentorship, and confidence to excel in engineering and innovation. CPARC brings together academic rigor and practical application through advanced modeling software, fabrication and prototyping equipment, and partnerships with industry professionals—all rooted in the Benedictine values that shape leadership and service.

As our first generation of female Cadets joins this vibrant STEM community, they will help shape the future of engineering at Marmion, contributing new ideas, voices, and talents to a space designed for all students to thrive.

New FAQs Available: Co-Ed 2026 Answers

Our community has important questions covering everything from our co-educational model to uniforms, to athletics and clubs. We’ve updated the comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions.

Here’s a sample:

What is the planned co-educational model?
We believe young men and women learn best in an environment that blends the focus of single gender learning with the richness of a united school community.

In our co-educational model, freshman and sophomore students will experience core classes in single-gender classrooms, allowing them to build confidence, minimize distractions, and develop strong academic foundations.

These students will then come together as one Marmion community for leadership classes (JROTC or LEAD), dual credit courses, extracurricular activities, Mass, specialized electives, and more—fostering collaboration, mutual respect, and shared traditions.

This intentional balance offers our younger students the best of both worlds during their formative years, combining the focused benefits of single-gender learning with the collaborative energy of co-education in their upper-class years, preparing Cadets to thrive in college, career, and life.

Community Update – September 2025

Drawing Inspiration from St. Scholastica

Marmion Academy has been shaped by the vision and life’s work of St. Benedict. His timeless Rule, lived out by the Benedictine monks who guide Marmion, has formed generations of young men in faith, scholarship, discipline, and service.

As Marmion prepares to welcome young women, we are finding additional inspiration from St. Benedict’s twin sister, St. Scholastica. Just as St. Benedict established communities for men, St. Scholastica nurtured communities for women. She guided them with devotion, wisdom, and courage. Together, the lives of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica show us the power of faith that is shared across differences, of holiness lived side by side. In that same spirit, Marmion will now bring together young men and women, forming a community where all gifts are valued and all voices are encouraged to lead.

We are in the early stages of developing two formation frameworks for next year: A St. Benedict Brotherhood and a St. Scholastica Sisterhood. Each will offer students a unique sense of belonging, mentorship, and formation within their own gender community, while also serving as complementary expressions of the same Benedictine mission. Together, they will help cultivate both the distinct gifts of young men and young women and the shared unity of a Marmion community rooted in prayer, service, leadership, and love of God.

It’s official: The 2026–2027 enrollment application is OPEN!

For the first time in history, Marmion Academy is now accepting applications from both young men and young women for the 2026-2027 school year.
The excitement grows! So far, we are seeing a strong increase in the number of registrants, including young men and young women, to the admissions process compared to last year.

To celebrate this milestone, Marmion is offering a one-time $1,000 tuition grant to all new students joining us for the 2026–27 school year, including new students transferring to Marmion. This tuition grant will be available to families that complete registration by December 15, 2025. Also, incoming freshmen must take the scholarship qualifying entrance exam on December 6, 2025. Interested families can apply here.

Upcoming Admissions Events:

• Make it Marmion Day (8th Graders Only) – Monday, Oct. 13 from 9:00 AM to Noon
• Open House – Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1:00 PM
• Open House – Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 6:30 PM
• Entrance Exam – Saturday, Dec. 6 at 9:00 AM

Fall Traditions: Prospective Families Experience Marmion

Every fall, Marmion invites prospective students and their families to campus to experience the Cadet spirit firsthand. This year has been extra special as we welcome young women. Some highlights!

• Go Cadets Night: More than 100 prospective families were welcomed to a pre-game celebration and then stayed to watch our Cadets football team earn a big win on the gridiron.
• Marmion hosted the Sideout Shindig Girls Volleyball Tournament that brought together 300 female student-athletes from 24 school teams for two days of competitive volleyball, showcasing incredible talent, energy, and teamwork.
• Prospective students and their families helped us celebrate Homecoming with a bonfire party, a BBQ Dinner and a Cadets football game. The highlight at halftime was the Pass-in-Review parade, where the Cadet Corps marched in formation to honor Marmion’s military heritage.

Other Catholic High Schools Thriving After Move to Co-Ed

Marmion is not alone in the journey to a co-education model. Across the country, Catholic schools are finding that co-education strengthens both their enrollment and their mission. The shift has allowed schools to broaden academic offerings, expand extracurricular opportunities, and create a more vibrant community life. Here are some recent examples:

• St. Laurence High School (Burbank, Illinois) transitioned to co-education in 2017, pairing the change with academic innovations and has become the fastest-growing Catholic high school in the Archdiocese of Chicago.
  (By-the-way: Noted education consultant, Dr. Donna Kiel, helped guide St. Laurence through this change. Marmion is proud to have her on our transition project as well. Email her questions or thoughts at: dkiel@marmion.org)
• Notre Dame High School (West Haven, Connecticut) welcomed young women this year and immediately celebrated its largest freshman class in decades.
• De La Salle Institute (Chicago) became fully co-ed in 2017 and saw 420 young women enrolled alongside 500 boys in the first year.
• Archbishop Riordan High School (San Francisco, CA) The Marianist Catholic high school became co-ed in 2020 and has since achieved record enrollment.

Marmion Launches First-Ever Girls’ Athletic Camps

As Marmion Academy prepares to welcome young women, we are excited to share another milestone: our first-ever girls’ athletic camps this fall. These free clinics bring middle school girls to Marmion to experience the spirit of our community while training with our newly hired varsity women’s coaches.

• Girls Basketball Camp – Over 70 registrants and counting!
  Alumni Hall | Sun Evenings – 10/5, 10/12, 10/26 | 6–8 PM | Open to 4th–8th graders
• Girls Volleyball Camp – Over 90 registrants and counting!
  Alumni Hall | Sat Mornings – 10/11, 10/25 | 8–10 AM | Open to 4th–8th graders
• Girls Soccer Camp – Just added!
  Alumni Hall | Tuesday 10/14 | 6–7:30 PM | Open to 5th–8th graders

For more details, visit www.marmion.org/fallcamps.

This Month’s FAQ

So many in our community have been asking great questions about our next chapter. We are replying individually as fast as we can. See our continuously updated FAQs on our website. Keep those questions, comments, and ideas coming! Here’s one FAQ from the list:

1. Preserve the Catholic Character and Benedictine Charism: Continue to develop strong faith and values by educating the whole person.
2. Expand Academic Programs: Innovative curriculum considering both young men and women’s needs while maintaining rigorous standards.
3. Hire Exceptional Personnel: Outstanding faculty, staff, and comprehensive professional development.
4. Facilities Enhancements: The Marmion campus is distinctive and offers exceptional facilities that are innovative and support faith-driven student success. One of our priorities is to ensure our facilities integrate welcoming spaces through thoughtful renovations for our expanded community.
5. Expand Student Life: Provide expanded athletics and activities for both young men and women.

Marmion Together: Expanding our Legacy of Excellence

Edition: August 29, 2025

We are pleased to share another update about the exciting progress of Marmion Academy’s mission-aligned work to become a co-educational institution in the Fall of 2026.

Go Cadets Night Next Friday

Join us as we ‘Kickoff to the Future’ at our first Go Cadets Football Night on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025! We’re excited to welcome prospective young men and women in grades 5-8 to join us for our first-ever co-ed Go Cadets Night. The evening will feature food, football, and fun.

In Focus: Let’s Talk About Marmion’s Hybrid Co-Education Advantage

Marmion leaders are designing a hybrid co-educational learning model that blends the focus of single-gender classrooms with the richness of a united community built on Marmion’s proven tradition of academic excellence and grounded in our Catholic, Benedictine heritage.

In this approach, freshman and sophomore students will experience core classes in single-gender classrooms and then come together as one Marmion community for leadership classes, AP and dual credit courses, extracurricular activities, Mass, specialized electives, and more—fostering collaboration, mutual respect, and shared traditions.

This intentional balance offers our younger students the best of both worlds during their formative years, combining the focused benefits of single gender learning with the collaborative energy of co-education in their upper-class years, preparing Cadets to thrive in college, career, and life.

Building Our Team

Marmion is proud to announce three new faculty hires as we prepare for the historic shift to co-education. Their presence helps shape the strong, inclusive learning community that will welcome both young men and women in the years ahead.

Dave Brown
Mr. Brown joins the Counseling Department. He holds a B.A. from Western Michigan University and is completing an M.A. in Special Education. He has two years of educational experience and nine years of basketball coaching, including five at Marmion. Mr. Brown will teach Freshmen Skills, working with our counselors and teachers to support students, and serve as our substitute coordinator.

Jenna Micko
Ms. Micko returns to the English Department. She holds degrees from Elmhurst and Concordia, with 18 years of teaching experience at schools including Roberto Clemente Academy, Walther Christian Academy, and Marmion. She will teach freshman and sophomore English as well as AP Literature and Composition.

Greg Ott
Mr. Ott joins the English and Theology Departments. He earned degrees in English and Creative Writing from St. Louis University and the University of Chicago and has 12 years of teaching experience at Washington University, Benedictine, and Harper College. At Marmion, he will teach freshman and junior English, the senior Theology elective Life of Catholic Writers, and co-moderate the Creative Writing Club.

Abbot Joel Talks Co-Ed Transition and More with Good Morning Aurora

Click HERE for a conversation Abbot Joel had with Good Morning Aurora, a morning public affairs show broadcast out of Aurora City Hall. Abbot talked about the history of Marmion, his own roots in Aurora, and the next chapter of Expanding Our Legacy of Excellence.

Welcome, Lauren Black, to the Admissions Team!

Marmion Academy is thrilled to welcome Lauren Black as Director of Recruiting, Marketing, & Social Media within the Admissions office. Her arrival comes at a pivotal time as Marmion transitions to co-education, a change with major implications for recruitment. Lauren has more than a decade of corporate and educational leadership with extensive experience in digital strategy and community engagement. She has served Waubonsee Community College and St. Mary School, where she boosted enrollment by 40%. Lauren holds both a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Lewis University. Welcome Lauren!

Historic Firsts for Marmion’s Athletic Program

As we prepare to welcome young women student-athletes to Marmion, we’re proud to welcome three first-of-its-kind hires in coaching.

Anne Iwinski, Head Women’s Varsity Soccer Coach
Coach Iwinski brings nearly 30 years of playing and coaching experience, including standout careers at Naperville Central and Northern Illinois University, where she still ranks as one of the program’s all-time greats. Coach Iwinski will also serve as Head Men’s Varsity Soccer Coach.

Dan Murray, Head Women’s Basketball Coach
With 25 years of coaching success, including stops at Immaculate Conception, Lisle High School, and Marian Catholic, Coach Murray has earned 14 regional titles, five sectional championships, nine Sweet 16 appearances, and 11 District Coach of the Year awards.

Megan Wille, Head Women’s Volleyball Coach
Since 2019, Coach Wille has been shaping athletes across the Fox Valley as a coach and program manager for the Cyclones Volleyball Club. With a background in social work and behavioral studies, Coach Wille combines her love for volleyball with a passion for building teamwork, resilience, and confidence in her players.

This Month’s FAQs

So many in our community have been asking great questions about our next chapter. We are replying individually as fast as we can. See our continuously updated FAQs on our website. Keep those questions, comments, and ideas coming!

Here are a couple of FAQs:

How will students shape this transition?
Student voices are essential. Representatives serve on our Steering Committee, and we gather input through focus groups and forums. Current and prospective students help shape everything from uniforms to programs—they’re our best guides for creating a thriving community.

How will families and alumni be involved?
Parent and alumni advisory groups support our efforts, ensuring we consider all needs of current and future students. Your insights are essential to our success. Follow the regular updates on the Marmion Together Hub.

Looking Ahead

Thank you to everyone who has offered support and prayers, asked a question or shared a thought. Your continued engagement throughout this process is essential.

Be sure to check our Marmion Together Hub for progress and updates.

Marmion Together: Expanding our Legacy of Excellence

Edition: July 24, 2025

We are pleased to share another update about the exciting progress of Marmion Together: Expanding our Legacy of Excellence, our mission-aligned work to become a co-educational institution in the Fall of 2026.

JROTC to Welcome Young Women Leaders

One question we’ve received frequently: Will incoming young women students have the opportunity to be part of JROTC? The answer is yes. Marmion’s JROTC program—one of the premier high school leadership programs in the nation—will proudly welcome women cadets. Young women students will also participate in our LEAD (Leadership Education and Development) program.

Curriculum Innovation

The academic team—Principal Joe Large and Assistant Principal Rebecca Cann—is developing exciting academic and programmatic opportunities for Marmion young men and women that integrate the most innovative and faith-based curricular offerings. Keeping the Benedictine mission as the framework of the Marmion curriculum, the co-ed transition offers an opportunity to expand the tradition of academic excellence and rigor.

350+ Stakeholder Surveys Completed

To everyone who responded to our invitation to inform the transition through the stakeholder survey, thank you! You have provided us with exciting ideas and valuable insights to ensure that Marmion Together extends our legacy. We’ll share key takeaways in our next update.

Engaging Focus Groups of Young Women

Marmion’s Director of Community Outreach, Nancy Konrath, has just completed three in-depth focus groups with young women who are currently in middle school about various aspects of the co-ed transition, including uniform policies, sports teams, and academic programs. The students were from both Catholic and public-school backgrounds and have expressed an interest in Marmion.

Welcome Marmion Student Rep Jack Christoffel!

We’re delighted to welcome Jack Christoffel ’26 as the student representative on the Steering Committee. As incoming student body president, Jack brings a thoughtful student voice to our planning process. Jack has already shown us that the older folks don’t always know best!

Marmion Young Women’s Athletic Program

Marmion is welcoming exceptional candidates for the positions of women’s head basketball coach, women’s head volleyball coach, and women’s head soccer coach. Joe Currie, Marmion Athletic Director, is accepting recommendations or applications for these three outstanding opportunities. The ideal candidates will have the experience, vision, and leadership to build a high-quality, competitive program from the ground up. Marmion is committed to providing our young women with a premier athletic program for the 2026-2027 school year. Much more to come!

Facilities Update – Architecture Firm Hired

Special thanks to Tom Moore, our facilities manager of over 17 years, who is leading the effort to prepare our buildings to welcome our young women students. Under his guidance, we are implementing key upgrades — including the reconfiguration and expansion of restrooms and locker rooms.

Tom and his team have partnered with Wight Construction, a local firm with extensive experience in Catholic school projects. A top priority is to ensure that all demolition and construction minimize disruption to campus life. Preliminary drawings of the work ahead are in progress.

Marmion Uniform for our Young Women

The Steering Committee has reviewed uniform options for Marmion’s young women students and has made selections. Thank you to the young women who shared their feedback on the many choices presented. We’ll share more details and photos in the coming weeks. The uniform protocols for our Marmion young men will remain unchanged in the 2026-2027 school year.

Telling our Story

As shared in our last update, Marmion has partnered with Maclyn—a nationally respected marketing and creative agency based in Naperville—to help tell the story of this next chapter. In the coming weeks, you’ll begin to see new communications that reflect our transition to a co-educational environment, including recruitment materials for both male and female prospective students.

Looking Ahead

We’re committed to preserving everything that makes Marmion special, while also providing innovation and new opportunities co-education brings to our community. This journey reflects the Benedictine call to conversion — growing and evolving, while staying grounded in the values that define us.

Thank You

Thank you for your continued support and engagement throughout this process. Your feedback, questions, and enthusiasm fuel our commitment to making this transition successful for everyone involved.

We will be sending an update like this every month throughout this process. Also, make sure to check in on the progress and provide your perspective at our Marmion Together Hub.

With God’s blessings for all of you,

Abbot Joel Rippinger, OSB, Chancellor, Marmion Academy
Anthony Tinerella ‘84, President, Marmion Academy
Joe Large ‘97, Principal Marmion Academy

Marmion Together: Expanding our Legacy of Excellence

An Update on our Next Chapter

With summer upon us, we are pleased to share exciting progress on Marmion Together: Expanding our Legacy of Excellence, our mission-aligned initiative to become a co-educational institution in Fall 2026.

Why This Matters

This next chapter will enrich our community, broaden our reach, and prepare even more young people to grow in faith, knowledge, and leadership. Co-education will bring new perspectives, foster deeper understanding, and strengthen the bonds of our Marmion family. We’re committed to ensuring that this change reflects the values that have made Marmion a place of excellence for generations.

Welcome Dr. Kiel!

We are thrilled to have Dr. Donna Kiel guiding our work as Project Manager. Dr. Kiel is coordinating the many moving pieces of this process, ensuring that our efforts remain student-focused and true to Marmion’s Benedictine character.

With decades of experience in Catholic education, Dr. Kiel has led a successful transition to co-education as a former Catholic School principal and as a consultant to other Catholic high schools. Her collaborative spirit and deep understanding of Catholic school culture will be invaluable.

How This Work is Organized

To guide our work, we’ve established an organizational structure that will oversee a timely, and effective process. This structure includes:

• The Marmion Together Steering Committee, composed of core administrative, mission, academic, and operational leaders, meets weekly to provide strategic oversight, align efforts across departments, and ensure that every component of the transition reflects our Catholic mission and Benedictine values.

• The Marmion Together Faculty and Staff Committee Structure, composed of five major committees – Curriculum and Instruction, Academic, Student Life, Culture and Climate, and Systems and Structures — includes every member of our faculty and staff. Each committee is supported by focused working subcommittees that are addressing the practical and cultural dimensions of a thriving co-educational Marmion. This collaborative approach empowers all members of our school community to participate meaningfully in the transition process.

Telling Our Story

This is a big change for Marmion. Adjustments to our brand and public positioning is necessary to speak to a wider community of parents and students. Marmion has engaged Maclyn, a nationally respected, Naperville-based marketing and creative agency. They specialize in values-based brand strategy, marketing, public relations, content creation, and web design. Maclyn will help us refresh our brand, sharpen our message, and guide our outreach.

Understanding How Learning Differs by Gender

We recently welcomed Dr. Leonard Sax, a leading expert on gender differences in education, for the first of many professional development sessions with our faculty and families. Dr. Sax’s insights are helping us deepen our understanding of how boys and girls learn differently and how we can best support all students as we move forward together. Over the next months, we’ll be sharing fascinating data on this subject.

Your Voice Matters

We want your voice to be part of this journey. We invite you to check in on the progress and provide your perspective at our Marmion Together Hub. Here, you will find project updates, background information, and opportunities to share your ideas and feedback. Your insights and prayers are essential. Bookmark us today!

Thank You

We are deeply grateful for your prayers and support. Together, we will ensure Marmion’s legacy of faith, leadership, and service expands to include future generations of young men and women who will benefit from Marmion’s commitment to foster the life of the mind and the soul.

With God’s blessings for all of you,

Abbot Joel Rippinger, Chancellor, Marmion Academy
Mr. Anthony Tinerella ’84, President, Marmion Academy
Mr. Joe Large ’97, Principal, Marmion Academy

Catholic Benedictine High School Announces Hybrid Co-Ed Model as early as 2026

AURORA, Nov. 19, 2024 – Marmion Academy, a college-prep high school in the Fox Valley, has announced it will implement a hybrid co-ed model after more than 93 years as single-sex, all-boys school. The announcement follows a Nov. 16 vote by the Marmion Abbey chapter of monks to approve the planning and implementation of a co-ed hybrid model, with plans to accept female students as early as the 2026-2027 academic year.

“Throughout our long history, Marmion Academy has implemented changes in its structure, while remaining true to our values of academic achievement, spiritual formation, and character development for our students,” Abbot Joel Rippinger, OSB stated. “After a year of intense study, discernment and prayerful reflection, we’ve determined that it was the right time to make this change. Our values, rooted in the Catholic Benedictine tradition, will remain at the heart of our mission.”

Early outlines of the new model would have freshman and sophomore students attending single gender classes. Juniors and seniors would attend co-ed classrooms. Other details, including exact timelines, will take shape over the next several months.

“We are confident that this move is in the best interests of our students and the needs of our community,” said Abbot Rippinger. “We look forward to this new chapter in our history and the many opportunities it will bring for our students.”

Abbot Rippinger said the move to a co-ed environment delivers key benefits, including:

• Preparing students for the diverse, interconnected world they will encounter after graduation. A co-ed setting fosters richer discussions, a variety of perspectives, and essential collaborative skills—traits that are increasingly important in today’s world.
• Meeting the needs of the Catholic community in the Fox Valley and surrounding areas, where many families value the Benedictine tradition and Catholic education and are eager to provide their daughters with the transformative experience that Marmion Academy offers.
  
• Positioning Marmion for long-term growth to ensure a strong and healthy Marmion is available for many generations of young people to come.

A History of Adaptation and Growth
This move is just the latest in a history of adaption to the changing needs to the Catholic community Marmion serves. In 1971, Marmion closed the Lake Street campus to bring the student-body to one campus. In 1994, Marmion transitioned from Marmion Military Academy to Marmion Academy. In 2002, it closed the residential program. All these shifts were instrumental in shaping the Marmion Academy of today.

In the coming months, Marmion will be in conversation with students, parents, faculty, and the greater school community to examine the best ways to make this change successful and beneficial to everyone.

Why is this happening?

• As the greater Fox Valley area has experienced a change in population, it has given us the opportunity to reevaluate our current single sex model. We are always looking at ways to keep Marmion moving forward as a leader in spiritual growth, leadership and academic excellence. The Monastic Community and Board of Directors believe this is what will make Marmion viable and vibrant for the future. We have a phenomenal opportunity to share the Benedictine charisms with a whole new set of students!
• This model will foster academic growth, mutual respect and social skills needed to succeed in life while still upholding the religious values and traditions that define our school.
• Marmion history dates back to 1933 and has undergone changes to adapt to the needs of the community while staying true to the mission. These examples include: closing of the Lake Street campus in the early 1970s, becoming Military Optional with the addition of the LEAD program in the early 1990s and closing the residential program in 2002. While change can be difficult, these changes have positively impacted the evolution of Marmion Academy.
• We recognize the importance of traditions rooted in single sex experiences. Certain programs, retreats and events designed to foster brotherhood, or sisterhood will continue as part of the Marmion experience.

When is this going to happen?

The private phase of this process is complete. The Marmion Board of Trustees has recommended a shift to this new, hybrid model. The Monks of Marmion have voted and have approved the recommendation of the Board. We will now begin the public phase which includes developing new programs, professional development for teachers and staff and inviting the contributions of all stakeholders to ensure the best experience for all students.

• Implementation is scheduled for the 2026/27 school year with accepting freshman and sophomore young women. Classes will remain single sex freshman and sophomore years with coed classes beginning junior and senior years.
  • Current freshman and sophomore students will be juniors and seniors when the young women join our community, but those young women will be part of the Freshman/Sophomore single sex classes. They will, however, be in the hallways and participate in many of the accelerated classes and activities that the young women of Rosary are currently enrolled in.
  • Current junior and senior students – nothing is changing.
• Remember, Marmion is used to teaching young women with the elective classes we have offered to them for more than 40 years with band and choir, and more recently AP computer science, LEAD, AP stats, law classes and our CPARC classes.
• Marmion will always be Marmion. Our mission, core values, and traditions will remain unchanged.

What about the Marmion Brotherhood?

This new model will not impact the Marmion Brotherhood. This experience will have single sex classrooms for freshman and sophomores as well as single sex retreats and other experiences all four years that will continue to support the Brotherhood as it is today. Young women will also have opportunities to form and grow a sisterhood and both young men and young women will come together to become “One community in Christ”.

What about Rosary?

Communication with the Dominican Sisters of Springfield has been ongoing for over two years. As mentioned in a recent letter from Prioress Sister Mary Paul, Rosary College Prep will maintain their single sex identity and we will continue to support their mission.

Do we have room?

Yes! Plans were already in the works to renovate Benkert Hall and Athletic Locker rooms and bathrooms. Once renewed, our facility will be able to support a much larger enrollment.

What if I have more questions?

In the near future, we will be sending out information that includes surveys and meeting dates to obtain stakeholder feedback. We want to hear your ideas as we move forward.