Mundelein College
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Mundelein College Skyscraper Building
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Mundelein College Skyscraper Building as seen from the rear, now part of Loyola University Chicago
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| Location | 6363 N. Sheridan Rd., Chicago, Illinois |
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| Coordinates | 41°59′55″N 87°39′23″W / 41.9985°N 87.6565°WCoordinates: 41°59′55″N 87°39′23″W / 41.9985°N 87.6565°W |
| Built | 1930 |
| Architect | Fisher, Nairne W.; McCarthy, Joseph W. |
| Architectural style | Art Deco Skyscraper |
| NRHP Reference # | 80001348 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | May 31, 1980 |
| Designated CL | December 13, 2006 |
Mundelein College was the last private, independent, Roman Catholic women's college in Illinois. Located on the edge of the Rogers Park and Edgewater neighborhoods on the far north side of Chicago, Illinois, Mundelein College was founded and administered by the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1991, Mundelein College became an affiliated college of Loyola University Chicago. It has since become completely incorporated. Mundelein College was located just south of Loyola's Lake Shore Campus.
On November 1, 1929, three days after the stock market crash, the official ground-breaking ceremony for Mundelein College was held. Even if the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVM) had been able to see the Great Depression coming, there was no stopping construction on the skyscraper building at 6363 North Sheridan Road; the first four floors of the building were already in place. Despite the financial hardships of the time Mundelein College opened its door for class registration only nineteen months after construction began on September 15, 1930. Due to the overwhelming number of students, the first day of classes had to be delayed until October 3, 1930. At the close of the college's first academic year, on June 3, 1931, traffic was rerouted, the uniformed bands of St. Mary's High School and Immaculata High School played on the front steps, and the Knights of St. Gregory escorted Cardinal George Mundelein to Mundelein College's official dedication ceremony.
Mundelein College grew out of the aspirations of both the BVM sisters and Cardinal Mundelein. Upon his placement to the position of archbishop of Chicago, Cardinal Mundelein made the education of Catholics one of his primary goals. Meanwhile, the growth of the BVM order of sisters had outpaced the educational ability of Mount Saint Joseph, the BVM college in Dubuque, Iowa. The successful partnership between Cardinal Mundelein and the BVM superior general, Mother Mary Isabella Kane, BVM, led to a college which would exceed both their aspirations. Unable to be in both Iowa at the BVM motherhouse and Chicago, Mother Isabella Kane, BVM appointed Sr. Mary Justitia Coffey, BVM to oversee all matters related to the development of Mundelein College. A year later, Sr. Mary Justitia Coffey, BVM became the first superior and president of the college.
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