Ignatian leaders are contemplative in action, meaning everything that they do is grounded in humility, gratitude and careful consideration for others. To that end, Prep’s Office of Student Life hosts the annual Ignatian Leadership Conference (ILC) for rising seniors in the final days of the school year. This three-day conference takes place after graduates have commenced and juniors have taken their place as the “big kids” on campus.  

This is an exciting time for the rising seniors. Not only have they made it to their final year of high school, but their windows of opportunity are beginning to open as they prepare for life after Seattle Prep. However, there are still some important lessons to be learned in their leadership development.  

ILC 2024 kicked off with keynote speaker Dominique Alex ’00, CEO of Seattle-based non-profit Mary’s Place. A prime example of an Ignatian leader herself, Alex led an informative dialogue on family homelessness and housing inequity, inspiring students to take their passion for uplifting others beyond the halls of Seattle Prep. 

Following the keynote speech, a handful of students tested their leadership skills through student-led workshops like yoga with Sophia Magnano ’25 and Aubrey Iversen ’25, dungeons and dragons with Jonah Paulus ’25 and Katharine Abadir ’25, and friendship bracelets with Julia Feraboli ’25, Mary Pelly ’25 and Scarlett Ebel ’25. The day ended with an all-class meeting with Prep’s college counseling department, sharing important information on what to expect in the coming school year. 

The next two days of the conference would consist of workshops led by faculty, staff and alumni--honing in on topics such as accountability and success with The Oz Principle, led by current parent and alum Tim Russel ’93; the value that creativity can add in fostering community and solving problems with Creative Thinking led by librarian and Alum Katie Lovejoy ’97; and the importance of destigmatizing failure and embracing the learning experience with Normalize Failure, led by Athletic Director Sam Reed. 

The Ignatian Leadership Conference serves to enlighten students to lead with competence, conscience, and compassion, fostering the development of well-rounded Panthers ready to make a difference beyond their four years at Seattle Prep.