Notre Dame College Prep Names New President and V.P.

Niles, Illinois – August 14, 2014 –The board of directors of Notre Dame College Prep today named Ralph J. Elwart (right) as the school’s president, effective August 15, 2014. Mr. Elwart, a former counsel of the Allstate Insurance Company, has been active in Catholic education for many years, most recently serving on the Sacred Heart Commission on Goals of the Sacred Heart Schools in the United States, reviewing the performance of the community’s extensive network of schools.

“We are very pleased to have attracted someone of Mr. Elwart’s caliber to Notre Dame College Prep,” said Paula Waters, chair of the school’s executive board. “He has the professional experience and dedication necessary to lead Notre Dame College Prep to the next level of excellence in the values-based education of young men.”

An honors graduate of the University of Miami, Elwart holds a Juris Doctor degree from the John Marshall Law School, and is admitted to practice law in the State and Federal Courts in Illinois, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He has a broad legal background with more than 30 years’ experience in corporate and commercial law, management and litigation. He served in the United States Army from 1968 to 1971 as a Special Agent in Military Intelligence in the United States and the Republic of Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze Star with “V” device.

He has served as chairman of the board of trustees for Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart in Lake Forest, IL. In addition, he was chair of the parish finance council and a member of the parish school board of St. Mary’s Church, Lake Forest, Illinois.

“I am grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to the future here with great anticipation,” said Elwart. “I am thrilled to be associated with a school that has a nearly 60 year tradition of excellence in producing graduates prepared both for college and for life.”

Elwart takes over from Peter Newell, formerly of Citigroup Global Markets and a 1967 graduate of the school who has served as interim president since April, 2014. “We are grateful to Peter Newell for his hard work in preparing the school for a new leader,” said Waters. “As we look toward celebrating Notre Dame’s sixtieth anniversary next year, he has laid the groundwork for a secure and exciting future.”

The board also appointed its current head of enrollment, Shay Boyle (left), to the position of vice president for institutional advancement and enrollment. This promotion adds the fundraising and alumni relations departments to his areas of responsibility.

Boyle is an honors graduate of the University of Notre Dame and holds a master’s degree with honors from Lewis University, where he was assistant men’s basketball coach. He joined Notre Dame College Prep in 2012 from Gordon Tech High School where he was the director of enrollment and boys’ basketball coach. Boyle also served as assistant men’s basketball coach and basketball program coordinator at Loyola University. Prior to his career in coaching he served as a systems and assurance consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

“We are enlarging Shay’s area of responsibility in recognition of his accomplishments in the enrollment department,” said Peter Newell, interim President, Notre Dame College Prep. “Our growing enrollment and enhanced academic offerings dictate a robust development program and we believe Shay will apply the same energy to this effort he has to enrollment.”
Notre Dame College Prep was founded in 1955 by the priests of Holy Cross, Indiana Province. Control of the school passed to a lay board in 2007 under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Since then, enrollment has grown to the largest in decades and test scores have risen. Millions have been invested in the physical plant and academic and other programs. Located on 28-acres, Notre Dame College Prep provides young men with educations in faith, scholarship and service. It offers a challenging curriculum that meets the individual needs of a diverse student body. With 15 interscholastic sports and more than 30 clubs, activities and intramurals, the 830 students, achieve well-balanced educations and nearly 100 percent of its graduates go on to college.. The school will admit another large freshman class in August, 2014, with students from the United States, Asia and Europe.