Anthony Day: 15 Years of Leadership & Service at Loyola Blakefield
Anthony Day arrived at Loyola in 2008 after being appointed its new principal. Prior to that, he served as Assistant Principal at Regis High School, a Jesuit institution in Manhattan. He began his career in Jesuit education at Fordham Preparatory School where he spent seven years as an English teacher, only to be returning this fall as its new president. As he begins his tenure at Fordham, we look back on his time at Loyola—a period marked by extraordinary growth in academic and co-curricular programming, enhancements to our buildings and grounds, and the expansion of spiritual formation and service offerings.
Anthony and his daughter Olivia during the Installation Reception in 2013.
Appointed as Loyola’s first permanent lay President in 2013, Day led Loyola to its most successful fundraising initiative in school history: a $32 million capital campaign that financed the construction of St. Ignatius Hall, enhanced the school’s scholarship endowment, and bolstered annual giving. He was also instrumental in crafting and implementing the strategic vision that has guided the school’s growth over the past decade.
Day’s legacy at Loyola is one of collaboration, as well as thoughtful and reflective Ignatian leadership. Below are just a few highlights from his career at Blakefield.
- Led Loyola through an ambitious strategic plan launched in 2015 that resulted in tremendous growth and mission-focused programming.
- Guided Loyola to the Ignite Campaign, its most successful fundraising initiative in school history, which resulted in the construction of St. Ignatius Hall, enhanced the school’s scholarship endowment, and strengthened annual giving.
- Oversaw the completion of our Campus Master Plan, which included the creation of St. Ignatius Hall and the Bolte-Breschi Athletics Complex.
- Provided steady leadership of operations and learning in response to challenges and disruptions brought forth by the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that Loyola emerged even stronger than it had been before.
- Under Day’s leadership, the school engaged in a robust and collaborative process to craft its bold strategic vision for the future—a legacy that will carry on in the wake of his departure.
An active participant in summer service trips, Anthony jouned a group of students on a trip to Jamaica in 2016. He is pictured here with students at the St. Theresa school.
Day is viewed by faculty, staff, students, and families as a thoughtful and caring Ignatian educator who values a commitment to spiritual growth, service to others, and lifelong learning. As a testament to his relationship with Loyola’s students, after Day delivered the news of his transition to Fordham to the student body, members of the Class of 2023 chose not to dismiss from the Performance Gym and return directly to their scheduled class sessions. Instead, they formed a long line, and each waited to shake his hand and share brief personal words of gratitude. It was moments like this that demonstrated his connection to our Dons and his commitment to being their biggest champion. Beyond success in strategic growth, fundraising, and the many other ways we assess organizational leadership, Anthony will always be remembered for his kindness, humility, and unwavering dedication to the young men who call Loyola Blakefield home.
Please join us in thanking him for the many ways he has enriched our school community and wish him all the best as he continues his career in Jesuit education at Fordham.This article was published in our most recent issue of Blakefield Magazine. Read the publication here.
