Fine Arts Department

A message from Fine Arts Department Chair Jason Steffen...

The Fine Arts Department seeks to cultivate Cura Personalis in a manner consistent with the teaching mission of Saint Ignatius College Prep. The study of performing arts and visual arts enhances and enriches a student's intellectual, physical, emotional, and interpersonal skills. Through learning in the arts, a student is able to develop curiosity, awareness, social responsibility, and artistic integrity through cross-curricular connections to the world. Students can experience a wide range of courses all four years at Saint Ignatius, whether through performing courses like band, choir, orchestra, dance, and music theory, or through visual art courses like painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, graphic design, and animation.

Thomas Merton, Trappist Monk and Theologian

"Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time."

Resources

Meet the Fine Arts Department: Performing Arts

List of 4 members.

Mrs.LizaMicelli

Music Teacher
Mr.JasonSteffen

Fine Arts Teacher/Department Chair

Bio
Jason Steffen has made a significant impact as a music educator at Saint Ignatius College Prep, where he has dedicated 19 years of his career to fostering a love of music among his students. Starting his journey as a part-time instructor for an introductory music course, Steffen has grown into a well-respected figure within the school's music program. A graduate of Elmhurst College with a Master’s degree from Vandercook College of Music, his path to teaching music was not initially clear. During his senior year of high school, he contemplated majoring in history. However, a pivotal moment occurred when his former high school band director invited him to assist at a summer marching band camp, igniting his passion for music education.

As an educator, Steffen teaches a variety of classes, including Beginning Band for novices, Wind Symphony, Wind Symphony Honors, and Jazz, as well as two percussion ensembles. His commitment to cultivating talent is evident in the way students of different levels collaborate, allowing them the opportunity to experience music in a cohesive, ensemble setting. Many students choose to study music throughout their four years, developing their skills and deepening their appreciation for the art form.

Beyond the classroom, Steffen is actively involved in school life as the moderator of the Pep Band and the Tabletop Gaming Club. His educational philosophy centers around encouraging students to become lifelong learners, whether it be mastering an instrument or simply enjoying music as an art. Steffen said, “I find immense gratification in witnessing my students’ growth and improvement, which not only motivates me to teach with passion but also fosters a vibrant musical community at Saint Ignatius College Prep.”
Ms.Mary EllenSchneider

Fine Arts Teacher
Mr.KevinBellie

Fine Arts Teacher & Registrar

Bio
His dance class is so different from everything else the students get to do.

For fifty minutes a day, teacher Kevin Bellie makes sure they get to move around, be creative and listen to music.

“They get the chance to just have fun, and almost by accident they learn about the art form,” says Bellie.

Growing up, Bellie trained in all styles of dance. His teachers prioritized a life blend: Being a well-rounded dancer and a well-rounded person. This ignited his own desire to educate young people about the importance of the arts and becoming that versatile individual.

Before Bellie started teaching, he was a company member for 16 years and an artistic director for nine at Circle Theatre Chicago. It was here that his dream of directing became a reality.

Bellie draws on that experience every single day. He runs the theater program at Saint Ignatius College Prep, in addition to teaching those dance classes.

He reminds students that during the pandemic everyone turned to the arts.

He says, “Everyone was binge watching television, listening to music, going online to create their own art – And that’s because it’s a vital thing in our community.”

From the community back to class, Bellie tells his students that we need the arts to survive. He works to make sure the humanities are not forgotten.

Meet the Fine Arts Department: Visual Arts

List of 3 members.

Ms.TeeganNess

Fine Arts Teacher

Bio
“Art allows us to express ourselves in ways that words can not,” says Ms. Teegan Ness, Fine Arts teacher at Saint Ignatius College Prep. Ms. Ness hopes that her students can use art to express universal and personal truths. “We are naturally creative beings,” she says. “Art is essential to self-expression, to understanding what it means to be human and to discovering common ground between different perspectives.”

Ms. Ness has seen the Fine Arts program expand and diversify in her 14 years teaching at Saint Ignatius. She spearheaded the creation of photography, ceramics and sculpting classes and helped move many classes across the street to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Center. The expansion of the Fine Arts department is expected to continue with the construction of Sodality Hall.

Ms. Ness believes that learning arts in a variety of different mediums teaches students visual literacy, a skillset crucial to understanding media and succeeding in any number of professions. “This is a visual world,” she explains. “Film, video games, advertisements - they all are visual mediums. To recognize how meaning is created from an image is a crucial skill in any field.”

Ms. Ness also sees artistic expression as part of the core tenets of Jesuit philosophy. “The Jesuits emphasize the connection between art and faith, and speak about the divine spark from God,” she says. “So to enlarge our department, and to see students grow as artists and as people has been such a privilege for me.”
Ms.EmilySteffen

Fine Arts Teacher
MrAaronArreguin

Fine Arts Teacher

Bio
Mr. Aaron Arreguin started teaching art at Saint Ignatius in 2024, but he is no stranger to teaching and education in Chicago. Before joining the Wolfpack, he taught at the Chicago Lab School and also spent a decade before that working within CPS. He's always focused on art, specializing in digital media, maker spaces, graphic design, and digital photography, to name just a few.

For Mr. Arreguin, art isn't just a job; it's a passion he's cultivated since high school. He always knew he wanted to make and teach art. His love for learning and creating led him to participate in after-school programs and weekend workshops, opportunities he valued as enriching experiences that helped him grow during his teenage years.
When it comes to favorites, film/analog photography tops his list. He loves the hands-on, technical nature of the process. More than just capturing images, Mr. Arreguin believes it "strengthens a student's patience muscle." Unlike the instant gratification of digital photography, film/analog requires printing, scanning and a deep understanding, and patience, for the whole process.
Ultimately, Mr. Arreguin hopes his students learn that art is a language. He believes that mastering this language allows for more profound connections and conversations. He said, “When students find others who resonate with their work, the language of art enables them to communicate on a deeper and more meaningful level.”

Saint Ignatius College Prep

Saint Ignatius College Prep, a Jesuit Catholic school in the heart of Chicago, is a diverse community dedicated to educating young men and women for lives of faith, love, service and leadership.