Our History

The Early Years

1873–1905

Houston History

In 1836, the Allen Brothers landed along the banks of the Buffalo Bayou to begin their "great city," now the fourth largest in the United States. In 1873, just 37 years later, Mother Mary Gabriel Dillon and two other members of the religious order of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Bless Sacrament arrived from Victoria, Texas with their own historic mission in mind.

Pioneer Sisters

The sisters were invited by Bishop John Odin to establish a much-needed school for young women. Although they had no real resources to speak of when they arrived, the Sisters came with everything they would need to begin Incarnate Word Academy: a deep desire to spread the Word of God and educate young minds.

The sisters arrived in Houston from Lyon, France by way of Brownsville, Texas on April 25, 1873. They took up their residence in a large building, once a Franciscan Monastery, across the street from St. Vincent's Church on Franklin Street. A chapel was prepared and on May 5, 1873, Mass was celebrated there. The student body marks this day each year on Foundation Day.

These pioneering women of early Texas made possible the first permanent school in the city of Houston, then called Incarnate Word Academy for Young Ladies.

The growing years

1905–1948

A Growing Student Body

In the early days, the student body was comprised of the daughters of Houston's oldest families, along with Texas settlers and farmers and recently freed slaves from neighboring parishes. Eventually, the student body grew to include students from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds as new immigrants settled in Houston and wanted their daughters to receive a good education. The school student body remains ethnically diverse to this day.

Nicholas Clayton Building

The school changed its architecture several times with the specific purpose of modernization. The principal architect for the historic building from 1899 to 1905 was the renowned Irish-American designer, Nicholas Clayton. His romantic, Romanesque-style convent of 1905 stood on Capitol Street until 2006. His surviving work can be found next door at Annunciation Church, as well as in Galveston at the Bishop's Palace, the Moody Mansion, and the Old Red Medical Museum, among others.

The building years

1948–1988

A Bold Education

Although IWA started out as more of a finishing school that offered classes like china painting, the Academy began to emphasize college preparatory in the early twentieth century. Sister Mark Edward, graduate of the Class of 1950 and principal between the years of 1982 and 1988, explained to Houston Downtown Magazine in 1985, "We still stress the values we stressed 40 years ago. The thing that has always been crucial here is that academics have been stressed more than other things like home economics."

Marian High School

In 1954, the Sisters opened Marian High School in Bellaire, Texas. Though this was a beloved co-ed school, in 1978, with the numbers of students attending parochial schools diminishing, the Sisters closed Marian High School and concentrated their efforts on IWA. To this day, many alumni from Marian are still close to the Sisters who taught them and have become supporters of IWA.

Modernizing in the Millennium

1989–2010

First President

Sister Lauren Beck, C.V.I. was named Incarnate Word Academy's first President in 2000. Under Sister Lauren's leadership, Incarnate Word Academy expanded its campus to include a beautiful performing arts auditorium and a recent building addition, with state-of-the-art classrooms to accommodate IWA's college-preparatory curriculum.

Lay Leadership

In 1994, Mrs. Mary Welch was named the first lay principal of Incarnate Word Academy. Academics at IWA have flourished since the early 2000s: honors and Advanced Placement course offerings have doubled; 100% of our graduates are accepted to college; and young women are prepared for a life of leadership with particularly relevant course offerings, including the Young Leaders Program, STEM studies and various electives in the arts.

IWA Today

2010–Present

Technology & Capital Improvements

Gone are the days of the first computers that took up entire closets on the IWA Campus. Now, each classroom is equipped with Smart Board technology and each student is provided an iPad to develop the skills, tools and experiences needed to succeed in our digital world. Additionally, in the spring of 2017, IWA opened an 18,500 square foot academic building to provide additional space for classes, collaboration, student life, and fine arts.

The Young Leaders Program

In 2010, IWA began offering a four-year character and leadership development program called the Young Leaders Program (YLP). The program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop in-demand leadership skills built upon a foundation of strong personal character. While completing the program elective, every student at IWA must take the program's core leadership course called Fundamentals of Leadership. Students who meet the requirements earn the title of Distinguished Leader. 

Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

In a constantly changing world, young women have now emerged as strong leaders in Science and Math. IWA has created courses in engineering and in 2023, launched a highly successful Robotics program, called Women of the Wires (WOW!).

Fine Arts & Athletics

In 2025, beyond academics, IWA has consistently created programs to help students cultivate their talents through nine available team sports, visual and performing arts, and both choral and band activities.

Campus Ministry

From the start, IWA students have embraced the school’s mission of academics, values and spirituality. In 2025, we can be proud of a fully developed Campus Ministry program that offers retreats for every grade level, liturgical and para-liturgical prayer experiences, service opportunities and a dedicated AP course that prepares students for leadership in Campus Ministry. Together, these experiences ground our students in the values that are fundamental to an IWA education.