1. Chicago an international mission field Data provided by Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

2. Chicago is a Global City Chicago is one of only 10 Alpha Global World Cities as defined by Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC). These cities are: London, New York City, Paris, Tokyo, Chicago, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Milan, Singapore. An Alpha Global City is a city that has a direct and tangible effect on global affairs and more than just socio-economic means, with influence in terms of culture or politics. Because of this direct connection to the world our prayer is that the gospel will “piggyback” through these conduits from Chicago back to countries and people groups around the world.

3. Chicago: a Global Microcosm Chicago has one of U.S.’s largest concentrations of Italian Americans as 500,000 live in the metropolitan area. The city also has the largest Bulgarian community in the world outside Bulgaria. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

4. Chicago: a Global Microcosm Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Poland. Chicago is also the second-largest Serbian city, the second largest Lithuanian city, and the third largest Greek city in the world! Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

5. the World in Chicago Chicago has the largest population of Swedish-Americans, the second largest Mexican population, and the second largest Puerto Rican population of any city in the U.S. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

6. the World in Chicago Chicago has the third-largest South Asian population in the United States after New York City and the San Francisco Bay area. Chicago is the second largest African American population for any city in the U.S. in its metropolitan area, behind only New York, City. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

7. Chicago’s College Students Almost 300,000 students attend college on a campus within Chicago’s borders. Over 500,000 college students call Chicagoland home. 52,000 college students live in Chicago’s downtown making it the largest concentration of residential student in any U.S. city’s downtown. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

8. Chicago’s Higher Learning DePaul is the country’s largest catholic university. University of Illinois Medical School is the world’s largest. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

9. Chicago’s Higher Learning Columbia College is the world’s largest media arts school. The University of Chicago ranks second after Cambridge University in Nobel Peace Prizes. Data based on the research of Lewie Clark, Icon Ministries.

10. the World Studies in Chicago Moody Bible Institute 38 countries represented in the student body. Loyola University Nearly 14,000 students are enrolled in the university's nine schools and colleges. Students come to Loyola from 74 foreign countries. Information provided by each institution’s respective websites

11. the World Studies in Chicago Northwestern University The University is home to more than 2,300 undergraduate and graduate international students from nearly 100 different countries. DePaul University More than 1,000 international students from more than 100 countries in addition to over 100 faculty and staff from around the world. The Princeton Review has name it among the most ethnically diverse. Information provided by each institution’s respective websites

12. the World Studies in Chicago University of Chicago – 112 countries are represented by 3124 international students and 793 more who are permanent residents. University of Illinois – 121 countries represented by international students. Information provided by each institution’s respective websites

13. Reach ChicagoReach the World With so many internationals coming to study at Chicago’s universities, pray with us that these students would come to love Jesus and then return to their homelands bearing the good news for their family, friends, and countrymen.