St. Ignatius College was founded by the Jesuit Fathers after they had seen the need to educate marginalised black students. According to Sister Stephanie ( a founding member of Mary Ward House) the black community faced a number of challenges due to the draconian policies of the colonial racist regime. The college was meant to cater for the educational needs of the marginalised black people.

The first building to be constructed was the administration block in 1961 which housed the Jesuits before the construction of the Community House later in 1967. The next buildings to be constructed were the ZJC Block and Junior House. In 1967 the St. Ignatius College Chapel was constructed.

Sister Stephanie arrived in 1967 and helped in the establishment of Mary Ward. She has witnessed the development of the College for over forty years. Together with the Jesuits and other Mary Ward Sisters she has played an important role in teaching at the College. St.Ignatius College offered a remarkably diverse curriculum back then. Clubs like drama , Canoeing and Boy Scouts were very active in the early years. According to Sister Stephanie, there was a time when the school taught French and Latin.

Over the years St.Ignatius has produced notable figures in the community. Some of the notable figures who have passed through the College include the Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku, Petinah(a renowned lawyer based in Switzerland) and Father Chiedza Chimhanda.