2024–2025
Impact Report
A Letter from the President
It is my great honor and privilege to say thank you. Thank you for your commitment to students at Loyola University New Orleans. Every day, I witness what your generosity makes possible. You are present in classrooms as faculty teach lessons that will go far beyond our walls. You are there when students experience opportunities to grow and strengthen their faith. You can be seen in offices as staff connect students with scholarships that make their journey possible. Every day, you help make dreams come true. And, every day, you offer inspiration to those who walk our campus.
It is with that in mind that I share these philanthropic highlights from the 2024–2025 academic year at Loyola University New Orleans. These achievements are only possible because of you. Thank you for your support and your dedication as we rise to meet this moment. I look forward to another exceptional year with you at our side as we prepare our students to lead lives with and for others.
Gratefully,
Xavier A. Cole, Ed.D. President, Loyola University New Orleans
IN 2024–2025, DONORS COMMITTED NEARLY $13.8 MILLION IN NEW GIFTS, PLEDGES, AND PLANNED GIVING COMMITMENTS.
$1,274,689 Loyola Fund
$1,745,708 Capital Gifts
$264,670 Professorships/Chairs
Loyola’s endowment provided more than $11.9 million in spendable income to meet critical financial needs – roughly $4.4 million came from the Unrestricted Endowment to fund university expenses and $7.5 million came from the Restricted Endowment to fund scholarships, professorships, chairs, and other activities.
Loyola received more than $1.3 million in new gifts to the endowment this year, providing crucial resources for a sustainable future.
In Loyola’s fiscal year ending July 2025, the university’s total endowment pool was $253 million, $90 million of which was unrestricted.
In the 2024–2025 fiscal year:
$1,610,880 Scholarships University Advancement hosted and supported 80 events nationwide with 3,610 registrants engaged with the university.
These events celebrated successes, honored alumni, raised funds, and connected members of the Wolf Pack of all ages.
Faculty and Staff Excellence Fund
Attracting and retaining exceptional talent is critical to Loyola’s mission. To ensure Loyola’s future as a preferred destination for outstanding scholars, artists, coaches, and staff members, current and former Board of Trustees members led the charge to establish the Faculty and Staff Excellence Fund. The Fund serves as an immediateuse resource to provide essential financial support for faculty and staff salaries, including stipends and bonuses for our most dedicated and integral community members.
Thanks to the generosity of the Loyola community, full-time faculty who have served Loyola for 10 or more years were celebrated and given a stipend as recognition for their commitment to higher education in Louisiana.
The heart of Loyola is its academic excellence, which relies on the dedication and hard work of our brilliant and caring faculty. The recruitment of top-tier talent and the retention of the brightest minds and long-serving personnel are of the utmost importance. Thank you to the donors who helped make this milestone possible.
You made Loyola Loyal Day history on March 19–20, 2025!
On our annual day of giving, 1,123 donors came together to surpass our goal of 1,000 donors. Your generosity unlocked significant funding from a challenge gift of $311,500, bringing the total raised during Loyola Loyal Day to $440,502 to support Loyola and its students. Once again, you have shown what it means to be Loyola Loyal, and we THANK YOU!
SAVE THE DATE for Loyola Loyal Day 2026 on March 18–19, 2026!
SCAN to watch the launch video
Gift Planning
In 2018, retired Loyola faculty Darla Durham wanted to help undergraduate students whose academic prospects were affected during the academic year by a death in the family, a health crisis, a natural disaster, or any other unexpected event that threatened their academic journey. With the creation of the Darla Durham Emergency Scholarship Fund, she sought to limit students’ exposure to unnecessary debt and other financial concerns as they navigated these unexpected circumstances.
“I was a faculty member in the library, a department head, and then coordinator for all of technical services in the library for over 30 years. I thought back to the many students without whom we wouldn’t have been able to run the library. All of my student workers were receiving financial aid in the form of work/study grants. Many of them were truly struggling and, over time, were accruing significant debt.
As we began to work with University Advancement for fundraising for the library, I came to understand the long-term impact that debt had on the ability of our alumni to ‘give back.’ During
solicitation calls, I heard that indebtedness felt to many of our alumni like indentured servitude. Remembering those calls, I felt that a bit of sacrifice on my part could alleviate some of the expense of attending Loyola.
For the last five years of my career at Loyola, I worked in University Advancement, primarily with retired faculty and staff and older alumni. It was easy for me to ‘sell’ Loyola because I had loved my students so much. I am in touch with many of them, even more than 10 years post-retirement, and I am honored that several of them have chosen to become library or
Darla supports this emergency fund using a direct distribution from her IRA, which allows her to meet her minimum distribution requirement while avoiding associated tax liabilities from the distribution. “It’s a no-brainer. Qualified Charitable Distributions are tax-exempt. In my case, I’m giving back to Loyola a part of what its generous retirement benefits gave to me.”
Learn how you can make a difference through gift planning like Darla at loyno.planmylegacy.org
Darla Durham with scholarship recipient Nettoyan Saxon at the 2025 Scholarship Donor Reception. information professionals.”
Our incoming class, the Class of 2029, enrolled 752 first-time freshmen students!
They come from all across the United States; 40% of these students come from outside of Louisiana to call New Orleans home. They are studying pre-nursing, biology pre-health, psychology, criminology and criminal justice, finance, and more. We were so excited to welcome these new members of the Wolf Pack!
In addition to this exciting enrollment news and thanks to the generous support of Loyola donors, 13 students will receive the Catholic Identity Scholarship. As a Catholic Jesuit University, Loyola is an academic community dedicated to the education of the whole person. By thinking critically and acting justly, students are taught to embody the Ignatian ideals of faith, truth, justice, and service. Thanks to alumni and friends, this new scholarship continues to grow, empowering future generations of Catholic students to pursue their academic dreams in a supportive and enriching environment while deepening their faith.
This is what it truly means to be people with and for others, who seek to contribute their life’s activities towards the greatest good. As we celebrate these new students whose Loyola journey has just begun, let us hope for them all to strive for Magis, to carry on their lessons learned to make our world a brighter place.
Thank you to the many alumni, donors, parents, faculty, and staff who gave of their time and talent to share what is possible at Loyola at college fairs, meetings, and admissions events across the country!
If you are interested in continuing our efforts to increase enrollment by going to your high school and speaking to students about Loyola, tagging along with an admissions team member to college fairs, or staffing one on your own, sign up using this QR Code.
Check the “admissions” box on the form, enter your contact information, and a staff member will follow up to help you join us as an admissions ambassador for Loyola.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
New Orleans Entrepreneur Week (NOEW) celebrated a major milestone in its 14th year with a bold and collaborative new chapter. For the first time, NOEW was co-produced by Loyola University New Orleans’ Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development (CECD) and long-standing innovation leader The Idea Village.
Held March 24–29, NOEW 2025 drew more than 3,300 attendees across 39 official events at 33 venues throughout New Orleans.
The week culminated in the NOEW Summit at Loyola University New Orleans, which alone featured 63 sessions, 132 speakers, and three live stages, bringing together 1,200 founders, students, investors, and professionals.
More than 90 volunteers, consisting of Loyola University faculty, staff, and students, played a critical role in making the week a success, supporting everything from logistics and hospitality to speaker coordination and audience engagement.
This year’s themes—Start It Here, Scale It Here, (Not So) Artificial Intelligence, and Business of the Future—reflected the city’s growing leadership in climate tech, health innovation, and cultural entrepreneurship. Programming throughout the week highlighted the unique strengths of the Gulf South while inspiring participants to build, grow, and innovate locally and globally.
“Our partnership with Loyola will create even more opportunities for our city’s entrepreneurial community to thrive,” said Jon Atkinson, CEO of The Idea Village. “This collaboration strengthens the natural connection between education and business and lays the groundwork for long-term economic growth in the Gulf South.”
The week also featured NOEW in Your Neighborhood, with over 30 community-led events in 26 locations across the city, bringing entrepreneurship directly into New Orleans communities.
“NOEW opened my eyes to what’s possible,” said one attendee. “I used to think I’d just stay in corporate and retire, but now I’m starting my own venture. The resources and connections I found here were truly life-changing.”
As the CECD continues to build a lasting, inclusive platform for entrepreneurship and innovation, NOEW 2025 stands as a testament to what’s possible when education, community, and startup culture come together with purpose— and passion.
This historic partnership delivered a dynamic, citywide celebration of entrepreneurship that empowered thousands and set the stage for a new era of innovation in the Gulf South.
COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES
As the university continues its long tradition of providing an exceptional education in the liberal arts, the Dr. Constance Mui, Ph.D., and Rev. David A. Boileau, Ph.D. Endowment in Philosophy supports teaching, research, and scholarships in the Department of Philosophy.
In the 2024-2025 academic year, this entirely donor-funded endowment strengthened education in philosophy and theology by allowing Dr. Mark Gossiaux to pursue research in Leuven, Belgium, at the Institute of Philosophy at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven. It also provided funding for Dr. Everett Fulmer to travel to the Eastern Division meeting of the American Philosophical Association, where he presented on Aristotle’s logic with his co-author Cole Green. Cole is a Loyola alumnus who is now a graduate student at Georgia
State University. It is worth noting that it is extremely unusual for an undergraduate to present at the American Philosophical Association. This is a singular honor made possible through the generosity of our donors and is a testament to the strength of the educational offerings at Loyola.
Funding from the endowment also supported conference travel for Dr. Joel MacClellan, the purchase of computer equipment for use on campus, and expenses incurred by our student Ethics Bowl team, which competed in the National Bioethics Bowl championships in Salt Lake City this past spring. The team finished in the top 10 at the competition!
The endowment was established in 2021 in honor of Dr. Mui and Rev. Boileau and the profound effect they had on countless students through the study of philosophy. Dr. Constance Mui has served as a professor of philosophy at Loyola since 1987. She specializes in continental philosophy and has published articles on phenomenology, Sartre, Strawson, Beauvoir, Marcel, the problem of embodiment, and feminist theory. Father Boileau served as a professor of philosophy at Loyola from 1970 to 2006. He dedicated his work to promoting equality, social justice, and fighting labor discrimination.
Bobet Hall, home of Loyola’s Department of Philosophy
Dr. Mark Gossiaux Professor of Philosophy
Dr. Joel MacClellan Assistant Professor of Philosophy
Dr. Everett Fulmer Assistant Professor of Philosophy
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH
In 2024, a unique scholarship was created to celebrate a milestone in the nurse-midwifery program at Loyola University New Orleans College of Nursing and Health. Thanks to the support of longtime Loyola benefactors Lynn and Mike Coatney, the first baby caught by a Loyola nurse-midwifery student was granted a scholarship to attend the university. (Note: Midwives use the term “catch” rather than “deliver” to more clearly attribute the work to the mother.)
Loyola launched the program in August 2023 with a mission to improve healthcare outcomes across the state in response to Louisiana’s maternal health crisis. Last fall, students started their clinical rotations, where they began “catching” babies under the supervision of certified nurse-
ATHLETICS
The achievements of our scholarathletes and coaches this year have been nothing short of remarkable.
Loyola University New Orleans Athletics brought home three conference championships, saw seven teams nationally ranked or receiving national votes, and had nine programs represented on the national stage. These milestones reflect the relentless work ethic, passion, and resilience that define Wolf Pack Athletics.
None of this happens in a vacuum. Our progress—on and off the field— is made possible by the unwavering support of our Loyola community: alumni, families, and donors. Your belief in our mission fuels everything we do.
midwifery preceptors. To date, over 300 babies have been caught by Loyola nurse-midwifery students.
“We are honored to expand Loyola’s great legacy and provide an opportunity for a future student to have a rewarding and meaningful college experience,” said the Coatneys. “By recognizing the connection between nurse-midwives and the families they work with, we hope to empower students to continue this vital work.”
The Coatneys’ contribution will grow over the next 18 years, ensuring that when baby Charlie reaches college age, she will receive financial support to attend Loyola. Should Charlie choose a different path, the funds will be redirected to support future nursemidwifery students.
As we continue to grow our Athletics program and train elite athletes who represent Loyola with excellence, both in competition and in the classroom, we are embarking on an exciting next chapter for the University Sports Complex: a $3 million renovation that will transform it into a facility worthy of our athletes’ talent and ambition.
Originally designed as a recreational complex, the current space lacks the specialized facilities needed to sustain our program’s momentum and attract top-tier student-athletes. The planned renovations include a state-of-the-art weight room, key infrastructure and technology upgrades, a dedicated sports medicine suite, collegiate-level locker
rooms, and expanded office space to support new and growing sports.
We are proud to share that Loyola has already received a $1 million lead gift to launch the project. This gift serves as the cornerstone of our campaign to raise $3 million by the end of the 2025–26 school year.
Together, we look forward to cheering on the Wolf Pack as Loyola Athletics continues to rise—stronger, faster, and more united than ever.
Baby Charlie was born on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at Ochsner Medical Center in Baton Rouge.
COLLEGE OF LAW
In May 2025, Loyola University College of Law announced that law students Alexis Cortez, Rebecca Keller, and Logan Pullin were selected as the inaugural Lemmon Environmental Law Fellows.
The Andrew and Joan Lemmon Environmental Law Fellows Program, made possible by the generosity of Andrew A. Lemmon, J.D. ’87, and his wife, Joan, provides qualified applicants with student internship opportunities in the College of Law’s Center on Environment, Land and Law (CELL) which is dedicated to educational research and advocacy designed to harness the power of law and public policy to create a healthy environment and a just society.
Fellows work with Loyola’s affiliated law faculty and staff, including Professor Rob Verchick, the Gauthier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar and Chair in Environmental Law and the faculty director of CELL, and Dr. Alessandra Jerolleman, CELL’s Director of Research.
Dr. Jerolleman has a long history of working along the Louisiana coast in support of communities facing environmental challenges.
“The Lemmon Environmental Law Fellows program will play a key role in the growth of Loyola’s Center on Environment, Land, and Law,”
Verchick said. “In collaboration with communities throughout the Gulf, our students will apply what they learn in the classroom in service to others and to the planet. Opportunities like this are what draw these students to Loyola. This is the kind of experience that changes lives and sets the foundation for fulfilling careers.”
“We are grateful to Andrew and Joan Lemmon for this significant
gift to Loyola. Their generosity furthers Loyola’s commitment to environmental justice,” says Dean Madeleine Landrieu, J.D. ’87, H’05.
Andrew Lemmon, the son of late Justice Harry Lemmon, J.D. ’63, and Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon, J.D. ’64, graduated from Loyola in 1987 as a member of the Loyola Law Review and in 1994 from the George Washington University with an LL.M. degree in environmental law. Lemmon worked his lifelong passion for social justice, the outdoors, and the environment into a thriving business and career. In April 2000, following the birth of his son, Stuart, Lemmon opened the Hahnville office of the Lemmon
Rob Verchik, JD
Gauthier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar and Chair in Environmental Law
Alessandra Jerolleman, PhD, JD, MPA, CFM Director of Research, Center on Environment, Land, and Law
Alexis Cortez, 3L
Rebecca Keller, 2L Logan Pullin, 2L
Law Firm in the original office of his grandfather, James P. Vial. Lemmon now maintains a national trial practice out of the New Orleans office of Milberg, Coleman, Bryson, Phillips, and Grossman, where the Lemmon Law Firm, LLC is Of Counsel. He also handles select public interest litigation and a substantial pro bono practice.
Joan Folse Lemmon is from Lockport, Louisiana, and has broad experience in her career as a respiratory therapist (LSU Health Sciences), cardiopulmonary researcher, and chef (John Folse Culinary Institute). The Lemmons share a passion for social justice and the environment and are honored to be part of the Loyola Family.
COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND MEDIA
In 2024, Louellen Aden Berger was selected to receive the Integritas Vitae award, Loyola University New Orleans’ highest honor, given to an individual who has exemplified the Jesuit values and lived a life of integrity.
In recognition and celebration of this momentous occasion, her husband Darryl established the Louellen Aden Berger Endowed Scholarship in her honor. The scholarship supports firstgeneration students in the School of Music and Theatre Professions in the College of Music and Media at Loyola.
In 2013, Louellen and her sister, Bonnie Aden Brooks, together with their father, Ervin Aden, established the Iona Mae Aden Endowed Scholarship at Loyola, in honor and memory of their late mother and wife. That scholarship
also provides support for firstgeneration students in the College of Music and Media.
“Scholarships like those created by the Bergers ease at least one of the burdens of college for first-generation students, who often experience a different type of support network at home than their peers. Where college is always about students finding their path forward, providing monetary ease in some fashion to students who are facing more challenges than most is an incredible and lifelong positive impact. I am so grateful to Louellen, to Darryl, and to the many generous individuals in our community who give in support of scholarships at Loyola,” shared Kate Duncan, Director of the School of Music and Theatre Professions in the College of Music and Media.
Louellen Berger (center) accepts the Integritas Vitae Award at the 2024 1912 Society Dinner. Pictured with President Xavier A. Cole (left) and former chair of Loyola’s Board of Trustees Robért Leblanc (right).
For students at Loyola University New Orleans, donor generosity goes beyond dollars and cents.
Your generosity helps create new programs, it expands opportunities for students, and it changes the face of our campus. This has never been as true as it is right now. Over the past several months, through the commitment of countless individuals, three major projects have seen their completion just in time to welcome students back for the fall.
1 The Chapel of St. Ignatius was consecrated on July 31 with a Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond. Located in the center of campus, the circular-shaped chapel is situated outside of Monroe Hall and is fully operational after 15 years of planning and three years of construction and finishing touches.
2 The Danna Student Center reopened after extensive renovations to expand eating spaces, introduce new food options, and overhaul existing facility systems in a modernized student hub. The new space is open, inviting, and full of laughter and community as students enjoy meals and fellowship together.
3 Loyola’s new residence hall, Uptown Hall, offers apartmentstyle living for more than 600 students. The apartments feature large windows, exposed concrete walls, and modern laminate floors, along with a modern kitchen. Each floor includes communal lounges for socializing and studying. At the heart of Uptown Hall is an expansive community center featuring a versatile space that serves as a hub for events, meetings, large gatherings, socializing and studying. This updated living space will lead to greater student retention and enhanced student satisfaction.
As we excitedly enjoy these new and updated spaces on campus, we look forward to the next chapter of our journey as a school and as a community. Thank you for allowing Loyola to improve and grow so that our students can flourish.
Orleans Room Chick-Fil-A
UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
6363 St. Charles Avenue Campus Box 909
New Orleans, LA 70118
loyno.edu/give We would love to see you soon. Don’t miss these upcoming events.
1912 Society Dinner loyno.edu/1912
President Xavier A. Cole, Ed.D., and the Loyola University New Orleans Board of Trustees request the honor of your presence at the 1912 Society Dinner as we celebrate Loyola, honor the 2025 Integritas Vitae Award recipient, and induct our new lifetime giving society members.
College of Law Alumni Luncheon loyno.edu/lawlunch26
You are cordially invited to the 2026 College of Law Alumni Luncheon. Please join us as we honor our St. Ives Award recipient and celebrate another wonderful year at the College of Law.