With a strong foundation in place, the College of Business is looking to innovate, educate, and go global.
The Jesuit Social Research Institute partners with Rayburn Correctional Center to make a real impact.
Dr. Xavier Cole takes the helm at Loyola and returns to his Gulf Coast roots.
for
SUMMER 2023
Vol. 32, No. 2
Editor
Eve Crawford Peyton
Contributing Writers
Fritz Esker ’00
University Photographer
Kyle Encar
Designers
Antonio Delgado
Hollie Garrison
Devonté Lewis
Creative Director
Hollie Garrison
Assistant Director of Donor Relations and Advancement Communications
Dominique Becnel
Director of Stewardship and Advancement Communications
Mariah Weinand
Executive Director of Development
Stephanie Hotard ’04, M.B.A. ’10
Associate Vice President for Alumni Engagement
Laurie Eichelberger Leiva ’03, Ed.D.
Vice President for University Advancement
Chris Wiseman ’88, Ph.D.
Vice President for Marketing and Communications
Rachel Hoormann ’94 University President Xavier Cole, Ed.D.
Loyola
LOYNO
As I write this, I have recently celebrated my one-month anniversary as your 18th president. So far the work has been rewarding and exhilarating. The reception for Susanne and me has been warm and inviting all across the Greater New Orleans region. A number of people have asked me why I took the step of starting in June rather than August, as is more traditional for Loyola. The answer is that it gave me the opportunity to deeply engage our internal and external communities to make as strong an impact as possible before our fall semester starts.
What have I been doing thus far? In the past month I’ve met local civic leaders, participated in Loyola Day at the Louisiana State Capitol, and had the great joy of visiting local Catholic churches to meet their communities. The Gospel Mass at Blessed Sacrament - St. Joan of Arc impacted me spiritually and personally. The New Orleans community is vibrant and unique unto itself. What a joy to discover its experiential jewels via Catholic worship spaces!
On the planning front, following retreats with Loyola’s leadership team and the Board of Trustees, I have identified some key priorities for Loyola moving forward:
First, I plan to help strengthen Loyola’s culture among our faculty and staff through public sharing of our work. This action will help us better know our
vocations so we can understand and respect the work and the person. The hope is to spark increased collaboration among faculty and staff to lighten our loads. I further want to be intentional about recognizing the great work that happens at Loyola every day, promoting faculty teaching and scholarship and the strong mission-aligned work of our staff on our students’ behalf.
I will focus on undergraduate recruitment and retention, nurture pipelines with local K-12 Catholic schools, work with faculty to develop compelling new academic programs, and seek out new partnerships to create capacity for expanded student services and student internships. I want to be especially mindful of the student experience both inside and outside the classroom to be sure we deliver on what we promise our new students.
I also plan to take a close look at our graduate programs. Through strategic partnerships with local businesses and nonprofits, I believe that we can evolve or create programs that serve as pipelines to deliver our skilled graduates where they are most needed.
I will ensure we continue campus improvement momentum with our current capital projects.
Our existing residence halls all received some enhancements this summer, and construction on the new residence hall will begin within the year. We also continue to make progress on the Chapel of St. Ignatius and the Gayle and Tom Benson Jesuit Center. I can’t wait to gather in this beautiful spiritual center when it is completed.
Lastly, I want to get to know all of you. I am planning to visit a number of cities to meet alumni and friends and will be hosting events in New Orleans, as well. I love meeting Loyola graduates and learning about your exciting careers and servant-leadership successes. I hope you will take the opportunity to meet me in your towns. Please feel free to drop me a line at presidentcole@loyno.edu and let me know your hopes and dreams for Loyola and how you’re making a difference in our world.
With peace and blessings,
Xavier Cole, Ed.D. University President
Dear Loyola community,
Jon Batiste H ’23
On May 12 and 13, 2023, we came together to celebrate the academic achievements of the 1,253 graduates from the Class of 2023. Honorary degrees were awarded to Judge Carl Barbier, J.D. '70; Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell; John Georges, and Jon Batiste.
It was a pleasure to welcome Batiste back to New Orleans and hear his words of advice and encouragement for the Class of 2023. He delighted attendees by sharing his musical talents in an unforgettable commencement concert for graduates and their families.
We were immensely proud and honored to welcome the Class of 2023 as the newest members of the Loyola University New Orleans Alumni Association.
Understand that your kindness and empathy can change the life of someone you encounter. And all it is for you is a choice, that no matter what you're going through to walk with an understanding that we're all in this together. That's true greatness.
ON JUNE 1, he became the school’s first Black president and only the second layperson to hold that office. Even if he doesn’t wear the collar, he has an impressive commitment to Catholic, Jesuit education, and his résumé reflects that. Prior to coming to Loyola, he served for seven years as vice president for student affairs at Marquette University, focusing on initiatives supporting first-generation students and students of color. Before that, he was the assistant vice president of student development at Loyola University Maryland. Interestingly, though, while his professional background is steeped in Jesuit traditions, his own education is not; he earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Mississippi and a master’s in history from Miami University in Ohio, followed by an Ed.D. in higher education management from the University of Pennsylvania. So how did a man educated at secular institutions develop this passion for Ignatian spirituality?
Well, he met a guy. While at graduate school in Oxford, Ohio, he became friends with a fellow graduate student who had been Jesuit-educated.
“He did something extremely Ignatian – he named in me gifts and talents I didn’t know I possessed and explained how they would fit into Jesuit education," Cole said. "He saw qualities and characteristics in how I talked to people, cared for people. He saw in me cura personalis . I didn’t have the language for it then, but he did.”
Over the next few years, in addition to continuing to learn from his friend, Cole said he was formed by priests and religious laypeople. “They took my interest and poured knowledge into me, helping me develop my own faith until I could articulate exactly what Jesuit education was and could be.”
Cole deepened his religious formation through silent retreats – praying and doing the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius, meditating, and discovering his deeper
Dr. Xavier Cole made history as Loyola’s first Black president, and now he is focused on the future.
self – but he also began to explore it as a professional passion, studying laypeople in Ignatian leadership and even writing his dissertation on the topic.
Still inspired by his friend, Cole said he started thinking: “If Jesuit education made one of him, what if it could make 100? What if it could make 1,000? We could change the world.”
At Loyola, Cole is excited to continue changing the world one student at a time, but he is also laser-focused on building alliances within the New Orleans community, specifically in the areas of education, health care, and business, with the ultimate goal of making the city a more livable community for everyone.
“Loyola is of New Orleans,” he said. “We go as the city goes; the city can go as we go. As an institution, we need to be of service to our city, our community. We need to move New Orleans forward, and we are mindful of our role as an anchor in this community. I want all of our students, alumni, and faculty and staff to always ask: ‘How are we being servant-leaders in our communities?’”
To that end, he has been intentional about engaging New Orleans leaders early on. For his first board meeting, just three weeks into his tenure at Loyola, he pulled together a panel that included Michael Hecht, the president and CEO of Greater New Orleans Inc., a post-Katrina economic development organization, and Judy Reese Morse ’84, the president and CEO of the Urban League, as well as representatives from Ochsner and NOLA Public Schools.
“We talked about their needs and the needs of the region from their perspective, and we discussed how Loyola could meet those needs through community engagement, partnerships, and academic programs," he said. "We thought through how we can all move forward together, and we had a brainstorming session with the board to come up with some big ideas and get consensus on what we should prioritize. This meeting not only engaged community leaders but also more deeply engaged our board. None of this will be done in isolation –and that will be a hallmark of my leadership moving forward.”
Cole also recognizes that Loyola has a clear advantage due to the high proportion of alumni who remain in the New Orleans area.
“A key component of any university’s success is the alumni, and we have so many Loyola alumni who are well-placed locally in nonprofits, businesses, education, the judiciary, the Legislature,” he said. “I am so lucky to come into office and be surrounded by so many products of the work we do here in Jesuit education. When I introduce myself to people, the main thing I hear is how much they love and respect Loyola and how grateful they are for what their education has allowed them to do. There is a clear and present reverence for the institution.”
Cole said he always asks alumni when they last came back to campus. “I want them to know that we will create opportunities for them to come back and re-engage,” he said.
“We want to know how we can help you, but we also want to know how we can help you help us – not just in terms of your treasure but in terms of your time and talent. Having so many alumni here is a huge part of how we
will make progress in the future. We cannot advance alone – and should not try to. We need not just people who want to help but people who want to help and are of us. ”
As a Biloxi, Miss., native, Cole himself knows a little something about being of this region. In addition to being closer to family and friends along the Gulf Coast, he is excited to reconnect with the food and culture he grew up with.
“This opportunity, the possibility of being able to lead a Jesuit, Catholic school, was the driver of making this move, but I also felt like this would be a good fit for me, a place where I could be authentically myself and have it match my environment,” he said. “I realized how warm the people are down here – literally and figuratively! Warmth comes in waves here. It’s all so familiar: the food, the folkways, the language in my ears. For years, I had been one of the only ones everywhere I’d been. In Baltimore and Milwaukee, I was recognized as a Southerner, one of the only ones. People would comment about how I approach things and people – my openness, my authenticity. I am uniquely Southern. In my early morning job interview [for Loyola], people were hugging one another and talking with joy loudly; there was just a different energy. It’s New Orleans. Everyone wears their passion on their sleeve. It’s wide-open. These people immediately made me comfortable and disarmed me.”
New Orleans’ vibrant food scene is also a great source of joy for Cole, who has already sampled red beans and rice, catfish, corn bread, fried chicken, and a favorite – overstuffed shrimp po’ boys, which he said without hesitation that he could eat every day.
For the first time, too, Loyola will have a first lady, Cole’s wife of 28 years, historian Dr. Susanne DeBerry Cole. While she decides what her next steps will be professionally – she is especially passionate about adult literacy – she said she is happy to do her part in getting the family settled and making sure Cole feels supported.
“I’m looking forward to exploring and getting to know a new city and a new community,” DeBerry Cole said. “We are already attending Holy Name of Jesus, and I’m enjoying meeting people and bringing people to our home.”
Cole describes his wife as a brilliant educator and an excellent host, but he finds her to be an invaluable adviser, as well. “I have my staff and my leaders and close collaborators, but
she is the closest to me and knows me better than anyone here,” he said. “She can help unlock things I’m thinking about and help me actualize them, and she can help me phrase and parse my ideas in ways that are clear.”
As he settles into his new role, he is building on the energy and ideas generated from his first board meeting that included city leaders across the business, health care, and education sectors, and his goals are already becoming more concrete. “My full goal is to take every gift and talent I have and use it to activate every gift and talent of the people here in a way that will make our city and region better, smarter, faster, and more intentional and help them to become servant-leaders in a meaningful, engaged way. If we embrace that role and people see it as their mission, good things will happen. That kind of intention
can drive the meaningful change that we need as a university and as a city. We have issues that we need to solve that seem intractable – racism, our infrastructure – but there are solutions. You need intentional leadership and lots of folks swimming in the same direction to make meaningful change.”
As the school year begins, and Cole builds more relationships and strategic partnerships in the region, he said he will not lose sight of what he wants to accomplish.
“I am constantly reminded of the scope of being responsible for a university,” he said. “There are so many facets I have yet to discover, but I’m leaning in to what I have discovered, about myself and about Loyola and the city – and I have time. That’s the beauty. I have time.”
Givonna Joseph ’80 , instructor in music history, sat down with NPR this spring to talk about the surprising connections between jazz and opera. Occasioned by a project commissioned by the New Orleans Opera to document the influence of opera and jazz, Joseph was included in the interview to share her insights as a mezzo-soprano singer and founder of OperaCreole, a New Orleans-based opera troupe. She notes, "the wonderful thing about New Orleans is that free people of color were in the opera houses participating in, playing in the orchestras. And we have just been a part of this. Opera's in our DNA from the very beginning. We had composers like Basile Barès, Edmond Dede, Victor-Eugene McCarty, Charles Lucien Lambert, as we would say, and so many more that contributed to this art form. And we still feel their impact today as OperaCreole performs their music.”
The Loyola Center for Counseling and Education has been awarded a $2.5 million grant to expand its trauma-informed counseling and play therapy services to hundreds more underserved children and families in New Orleans over the next five years.
The grant, which comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, will help the center further develop, maintain, and enhance infant and early childhood mental health promotion, intervention, and treatment services.
A new report by Andrea Armstrong, Dr. Norman C. Francis Distinguished Professor of Law, in collaboration with her law students, provides the first analysis of deaths in Louisiana prisons and jails in 2020 and 2021, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020 and 2021, at least 375 people died behind bars in Louisiana. The majority – 272 people – died of medical causes. COVID-19 was listed as a contributing cause of death for 48 individuals, approximately 18% of all medical deaths. Louisiana also saw an increase in the number of deaths in prisons due to drugs, suicide, and violence in 2020 and 2021.
Shalanda Young ’99, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, was a key player in the recent deal to lift the national debt ceiling. Having served as a top aide in Congress for more than a decade, Young has a great deal of experience negotiating government funding. Her ability to find compromise amid heated conversations has earned her the trust of Republicans and Democrats alike.
Demolition of the former Mercy Academy high school will go on through the summer with construction of the new hall beginning after the site is cleared. The new residence hall is
The new hall will feature apartment-style housing that’s popular with today’s students. And it will give Loyola the capacity to take some of our older residential facilities offline to conduct much-needed renovations.
The Walking Dead ’s Ann Mahoney, theatre and dance instructor, has collaborated with D.C. theatre maven Gillian Shelly to pen a new play, God Help Them if We Wake Up , which will debut Nov. 3-18 at Loyola University New Orleans.
The play features 25 women, including the leading character Hannah Green (played by Nadine Marissa, also a veteran of The Walking Dead ), a woman going through a midlife crisis who leaves her life behind in search of a better world. Her private act of rebellion inadvertently causes a chain reaction, awakening an army of women, and sparking a revolution.
The production will run Nov. 3-5, 8-12, and 15-18 at the Marquette Theater in Marquette Hall on Loyola’s campus. All performances begin at 7:30 p.m. except for Sunday matinees, which begin at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at cmm.loyno.edu/ loyola-presents/buy-tickets
Eva Knowles ’23, a sociology student who minored in Spanish, has been selected for an English Teaching Assistant Fulbright Award to teach high school students in Galicia, Spain. She also has been awarded a Critical Language Scholarship to study Portuguese in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, over the summer before she starts her program in Spain.
Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (AU-ABC) Program
Loyola is making it easier for active duty Air Force and Space Force service members to continue their education. Graduates of the Air Force’s Community College of the Air Force program can complete a full bachelor’s degree in 60 hours or less. Coursework is provided in a 100% online format, making it convenient for active members of the military to study wherever they are, whenever they have time.
BY FRITZ ESKER ’00
The Jesuit Social Research Institute is changing lives at Rayburn Correctional Center.
The Rayburn program was the brainchild of Dr. Marcus Kondkar, chair of Loyola’s Sociology Department and a JSRI board member. Kondkar had been researching incarceration and sentencing patterns, focusing on life without parole at Louisiana prisons.
“This project solidified my appreciation for the value of education in prison,” Kondkar said. “For so many, education was the catalyst to transformation.”
In 2021, the Jesuit Provincial of the Central and Southern Province made a financial commitment to the project, and Kondkar began working with the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections to get the Loyola Prison Education Program started. In summer 2022, the JSRI hired Dr. Annie Phoenix as executive director and Dr. Stephanie Gaskill as a fellow. Both women had extensive experience with higher education in prison settings.
The Jesuit Social Research Institute, or JSRI, was founded in 2007 after the devastation brought to Louisiana by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The goal was to transform the Gulf South through research, analysis, education, and advocacy with regard to poverty, race, and migration.Loyola President Dr. Xavier Cole addresses incarcerated students during his visit to Rayburn Correctional Center on Aug. 9, 2023.
In June 2022, approximately 200 incarcerated men and 15 staff members applied to the program, with 20 incarcerated students and 14 correctional employees initially accepted. In spring 2023, 20 additional incarcerated students were accepted into the program. Phoenix said it was important to include staff because prison staffers are another group of people often denied access to a college education. They work long hours at low pay, and many in Louisiana are Black women.
As of right now, Loyola’s Rayburn students can earn a bachelor of applied sciences degree, choosing from multiple concentrations within that program. Phoenix said the incarcerated students’ interests tend to be centered around business courses while the staff students are typically more interested in criminology.
Life skills are also included in Loyola’s Rayburn program. Loyola students from the College of Business came to Rayburn to offer a personal finance workshop last semester.
(See p.18.)
“Students really want to learn practical, tangible skills but are also really interested in things like sociology and philosophy,” Phoenix said.
The university’s reception from students at Rayburn has been very positive. A few shared anonymous feedback with Loyola.
“We are so fortunate to be part of this venture,” wrote one student. “Lives will be changed for the better because of this. I feel confident that with the leadership provided by Loyola, success will be the most likely outcome for myself and my classmates.”
Another student said Rayburn has allowed him to complete a long-unfulfilled goal and improved his self-esteem. “My prior college experience constituted the happiest years of my life, and I’ve deeply regretted not finishing,” he wrote. “When I received the acceptance letter … I cried for sheer joy. One of the things that incarceration has done to me is compound feelings of worthlessness and meaninglessness, which I’ve already
struggled with for most of my life, but for the first time in a long time, I feel in control of my own future and that good things could be just beyond the horizon.”
Good things are on the horizon for the program, as well. Both Kondkar and Phoenix are optimistic about the future of the program, which has received over $2 million in grant funding and private donations. This summer, students received computers. Phoenix said the goal is to offer more services to Rayburn students that are available to Loyola students on the Uptown campus. Specifically, they are currently working on a model for advising and looking into how students can receive credit for past courses taken at other institutions.
Kondkar said the JSRI has received funding to expand the Rayburn model to other Jesuit universities around the United States.
“Our work is very much connected to a larger emphasis on prison education among Jesuit universities,” said Phoenix, who has already traveled to locations like Belize and Colorado to work with other institutions on similar projects. They might have their eyes on larger goals, but they’re still taking time to celebrate their current students’ success and enjoy everything this program has accomplished in a short time.
“Perhaps the most rewarding experience has been witnessing students grow in selfconfidence and self-esteem as they come to the realization they are smart and belong in college,” Kondkar said.
“This project solidified my appreciation for the value of education in prison. For so many, education was the catalyst to transformation. Perhaps the most rewarding experience has been witnessing students grow in self-confidence and selfesteem as they come to the realization they are smart and belong in college."Loyola President Dr. Xavier Cole with Loyola faculty and JSRI representatives with incarcerated students at Rayburn Correctional Center
1. Loyola's Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Strategy Justin Daffron, S.J., and Michie Bissell '64
2. Past Alumni Board President Shercole King '04 presents Bissell with the 2023 Adjutor Hominum Award at the 2023 Alumni Jazz Brunch.
3. Bissell and her family at the 2023 Alumni Jazz Brunch
Catherine “Michie” Bissell ’64 is the 2023 recipient of the Adjutor Hominum Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Alumni Association. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees and is a newly appointed member of the advisory board of the university’s Jesuit Social Research Institute. In addition to her work at Loyola, she is commander of the Grand Commandery of the South for the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, board president of the St. Jude Community Center, outgoing president of the Southern Dominican Province Advisory Board, and member of the parish council of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. She is also a member of the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Patio Planters, the Historic New Orleans Collection, and the Beauregard-Keyes House. In 2019, the Southern Dominican Province awarded Bissell the St. Martin de Porres Award for exemplifying Catholic values in health care.
Bissell grew up in the Mississippi Delta in Cleveland, Miss. Her father, a Loyola Dental School alumnus, urged her to attend his alma mater, where she earned a dental hygiene degree but says she mostly remembers being a cheerleader and in Theta Phi Alpha – “nothing about school!”
For 10 years, Bissell put her Loyola dental education to use as a volunteer with Trinity Episcopal Church’s medical missions to Honduras and Nicaragua, serving patients who had never before seen a dentist. She and other volunteers worked from sun up to sun down, sleeping on cots on an open-air porch, sharing one bathroom for 22 people, and making do with limited electricity.
Through her work with St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, she also became involved with Rising Star Outreach, an NGO based in Chennai, India, dedicated to the treatment of patients afflicted with leprosy in Southern India. Bissell says she volunteers with many organizations in the city because: “If you want to do something, stay involved. Put your energy where your mouth is.”
Dr. Annie Phoenix, the executive director of the Jesuit Social Research Institute, met Bissell at a lecture at Immaculate Conception Church. After Father Justin Daffron made the connection that they were both members of Our Lady of Guadalupe, they started sitting together at church on Sundays. “Michie asked me about my work with Loyola students at Rayburn Correctional Center and immediately started making connections and helping me to access resources for the students,” Phoenix recalls.
“Michie also asked me how much it costs for a student in the prison to get a Loyola education, and I figured out that number is $2,857 per student per year. Michie made a donation in that amount and started the Rayburn Scholarship Fund. So far, we’ve received three full sponsorships and many partial sponsorships, as well as a commitment for a match for the first five students sponsored.”
Stay involved with the Alumni Association. It's not only about treasure but also time and talent.
Don’t feel like because you don't have money because of student loans or other obligations, you have nothing. Use your time and your energy.
With a strong foundation in place, the College of Business is looking to innovate, educate, and go global.
Loyola University New Orleans prides itself on offering students across all majors the opportunity for real, hands-on experiential learning, and the College of Business is no exception.
Under the leadership of Dean Michael Capella, who joined Loyola in 2019, the college is continuing to build on its strengths while constantly exploring new areas for growth. Guided by three pillars – developing ethical business leaders, fostering a global mindset, and creating an entrepreneurial spirit – the school is poised to do exciting things while not losing sight of the basics. “This is a great environment, very collaborative, very welcoming, much like New Orleans itself,” Capella said. “Students in the College of Business have the ability to work directly with faculty, and we pride ourselves on best-in-class student services."
Last September, the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development held its inaugural Wolf Pack LaunchU, presented by Dr. Bobby, M.B.A. '81, and Lori Kent Savoie, where eight finalist teams pitched their business
Longstanding College of Business features include the Portfolio Program, a four-year career readiness program that goes from freshman advising to résumé-writing and mock interviews, and the Carlos Ayala Stock Trading Room, which is tied to a student-management investment fund class that researches stocks and generates income for scholarships for students with financial need.
ideas to win their share of $35,000 in seed funding. LaunchU is open to the entire Loyola community — students, alumni, faculty, staff, and parents — but applicants must be chosen to participate. Fourteen teams engaged in a five-month boot camp and incubation program, where alumni and local professionals advised and mentored them. The big winners were Srinee Bajaj ’15, who won $7,500 to develop Port Lookout, a software developed to streamline port activities; David Price ’23, who launched the Safety Pouch during the pandemic and won $7,000 to expand his business; and Andreca Johnson ’22, who won $5,000 for Beaucoup Beauty, which offers natural hair and beauty products for people of color.
Out of eight finalists, five are already moving forward with selling their products – an enormous success rate.
“They just came in with a lightbulb over their head, and a year later, they’re moving forward and making money,” said Bara Watts, the executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development.
And the program shows no signs of slowing down.
“We received a half-million-dollar gift from Dr. Bobby and Lori Kent Savoie for this program, so we have funding secured for the
next five years,” Capella said. “This year, we had twice as many people apply to LaunchU, and it’s only in its second year. I’m confident it will continue to grow.”
Watts shares Capella's optimism:
“Entrepreneurship, while housed in the College of Business, is a horizontal discipline that impacts every major on campus in one way or another. In this day and age, students are entering the innovation economy, and having the ability to exercise entrepreneurial thinking is invaluable. Having the skills to think creatively, problem-solve, access resources, develop networks, and so forth is fundamental to success whether starting a business, managing a project, or advancing in a job.”
Watts said that aspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders need to understand both innovation and activation. “You can have innovation – new ideas, new solutions – but if you can’t activate that innovation, it can’t be brought to market and provide good in the community,” she explained. “Some people are good at activation – they have the business and leadership skills – but without innovation, they’re just activating existing businesses and moving forward what we already have in the market. For growth and progress, you need both.”
With the help of Assistant Director for the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community
But the College of Business, fittingly enough, is always innovating.
Development Sam McCabe ’14, Watts has pioneered many programs in recent years.
The IDEAcorps M.B.A. Consulting Challenge, presented by Dr. Bobby and Lori Kent Savoie, is an immersive event created by the Idea Village and implemented by Loyola that gives M.B.A. students nationwide the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to help New Orleans businesses with a minimum of $250,000 in revenue develop a robust scale-up strategy. The program is virtual for eight weeks and then culminates in a trip to New Orleans for networking and a pitch competition to present the team’s scale-up strategy.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to show off the city,” Capella said of this year’s challenge. “We gave them tours of the Port of New Orleans, the NASA facility in Michoud, and the BioInnovation Center. Too often, people come to New Orleans and they don’t see everything we have to offer as a hub for business and innovation because they never even leave the French Quarter.”
Another program Watts and McCabe have developed is Innovate.loyno which brings in speakers and entrepreneurs to talk about their journeys.
“We are very conscious of bringing speakers who have startups in different industries so that we can help students from across campus see how their disciplines are being applied in the marketplace,” Watts said.
They also have launched the Side Hustle Expo, which rewards students who are finding creative ways to make money.
“We have identified that we have a very entrepreneurial student body – they may not identify with that word, but they live it,” Watts said. “We’ve seen everything from stunt people to baked goods to design services to babysitting apps to website development. Whatever talents and interests students have, they are making money to pay for their education and their living expenses. This year we gave scholarships for the top side hustles.”
The Entrepreneurship Club is gearing up for an active year with monthly speakers focused on topics of marketing, sales, and funding. They plan to help with business pop-ups to test club member products and hope to work more closely with community development organizations.
The Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development proactively works to provide its offerings university-wide. To do this, they have faculty fellows in each of the other colleges who work with the center to help communicate its programs within those colleges. They also identify and connect faculty
and students working on ideas, research, and programs that the center can support.
“Entrepreneurial thinking builds self-reliance, collaborative learning, and self-agency,” Watts said. “Helping a student know that they can actualize an idea is very powerful. We are assisting students in understanding their agency and unique strengths so that they can take an idea and make it happen in the world. No matter what field a person is in – science, languages, art, medicine, law – all professionals need these skills. The programs and types of courses we offer are really about building a culture of entrepreneurial thinking across campus.”
The College of Business is living what it teaches: It is now offering blended graduate programs through cross-campus partnerships. Examples include a master’s in marketing communication with the College of Music and Media that allows students to choose between a quantitative path, focused on market research and analytics, or a qualitative path, focused on mass communications, public relations, and advertising, and a master’s in healthcare management with the College of Nursing and Health.
“Think about the economy in this region –it’s tourism and health care,” Capella said. “Ochsner is the area’s biggest employer, so having that cross-disciplinary collaboration and getting exposed to the best of the College of Business and the best of our partners across campus is invaluable.”
To further leverage the relationship with Ochsner, the College of Business has recently linked up with the Ochsner Health and University of Queensland partnership, which offers medical students the opportunity to train across two continents. As part of this collaboration, second-year med students who seem like a good fit are invited to join the M.B.A. program to study hospital administration and management. This development, Capella said, was spurred on by Dr. Leo Seoane ’91, who is now the executive vice president and chief academic officer with Ochsner Health.
The school also offers the Global M.B.A. program, a partnership with two schools in Europe. “You start here, do a semester in Paris, do a semester in Munich, and end up with three degrees, which is a unique opportunity,” Capella said. “Differentiation in higher
above: Aubin Duchier '23 began Smose, an aromatherapy and essential oil business, as a Loyola student and exhibited at the Side Hustle Expo in April 2023, just before graduation. photo courtesy of smoseit.com photo courtesy of @smose_iteducation will be necessary going forward for schools to have a competitive advantage.”
In addition, Capella hopes to strengthen the school’s relationship with Central America. “New Orleans is a port city with strong cultural and economic ties to and many international students from that region,” he said. “For the most part, the international students who come here are business students, so this is a tremendous opportunity to tap into those relationships and rekindle pipelines to those countries –Panama, Honduras, Nicaragua. We need to get more of those students to consider us as a destination. Miami has displaced New Orleans as the gateway to Central America, but we still have a strong alumni base down there.”
Dr. Elisabeth Kincaid, the Legendre-Soulé chair in business ethics and director of the Center for Ethics and Economic Justice, worked for years as a white-collar criminal defense attorney and a private equity professional. She draws upon her professional background and her research in virtue ethics, Jesuit moral theology, and Catholic Social Teaching to help her lead the center and explore the challenges facing businesspeople today.
On Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, eight
“In this role, I wanted to emphasize Jesuit values, specifically around ethics and service,” Kincaid said. “I talked to other schools that do similar things and decided to incorporate this in a couple of different ways and a couple of different programs.”
At what Kincaid calls “the broad end of the funnel,” the center offers the Faith, Ethics, and Work Luncheon, which is open to all students and explores the connections around faith, ethics, and people’s jobs, looking at ethical challenges they have faced professionally and how faith informs their work.
Kincaid also oversaw the creation of the Ethics Fellows Program, an applicationonly program that selected 10 senior business students and M.B.A. candidates to be part of a small cohort focused on ethical formation and service.
“We have a biweekly colloquium where we meet in a small group setting with business leaders or to discuss readings related to ethics and service and talk about how it applies in the real world,” Kincaid said. But perhaps the biggest venture the center has taken on is its collaboration with the Jesuit Social Research Institute and the Rayburn Correctional Center in Angie, La. Working with a curriculum developed by Associate Professor of Finance Dr. Mehmet Dicle, Ethics Fellows adapted it for a prison context and came up with lesson
plans on different topics. They then went to Rayburn and did a four-hour workshop with students in the Loyola program, which included both incarcerated people and correctional center employees. (See p. 12)
“This is how we can live the mission of Loyola and help impart this wisdom to the community,” Capella said. “After we went to Rayburn, they said incarcerated people wanted more of our financial literacy class than any others. Re-entering society, they need to know how to manage money.”
Kincaid hopes to expand the program next year.
As the College of Business prepares to embark on another year, it just received the good news that it is fully accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business for the next five years. While less than 6% of the world’s business schools meet these accreditation standards, the College of Business has the distinction of being continuously accredited since 1950.
But the College of Business isn’t resting on its laurels. Courses offered next year include cutting-edge concepts, such as robotics
“We would love to build it out even further and do it over the course of the semester so students could get certified in financial literacy,” she said. “The goal is for the Center for Ethics and Economic Justice to be a place of more intense transformation and formation for leading Loyola students, including the students at Rayburn. The response from the gentlemen in the program was that they found it incredibly helpful and it gave them a sense of hope, thinking about ways their lives could be transformed.”
But it isn’t just incarcerated students who can benefit from this training. Indeed, Capella wants every student who enters Loyola to learn these lessons.
“Financial literacy is a big need within the university and externally,” he said. “Right now, personal finance is an elective class, but I want to make it part of the core curriculum so that no one graduates from Loyola without understanding the basics of their own personal finance. If we aren’t teaching financial acumen and the wherewithal to manage your own budget, we are doing students a disservice.”
and artificial intelligence. Recognizing its importance, Mary Lou and John Dasburg gave generously to support hiring a professor to teach Artificial Intelligence in Business.
“Some summer homework for our faculty was to look into ChatGPT and figure out how to incorporate it into our classes,” Capella said. “It is imperative that we teach students to leverage this technology so they understand that they can’t just take what ChatGPT tells them as gospel truth. We have to teach them to look at it critically and understand if what it’s telling them is accurate. Just like we do with other tools, we have to practice asking questions in different ways, triangulating the answers, and forming our own conclusions. But we can’t ignore it. AI is going to transform multiple industries, including our own in higher education.”
Prepared with this knowledge, the College of Business feels confident to keep up with a changing world and an evolving marketplace. “What we do here is not just about starting businesses or creating businesspeople,” Watts said. “Everything we do is about creativity, problem-solving, and activation, across all industries.”
“Entrepreneurial thinking builds self-reliance, collaborative learning, and self-agency. Helping a student know that they can actualize an idea is very powerful. What we do here is not just about starting businesses or creating businesspeople,” Watts said.
“Everything we do is about creativity, problemsolving, and activation, across all industries.”Price poses with The Safety Pouch for sale in select Walmart stores. photo courtesy of @thesafetypouch Loyola alumnus David Price '23 won the 2023 Startup St. Bernard competition in August 2023 with his product, The Safety Pouch, created to help facilitate safer traffic stops.
BENJAMIN C. FIELDS ’18, A NATIVE NEW ORLEANIAN, CAME TO LOYOLA ON A BASKETBALL SCHOLARSHIP after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina as a child. However, three major surgeries cost him two seasons on the court. An incredibly involved student majoring in finance, Fields found even more ways to get involved after graduation – returning to play basketball for a season, as he still had two years of eligibility, and serving as the Board of Trustees representative for young alumni. He works as a business manager and lead consultant for rapper Aha Gazelle and Aha Gazelle LLC . Fields splits his time between New Orleans and New York City.
the school and the city. Everywhere you turn, there is some type of connection. It speaks to the power of the university.”
“When you come here, you can find your stride, find who you are, with no need to have to fit into a mold. You will have every resource to succeed in whatever route you choose to go. Loyola allows you the comfort to make transitions and find what is right. You can step on campus and just be who you are – but also become who you are.”
“There are free orchestras, free plays, so much culture touches every avenue.”
“I’m a big purpose person. Everything happens for a reason; we all play a role. I want to be a part of someone's journey by uplifting, encouraging, being an example as a Black man in America. I had alumni who did that for me. I was blessed with this Loyola network, so I am continuing this legacy and trying to figure out my place in it.”
“Structure is pivotal for me. I don’t necessarily have set hours or a clock-in time, but as a student-athlete, I had to have study time, workout time; I had to live by my calendar, learn accountability early on, and I still apply it now. I want each and every day I have to be productive. I still go to the gym. I drink water. I eat healthy.”
“My mom is the reason I went to Loyola – she is a law alumna and was the city attorney of New Orleans after Katrina, so my whole family had strong ties to the city. I was being recruited by UNO, but then I got a call from Loyola. Mom got all nostalgic being back on the campus, and I felt at home, felt a real sense of community as soon as I stepped on campus. I was the first one in my family to leave for college, so being able to feel at peace and safe was huge.”
“I appreciate the weight of a Loyola business degree. I still talk to my professors today because they had a major impact on shaping me as a young man. I felt this support from Day 1.” “I was a student. I was an athlete. I was active in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Loyola Student Leadership Council, Residential Life, Black Student Union, Student Athlete Advisory Committee, National Society of Leadership and Success, and Chi Alpha Christian Organization. I left no stone unturned when it came to the college experience.”
“New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in the world. But Loyola is a mirror of the city. There are so many cultures, so much diversity, and so much connection between
“I’m aware that I am always representing my last name, representing my family, representing my university. I am always representing something bigger than myself.”
“Perspective is everything. Your outlook on any given situation has major effects on your outcome.”
“In the future, I just want to be an amazing husband, son, and brother. I want to be the best I can be with whatever I’m given. My father always told me: ‘Service is the rent you pay for the space you occupy.’ I’m always looking for a way to serve.”
“I can’t live without prayer, the gym, basketball and golf – both watching and playing, music, art, King of Queens , and Oreo milkshakes.”
“Time is your most important asset, and you have so much of it. We feel like we have to figure everything out immediately. People might look at me and think I have it all figured out, but life is a daily adaptation. I am pivoting every day and controlling what I can and letting go of what I can’t. Your journey is unique to you and will be as amazing as you want it to be. Nothing is impossible.”
“‘Service is the rent you pay for the space you occupy.’ I'm always looking for a way to serve.”1. Fields and his mom, Dr. Penya Moses-Fields, J.D./M.B.A. '95, celebrate his graduation after Loyola's 2018 commencement activities. 2. Fields addresses Loyola undergraduates during Student Convocation at Holy Name of Jesus Church in 2022.
When she was a junior studying communications at Loyola, her father passed away, and in addition to the overwhelming grief she had to navigate, she also found herself trying to figure out the practical considerations. The Loyola community, she recalled, stepped up in a big way.
“They helped me through that challenging year when I thought maybe I wouldn’t even be able to stay,” she said.
So as soon as she was in a position to give back to Loyola and help students, she did so, joining the Alumni Board and even serving as president of the Alumni Association from 2012 to 2014.
“There is something about the bright-eyed excitement of a college student embarking on that journey of independence that I love,” she said. “That, for me, was such a critical time in my life, when I found out who I was, and it shaped who I was going to be. It’s exciting to watch it happen to students now. It gives me the opportunity to interact with students and reignites a fire of discovery within myself while watching others grow and learn. I definitely think of myself as a lifetime learner – I would love to go back to college tomorrow, knowing what I know now. Working with students renews your faith and reminds you that so much can happen.”
So much did happen on Sins’ journey to get where she is now. She grew up with a deep reverence for food and entertaining, a result of growing up in South Louisiana and years of observing her parents’ elaborate dinner parties, but she initially pursued a career in sales and marketing. After some soul-searching, though, she abandoned that path, and in 2012, she opened Langlois, a nextgeneration interactive dining restaurant in the Marigny. Four years later, she took Langlois “mobile” to reach a wider audience and closed the restaurant’s storefront, and today, after some pandemic-related detours, Sins describes herself as “the ringleader of the Langlois traveling culinary circus.”
In addition to her accomplishments as a renowned chef and entrepreneur, Sins is also a highly sought-after speaker on the topics of "Being the Change" and inclusive leadership. With her dedication to making a positive impact, Sins has become an influential figure in the culinary world and beyond. Whether she's sharing her professional experiences or discussing the power of resilience and compassion, Sins leaves a lasting impact on her audience.
As a recipient of Loyola's prestigious Integritas Vitae award, Sins exemplifies outstanding character and a commitment
“We just do what the name says – we fill the needs,” she said. “We started originally to help with floods and other natural disasters, but the world is full of bigger problems. Whether disasters are natural or manmade, we are building a network of people who can lean on one another when they need to.”
During the pandemic, Sins and Fill the Needs provided over $2 million of COVID supplies and assistance to the local hospitality community. She also is active with Son of a Saint, a New Orleans organization for young boys who have lost their fathers to violence. When the pandemic shuttered everything, Sins taught Zoom cooking classes to Son of a Saint families.
In addition, Sins is a former board member and advocate for a nonprofit that focuses on stigma-free food distribution to anyone who needs it and works with Second Harvest to go into restaurants and “rescue” food that would be otherwise thrown away.
Despite her remarkable achievements, Sins remains incredibly humble, attributing her success to following her gut and doing what she believes is right. She encourages others to listen to their inner voice; be relentless in the pursuit of education, ideas, understanding, and relationships; and not shy away from taking risks.
to a life of integrity. It’s a well-earned honor – because Sins’ deep-rooted belief in paying it forward extends far beyond Loyola, as she actively engages in flood and disaster relief efforts through her nonprofit organization, Fill the Needs.
“My background from a Jesuit education is being there for others and using your skills to make the world a better place, so I do a lot of flood and disaster relief,” she said. “After Katrina, when everyone came to our aid, I started Fill the Needs, and since then, we have been a loose band of rogue do-gooders.”
Her nonprofit, for which she serves as executive director and founder, started with assistance to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 2008 and now encompasses work with refugees in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as a variety of pandemic relief measures. Fill the Needs became an official nonprofit in 2021.
“I just follow my gut and do what's right,” she said. “My gut has never sent me astray. My advice to anyone is to do the same thing. And hey, sometimes you have to jump in blindly – I don’t necessarily recommend it, but sometimes you’ll learn how to tread water because you took a risk and jumped in. I had no idea how to rescue people from a war-torn country 10 years ago … but in three weeks, I’m going to Germany to hug one of the families I rescued. That is going to be a very big moment.”
Sins will be honored at Loyola’s 1912 Society Inauguration Dinner on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, beginning at 6:30 p.m., at the Roosevelt Hotel in downtown New Orleans. To purchase tickets, visit loyno.edu/1912.
one of Loyola’s highest honors.
“I just follow my gut and do what's right,” Sins said.
“My gut has never sent me astray. My advice to anyone is to do the same thing."
“I am most looking forward to supporting Dr. Cole in the great work that he will be able to accomplish with our incredible faculty, staff, and administration now that the university can truly begin focusing on building for the future again. I am also looking forward to our building the new residence hall while also overhauling the existing ones, as this will really enhance our students’ on-campus experiences.
I am most proud of the way Loyola has informed how I see the world and how I live my life in terms of seeing God in all things and being a man for others. I am also incredibly proud of how well my Loyola community, including my friends, my classmates and many of my teachers, continues to remain incredibly close-knit today, over 20 years after I graduated. During Freshman Orientation, I remember a speaker saying that the bonds we made while at Loyola would last a lifetime, but I had no idea just how literal that statement would prove to be.”
sets the strategic direction for Loyola University New Orleans. The Board of Trustees (BOT) determines and reviews the goals, aims, and purposes of the university and its educational programs. In addition, the BOT elects a president; oversees the university's fiscal affairs, including approval of budgets and supervision of investments; and serves as philanthropic leaders and advocates for Loyola.
are strategic thinkers committed to the Alumni Association's mission. As Loyola ambassadors and liaisons between fellow alumni and the university, board members serve Loyola through their leadership and participation at alumni events, in meetings, and during fundraising campaigns.
works to establish and maintain an effective relationship between the College of Law and its alumni. Board members work to provide a vigorous body for sustaining and promoting the growth, development, and welfare of the College of Law.
strengthens ties among recent Loyola graduates and encourages their continued involvement with the university. YAP board members are involved in the planning and promotion of YAP events, geared toward alumni who have graduated from Loyola within the past 10 years.
“I'm most excited to support our new University President Xavier Cole as he starts at Loyola and to help bring back many in-person alumni events that had to stop during the height of COVID-19 pandemic, such as Starlight Racing. Because I got my foot in the door of the Alumni Association by volunteering on the Young Alumni Board, I am also keenly focused on helping support them and getting our alumni involved directly following graduation.
I'm proud of the university's commitment to include and engage alumni far after their time as students on campus. I'm also proud of our athletic accomplishments since I started attending Loyola 20 years ago. The work Brett Simpson and everyone in the Athletic Department has done to put our athletic programs at Loyola University New Orleans on the map has been very impressive.”
“I am most honored to have been elected to this post by my fellow alumni! I look forward to engaging my colleagues on the exciting things going on at the law school. Dean Landrieu and her team are doing an outstanding job, and the members of the Loyola Law Alumni Board want to keep the progress moving forward. I look forward to a very exciting year!
I am most proud of being elected to the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans to serve the people of New Orleans. It's been an honor to serve in this role since the spring of 2001.”
“I am most looking forward to engaging young alumni beyond the New Orleans area. The Loyola community is much bigger than the 504 area code, and I am excited for the Young Alumni Pack to make their presence known outside of New Orleans.
I am most proud of Loyola’s identity as a campus where a student can be themselves, no matter who that is. Loyola taught me the importance of being yourself and gave me an appreciation for the authentic. As an alumna, I can confidently walk into any space and show up exactly as I am.”
Judge Kern Reese, Law Alumni Board President Eugenio Hernandez III ’07 Alumni Board PresidentBecause of your generosity, our students have the opportunity to flourish, enhancing the academic excellence of Loyola University New Orleans. Your impact is felt on our campus and beyond, increasing the university's overall success.
I am honored to share some highlights of the results and outcomes that your philanthropy has fostered at Loyola during the 2022-23 academic year. Your backing has supported and inspired our students, faculty, and staff in their pursuit of excellence. Together, rooted in faith, we continue to grow as a community.
These achievements were possible only with the steadfast support and generosity of our loyal donors, alumni, and friends. Your dedication to Loyola's mission has provided scholarships, enhanced academic programs, supported faculty research, and ensured access to a transformative education for students from diverse backgrounds. I am humbled by your commitment to our university and our belief in the power of education to change lives.
In Ignatian fashion, I hope you join me in slowing down, taking a breath, and looking back with gratitude at how far we have come. The impact of your generosity extends beyond the confines of our campus. We remain deeply rooted in New Orleans and continue to serve as a catalyst for positive change in our beloved city and beyond. Our students are graduating prepared and ready to enter their vocations and the workforce. It is a testament to the strength of the Loyola spirit and the collective efforts of our faculty, staff, students, and supporters.
Your generosity provides the university with resources that help us to flourish. Your selfless vision is in action, changing our world for the better. Thank you for your continued support of Loyola. It allows us to do what we love day in and day out.
Gratefully,
Christopher Wiseman '88, Ph.D. Vice President for University Advancement
The Loyola Fund is imperative to Loyola’s financial stability. Because of your contributions to the Loyola Fund, university leadership is able to direct resources to where our faculty and staff can best address challenges and convert needs to opportunities — to water the seeds that need it the most.
The impact of your gift to the Loyola Fund is seen in the library and classrooms – it gives life to our lecture halls, performance spaces, athletic courts, and laboratories, where students like Ana Villalobos ’23 from Durango, Mexico, discovered her passion for chemistry and is now pursuing her Ph.D. Gifts to the Loyola Fund help maintain the Loyola that we know and love. Every time you make a gift, you water the garden, providing resources that allow students the opportunity to prosper.
We plant the seeds. You water the garden.
In 2022-2023, donors committed more than $12,765,431 in new gifts and pledges to the university.
$1,164,805 LOYOLA FUND
$1,570,272 SCHOLARSHIPS
$1,184,915 CAPITAL GIFTS
$946,321
PROFESSORSHIPS / CHAIRS
Loyola’s endowment provided more than $11 million in spendable income to meet critical financial needs – roughly $4.3 million coming from the Unrestricted Endowment to fund university expenses and about $7.3 million from the Restricted Endowment to fund scholarships, professorships, chairs, and other activities.
Loyola received more than $1,760,245 in new gifts to the endowment this year, providing critical resources for a sustainable future.
In Loyola’s fiscal year ending July 2023, the university’s total endowment pool was $233 million.
In the 2022-2023 fiscal year:
290
These hours represent an investment of toward the betterment of Loyola University New Orleans. hours of service to Loyola.
2,517 $80,041*
alumni volunteers logged a total of
Volunteers make for a richer university culture by sharing expertise in the classroom, mentoring and recruiting students, and serving on boards and committees.
*Based on the national average of the value of a volunteer hour ($31.80)
On Loyola Loyal Day, 941 donors came together to make a gift to Loyola. You far surpassed our goal of 824 donors, and your generosity unlocked a challenge gift of $250,000, bringing the total raised during Loyola Loyal Day to $386,050 to support student scholarships!
117 donors
24 donors
25 donors
Scholarships allow the university to recruit the most impressive students while retaining tuition revenue. Victoria Bachemin ’23 was the 2022-23 recipient of the Nia Renée Robertson Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Nia Renée Robertson received a master of arts degree in mass communication from Loyola in 2004, and her parents, Marvel and Emile Robertson, established the scholarship in her memory for the purpose of promoting excellence in the field of mass communication. During her time at Loyola, Bachemin studied mass communication with a concentration in social media, digital communication, and brand management. During the Scholarship Donor Reception in March, Bachemin shared the scholarship’s impact on her time at Loyola,
“Loyola, for me, was a breath of fresh air. When I transferred to Loyola and got on campus, there was a feeling of nostalgia, peace, and acceptance that fell over me. When I found out that I was the recipient of the Nia Renée Robertson Memorial Scholarship, I felt so honored to be able to take Nia’s story and turn it into a legacy — a legacy that shows hard times do not last forever and you can take any negative situation and turn it into something beautiful. I’m so grateful for my family, the Robertsons, and my Loyola community for helping me to find light in darkness and to feel right at home at Loyola — where I belong.”
Victoria Bachemin ’23, recipient of the Nia Renée Robertson Memorial Endowed Scholarship, with Nia's mother, Marvel Robertson, at the 2023 Scholarship Donor Reception on March 23, 2023.
WWL Radio launched from Marquette Hall on Loyola’s campus at 10:52 a.m. on March 31, 1922. Young Alumni Pack member Lily Cummings ’20 (front, second from right) and Board of Trustee member Tod Smith ’84 (back right) gathered alumni at WWL-TV for Loyola Loyal Day to show their Pack pride.
Once again, we succeeded together because of your support. Thank you for showing what it means to be #LoyolaLoyal!
Endowed professorships and chairs allow the university to recruit and retain exceptional faculty. The funds generated from endowed professorships and chairs are available to faculty to advance their instructional programs, to develop new research ideas, to fund students’ work, and generally to make innovative advances in their own portfolios of scholarly work.
During the 2022-23 academic year, Drs. Rachel and Stephen Kent and the late Dr. Vernon J. Gregson established six new endowed professorships in the College of Arts and Sciences:
Drs. Rachel and Stephen Kent Professorship in Biological Sciences
Dr. L. Mulry Tetlow Endowed Professorship in Psychology
Dr. Vernon J. Gregson Endowed Professorship I in Religious Studies
Dr. Vernon J. Gregson Endowed Professorship II in Religious Studies
Dr. Elisabeth M. Tetlow Endowed Professorship in Old Testament Scripture
Dr. Elisabeth M. Tetlow Endowed Professorship in New Testament Scripture
Located in the J. Edgar and Louise S. Monroe Library, the Pan-American Life Student Success Center is a welcoming environment where students master the skills they need to be lifelong learners, develop meaningful relationships, and excel beyond their years at Loyola. During 2022-23, students logged over 6,000 visits, walkins, and scheduled meetings with Student Success Center staff.
This led to increased career outcomes for the class of 2022 – 93%, beating the previous record-breaking class of 2021 at 91%. From 2022-23, the Office for Writing and Learning Services held 1,951 tutoring sessions. In addition, Student Success Center staff provided 2,773 advising and coaching meetings during the academic year. Through the TRIO SSS Program, Student Success Center staff provided 363 advising and coaching sessions and 57 sessions to assist students with FAFSA applications.
Wayne Amedee is a celebrated artist based in New Orleans, with a career spanning over 40 years. One of Amedee’s passions at Loyola is the Joseph-Aurélien Cornet, F.S.C., Collection gifted to Loyola by Frère Cornet, a Belgian Christian Brother who did extensive work in documenting Congolese art and culture while working for decades in Africa. In 1970, Frère Cornet became the first local director of the Institut des Musées Nationaux du Congo and then, in 1971, director of the Institut des Musées Nationaux du Zaïre. While making his estate plans, Amedee designated Loyola as one of the beneficiaries of his donor-
Thanks to the support of the Kents and Dr. Gregson, and with the guidance of Dr. Gregson’s dear friend Dr. Elisabeth M. Tetlow, Loyola received an additional $120,000 contribution from the Louisiana Board of Regents through its Support Fund Endowed Professorship subprogram.
advised fund. This fund will ultimately support the Cornet Collection and create the Fr. Cornet Chair in African Art. Furthermore, the Françoise Billion Richardson Professorship has provided resources for the digitization of the collection. Amedee was a leader in the establishment of the Richardson Professorship.
Amedee has dedicated more than 20 years of his life to getting the Cornet Collection to Loyola and then advocating for its integration into the scholarly life of the university. His passion for art, creativity, love for Loyola, and Ignatian values has gone a long way in making the Cornet Collection a working part of what Loyola offers the world. Amedee and donors like him leave a legacy for Loyola through a planned gift.
The generosity of The J. Edgar Monroe Foundation will allow Loyola's health and science programs to be preeminent in the state. The Monroe Foundation’s $1.5 million commitment will provide the newest science and technology necessary to build relevant and marketdriven health and science programs. Our School of Nursing has launched popular new degrees to address nursing shortages across the state. A major in public health has allowed for growth across the science programs. These programs (and Loyola’s other longstanding science programs) were in need of technology updates, and each will be transformed by the purchase of advanced technology that will be used interdepartmentally and across campus.
From purchasing state-of-the-art instrumentation including microscopes,
plate readers, and Western blot imaging systems to Anatomage Tables, the most technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool for anatomy and physiology education, The Monroe Foundation’s support will address many of the technological needs of the health and science programs across the university. These instruments will significantly enhance undergraduate research opportunities and accelerate collaborations among faculty in the natural sciences at Loyola – allowing Loyola to apply for competitive research grants and enhance post-baccalaureate opportunities for students.
Recognizing its importance, the J. Edgar Monroe Foundation included $150,000 as part of this gift to support the Loyola Fund.
Nursing as a professional path is exploding, given the extreme industry shortage facing the region and country, with increasing demand expected through 2030. The Nurse-Midwifery Program in Loyola’s School of Nursing is committed to addressing the disparities for pregnant women by increasing the number of Certified NurseMidwives, or CNMs, to enhance access to essential obstetric and gynecologic services for women in underserved communities.
When Loyola’s School of Nursing sought pre-accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education in February 2023 for the new Certified Nurse Midwifery Program, support from philanthropists Mike and Lynn Coatney (2020 Integritas Vitae Award recipient), the Ella West Freeman Foundation, Baptist Community Ministries, and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation was crucial. The startup and accreditation expenses for this specialty were $500,000 in current-use funding. Donor support will allow the College of Nursing and Health to hire more faculty and
acquire the equipment needed to train the next generation of CNMs. The midwifery program is successfully set up to equip conscientious, service-minded midwives prepared to improve practice through sound clinical judgment, scholarship, research, formulation of healthcare policy, and provision of primary health care to women and newborns.
In 2023, Emily and Scott Chafin, J.D. ’05, made a generous gift to the College of Law for the conversion and renovation of a clinic classroom space into a mock courtroom. This space is scheduled to be complete in the fall of 2023, at which time both law clinic students and their clients will be able to use this updated space to prepare for court, as well as provide a designated area for all Advocacy Center students to hone their trial skills.
As an on-campus venue for guest speakers and trial advocacy competitions, the space will ultimately expose our students to all that is possible for them as successful graduates and future leaders of law. Students, prospective students, clients, and faculty will benefit from the mock courtroom by attracting and retaining top talent and offering an exceptional experience at a multifunctional class/courtroom for learning and growth.
Carlos M. Ayala ’57 graduated with a business degree from Loyola and credited his education for his remarkable success in life and as an investor. After retiring in the mid1990s for health reasons, he concentrated his efforts on investing in the stock market. Through rigorous research (and long before the ease and lightning speed of the Internet), Ayala took his initial investment of $30,000 and turned it into millions. Ayala, wanting students to have the tools needed to graduate and hit the ground running, gave $1.5 million to Loyola's College of Business to support its finance program.
Liliana Ayala Berlyn ’89 followed in her father’s footsteps, studying advertising and communications at Loyola. Lily said no matter where he was in life, her father kept Loyola close to his heart and wanted tomorrow's students to have the tools needed to graduate and be successful. "My dad cherished his days at Loyola. It provided him with a wonderful education that he used for work and investing, "
Today, The Carlos M. Ayala Stock Trading Room provides a working environment for students enrolled in the Student Managed Investment Fund Program, which successfully manages a $1+ million dollar portfolio. Students like Janet Collins ’23, who majored in accounting and finance in the College of Business, had the opportunity to invest money and see the impact of generating positive returns. Returns are put toward scholarships for students in the College of Business. As a recipient herself, Collins said,
“Scholarships allow me to focus on my studies, and I get to spend my time with my family instead of taking on another job. The generosity has really helped my family tremendously.”
Mr. Ayala wanted to support a studentmanaged investment fund and financial investment pedagogy so that students could learn how to grow capital through research and wise investments, as he had done. Today, Loyola students are doing just that.
The Loyola community celebrated the blessing and official naming of the newly renovated Connie and Elaine Jones Band Hall at Loyola University New Orleans’ Communications and Music Complex. Because of the Connie and Elaine Jones Band Hall, Loyola continues to grow as a leading music school, drawing gifted students throughout the world to New Orleans, one of the greatest music cities in the world.
The Connie and Elaine Jones Band Hall fosters love and appreciation for music in new ways that benefit more than just the
Loyola community. Not only do Loyola students continue to grow their talents in this space but also middle and high school students from around the country who travel to attend Loyola’s musical programs and camps.
Connie Jones H’12 said, “There are two types of music: good music and good music played badly.” Because of the generosity of people like Guy and Phyllis Jones Conces and the Joneses, Loyola students will continue to grow in their musical talents and pursue their passions in a conducive and inspiring environment.
In the classroom, the Wolf Pack had 73 student-athletes earn NAIA Daktronics ScholarAthletes status during the 2022-23 academic year, marking the second straight year with at least 70 honored. The award recognizes juniors or above in academic standing with a minimum GPA of 3.50 or higher. Fourteen teams finished with a 3.0 team GPA or higher, and we finished with a 3.3 department GPA.
Wolf Pack Athletics teams won three conference championships, had seven nationally ranked teams, and finished with 10 teams represented at their respective national championships.
This past year, Loyola raised $230,000 in support of Wolf Pack Athletics, adding beach volleyball and esports to the athletics portfolio. These additions bring the university’s total offerings to 20 sports with nearly 300 studentathletes wearing the maroon and gold. This continued growth and success is not possible without the support of alumni, parents, and donors.
The Loyola Society is an annual giving society that recognizes alumni, parents, friends, corporations, and foundations who give $1,000 or more each year.
The Society of St. Ignatius recognizes individuals, foundations, and corporations with lifetime giving to Loyola of $100,000 or more.
The Fidelis Circle of the Society of St. Ignatius includes individuals, foundations, and corporations with lifetime giving to Loyola of $500,000 or more.
The University Founders of the Society of St. Ignatius are individuals, foundations, and corporations with lifetime giving to Loyola of $1,000,000 or more.
The Oñaz-Loyola Shield of the Society of St. Ignatius recognizes individuals, foundations, and corporations with lifetime giving to Loyola of $5,000,000 or more.
The Heritage Society recognizes individuals who have made planned gifts to Loyola by will; as a designated beneficiary of life insurance, retirement funds or charitable trusts; or through charitable gift annuities.
Remembering Loyola University New Orleans alumni who passed away between Jan. 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023
Elza H. Abel, M.S.T. ’96
Benjamin M. Abrams, J.D. ’69
Lori A. Adams ’83
Theodore J. Adams ’68, J.D. ’70
Roy R. Alberts, M.B.A. ’74
Celestine Algero, M.E. ’62
Alfredo J. Amador ’72
Mary H. Anderson, J.D. ’87
Hazel A. Anderson, M.R.E. ’87
James S. Arceneaux, J.D. ’60
Jack D. Armstrong, J.D. ’78
Leroy J. Aucoin ,J.D. ’69
Margaret G. Babin ’42
Leopold B. Babin, M.B.A. ’67, J.D. ’73
Mary E. Badeaux ’50
Margaret E. Badger, J.D. ’81
Mary E. Bagert ’53
Gerard A. Ballanco ’64
Darnell L. Barbay ’68
Frederic C. Barber, M.B.A. ’66
Joseph A. Barreca ’51, J.D. ’54
Gertrude M. Beauford ’58
Everett W. Beelman,M.E. ’72
Michael J. Begoun, J.D. ’81
Arthur M. Behlar ’78
Edward G. Bell ’71
Harold E. Berrigan ’49
Clement Betpouey ’60
Robert H. Boudet ’66
James W. Brandau ’55
Wilson J. Breaux ’58
Theodore W. Brin, J.D. ’82
Louis D. Britsch, D.D.S. ’59
Sam L. Briuglio ’62
Elliot E. Brown, J.D. ’72
Shirley A. Brown, M.E. ’70
Richard P. Brummel, M.P.S. ’88
Lee J. Brundage, M.B.A. ’84
Marion T. Bruno ’50
Aurora Buckner ’51
Oris B. Buckner ’79
Raymond G. Bulliard, M.P.S. ’98
Odessa F. Burch-Pilié ’54
Dorothy C. Burguieres ’45
Lorynne D. Cahn, M.E. ’69
Warren F. Caire ’78
Carole H. Cambon, J.D. ’76
Ralph J. Cambre ’77
Anthony J. Capritto ’63, J.D. ’59
Anita H. Capron ’66, M.S. ’77
Mark N. Caracci, J.D. ’67, M.B.A. ’73
Terry M. Carbo, J.D. ’73
Michael R. Carson ’77, M.S. ’94
Nelson D. Castellano, D.D.S. ’62
Nelson P. Castellano, D.D.S. ’68
Mary L. Catanese ’48, M.E. ’68
Lino G. Charpentier ’64
Michael E. Chepolis ’93
Ione J. Clark ’54
Marilyn J. Cleveland ’54
Stephen G. Cochran ’69
Charles M. Comar ’91
Brenda M. Comeaux, M.E. ’80
Patrick A. Conner ’68
John T. Convery, J.D. ’22
Pamela M. Cook ’08
Jerry L. Core ’79
Manuel H. Coto ’83
Roy F. Cucchiara, D. Pharm. ’34
Thomas M. Daly, J.D. ’72
Mary J. Dardenne ’56
Louis C. Delcambre ’58
Wilfred D. Denis ’59
Charles W. Derbes, D. Pharm. ’52
Wayne R. Desdier ’72
Joseph W. Dieck ’70
Anthony J. Divincenti, M.Ed. ’69
Carl J. Dolce, M.E. ’55
Carla Dolce ’60
Robert E. Dordan, J.D. ’11
Suzanne Dorsey ’68
Bradley M. Driscoll, J.D. ’10
Thomas J. DuBos ’55, J.D. ’57
George E. Duffy ’69, M.B.A. ’71
Mark D. Duffy ’70
Walter A. Dupeire ’69
Joseph H. Durr ’62
Emile F. Evans ’65
Val P. Exnicios, J.D. ’78
Richard B. Farmer, D.D.S. ’70
Peggy R. Fedoroff ’54
Donald A. Florentino ’75
Joan T. Florez ’53
William J. Floyd ’75
Timothy W. Fox ’78
Kelly L. Frailing, M.C.J. ’07
Mike J. Francise, D.D.S. ’49
Louis G. Franklin, M.S. ’71
Jan L. Fraught ’78, M.E. ’84
Marjorie M. Frederic, M.B.A. ’87
Gayle A. Gagliano ’68
Michael L. Garcia ’71
Ricardo H. Garcia ’58
Glenn M. Gardner ’73
Patricia A. Garland ’69
Pierre F. Gaudin ’58, J.D. ’66
Stephen F. Gaudry ’72
John J. Gelpi ’57
Thomas M. Gereighty, J.D. ’74
Angelo J. Giorlando ’48
Jane W. Glenn ’60
Michael D. Goss, J.D. ’95
Idalena M. Gravois, M.P.S. ’95
Andree H. Greenleaf, J.D. ’86
Vernon J. Gregson, J.D. ’93
Bernard J. Grenrood ’59, J.D. ’63
Niles F. Guichet, D.D.S. ’53
Marie B. Guidry ’43
Robert J. Guidry ’58
Lawrence C. Guilbeau, D.D.S. ’60
J. K. Guillory, D. Pharm. ’56
Audrey M. Gutierrez ’63
Maryann Guynes ’10
Kenneth C. Haber ’71
Lawrence W. Haik ’75
Grace G. Hall ’52
Milton D. Hall, M.B.A. ’73
Judith M. Haller ’62
Arlen W. Hanchey, D.D.S. ’58
Euclid A. Hart ’62
William R. Hatfield, M.B.A. ’73
Robert D. Haydel ’61
Kirk J. Haynes, M.E. ’73, ’75
Raymond E. Heap ’56
George J. Hebert, M.A. ’70
James E. Heiser, M.B.A. ’70
Kurt P. Heumann ’87
Camille T. Hill ’59
Anne Hills, M.Ed. ’78
Edley M. Hixson, J.D. ’64
Oscar P. Hoffman, M.A. ’69
George H. Hogh ’60
Jerome F. Hoskins ’59
Houston D. Hughes, D.D.S. ’69
Carol A. JaneCek, M.P.S. ’00
Jody D. Jiral, M.R.E. ’99
Heather L. Johnson, J.D. ’02
Eugene D. Kelley ’76
Douglas R. Kemp, D.D.S. ’68
Clement J. Kennington ’66, J.D. ’72
Joseph J. Kiral ’71
Joan M. Kissinger ’52
Robert J. Klees, J.D. ’66
Sharon J. Knight, J.D. ’74
Edwin L. Kopfler, D.D.S. ’69
Patricia J. Kotchan, J.D. ’88
August C. Krinke ’71
Clara M. Kuempel, M.P.S. ’94
Mary Jane Lacoste ’54
Moon Landrieu '52, JD '54, H '79, H '05
Donald W. Layburn J.D. ’84
Virginia M. Lisiecki ’95
Michael S. Lusk, J.D. ’83
Katherine L. Lyons ’50
Emanuel A. Maire ’76
Mary B. Malarcher ’46
John D. Malone, J.D. ’65
Louis C. Mancuso ’69, M.B.A. ’70
Lynn Marcel ’74
Robert C. Marsh, M.Ed. ’72
Victor A. Marsiglia ’75, J.D. ’78
Loretta H. Martin ’58
Charles C. Mary ’58
Peter F. Maunoir ’59
Marilyn A. Mayeaux, D. Pharm. ’57
Harriet H. McCallum ’82
Michael A. McConnell ’69
Michael R. McGill ’87
Norman W. McKay, M.A. ’70
Ronald L. Merlino, J.D. ’71
Alexa G. Mestas ’16
Mary D. Meyer ’94
Albro P. Michell ’81
Frances T. Mika ’69
Anthony Miranda, D.D.S. ’66
Pegram J. Mire, J.D. ’78
Nancy E. Montero ’71
Provino C. Mosca, J.D. ’78
Marie Jeanne Mouledoux ’52, M.E. ’58
Francis E. Mouton ’57
Carmen Moy ’59
Charles W. Murret, D.D.S. ’54
Ann C. Myers ’68
Eunice P. Napolitano, M.Ed. ’71
Andrew B. Norris-Green ’05
Catherine A. Nuccio ’78
Brian R. O'Callaghan ’66
Kevin P. O'Day ’01
Howard P. O'Donnell ’61
Kathleen G. O'Keeffe McCloskey ’77
Hector Oliveira, D.D.S. ’58
James L. Padgett, D.D.S. ’55
John E. Paisant ’55
Wawice E. Palmer ’76
Donald J. Palmisano, J.D. ’81
Gloria B. Papa ’01
Erin E. Parkinson ’81, J.D. ’93
Marjorie D. Paulsen, M.S.E. ’77
Patricia F. Pearce ’86, ’93
Mary L. Pendarvis ’57
Giustina L. Persich ’82, J.D. ’86
Donald L. Peterson ’76
Martin Petitjean, J.D. ’62
Noelie A. Pfisterer ’83
Frater P. Pierce ’59
Donna D. Poche, M.A. ’73
Jerald P. Poche ’56
Leo D. Prevost, M.S. ’71
Brenda A. Queenan ’62
Angela L. Rainey ’97
Maureen J. Rainone ’94
Michael H. Rasch ’69, J.D. ’72
Joseph P. Rault ’77
Shirley A. Rhode ’56
Josephine A. Rhodes, D. Pharm. ’48
Daniel W. Richey, J.D. ’75
Miles M. Roper, M.B.A. ’65
Earl E. Rumbaugh ’74
Edward L. Sanders, M.M.E. ’71
Victor F. Saporito ’60
Frank J. Savoy, D. Pharm. ’58
Carroll P. Scheuermann ’62
Evan M. Schiavi, J.D. ’17
Gasper J. Schiro ’57, J.D. ’59
Carolyn A. Schlak ’60
John J. Schluter ’72
Dorothy C. Schmidt ’50
Marylee K. Schmidt ’70
Hazel A. Schmitt, A.D.H. ’62
Larry J. Schnadelbach ’76, M.C.M. ’92
Kenneth J. Schneider, J.D. ’84
Joan E. Schott ’63
Nellie M. Schott ’45
Stephen M. Selby, D.D.S. ’54
Leah Sellers ’65, M.E. ’71
Mary Ann Sherry ’62
Earl W. Simoneaux ’52, J.D. ’54
Mary H. Simoneaux ’51, M.E. ’56
George L. Sirgo, J.D. ’61
Stuart H. Smith, J.D. ’86
Richard L. Smith, M.P.S. ’82
Camille G. Spaid ’47
Helen M. Sperber, M.P.S. ’89
Anna J. Sproles ’03
Elvin G. Stampley, M.B.A. ’96
Sally A. Steger ’72
James M. Stewart, J.D. ’80
William J. Strauch ’80
Thomas C. Stuckey, J.D. ’71
Edward T. Suffern ’81, J.D. ’84
Sarah A. Szopinski ’05
Charles E. Taggart, D.D.S. ’60
Theresa A. Tamburo ’69, J.D. ’72
Joseph Tarride ’49
Camille I. Tate, M.A. ’69
Daniel P. Toppino ’70
Joseph J. Torre ’59
Lillian A. Torrey ’73
Rebecca L. Trehern ’78
Scot T. Treitler ’95
Thomas N. Tschirn ’68
Laura A. Turner ’94
Louis E. Turner ’74
Mary Ann Valentino ’41
John A. Venturini ’73
Alan D. Vera ’70
Maxime J. Verret ’61
Emmett J. Vollenweider ’55
Carl E. Wagner, M.P.S. ’97
Yvonne E. Warren ’62
Ninette P. Webster, M.R.E. ’85
William F. Wessel ’58
Fritz P. Westenberger, J.D. ’57
Thomas K. Wetzel ’67, J.D. ’74
Virgil M. Wheeler ’78
Arnold J. Williams ’10
Shirley L. Williams, M.Ed. ’70
Lev D. Willis, M.B.A. ’76
Robert E. Winn ’61, J.D. ’62
J. Fred Woessner ’65
Earl Wright ’70, ’73
Brian E. Wrobel, J.D. ’78
John F. Young ’56
Marquerite O. Young ’65
Mary Claver Young ’57
Anton P. Yrle, M.B.A. ’74
John J. Zagorski, M.Q.M. ’99
Mary K. Zervigon ’80, J.D. ’83
Anne K. Ziifle ’64
Linda A. Zito ’88
“ Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. ”
+ Matthew 5:4
On June 6, 2023, Joseph A. Barreca passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his loving family. On June 7, 2023, alumni and friends of Loyola University New Orleans College of Law gathered at the annual Alumni Cocktail Reception in Sandestin, Fla., to celebrate Barreca as the 2023 Glass Award Honoree. The Glass Award is given annually to an individual or individuals who have volunteered time and services to further the cause of Loyola New Orleans and the College of Law.
Barreca was selected by the Loyola College of Law Alumni Board in recognition of his commitment to the community and the College of Law and his dedication to bettering the world through service and education.
He earned a bachelor of science in accounting from Loyola in 1951. During his tenure, he was a member of Sigma Alpha Kappa Fraternity. Following his service in the U.S. Navy, he continued his Jesuit education by earning his law degree in 1954 from Loyola’s College of Law.
As we honor Barreca's memory, we also celebrate his dedication to community engagement. He lived the Jesuit values that Loyola holds dear, embracing the call to serve others selflessly. He and his beloved wife, Joy, have supported Loyola in countless ways for decades. The pair attended nearly all law school, Heritage Society, and university-wide events. The Barrecas’ kind and good spirit always brought great joy to those occasions, and his presence will be missed by many.
As members of the Society of St. Ignatius, the Barrecas contributed to the Law Alumni Association, the Warren Mouledoux Scholarship Fund, the Law School Development Fund, the Law Dean Account, the Dr. John Connor Distinguished Professorship in Economics and Finance, and the Harold Buchler Endowed Scholarship in the College of Law. The Barrecas also generously established two endowed funds at Loyola, a firstgeneration scholarship named in honor of his father and mother, Frank and Josephine Gallo Barreca, and the Barreca Library Endowment in the J. Edgar and Louise S. Monroe Library. Representing the highest standards of the profession of law and Jesuit teachings, Barreca leaves a legacy of compassion, knowledge, and service. He was a beloved husband and father, worker among workers, and dear friend to many, and we celebrate his legacy that remains rooted in the Loyola University New Orleans community.
The Honorable Charlotte Cooksey, J.D. ’71, was inducted into the Maryland Women’s Hall of Fame.
Aly Colón ’74 created and led two journalism seminars titled "Covering Faith and the Faithful" in Los Angeles and New York City earlier this year.
Wilbert Guilford Jr. ’79 published Financial Planning for the 99%
Roger Larue Jr., J.D. ’79, was honored for his good standing and 50-year membership of the Florida Bar.
Givonna Joseph ’80 was honored by Amis de Lycée Francaise at the Nuit de La Musique at the Cabildo gala. Sandy Breland ’83 was promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Gray Television Inc.
Mamie Gasperecz, M.B.A. ’87, joined the University of New Orleans staff as the Vice President of Business Affairs and Chief Business Officer.
Lori Lyons ’87 was inducted to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Amy Cyrex Sins ’98 received the American Culinary Federation Presidential Medallion.
Shalanda Young ’99 was selected by President Joe Biden to negotiate with aides to Speaker Kevin McCarthy in regards to raising the national debt ceiling.
Dr. Jose Posas ’03 was elected to the American Academy of Neurology board.
Peter Barnitz ’04 was selected for the 2023 Irene Rosenzweig Juried Exhibition.
Dr. Mirya Holman ’04 joined the Hobby School for Public Affairs at the University of Houston.
Katrina Berger ’06 serves as the Acting Executive Associate Director for Homeland Security Investigations.
Chris Nakamoto ’07 won the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award for his work exposing the Louisiana State Police.
Tyrianne Nicole Waivers ’07 was named news director for WWL-TV.
Gary Brewster, M.B.A. ’09, was appointed portfolio manager, focusing on investment strategy for clients, by Argent Trust Company.
Matthew Hayes ’11 was named the new Director of Sales Development in North Carolina at Funeral Directors Life Insurance Company.
Camille Bryant, J.D. ’13, was recognized by the Louisiana State Bar Association’s Young Lawyers’ Division and named Vice Chair of Outreach for the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity for McGlinchey Stafford.
Sara Ochs, J.D. ’14, joined Elon University's Law School faculty as an Associate Professor and published her novel The Dive.
Lauren Baudot, J.D. ’15, joined McGlinchey Stafford’s Enterprise Litigation and Investigations group as Of Counsel in the New Orleans office.
Jessica Maroney ’16 was hired into the Crescent City Stage creative team as a member of the Production team.
Emma Lovas ’19 was hired into the Crescent City Stage creative team as a member of the Production team.
Amara Skinner ’19 was hired into the Crescent City Stage creative team as a Sound Designer.
Meaghan McCarthy ’21 was named on St. Joseph Academy's list of 25 Under 35.
Sophia Christilles ’21 was hired into the Crescent City Stage creative team as an Assistant Stage Manager.
Abby Trahant ’21 was hired into the Crescent City Stage creative team as a Stage Manager.
Loyola alumni chapters gathered across the country to celebrate Mardi Gras in style. (Not pictured is Tampa.)
1 In January, a group of Loyola alumni in the Bay Area gathered at Gentilly in San Francisco for a Mardi Gras Pop-Up happy hour.
2 Alumni living in Grand Cayman joined for a Mardi Gras celebration. Pictured: Anna Craig ’97; Stacey VanDevelde ’91; Jordana Clarke ’97; Stephanie Hotard ’04, M.B.A. ’10; Winston Connolly Jr. ’95; Christopher Kirkconnell ’03, M.B.A. ’05; Melanie Hulse ’95; David Kirkaldy ’92; and Alberto Thompson-Lopez ’97.
3 The Boston-area alumni met up in January at French Quarter in Boston for their own Mardi Gras-themed happy hour. Pictured: Liam Moore; Patricia Moore ’93; Sam Bradley ’10; Julia Harmatz, J.D. ’94; Jessica Nystrom; Robert Hayden ’14; Daniel Babcock ’15; Connor Minihan ’16; Bonnie Borch-Rote, J.D. ’10; David Zelaya ’12; and Chris Bauer ’12.
4 Next up, alumni gathered in New York City for happy hour at The Penrose.
5 The last Mardi Gras Pop-Up was in Chicago in February.
1 Washington, D.C., Alumni Chapter crawfish boil at Bayou Bakery
2 Atlanta-area Alumni Chapter crawfish boil hosted by Mike Blackstock ’98
3 Dallas-area alumni joined us at The Bourbon Street Bar & Grill for the first alumni chapter crawfish boil of the year.
4 Central Florida Alumni Chapter crawfish boil at Hook & Reel
5 New York City Alumni Chapter crawfish boil at Parkside Lounge
6 Houston Alumni Chapter crawfish boil at Houston Heights Women’s Club
7 Chicago Alumni Chapter crawfish boil at McGee’s Tavern & Grill. Pictured: Mary Grace Wolf ’04
1 Loyola alumni traveled from near and far to attend Loyola’s 2023 Alumni Reunion Weekend. Members of the Golden Wolves Society celebrated their 50th reunion with classmates, friends, and family as part of the weekend’s festivities.
2 Golden Wolves Society member Dr. Eunice Hodges ’73 and her husband, Horace Bynum Jr.
3 Golden Wolves Society members Joseph Looney ’70 and Cheryl Buchert ’71, J.D. ’93
1 Alumni celebrated their 10- and 20-year reunions at the Richelieu Bar and Jazz Bistro at Arnaud’s. Pictured: Ravi Dubey
Jamie Moore ’03, and Andrea Denette
’03,
2 Shannon Donaldson ’14; Chelsey Richter ’12; Sam McCabe ’14; Cherie McCabe; Gracie Palombo Perozek ’13; Andrea Vice Blum ’12; Kristen Lee ’12, J.D. 15; Erica Murphy ’12; Dr. Kiran Mirchandani ’12; David Zelaya ’12;
Garrett Fontenot ’12; and Margaret Vienne Finch ’13
3 Jill Farrell ’03, Bea Forlano ’04, Anna Garvey ’04, and Sarah Goodson ’05
The College of Business Luncheon was held on April 21, 2023, at the Four Seasons Hotel. Guests celebrated the 2023 Honorees and heard from keynote speaker Pete November, Ochsner Health chief executive officer.
1 Board of Trustees member Dr. Leo Seoane ’91, keynote speaker Pete November, and President Dr. Xavier Cole
2 College of Business Alden “Doc” Laborde Ethical Entrepreneurship Award recipient Tom Daly II ’92 (middle) with Priscilla Daly (left) and Thomas Daly
3 College of Business Alumna of the Year Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng ’89, Visiting Committee member Jennifer ’84 and Michael ’83 Bordes enjoy the College of Business Luncheon festivities
4 Visiting Committee members John Newcomb ’68 and Meredith Cagigal ’03
The Heritage Society recognizes individuals who have made a planned gift to Loyola. This year’s Heritage Society Reception was hosted at the home of Ms. Jaye Calhoun.
1 Heritage Society members Marla Donovan ’88 and Elizabeth Guilbeau ’03 with Justin Daffron, S.J.
2 Loyola College of Law Dean Madeleine Landrieu, J.D. ’87, H ’05; Heritage Society member Dr. Jennifaye Brown; and Mariah Weinand
3 Heritage Society Members Mark, J.D. ’77 and Monica Surprenant, J.D. ’78 with Lawrence Moore, S.J.
4 University trustee Tod ’84 and Kenya Smith
Scholarship recipients and benefactors were celebrated and recognized at the Scholarship Donor Reception.
2 Cyndy Littlefield Endowed Scholarship recipient Isobel Costello
3 Darla Durham Emergency Scholarship recipient Valentina Penuela-Gonzalez with Darla Durham
4
Scholarship recipient Rudra Shukla with David Duplantier, J.D. ’78, and Sally Duplantier
5 Fitzwilliam Family Annual Scholarship recipients Amber Byrd, Christian Delgado, and Alejandro Medina with Carol ’71 and Michael Fitzwilliam ’77
1 In February, members of the Young Alumni Pack gathered in New Orleans for Thirsty Thursday Happy Hour at Tchoup Yard.
2 In March, Washington, D.C., area alumni gathered together with Dr. Paul Cesarini, dean of Online and Digital Learning and City College, for happy hour at Circa in Foggy Bottom.
3 Young Alumni Pack Summer Social at F&M Patio Bar with Andrew Leach ’17, Becca Rubenstein, Catherine Dempsey ’17, and Eric Jurgeson ’16
4 Young Alumni Pack Happy Hour at Wrong Iron. Pictured: Kimberley Taylor ’16; Malika Howard ’15, J.D. ’20; Gino Spadafore ’18; Ray Price ’17; Ben Fields ’18; Madeline Janney ’16; Katelyn McGruder ’20; and Kristen Williams ’19.
5 College of Law alumni gathered for a cocktail reception during the Louisiana State Bar Association Annual Meeting in Sandestin, Fla.
1 Ralph “Tom” Bell Journalism Scholarship recipients Domonique Tolliver and Jacqueline Galli with Michael T. Bell
Judge Adrian G. Duplantier Memorial
Scan here to to Loyola alumni events throughout the fall!
Mass of the Holy Spirit
September 7, 2023
Advocacy Center Golf Classic
September 8, 2023
Lafayette Alumni Chapter Saints Watch Party
September 10, 2023
Dallas Alumni Chapter Happy Hour
September 14, 2023
Alumni Party for President Cole: A Celebration Concert at the House of Blues
September 23, 2023
Tampa Alumni Chapter Happy Hour
September 29, 2023
Houston Presidential Brunch
October 8, 2023
2023 Nashville Alumni Reception
October 19, 2023
Wolf Pack Athletics Golf Tournament
October 20, 2023
San Francisco Presidential Reception
October 21, 2023
Presidential Inauguration of Dr. Xavier Cole and 1912 Society Dinner
November 9-10, 2023
Christmas at Loyola
December 3, 2023
The New Orleans Alumni Chapter is introducing the virtual book club starting in October 2023. For each session, we have invited a different faculty member from across campus to come in and sit down with us to talk about what book they are absolutely loving at the moment.
The first book club meeting will be on Oct. 23, 2023, with discussion of David Sedaris’ Calypso, led by Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling Kevin Foose. Why Kevin picked it: “I chose Sedaris because his work is wickedly funny and filled with insight and honesty. Calypso lays bare the paradox of loving and living in the midst of the legacy of family. These collected essays are deeply personal while being filled with acerbic wit and wisdom as they examine universal themes to being human.”
