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Ethical Enterprise Loyola’s Jesuit Approach to Business Education
SAY HELLO TO THE CLASS OF 2024 LOYOLA JESUITS
A Community of Service, Committed to Faith That Does Justice
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16 Ethical Enterprise COVER STORY
Loyola’s College of Business
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President’s Message Know & Tell News Roundup Class of 2024 Commitment in Community Ethical Enterprise The Loyola Effect: Judge Robin Pittman ’91, J.D. ’96
26 In Memoriam 28 Class Notes 29 Service Through Science:
Class of 2024
Dr. Joseph Fair ’99
30 The 2020 Ignatian Awards 34 College Roundup
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Commitment in Community
The Loyola New Orleans Jesuit Community
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The 2020 Ignatian Awards
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DO THIS Integritas Vitae Award
FALL 2020 Vol. 30, No. 3 Editor Tonya Jordan-Loht
Submit a nomination for the Integritas Vitae Award, Loyola University’s highest honor. View past recipients and submit a nomination here: alumni.loyno.edu/integritas
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Designer Stephanie Moody ’08 University Photographer Kyle Encar Contributing Writers Angelique Dyer ’11 Patricia Murret Rose Wagner Chief Communications Officer Rachel Hoormann ’94 Senior Vice President, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and Marketing and Communications Sarah Kelly, Ph.D. Executive Director of Development Stephanie Hotard ’04, M.B.A. ’10 Assistant Vice President for Alumni Engagement Laurie Eichelberger Leiva ’03, Ed.D. Vice President for University Advancement Chris Wiseman ’88, Ph.D. University President Tania Tetlow, J.D.
LOYNO Magazine is published twice per year. View online at loyno.edu/magazine Send address changes and correspondences to: Loyola University New Orleans Office of Alumni Engagement 7214 St. Charles Avenue, Box 909 New Orleans, LA 70118 phone 504.861.5454 email alumni@loyno.edu Submission of stories and photographs are welcome. Loyola University New Orleans admits students of any race, creed, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, disability status, marital status, and citizenship status and does not discriminate in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, scholarship and loan programs, or athletic and other school-administered programs.
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
Dear Loyola community, I keep thinking of the Dickens line “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...” As brutally difficult as this year has been, Loyola has come together with purpose and spirit, as it always does. We have, in true Jesuit fashion, focused on what matters most—our students—and let go of our attachments to all the rest. The pandemic has been exhausting, but it has also become a profound reminder to us of our values. You should be so proud of the Loyola community and what it has achieved. Our students returned to campus this fall with a new understanding of how much Loyola means to them. As hard as it is to maintain distance when we are all so desperate for hugs and friendships, they have been remarkably willing to respect the safety of the community and our ability to function. As of late October, our COVID-19 rates have remained incredibly low (please join me in knocking on wood). The faculty pivoted to online teaching last spring within days, spending countless hours reaching out to students to remain engaged in the midst of enormous disruption. Thanks to a serious investment in classroom technology, and their own ingenuity, faculty can now teach students in person and virtually at the same time.
The staff have worked ever harder to support students. Last spring, they sent laptops and hotspots to those without access to internet and technology. They reached out to those not logging into classes to check on them (more than 900 times). They did counseling, advising, and health checks all virtually. And now, they have creatively rebuilt student communities in our new hybrid models. And in the midst of all of this, we move forward. We recruited yet another remarkable undergraduate class, just slightly fewer students than our goal. A majority of them come from all over the country and the world, with our usual strong base from here in Louisiana. Our law and graduate programs have grown and flourished this year. We will be unveiling a new strategic plan for the university shortly, one rooted in our strengths of Jesuit courage and New Orleans creativity. You will see us make new progress in fields like health care, build new partnerships, and grow in ways that serve our mission. We continue to ask our alumni to invest in us and to pay forward the opportunity they received here. Thanks to your support, and your generous donations of time, treasure, and prayers, we will remain as strong as our red brick buildings.
Tania Tetlow, J.D. University President FALL 2020 | loyno
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know&tell Loyno news worth howling about
Songwriting instructor Jim McCormick received a Lifetime Achievement Award and served as keynote speaker at the Cutting Edge C.E. Conference in
October. A multi-Grammy nominated songwriter based in Nashville and New Orleans, McCormick has penned songs recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Harry Connick, Jr., Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, Jamey Johnson, Radney Foster, Luke Bryan, Smash Mouth, and many more. In 2017, he wrote two No. 1 Billboard country chart songs, recorded by country superstars Jason Aldean and Brantley Gilbert. His song “Only the Good Ones,” recorded by Gabby Barrett, hit the Billboard Top 40 and has been dubbed “The Wedding Song of 2020” by the online publication Taste of Country. Currently signed to a publishing deal with Eclipse Music Group, McCormick has served as board governor and vice president for the Recording Academy and on the Nashville Songwriters Association International board.
The Pan-American Life Student Success Center at Loyola received a game-changing federal grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will enhance support services to low-income and first-generation students, as well as students with disabilities. The TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) grant, worth nearly $1.4 million over the next five years, will
After winning a pitch contest held by the College of Business, political science sophomore
David Price used his prize money to invent The Safety Pouch.
The fluorescent orange nylon pouch allows drivers to place their
help Loyola provide these students with comprehensive
driver’s license and registration safely outside the car window during a traffic stop. Price’s invention
based strategies. This is the first time Loyola has received an SSS grant.
has garnered local and national news coverage.
educational support services grounded in evidence-
Kennedy Garrett, sociology junior, and Jason Grigsby,
a criminology and justice senior, have been selected to receive the prestigious and highly-competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship for their respective study abroad programs in Brazil and the United Kingdom. Since 2001, the Gilman Scholarship has enabled more than 31,000 Americans to study in 151 countries. Kennedy Garrett
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Jason Grigsby
School of Music Industry professor and award-winning producer Lovell “U-P” Cooper and adjunct professor Raney Antoine, Jr. were commissioned to create a soundscape to accompany the installation entitled “Society’s Cage” that was displayed on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. in August. Society’s Cage featured an interactive pavilion sculpted to represent the historic forces of systemic racism in the United States, creating a space for reflection, understanding, and growth. The soundscape, entitled “8:46,” is available for streaming on all major platforms.
Jordan Gabriel
HOWL!
The Loyola Athletics leadership team not only leads our student-athletes to victories on and off the court, but they also take a stand when it comes to social justice. A valued member of the Minority Opportunties Athletic Association,
Jordan Gabriel was recently selected to serve on a national committee focused on enhancing diversity and inclusion initiatives.
Also, cheer and dance coach Rickey Hill and assistant cross country and track and field
This summer, Loyola professors from various departments came together to teach an online COVID-19 course, available to students free of charge! The three-credit course brought together the best of Loyola’s experts to help students understand the biology, sociology, criminology, psychology, and business implications of COVID-19. Course instructors included Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Kimberlee Mix; William and Audrey Hutchinson Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences Patricia Dorn; Assistant Professor of Sociology Simone Rambotti; Associate Professor of Criminology and Justice Kelly Frailing; College of Business professors Adam Mills and Mehmet Dicle; and Associate Professor of Psychology Chuck Nichols.
After the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic,
the Loyola Career Development Center hosted PIVOT, a special virtual career development series for students and recent graduates. The series, which took place
coach Bryiana Richardson were both selected by the Southern States Athletic Conference (SSAC) to join the Striving for Equity Place Committee. Made up of more than a dozen individuals from different schools in the SSAC, the committee will help curb racial and social injustice in the SSAC.
this summer online, explored the different ways to transition
career plans in a COVID-19 world and included sessions on job and internship searches, resume writing, personal branding and networking, and career competency. At the conclusion of the series, students and graduates received a
PIVOT certification.
The National Lawyers Guild honored third-year College of Law student Jodi Hill with the 2020 C.B. King Award for her leadership on social justice and racial
equity issues. Hill was also named the organization's Law Student of the Year.
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news roundup v
Director of Loyola's Environmental Law Program Secures Key Protection for the Gulf In August 2020, the Director of the College of Law's Environmental Law Program Marianne Cufone, along with a team of lawyers, won the landmark national case that will keep polluting aquaculture facilities out of the Gulf for the foreseeable future. As local counsel for a fleet of groups that run from Louisiana to Florida, Cufone and the larger legal team, challenged the government's definition of fishing and determined that aquaculture is not appropriately managed under existing fishing law.
Mask Wearing Poster Contest HOWL to studio arts sophomore Raeann Koehler, one of the winners of the Mask Wearing Poster Contest!
Loyola celebrates the release of two debut books by our amazing faculty! Acclaimed criminology and justice professor Christian Bolden details theory, research, and his own personal journey from gangs to academic leadership in a groundbreaking new book, Out of the Red: My Life of Gangs, Prison, and Redemption. Creative writing professor and editor of the New Orleans Review, Lindsay Sproul released her debut novel for young adults, We Were Promised Spotlights, a coming-of-age story about acceptance, destiny, and expectations.
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The contest was developed by the Mayor’s Office of Youth and Families and the New Orleans City Council to raise awareness about the importance of masking up to stop the spread of COVID-19. Her art is on display in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans and on several Ochsner Health billboards around the city!
New Faculty and Staff Members
As we start a new academic year, Loyola welcomes several new faculty and staff members to our community in the College of Business, College of Music and Media, and the Office of Diversity and Equity.
Loyola welcomes new Vice President of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Kedrick Perry Perry comes to Loyola from the University of California, Berkeley, where he served as chief diversity officer of the Center for Energy Efficient Electronics Science. In this role, he will build on the work of the previous chief diversity officer, and begin putting the commitments developed in the Strategic Plan for Inclusive Excellence into motion, with Loyola’s mission at the core.
Melissa A. Weber joins the College of Music and Media
Gustavo Barboza, Ph.D. joins the College of Business
Popular music scholar Melissa A. Weber, also known as awardwinning performer and broadcaster DJ Soul Sister, joins the College of Music and Media faculty this fall, teaching “History of Urban Music,” in the Urban and Electronic Music Production program. Celebrated worldwide as a DJ and vinyl collector, she has a storied 25-year career as a broadcaster for WWOZ-FM, an epicenter of New Orleans music and culture, and host of “Soul Power,” the longest-running rare groove radio show in the United States.
Barboza joins the College of Business faculty as the Reynolds chair in international business. Dr. Barboza is originally from Costa Rica and will oversee the International Business major.
Producer Salvatore Mannino joins the Department of Theatre Arts and Dance
Iris Mack, Ph.D. joins the College of Business
A New Orleans native, Mannino is the new artistic director and theatre faculty member. He brings with him a wealth of experience producing films, Tony-award-winning musicals, and interactive media, and will head up the department’s fall production, a collaboration with the New York City based theatre company Theatre for One.
Mack is a New Orleans native who previously taught at MIT and brings with her significant industry experience in artificial intelligence and robotics.
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THE
CLASS OF 2024
AT A GLANCE
779 54%
STUDENTS FROM OUT OF STATE
33 66% %
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS
MOST POPULAR
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44% LOUISIANA STUDENTS
34%
FEMALE
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FALL 2020 FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
MALE
2%
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
62 STUDENT ATHLETES
54% STUDENTS OF COLOR
• PRE-HEALTH
• EXPLORATORY STUDIES
• MUSIC INDUSTRY STUDIES
• PRE-LAW
• ENGLISH
• CRIMINOLOGY AND JUSTICE
• PSYCHOLOGY
• URBAN AND ELECTRONIC MUSIC PRODUCTION
• MASS COMMUNICATION
• BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Accurate as of August 11, 2020.
THE
CLASS OF 2024
HAILS FROM: 2
7 6
41
4 1
2 2
11
16
4 2
1
3
5 1
2
64
3
2 8
20 2 5
1 340
8 10
15 2 9 15
22 2 3 11
6 1 2
6 6
18 3
D.C.
27
Puerto Rico
42
1
Virgin Islands
18 International • Angola
• Denmark
• Indonesia
• Nicaragua
• Belgium
• Ecuador
• Italy
• Norway
• Canada
• El Salvador
• Kenya
• Vietnam
• Costa Rica
• Hong Kong S.A.R.
• Myanmar
• Venezuela
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Commitment in Community The Jesuits of Loyola BY TONYA JORDAN-LOHT
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In 1904, Jesuit Fr. Albert H. Biever, S.J. from Luxembourg was tasked with establishing a Jesuit college on St. Charles Avenue in the growing Carrollton area of New Orleans. Starting with just $100 in cash on hand and nine students, Fr. Biever and four Jesuit faculty members spent the next eight years laying the foundations of Loyola University New Orleans, which was chartered in 1912. Today, the Loyola New Orleans Jesuit community consists of 15 Jesuits who serve two apostolates: Loyola University New Orleans and the Holy Name of Jesus Parish. The members of the community—all but one of whom are priests—range in age from 35 to 78 years old. Under the guidance of Rector Fr. Greg Waldrop, these men provide spiritual and academic programming for Loyola students, instruct seminarians at Notre Dame, conduct regional social science and policy research, operate the historic Holy Name of Jesus church, and support other Catholic churches in the area. The Loyola New Orleans Jesuit community belongs to the Society of Jesus’ USA Central and Southern Province, which is comprised of 400 Jesuits serving in 12 states, Puerto Rico, and Belize. The provincial headquarters is located in St. Louis, and the current provincial leader is Loyola University alumnus, the Very Reverend Thomas P. Green, S.J. ’86, J.D. ’89.
The Church on the Avenue: Holy Name of Jesus
The seat of the Holy Name of Jesus Parish, the iconic neo-gothic Holy Name of Jesus Church was constructed in 1918 and is operated primarily by three members of the Loyola New Orleans Jesuit community—pastor Fr. Mark Thibodeaux, priest-in-residence Fr. Stephen Rowntree, and assisting priest Fr. Tony Vega.
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FOUNDED ON FAITH Loyola University Continuing the legacy of Loyola’s early religious leaders such as Fr. Biever, Fr. Haynes, and Fr. Twomey into the 21st century, Fr. Justin Daffron stewards the Jesuit and Catholic mission of the university as Vice President for Mission + Identity. Grounded in the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Office of Mission + Identity attends to the faith, spiritual, and religious formation of the entire Loyola community. In recognition of its central importance to Loyola’s operations, the Office of Mission + Identity is located at the entrance to the university’s signature Marquette Hall. Loyola students’ primary spiritual needs are ministered to by Fr. Gregg Grovenburg, University Minister for Faith Formation and Sacraments in the Office of Student Life + Ministry. Fr. Grovenburg provides spiritual guidance and counsel for students on campus, at athletic events, and on retreats. With six members of the Loyola New Orleans Jesuit community on the faculty, Loyola students continue to benefit from Jesuit leadership in the classroom as well. In the College of Arts and Sciences, Fr. Robert Gerlich teaches history, and Fr. Edward Vacek and Fr. Nathan O’Halloran both teach religious studies. Fr. Greg Waldrop teaches art in the College of Music and Media. In the College of Law, Fr. Larry Moore teaches federal law and civil procedure, and Fr. Penn Dawson teaches legal and medical malpractice.
Approximately 1,200 families belong to the parish, and the church offers Masses twice a day from Monday through Saturday, and four times each Sunday. All Masses are streamed online via the church’s YouTube channel. During the pandemic, the audience for many of the church’s virtual Masses has tripled, with viewers tuning in from across the country and abroad. During the COVID-19 stay-at-home order in Louisiana earlier this year, a parishioner asked Pastor Thibodeaux to consider offering an online retreat. “I knew our parish community was suffering – spiritually, emotionally, and physically,” said Thibodeaux. “I wanted to lift their spirits.” Titled Ascending with Ignatius, the 30-day retreat ran from April 24 to May 24 and included daily videos focusing on the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. Nearly 8,000 participants completed the 30-day retreat, with some tuning in from as far away as Asia, Australia, and Europe. Fr. Thibodeaux first joined the Loyola community as a student in 1990, earning bachelor’s degrees in psychology and philosophy. “I loved my time as a student at Loyola,” said Thibodeaux. “I had only been a Jesuit for two years when I arrived here, so you could say that Loyola helped shape me into the Jesuit that I am. I found a real community among the student body, and I found the faculty to be engaging, generous, brilliant, and kind.” Most days, he walks across the campus to preside at Mass in the church. “Walking under those oaks between the Danna Center and Bobet Hall leads to a flood of happy memories for me,” said Thibodeaux. “I’m delighted to be back.”
Metropolitan Ministry: New Orleans
The Loyola New Orleans Jesuit community’s presence extends far beyond St. Charles Avenue. Its members also perform pastoral work in and around the greater New Orleans area. Fr. Peter Rogers performs pastoral ministry at the Immaculate Conception Church on Baronne Street, and all of the local Jesuits say Masses; hear confessions; preside at funerals, baptisms, and weddings; and give talks at various parishes and convents in the city and at Immaculate Conception Parish in Baton Rouge.
Additionally, Fr. Earl Muller is a resident scholar, spiritual director, and professor of dogmatic theology at the Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans. Founded in 1923, Notre Dame is a graduate school of theology that prepares students to serve as ministerial Catholic priests in the southern U.S. Fr. Muller has also been active in Renewal Ministries and mission work in Tanzania, and he served terms as secretary and treasurer of the international Federation of Seminary Spiritual Directors.
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Seeking Justice in the South: The Jesuit Social Research Institute
In a third-floor office in the unassuming Mercy Hall located in the rear of Loyola’s campus, three Jesuits and four lay professionals work full-time tracking developments in the “cancer alley” region of Louisiana and compiling data on working families throughout the Gulf Coast region. Rooted in the Ignatian principle of faith that does justice, this is the work of the Jesuit Social Research Institute. Founded in 2007, the JSRI employs action research and advocacy to improve the quality of life in the Gulf South. Led by Fr. Fred Kammer, the JSRI is currently engaged in the fourth edition of its JustSouth Index, which examines nine specific indicators related to poverty and racial inequality in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Other key initiatives include The State of Working Mississippi 2020 special report analyzing both pre-pandemic data and damage to workers and families during the pandemic, an exploration of how the proposed Formosa Plastics factory in St. James Parish should be evaluated in light of Catholic social teaching, and advocating for the just treatment of immigrants and refugees in an anti-immigrant climate.
HONORING dedicated educators Fr. Leo Nicoll “Fr. Leo Nicoll, S.J. was born in Galveston, Texas, and his early life there is something that had a great influence on him and which he continues to talk about,” explained Waldrop. Fr. Nicoll entered the Society of Jesus in 1948 at the age of 17 at the novitiate in Grand Coteau, Louisiana, and he did his theology studies in Innsbruck, Austria. He was ordained as a priest in 1961 and earned a doctorate in history in Vienna. Fr. Nicoll joined the Loyola Jesuit community in 1974 and taught history at the university. “I think generations of students will most likely remember him for a quiz every day, rigorous writing requirements, and comprehensive final exams,” said Waldrop. Fr. Nicoll also
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served as Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences and was on the Board of Trustees. After retiring from the university, he was appointed Vice Superior for the retired Jesuits living at Our Lady of Wisdom Healthcare Center in Algiers. “He was conscientious and diligent in his care for these men, the last of whom passed away about three years ago,” said Waldrop. In the years since, he maintained an active pastoral life, saying Masses regularly at Our Lady of Wisdom and the Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor. "Leo is by nature pretty modest and unassuming, a man of simple tastes who identifies with working people and is always concerned for the poor and those who struggle,” said Waldrop.
“This is our Home.”
Most of the members of the local Jesuit community live in the official Jesuit residence in the 6200-block of St. Charles Avenue. “We want to offer hospitality and be a welcoming community,” said Waldrop. “So in normal times, we frequently host colleagues, friends, students, and other guests for lunch or dinner. We usually have an annual Epiphany party right before the start of the spring semester, which allows us to welcome and celebrate with people who have known and supported us over the years. Otherwise, this is our home. We gather together for Mass at 5 p.m. every day, which is followed by community prayer and then dinner. We sometimes have brunch on Sundays, and that is often a good time to invite and visit with friends.”
Welcoming New Friends
Deacon Chris Kellerman, S.J. joined the Loyola Jesuit community in June 2020. Originally from Arlington, Texas, Deacon Kellerman is a member of the JSRI staff. He was recently ordained a deacon in Toronto, where he completed his theology studies. Deacon Kellerman is especially committed to research, writing, and direct action in the areas of racial justice, intersectionality, and LGBTQ issues. He also assists at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, a parish that serves the African-American community in Baton Rouge. Deacon Kellerman will be ordained a priest at Holy Name of Jesus in June 2021.
Fr. Nathan O'Halloran, S.J. joined the local Jesuit community in July 2020. A systematic theologian, assistant professor of religious studies, and director of Catholic Studies at Loyola, Fr. O’Halloran earned his Ph.D. at the University of Notre Dame. He grew up in the Lord’s Ranch Catholic Community in New Mexico. His parents are both full-time missionaries on the El Paso/Juárez border. During his regency—a period in Jesuit formation where young Jesuits work for two to three years in a Jesuit apostolate—Fr. O'Halloran taught theology and coached ultimate frisbee at Jesuit High School in New Orleans. He grew up on horseback, played rugby in college, and most recently competed in Notre Dame’s Bengal Bouts boxing program.
Two beloved and long-time members of the Loyola Jesuit Community moved to the retirement community in Grand Coteau this summer. Loyola thanks Fr. Nicoll and Fr. Carter for their decades of service and devotion to Loyola students.
Fr. James Carter Fr. James Carter, S.J. was born in New York and grew up in Louisiana. He attended St. Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, and then came to Loyola University as a freshman in 1944. He left to enter the Society of Jesus at Grand Coteau in 1945. After completing his theology studies at Woodstock College in Maryland, Fr. Carter was ordained a priest in 1958. He then earned a doctorate in physics at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., and returned to Loyola for good in 1960. He taught physics, held a number of administrative positions including Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, and was named President of the university in 1974. He served as President for 21 years—longer
than any of his 13 predecessors. Fr. Carter was named Chancellor when he retired from the presidency in 1995. “His only real time away from Loyola was a couple years when he served as pastor of Immaculate Conception Church—all the way downtown on Baronne Street,” said Waldrop with a chuckle. “Soon enough, he was back on St. Charles Avenue teaching physics and a popular course on science and religion. All the while, he served on many civic boards and councils and was both a personal advisor and spiritual guide to untold numbers in the New Orleans community. Even in Grand Coteau this summer, he's still teaching his science and religion course online—at the age of 93!”
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Chase Minority Entrepreneurship Distinguished Professor of Economics LEO KRASNOZHON visits with students in the Ayala Stock Trading Room in Miller Hall.
Ethical Enterprise BY ROSE WAGNER
When Dean Michael Capella arrived at Loyola in the fall of 2019, the College of Business was unlike any business school he had seen. Loyola business students don't just study theory, numbers, and dividends; they also program digital robots, perform internships at local companies, become certified in industry techniques, and collectively trade upwards of $1 million in the stock market.
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"Part of what we are trying to do is incorporate theory with practice," said Capella. "Students learn concepts and theories in the classroom, but that information is hard to apply without a lot of real-world work experience." Programming is focused entirely on handson experiential learning both in and out of the classroom, and Capella is expanding that mission by welcoming new faculty members and creating university partnerships.
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Iris Mack One of the newest additions to the College of Business faculty. Born and raised in New Orleans, Mack has been around the world and back—and that is no exaggeration. With an undergraduate degree from Vassar College, an M.B.A. from the London Business School, and a Ph.D. in applied mathematics from Harvard, Mack's academic résumé only scrapes the surface of her accomplishments. She also has several years of experience in investment banking and international energy trading and has published more than 10 books—one of which is currently a popular textbook on energy trading. Mack's current interest is in artificial intelligence and how mechanized labor and digitized bots have altered the business world. Mack has already tasked her Introduction to Business class with an experiential learning project focused on artificial intelligence. Composed largely of first-year business students, the class uses computer programs and automated bots to generate profits through websites run by artificial intelligence. Mack’s goal is to teach her students about artificial intelligence and how to use it in real-world business environments. "Unlike when I graduated, you are going to have another layer of competition when you finish school. You won't just be competing against business graduates across the world. The competition will also be man versus machine,” she explained to her students in a recent class.
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Gustavo Barboza Professor and Jack and Vada Reynolds Endowed Chair in International Business. Gustavo Barboza is in his first year as a full-time Loyola faculty member. Barboza received his undergraduate degree in economics from the University of Costa Rica and earned both his master's and Ph.D. in agricultural economics from Oklahoma State University. As a native of Costa Rica, Barboza brings an international perspective to the College of Business and hopes to recruit and mentor more Spanish-speaking students. Barboza is also working to connect professors and lecturers from other universities and countries with the Loyola community. Given the multilingual and multicultural nature of the business industry, Barboza is interested in developing a Latin America study abroad program in the future.
Capella stresses that everything the college does is structured around preparing students for their future careers. "At the end of the day, we still want to make sure that we are developing the whole person. That is part of our core mission being a Jesuit institution. In our minds, what we are trying to do is make sure that our students graduate with a broad range of skills they can use to be successful throughout their careers," said Capella.
Unlike some traditional higher education programs where first-year students complete general education credits before beginning courses in their major, business majors at Loyola jump right in during their first semester through the College of Business Freshmen Year Experience program. Current firstyear business students are required to take Principles of Marketing and Introduction
to Business. According to Barnett, this model allows students to get a taste of the major right away and creates a sense of community between business majors from the start. The College of Business boasts the highest first-year retention rate of all of Loyola's five colleges, and Capella credits this accomplishment to the built-in programs for freshmen.
From their first day at Loyola, College of Business freshmen are told to start thinking about how they want their first day out of Loyola to look. The Portfolio Career Program pairs first-year students with local business leaders as executive mentors who help them with their rĂŠsumĂŠs, prepare them for interviews, and expose them to the realities of the business industry through field trips in the city. "The focus really is on the whole person and not just 'Okay, you are at Loyola for four years, now go out into the world,' " said Kathy Barnett, associate dean and director of the Portfolio Career Program. "We want to truly prepare them to do something that is going to be worthwhile for them and meaningful to others."
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internships, business competitions, specialized training, and one-on-one mentorship. The CECD includes the Ideation Lab, a collaborative space devoted to experiential learning, venture development, and engagement with the local business community. The CECD Ideation Lab is also home to the Ignatian Consulting Group, a consulting agency run by M.B.A. students that offers marketing, operational, and financial support for small businesses in the Greater New Orleans area. The CECD recently earned the College of Business a Top 20 ranking for Best Graduate Entrepreneurship Programs in the U.S. News & World Report. "I am very proud of the faculty and staff who have worked diligently to create a program that challenges students and exposes them to entrepreneurship and innovation across many different domains," said CECD Director Felipe G. Massa.
Students can also gain specialized skills from the school's new partnership with IBM, in which faculty members are trained by the IBM Skills Academy in areas such as blockchain, data science, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. Those faculty members then train students to receive certifications in these areas, which will allow them to showcase these technical skills to future employers. There are also hands-on opportunities for more experienced students in the Carlos M. Ayala Stock Trading Room. Thanks to a generous 2012 bequest from Loyola alumnus Carlos Ayala, B.B.A. '57, teams of students who sign up for the Student Managed Investment Fund Program help manage an investment fund of nearly $1 million. The students make all investment decisions for the fund, and all profits go towards scholarships for which College of Business students can apply. The 2019-2020 investment class generated profits large enough to provide $40,000 in scholarships. And despite the state of the pandemic economy, this year's class is currently on track to turn a similar profit. College of Business students can also earn certifications in some of the most widely-used marketing software in Clifton A. Morvant Distinguished Professor in Business Todd Bacile's Digital Marketing class. Bacile's
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students learn the skills needed to take exams for industry-recognized certifications in Google Analytics—the most popular software for analyzing website traffic. "I benefited greatly from Dr. Bacile's advanced marketing knowledge and expertise," said Tara Luck Mariano, a former digital marketing student. "He shares his research in the classroom to give students an in-depth understanding of important concepts." Opportunities for students to gain tools for their future careers also stretch beyond the classroom. All College of Business students are required to have at least one internship during their time at Loyola. Many of them go beyond this requirement, with over half of the students in the college completing more than two internships. According to Barnett, the college averages about 120 students with registered internships each year. Students intern with a variety of companies to match their interests, from the New Orleans Saints to local nonprofits to marketing firms. And the internships aren't just about building up students' résumés—they also help students discover the jobs and industries they may grow to love and pursue as a career. "There are a lot of 'aha' moments in internships," said Barnett. The College of Business's new Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development (CECD) helps students build entrepreneurial experience through
The CECD also offers a startup internship program that places Loyola undergraduate students from all disciplines in internships with local startup companies. This crossdisciplinary program has inspired increased collaboration across campus. "In a lot of cases, higher education has been kind of notorious for the College of Business kind of standing alone and not collaborating," Capella said. "I think we need to do a better job of trying to eliminate some of those silos." To that end, the College of Business partnered with the College of Music and Media to launch a master's degree in marketing and communications this fall. Capella wants to capitalize on the momentum of this new program to collaborate with other colleges in new ways that will help all Loyola students grow from and better understand other disciplines. "It's not so much that we just want students to be successful for the sake of making money. We want them to be able to lead productive lives and have careers that have a meaningful impact," Capella said. At its core, the College of Business's mission is to help students find a purpose in whatever work they do. "It goes back to the Jesuit notion of caring for the whole person," Barnett explained. "They are coming to college to spend those four years learning about themselves and about the world. Then they are going to have to do something when that time of formation ends, and we want to give students the opportunity to build meaningful work for themselves and build a meaningful path for life beyond Loyola."
The College of Business is proud to recognize Robert A. "Bobby" Savoie, M.B.A. '81, Ph.D. as the recipient of the 2020 Alden "Doc" Laborde Award for Ethical Entrepreneurship. Named for the illustrious co-founder of Loyola's Center for Spiritual Capital, the Laborde Award recognizes entrepreneurs who conduct business in accordance with the highest ethical standards. Savoie is CEO of Geocent, LLC, an information technology and engineering services company that works with government and commercial clients throughout the United States. Savoie founded the Integrated Resources Group (IRG) in 1986 and served as CEO until the firm merged with Science & Engineering Associates (SEA) in 1997. Savoie then served as CEO of SEA until its merger with ITS Services, Inc. to form Apogen in 2004.
After 28 years as an engineer, Savoie then returned to school to pursue his Ph.D. and to devote more time to civic and humanitarian activities. He served on Loyola University's Board of Trustees for nine years before being elected vice-chair of the board in 2017 and then chair in 2018 and 2019. He also served on the boards of the UNO Foundation, Greater New Orleans, Inc., BioDistrict New Orleans, the National World War II Museum, Atlantic Council of the United States, the Louisiana Technology Council, the U.S. Small Business Technology Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America, the Academy of the Sacred Heart, the J. Bennett Johnston Science Foundation, Isidore Newman School, and the Ochsner Health Foundation.
"I'm honored to receive this wonderful distinction, particularly from Loyola University, an organization built on the ethics of Jesuit values," said Savoie. "Everyone who knows me can attest to how strongly I feel about the city of New Orleans and Loyola University, so this award is very special for me. Ethical entrepreneurship is a foundational piece of the American dream and spirit—and it's a core principle of how Geocent operates daily. On behalf of Geocent and the Savoie family, thank you for this kind recognition."
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THE
LOYOLA EFFECT
THE HONORABLE ROBIN PITTMAN '91, J.D. '96 Loyola College of Arts and Sciences and College of Law alumna Robin Pittman '91, J.D. '96 is a criminal court judge and former assistant district attorney in Orleans Parish. She is also a dedicated and tireless supporter of her alma mater and is the recipient of the 2020 Adjutor Hominum Award. A native of New Orleans, Pittman attended high school at Mount Carmel Academy and enrolled at Loyola in 1988 as a sociology major. Soon after completing her undergraduate degree in 1991, she enrolled in Loyola's College of Law. Pittman worked as Assistant District Attorney in Orleans Parish for several years before working in the Office of Disciplinary Counsel. Motivated by a lack of equity on the bench, Pittman ran for judge in 2009. "I realized that I really didn't see many African-American female judges in criminal district court," said Pittman. She has spent the last decade
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presiding over criminal cases in Orleans Parish District Court's Section F and ran unopposed in the last election. While her job requires donning the black robe and taking the bench, Pittman says she wants to combat the stereotype of judges as disengaged decision makers. So she spends much of her time out of chambers in the community, engaged in service to Loyola and visiting local schools to mentor young students. Pittman says her judicial staff often jokes about running a daycare due to the number of young students who visit her court.
“Loyola was the backbone that got me to where I am.” Her interest in the community, says Pittman, stems from her time at Loyola. "Loyola was the backbone that got me to where I am," she said. "They say, 'to whom much is given, much is expected.' And there you have it—I am giving back. One of my favorite things to do is to speak and mingle with young people because it's them you have the opportunity to help mold," said Pittman. "For me, it all comes back to that undergraduate sociology degree." She also credits her study of sociology to her desire to understand and empathize
Pittman is one of only a handful of judges in Orleans Parish who hosts a drug court—a program that allows for rehabilitation and mental health care as alternatives to incarceration. with everyone who walks—or Zooms— into her courtroom. "I try to listen to the attorneys and the defendants because, pretty much, we are all the same. As a judge, I wear a robe as a part of my profession, but I am the same as everyone else," she said. "I have bad days and good days, and I have problems too. I am human, just like everyone who comes into my courtroom." Pittman is one of only a handful of judges in Orleans Parish who hosts a drug court—a program that allows for rehabilitation and mental health care as alternatives to incarceration. Drawing from her Jesuit education at Loyola, Pittman says she is excited to offer a program that cares for the whole person and helps her better understand her constituents. "Just as I try to teach them things, they actually teach me a lot as well," said Pittman. "It is absolutely rewarding to get to know the people who come before me on the bench." Throughout her career, Pittman has received numerous awards and accolades, including the YMCA Role Model Award, Total Community Action’s Community Hero Award, A.P. Tureaud Award, Michaelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award, and Judge Benjamin Jones In The Classroom Award.
To that end, Pittman has a constant rotation of Loyola law students clerking in her office. "Since becoming an alumna, I have hired both Loyola undergraduate and law students for employment, externships, internships, and law clerk positions. Additionally, I have given my time and knowledge by participating in mock job interviews, trial advocacy mock trial competitions, and moot court competitions, to name a few," she explained. Pittman has also been an active member of the College of Law Alumni Board for six years and was elected president of the board in 2020. Pittman serves as an adjunct professor of advocacy in Loyola’s new Law Advocacy Center. "As a trial advocacy adjunct professor, I work directly with current students to prepare them for trial competitions and to teach them what decorum is expected of them when entering into a courtroom," said Pittman. "This rewarding experience is paramount for the success of Loyola students entering into the legal profession."
In recognition of her many achievements and service to the university, the Loyola University Alumni Association has named Judge Robin Pittman as the 2020 Adjutor Hominum Award recipient. The highest award bestowed by the Alumni Association, the Adjutor Hominum Award honors an outstanding Loyola graduate whose life exemplifies the values and philosophy of Jesuit education—namely moral character, service to humanity, and unquestionable integrity. This award is usually bestowed at the annual Alumni Jazz Brunch. In lieu of a celebration this year, Judge Pittman has chosen to pay the honor forward and establish a needbased sociology scholarship.
“Just as much as we need doctors and nurses during this time, we need skilled social workers as well.” “The pandemic has been exhausting for all of us, but even more so for some members of our community. Social workers are frontline workers. They can help address the anxiety and other concerns the pandemic has brought into our daily lives. Therefore, I believe the community needs more sociology students. I want to assist a sociology major now so they can pay it forward to the community later.”
One of her most significant causes, though, is supporting Loyola law graduates.
"Because of my love and dedication to the legal community, I have made every effort to continue to stay involved with the law school and help aspiring attorneys." FALL 2020 | loyno
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Michael Bell
Guiding the Mission Loyola University Welcomes Four New Trustees Meeting on campus four times a year, Loyola’s Board of Trustees formulates the university’s general, educational, and financial policies. “In addition to being among Loyola’s most generous donors and volunteers, our trustees are important strategic partners for President Tetlow and the university leadership team,” said Chris Wiseman ’88, vice president of university advancement. “Trustees also work hard to tell the Loyola story in rooms and places where our story might not otherwise be heard. As a group and as individuals from all over our country, trustees are passionate advocates for Loyola’s students and faculty.” Loyola is proud to welcome four new trustees to the board this year.
“Loyola and its community have given much to me and my family, and joining the Board enables me to give back in a significant way using the expertise I’ve gained from my varied professional career and extensive life experiences,” said Bell. “My vision is for Loyola, through the careful and thoughtful guidance of the Board, to continue its mission to make an exceptional, Jesuit-based education available to all who seek it.” Michael Bell grew up on the Loyola campus, where his father Tom Bell was a professor of journalism for nearly 30 years. After earning an M.B.A. from the University of Alaska Southeast, Bell worked as equities senior investment officer of the Alaska Permanent Fund Corporation (APFC) overseeing the growth of the APFC’s global equities position to $14 billion. Prior to his retirement in June 2019, Bell was a shareholder in the firm of Callan LLC, where he helped build and then manage the firm’s over $20 billion in institutional investment portfolios for endowments, foundations, and pension plans. He worked with a variety of external investment management firms, trustee-custodians, auditors, and cash management and transition managers, and was particularly focused on Callan’s legal, compliance, risk management, audit, tax, and insurance matters as they related to the firm’s investment management activities. A current resident of Niwot, Colorado, Bell enjoys fly fishing and adventuring with his wife, retired U.S. Coast Guard Captain Virginia K. Holtzman-Bell, whom he met while attending Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans.
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Cassi McWilliams Chandler, J.D. ’84 “As a member of the Board of Trustees, I am both excited and proud to be a part of Loyola’s commitment to developing students and future leaders who are champions and who act justly, embrace mercy, and humbly support the needs of the community,” said Chandler. Cassandra “Cassi” McWilliams Chandler has led an extraordinary career as an innovator, strategist, attorney, and servant leader within U.S. government services and the financial services industry. She is an adjunct professor at Pace University in New York, a member of the faculty at Pacific Coast Banking School, and CEO of the leadership development and leadership risk assessment firm Vigeo Alliance. Chandler spent nearly 24 years managing, directing, and leading criminal, terrorism, and foreign intelligence activities in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. She has served as a member of the U.S. Senior Executive Service; assistant director of the FBI Academy at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia; section chief of Criminal and Domestic Terrorism Intelligence; attorney in the Office of Legal Counsel; and special agent in charge of the Norfolk Field Office. Chandler was also the FBI’s first female national spokesperson and assistant director of public affairs. Leaving the intelligence sector in 2008, Chandler joined Bank of America as senior vice president for business operations. There she was responsible for building an integrated framework for assessing risks and operational effectiveness of enterprise coverage areas at the bank. She also served as the bank’s senior global investigative services executive, developing a prevention-focused global fraud program. Chandler currently serves on the Federal Monitor’s team for the New York Police Department and is also CEO of the Chandler Consulting Group, LLC.
Lynn Coatney
Dennis Lauscha, M.B.A. ’93
“As an advocate for accessible education, I look forward to being a part of Loyola’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion,” said Coatney.
“As a Loyola graduate and a person who is passionate about New Orleans, it is an honor to be asked to serve on the Board of Trustees,” said Lauscha. “My vision for Loyola is that it continues to promote the principles of AMDG and being a person for others while delivering a world-class education and development of the whole person wrapped in the unique New Orleans experience.”
Lynn Coatney is a decades-long community volunteer in New Orleans. After earning her B.S. in education and M.Ed. in special education from the University of Texas at Austin, she worked as a teacher and consultant for blind and visually impaired students in Austin and New Orleans. Lynn served on the Board of Trustees at St. Martin's Episcopal School from 2003 to 2010 and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Louisiana SPCA. Together with her husband, she started the Mike and Lynn Coatney Family Foundation, which supports nonprofits focused on education and women’s healthcare. Coatney cofounded Dignity Period, a nonprofit organization that provides eco-friendly menstrual hygiene products and education to Ethiopian schoolchildren. Since 2015, the Coatneys have sponsored the New Orleans branch of Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response (STAR), which supports survivors of sexual trauma and creates social change. Coatney is an advocate for the Pan-American Life Student Success Center’s commitment to providing accommodations and technology for disabled students. She and her husband have three adult children (one of who is a Loyola graduate) and three grandchildren, all of whom live in New Orleans.
As a New Orleans native, Dennis Lauscha has been a fan of the Saints since he was a young boy. After graduating from Jesuit High School in New Orleans, he earned a B.A. in business from the University of Alabama and an M.B.A. from Loyola. Lauscha joined the New Orleans Saints organization in 1998 in the role of treasurer. As a result of his hard work, loyalty, and business acumen, he rose through the executive ranks to serve as vice president, senior vice president, and executive vice president before being named president of the organization in 2012. In this role, Lauscha oversees the club's financial operations; government affairs; marketing; ticket and suite sales; legal, stadium, and community affairs; business intelligence; and information technology. He also serves as a representative for both the Saints and the Pelicans at NFL and NBA owners meetings. Active throughout the New Orleans sports and civic community, Lauscha currently serves as a member of the Business Council of New Orleans and The River Region, board member for the Audubon Nature Institute, and trustee of the National World War II Museum. He is a past board president of the Preservation Resource Center and also served on the Blight Transition New Orleans Task Force, Mayor Cantrell's Transition Committee, Super Bowl XLVII Host Committee, NBA Team Advisory Council of Presidents and Team CBA Advisory Committee, NFL's 100th Anniversary Committee, and the Stuart Hall School Board of Trustees. FALL 2020 | loyno
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In Memoriam We acknowledge the passing of the following alumni. This list reflects notifications received at the Office of Alumni Engagement between December 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020.
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Frank L. Lombardo ’41
George B. Mettler ’56, ’77
Thomas A. Werling ’61, M.Ed. ’70
Rodney T. Kissinger ’41
William P. Walsh, D.D.S. ’56
Aileene Andre Asprodites ’62
Lee Cangelosi Maloney ’43
Richard L. Deck ’57
Ronald A. Fonseca, J.D. ’62, ’70
Lolita Martinez Wegmann ’44
Ursula Wegmann Finegan ’57
Sol Gothard, J.D. ’62
Perlin Meyers Varenholt ’44
Daniel J. Salzer ’57
Andrew J. Meibaum ’62
Helen Beros Brierre ’45
Edward D. Strassel ’57
Billy L. Moore, D.D.S. ’62
Elaine Boudreaux Seereiter ’47
Philip S. Clark ’58, M.S.E. ’61
Elizabeth A. Gaffney ’63
Grace Muller Flanagan ’47
Daniel O. Conwill, D.D.S. ’58
Robert F. Kiefer ’63
John P. Schneidau ’48
Reginald J. Hendry ’58
John R. McCranels, D.D.S. ’63
Joseph G. Meiman ’48
Cecil R. Lloyd, D.D.S. ’58
Robert M. Caswell ’64, J.D. ’67
William M. Clark ’49
Vincent A. Messina ’58
Marvin V. Cavallino, D.D.S. ’64
Ralph T. Fray ’49
Donald M. Pierce ’58, J.D. ’62
Paul J. Gonzalez ’64
James E. Hultberg, D.D.S. ’49
Cynthia Newman Sicard ’58
Alice Rietman Hadwin ’64, M.P.S. ’90
Marie Hayes Altazan ’50
Joan Brigsten Smith ’58
Floyd J. Malveaux, M.S. ’64
Warren B. Kirsch ’51
Carol Boudousquie Zaffater ’58
Robert L. Bowman, D.D.S. ’65
Guy C. Lewis, D.D.S. ’51
Paul P. Hatrel, D.D.S. ’59
Fletcher W. Cochran ’65, J.D. ’68
Jeanne Belou Fant, Pharm.D. ’52
James H. Ledet ’59
Anthony J. Tridico, D.D.S. ’65
Herman L. Frank ’52
John W. McShane ’59
Jane A. Wade ’65
Lois Foret Gandolfi ’52
Otis K. Bailey, D.D.S. ’60
Lewis E. Alexander, D.D.S. ’66
Annamary Kelly Miester ’52
Ross J. DeNicola, D.D.S. ’60
Gary F. Carroll ’66
Joann R. Pavur ’52
Albert G. Graham, D.D.S. ’60
Gerald W. Cochran ’66
Rita B. Pesavento Prunuske ’52
Robert T. Hughes ’60, J.D. ’68
Robert E. Donnelly, M.Ed. ’66
Jane L. Arbour ‘53
Dorothy Soignet Jewett ’60
Joseph J. Gendusa, J.D. ’66
Bessie Caruso Babin ’53
Michael E. Jung ’60
William R. Leary, J.D. ’66
Narciss R. Barnes ’53, M.Ed. ’61
Robert C. Lacosta, D.D.S. ’60
Patricia Babin Seward ’66
Charles A. Kronlage, J.D. ’53
Ruby Reed Lyons ’60
Paul P. Siragusa ’66, M.B.A. ’69
Marilyn Tassin Lebeuf ’53
Francis J. Marinaro ’60, M.M.E. ’76
Martin L. Bell, M.A. ’67, J.D. ’90
Saul H. Schneider, Pharm.D. ’53
Mary Johanne Pederson ’60
James L. Cannella, J.D. ’67
T. K. Watkins, J.D. ’53
Joseph S. Scaffidi ’60
Carl J. Ciaccio ’67, J.D. ’69
Garland P. Aycock, D.D.S. ’54
Yvonne W. Bradley ’61, M.P.S. ’88
Robert J. Armbruster ’68
Joyce Laborde Cessac ’54
Gerald A. Buss ’61
Marlene Mouledous Eagen ’68
Jacob J. Cohen ‘54, ’55
James T. Capretz ’61, J.D. ’63
Charles C. Garretson, J.D.’68
Ernest C. Hansen ’54
Mary Fokes Maurin ’61
John V. Hughes ’68
Henry F. Mestayer, J.D. ’54
Carol Levy Monahan ’61
William M. Hunt, M.B.A. ’68
Mary Ross Richardson Berridge, Ph.B. ’55
Natchez J. Morice, D.D.S. ’61
Claire E. Kleinschmidt, M.Ed. ’68
William E. Logan, J.D. ’55
Walter L. Sandel ’61
U. G. Larroque ’68
John L. Olivier, J.D. ’55
Alma Soignier Weilbaecher ’61
Robert E. Songy ’68
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Claude D. Vasser, J.D. ’68
Joseph P. Haydel, M.M.E. ’76
Robert W. Hienz ’88
Ruth Dodson St. Onge, M.S.T. ’69
Linda Gibson Hervey ’76, M.B.A. ’80
Allisa M. White ’88
Beverly E. Chaignaud ’70
Margaret Pyburn Mills, M.Ed. ’77
Noma Y. Norman White ’88
Stephen A. LaBorde ’71
Edith A. Balot, M.R.E. ’78
James L. Arruebarrena ’90, J.D. ’93
Earl J. Pennison ’71
Steven T. Richard ’78
William J. Marak, M.P.S. ’90
Russell C. Romero, D.D.S. ’71
Clark C. Roy, J.D. ’78
Rita B. Pesavento Prunuske, M.P.S. ’90
Henry H. Cooper ’72
Leonard M. Ryan ’78
Karen J. Bailey Biever ’91
Richard H. Doyle ’72
Diane Johnson Blasco ’79
John P. Luck ’92, J.D. ’98
Michael J. Moran, J.D. ’72
Jacqueline Anderson Campbell, J.D. ’79
Pierre R. Sabate ’92
Lenette King Zulli, M.Ed. ’72
John F. Colowich, J.D. ’79
Claudio R. Rivero ’96
Lawrence G. Fourcade ’73
Nelson A. Juneau ’79
Michael L. Stout, M.P.S. ’02
George W. Giacobbe, J.D. ’73
Kenneth W. LaRose ’79
Roger M. Normand, M.P.S. ’04
James E. Shields, J.D. ’73
Eileen Hite Pohlman ’79, ’89
Deborah R. Oaas, C.P.S. ’05
Alan B. Tusa, J.D. ’73
Bruce C. Rodriguez ’79
Rosemary A. Holeman, M.P.S. ’06
Noelie Larrieu Wright ’73
Aloysius Scallan ’79
Tara Cedor Quin ’06
Bernard A. Austin ’74
Elise B. Allen ’80
Florence Logrande Maurin ’09
Francis S. Brown ’74
Kenneth P. Dupre ’80
Agustin R. Guitart, J.D. ’74
David E. Maurer ’80, J.D. ’89
Henry G. Sullivan, J.D. ’74
Mark G. Ohman ’81
Warren P. Dufrene ’75
Brian C. Pettus ’81, M.B.A. ’86
Clayton E. Lovell, J.D. ’75
Gloria Teles Pushker ’82
Michael T. Crow ’76
Steven T. Richard, J.D. ’82
faith does not mean having no “Having difficulties, but rather, having the strength to face them knowing that we are not alone. ” – Pope Francis
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Class Notes 1970s Brenda Breaux, J.D. ’94 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year.
Don Costello ’70 (business administration) is president of the Algiers Historical Society in New Orleans and was instrumental in getting the society included in the national History Relevance Initiative. Edwin Fleischmann, J.D. ’73 is the owner of Parlons Café, a French-speaking venue, located in Metairie, Louisiana. Richard G. Stewart, Jr., J.D. ’76 received the Dallas Bar Association's 2020 Martin Luther King, Jr., Justice Award. Charles Murphy ’78 (biology) has been appointed as chief quality and patient safety officer for Jupiter Medical Center in Jupiter, Florida.
1980s Jennifer Castine Bordes ’84 (accounting) is president of the New Orleans Estate Planning Council. Michael Murphy ’87 (communication) has released a new documentary film titled Up From The Streets. New Orleans: The City of Music.
1990s Philip Spizale ’93 (communication) is CEO of the RedHawk Holdings Corporation.
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Gerald DeBose, M.S.T. ’95 has been named principal of St. Augustine High School in New Orleans. Ernest Legier, Jr., J.D. ’95 has been appointed commissioner of the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control. Amy Boyle Collins ’96 (communication) is CEO of Gambel Communications in Metairie, Louisiana. Cherrell Simms Taplin ’98 (psychology), J.D. ’02 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year.
2000s Ansel Augustine ’00 (sociology), M.P.S. ’02 is executive director of cultural diversity and outreach for the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. Anthony LeBlanc ’01 (computer science) is interim executive producer for The Second City theatre in Chicago.
Denia Sylve Aiyegbusi ’04 (international business and marketing), J.D. ’07 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year. Lauren Campisi, J.D. ’05 is a partner in the international firm Hinshaw & Culbertson. Arielle McConduit ’05 (management), J.D. ’09 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year. Lauren Saucier, J.D. ’05 has been named one of the 10 Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Alexandria, Louisiana. The Honorable Christian Weiler, J.D. ’05 has been confirmed as a judge on the United States Tax Court. Dr. R. Scott Daugherty ’06 (psychology) has joined Baton Rouge General Physicians as a board-certified colon and rectal surgeon. Nicholas Manuel Pino ’07 (music industry studies) has been named one of Gambit's 40 Under 40 for his work in the film industry. Eboni Williams, J.D. ’07 is the host and executive producer of REVOLT BLACK NEWS and is the first Black cast member on the Bravo show, The Real Housewives of New York City.
Jane Heidingsfelder, J.D. ’03 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year.
Victoria Adams Phipps ’09 (music industry studies) has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year.
Capt. Will E. Watson, M.B.A. ’03 has been appointed Commander and Captain of the Port of New Orleans.
2010s The Honorable Marissa Hutabarat, J.D. ’10 has been elected judge in the Orleans Parish First City Court.
Whitford Remer, J.D. ’10 is a sustainability and resilience officer for the City of Tampa, Florida. Elissa Blache Haynes, J.D. ’11 is president-elect of the Georgia Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division. Emily Booth, J.D. ’12 has been named secretary of the New Orleans chapter of the Junior League. Victor Jones, J.D. ’12 has been named one of Gambit's 40 Under 40 for his work as general counsel and senior policy advisor for the State of Louisiana. Dixie Norris, B.S.N. ’12 is director of the Southern Bone and Joint Specialists' Surgery Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Ashley Garcia Almanzar ’13 (management) has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year. Angela S. Davis, J.D. ’13 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year. Emily Jones, M.B.A. ’14 is digital strategy manager for The Ramey Agency in New Orleans. Natalie Jayroe, M.B.A. ’18 has been named one of the New Orleans CityBusiness 2020 Women of the Year.
2020 Sarah Zoghbi, M.S.C. ’20 has been named one of Gambit's 40 Under 40 for her work as co-founding director of Loyola’s Center for Counseling and Education.
ALUMNI PROFILE
Service Through Science Dr. Joseph Fair ’99 (biology) BY ROSE WAGNER
Joseph Fair ’99 has spent the better part of two decades studying viruses in more than 45 countries. From studying Ebola to building research labs to his latest job reporting on pandemics for NBC, the virologist and epidemiologist says his work has always centered around both a love of science and a Jesuit-based desire to help humanity. To this day, Fair signs many of his messages with a simple “AMDG,” which is shorthand for the Latin Jesuit motto ad majorem dei gloriam, translated as “For the greater glory of God.” After studying biology at Loyola, Fair earned a Ph.D. in molecular biology at Tulane University and studied under some of the most renowned virologists of the modern era—including Nobel Prize-winner Françoise Barré-Sinoussi, who is credited with discovering HIV. Fair says his path was largely influenced by the priests at Loyola and the time he spent studying Ignatian spirituality. “I was influenced a lot by the notion of finding my mission in my life,” Fair said. “I knew I wanted to be a combination of someone who maintains my religious beliefs but is also a scientist. That is quite rare these days, but historically it actually isn’t unusual at all. And perhaps one of the strongest traditions of spirituality and science is the Jesuit order.” Through that mission, Fair has helped build national labs around the world, trained scientists in developing countries, and spent the two years before the COVID-19 pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on behalf of the U.S. government.
“What I am known for in science is my ability to collaborate, and to do that in difficult places where most people don’t want to go,” said Fair. In 2014, he worked in Sierra Leone during the largest outbreak of Ebola in history. Fair said watching people around him and close friends die during the epidemic was nothing short of “apocalyptic,” and an experience that brought him back to his faith. Now a virological expert for NBC, Fair said he hasn’t forgotten the Jesuit mission or the devastation that viral outbreaks can cause. “My personal mission has always been to try to help save lives with science. In my new role at NBC, I look at my ability to impact lives as being increased many times over. If I can get the right information out to the majority of America from a major news network, that is something that has the potential to save more lives than I ever could as a scientist,” Fair said. “All of my work is dedicated to the cause of serving humanity.”
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The 2020
Ignatian Awards The highest honor the university bestows on its students, the Ignatian Award, recognizes a graduating senior and a graduate student who have distinguished themselves by contributing their gifts generously to the Loyola community, sharing their faith with others, excelling in their scholarly pursuits, providing service for and with others, and living Jesuit values in an extraordinary manner. The 2020 Ignatian Award recipients are political science graduate Rana Thabata and master's in counseling graduate Sarah Zogbhi.
Rana Thabata ’20 (political science) A native of Gretna, Louisiana, Rana Thabata ’20 followed her older sister, Rula Thabata ’19, to Loyola, enrolling as a political science major in the College of Arts and Sciences. "I really loved being challenged in so many of my classes but especially constitutional law with Dr. Philip Dynia and political theory classes with Dr. Roger White," said Thabata. "Also, my independent study on the economics of education with Dr. Leo Krasnozhon was absolutely eye-opening. It taught me how to think critically using data and showed how data can inform policy." Though a stellar student, Thabata's presence at Loyola extended far beyond the classroom. She was an Ignacio Volunteer, serving in the NOLA Urban Immersion program as a freshman and later as a team leader. As a sophomore, Thabata was president of the Multicultural Leadership Council, a krewe leader for new student orientation, and a senator for the Student Government Association (SGA). She was involved with the SGA's University Programming Board for several years and was inducted into the Omicron Delta Kappa honor society in her junior year. During her final year at Loyola, Thabata was vice president of the Muslim Student Association and vice president of the
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Women in Politics student organization. She also served as the diversity officer on the university's presidential search stakeholder committee. Thabata worked at the Student Success Center as a supplemental instructor for constitutional law and as a tutor for political science and economics courses. She also worked at Loyola's Donnelley Center for Nonprofit Communications as their inaugural diversity officer. In this role, she implemented weekly diversity programming to foster a more equitable environment for both the students working at the Donnelley Center and the center's nonprofit clients. As a Loyola alumna, Thabata's success continues. She received a Fulbright Scholarship and has enrolled in the policy studies in education master's program at the University College London. She plans to attend law school and envisions a career using data and policy to advocate for equitable access to education. "Rana epitomizes my favorite Ignatian value, which is being a person who lives with and for others," said Patricia Boyett, director of Loyola's Women's Resource Center. "She is an incredibly brilliant and talented woman who does such amazing work, and yet she is always so unassuming about it."
Sarah Zogbhi, M.S.C. ’20, P. L.P.C. Sarah Zogbhi has a master's degree in clinical mental health counseling and is a provisional licensed professional counselor specializing in relational psychodynamic psychotherapy. As a graduate student in the College of Nursing and Health, Zogbhi helped establish the Loyola Center for Counseling and Education.
environment that incubates competent, compassionate, and ethical therapists."
Zogbhi's interest in counseling began during her career as a theatre artist, exploring the joys and sorrows of human existence both onstage and in the local theatre community.
"During the year of internship, we treat real clients in the community," said Zogbhi. "We learn how to put theory into practice— something the graduate program prepared us well for."
"Being in the theatre, we were all interested in what made us human," said Zogbhi. "It was then that I became interested in what makes us holistically sick and what makes us holistically well." This budding interest in psychology led Zogbhi to study abroad in a range of healing modalities, including naturopathy, shamanic drum journeywork, aromatherapy, and autogenic hypnosis relaxation. She also earned a B.A. in psychology from Touro College in Berlin, Germany. To be closer to family and friends, Zogbhi returned to her native Louisiana to complete her counseling education. "Loyola's graduate program in counseling stood out for many reasons," said Zogbhi. "I found high academic standards upheld in a very supportive human
At Loyola, Zogbhi helped establish the Loyola Center for Counseling and Education (LCCE), a growing sliding-scale mental health clinic and teaching facility. The LCCE now plays a key role in graduate training.
"Without Sarah, the LCCE simply would not exist," said College of Nursing and Health Graduate Assistant Claire Kohne. "Hundreds of underserved New Orleanians would be without care, and thousands of future clients would go without counseling. Sarah's skills as a co-founding director and master of development have been absolutely integral to the LCCE's existence, growth, and success."
She is particularly thankful for the guidance and mentorship she received from Dr. John Dewell, Kevin Foose, and Dr. Penny Roberts. "They went above and beyond to support the goals I set for myself and my dreams to serve our community with vital resources that they too were passionate about providing," said Zogbhi. As an alumna, Zogbhi continues her work with LCCE, where she serves as co-founding director and as a provisional licensed professional counselor. "Our goal at LCCE is to sustainably grow its capacity to meet the mental health needs of New Orleanians, with no one turned away for lack of funds," said Zogbhi. As a practitioner, she aspires to continue developing her skills and experience as a relational psychodynamic psychotherapist offering integrated holistic modalities. "After finishing two back-to-back degrees, I'm enjoying having more quality time in this next chapter of life to spend with my loved ones."
Zogbhi also established the Care for Creatives program at the Southern Rep Theatre while at Loyola. "This project was especially supported by the activity group therapy class and a very unique incorporation of psychodrama into our philosophy course," said Zogbhi.
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2021 RANKINGS The 2021 rankings are in, here are some of the categories where Loyola topped the charts:
#7 #8 #9 #10
MOST INCLUSIVE UNIVERSITY
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TOWN-GOWN RELATIONS ARE GREAT
BEST COLLEGE NEWSPAPER
COLLEGE CITY GETS HIGH MARKS
U.S. NEWS AND
WORLD REPORT
TOP
20
BEST GRADUATE ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS
#61
BEST COLLEGE FOR UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING
#174 BEST COLLEGE FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY
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COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Professors from the counseling, English, and psychological sciences departments, together with Student Health Services, led a keynote discussion on trauma to wrap up the weeklong 2020 Faculty Summer Teaching Conference hosted by the Center for Faculty Innovation at Loyola. The session was designed to help faculty learn more about trauma and its effect on the body; how trauma and stress may be affecting the Loyola community; how faculty can help students while engaging in self-care; and how to teach, advise, and administer with empathy and build community. Physics professors JAMILEH BEIK MOHAMMADI, PH.D. and MARTIN MCHUGH, PH.D. won grant funding to support undergraduate student research through the NASA Louisiana Aerospace Catalyst Experiences for Students program at Louisiana State University. Two teams of Loyola physics undergraduate students will design and develop a scientific balloon payload as part of the program and travel to Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, Texas, where the payloads will be launched. Both teams will design and build the payloads to measure temperature, humidity, and pressure during the flight, then analyze the collected data and present it on site. Each team will also use a gyroscope, an accelerometer, a UV detector, or a magnetometer to make additional measurements during flight time. Assistant Professor of Psychology MADISON SILVERSTEIN, PH.D. received a grant from the American Psychological Association to support a new training and mentoring program for future psychologists of color.
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FRANCESCA LAUSEN, psychology senior, received the 2019-20 Mamie Phipps Clark Diversity Research Grant from Psi Chi, the international psychology honor society, to support her senior thesis research. Biology professor FRANK JORDAN, PH.D. received two grants through the Louisiana Sea Grant program that will help to support undergraduate research for students studying the invasion of the Asian swamp eel in Lake Pontchartrain and the effects of canopy on coastal stream invertebrates. Professor of Practice of Criminology and Justice RONAL SERPAS, PH.D. has been elected a founding member of the Council on Criminal Justice (CCJ), a national invitational membership organization and think tank. He testified on June 23 before the President’s Commission on Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice on use of force by the police and culture change.
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS The College of Business and College of Music and Media partnered this fall to launch a new master of science in marketing and communications degree, available as an online program. Tailored to professionals working across the fields of marketing, public relations, and advertising—or recent undergraduates in marketing, journalism, communications, and general business—the program demonstrates Loyola’s ability to understand the marketplace and deliver graduate programs that students desire. It currently enjoys the single largest enrollment for any Loyola online program. The College of Business recently entered into a partnership with IBM to launch the IBM Skills Academy, which is rooted in business
fundamentals and allows students to earn professional badges in highly marketable areas, including artificial intelligence, blockchain management, cloud computing, cybersecurity, data science, Internet of Things, and design thinking. IBM will assist Loyola faculty with skills development and curriculum improvements by making select software, courseware, and other resources available from the IBM Academic Initiative. The partnership will also provide faculty and students with opportunities to explore educational resources and tutorials and experiment with quantum devices through the IBM Q Experience. Focusing on the freshman student experience, making key modifications to the first semester curriculum, and building community among its students, the College of Business has led university efforts on increased first-year retention of students, a key strategic goal of the university. The on-campus MBA program has also increased enrollment 128% this year, following an investment in increased advertising.
COLLEGE OF LAW The Public Welfare Foundation has awarded a nearly $60,000 grant to Distinguished Law Professor ANDREA ARMSTRONG to provide a landscape scan of the Louisiana criminal system. Her work will inform the foundation’s planning for a five-year $12 to $15 million total investment in criminal justice issues in Louisiana. The Louisiana Bar Foundation has also awarded the law school’s Education Project and the Workplace Justice Project in the Loyola Law Clinic $10,000 each to support their work. The College of Law and the New Orleans Police Department jointly hosted the third annual
police peer intervention executive leadership conference, a virtual training for more than 350 law enforcement leaders from across the nation. NOPD’s national Ethical Policing Is Courageous (EPIC) Conference is designed for police leaders—chiefs, academy directors, and other decision-makers—who are looking for a tried-and-true peer intervention model to bring to their departments. Offering a transformative approach to policing, the annual conference aims to give police officers tools to prevent officer misconduct and protect the public. Held this summer, this year’s EPIC training came at a pivotal time for our nation.
newspaper, the board will help create a more inclusive newsroom while integrating working professionals into the process of producing The Maroon on all of its platforms. Goals include tracking newsroom diversity with an internal census and using that data to inform staff recruitment. Additionally, the board will work to establish a system to track sources in stories to ensure the people quoted and referenced reflect the community it serves. The Maroon staff and faculty will also receive diversity, equity, and inclusion training and engage in a series of discussions on diversity with other college newsrooms.
The Law Library hosted more than 250 archivists and librarians from around the country for a webinar to discuss how libraries can better plan for unprecedented events and to share lessons learned from the COVID-19 global health pandemic and other emergency events.
“This is an important first step to making The Maroon a welcoming place for all student journalists, as well as ensuring that The Maroon’s coverage truly mirrors the community it covers,” said Lisa Collins, interim director of the School of Communication and Design.
COLLEGE OF MUSIC AND MEDIA
COLLEGE OF NURSING AND HEALTH
SCHOOL OF MUSIC INDUSTRY
SCHOOL OF NURSING
Songwriting instructor JIM MCCORMICK received a Lifetime Achievement Award and served as keynote speaker at the Cutting Edge C.E. Conference in October. A multi-Grammy nominated songwriter based in Nashville and New Orleans, McCormick has penned songs recorded by Kelly Clarkson, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Harry Connick, Jr., Trisha Yearwood, Randy Travis, Ronnie Milsap, Jamey Johnson, Radney Foster, Luke Bryan, Smash Mouth, and many more.
The College of Nursing and Health is excited to offer a dual MSN/MBA degree, which combines a master of science in nursing degree focused on healthcare systems administration and leadership with a master’s degree in business administration.
DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC AND THEATRE ARTS This fall, Loyola Theatre will produce the Louisiana premiere of Tori Sampson’s play Cadillac Crew, which the New York Times describes as a “road trip through racism.” Later this year, Loyola Theatre will perform Head Over Heels, a celebration of gender identity, race and gender equality, positive body image, and the concept that love is love! The show won the Equity Excellence in Diversity on Broadway Award. This spring, Theatre and Dance will produce the poignant play Stop Kiss. SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN The School of Communication and Design has formed a new Maroon Alumni Board to help improve its efforts at diversity, equity, and inclusion. Working with alumni and friends of the 97-year-old award-winning student
In July, Loyola University and Fletcher Technical Community College signed articulation agreements between their nursing programs, making it easier for students to transfer credits from Fletcher to Loyola University. Fletcher students will now be able to complete the associate of science in nursing and transfer credit hours earned in the various concentrations within that degree and apply them toward completion of the bachelor of science in nursing at Loyola University. DEPARTMENT OF COUNSELING The counseling department welcomes its largest incoming class ever this fall. Parallel to this growth is the continued development of the Loyola Center for Counseling and Education (LCCE), a community health clinic started in January 2019. Initially staffed by a single intern, the LCCE has grown into a robust clinic providing over 2,000 direct clinical therapy hours a year. The clinic heads into the 2020-2021 academic year with 11 clinical staff members and expanded therapy offerings to meet the mental health demands of our community.
The LCCE has received a grant from Women United that will help to provide 60 clients from the hospitality industry and their families mental health services weekly, increase the center’s impact, and provide over 3,000 hours of mental health treatment. Through this grant, the LCCE aims both to recruit more clients and develop three targeted service industry worker therapeutic support groups, provide outreach, and prioritize treatment for hospitality workers in the center’s individual, couple, family, or play therapy services. LCCE has also received a GPOA Foundation grant to provide children and families with access to mental healthcare services and a Hargrove Foundation grant to support clinic operations. LOYOLA INSTITUTE FOR MINISTRY This summer, WLAE-TV New Orleans Public Television streamed two Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) documentary series celebrating the work of Catholic sisters around the world. Produced in partnership with Salt + Light Television, the three-part documentary series, As I Have Done, highlights how the work of sisters in East Africa is animated by Catholic Social Teaching and contributes to sustainable development. In the seven-part series titled Sisterhood, six of the seven communities of women depicted have a presence right here in New Orleans. PROFESSOR TRACEY LAMONT, PH.D. recently assisted in the development and production of Christus Visit: Pathway to Accompaniment Study Guide, which addresses Pope Francis’ seminal document on ministry with and for youth and young adults.
ONLINE Loyola now offers more than 20 online degree programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels, in subjects from nursing to finance, psychology, theology, and criminology. Loyola also offers online summer courses! Visit loyno.edu/online to learn more.
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UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID PPCO
7214 St. Charles Avenue Campus Box 909 New Orleans, LA 70118 -3538
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Giving Reminders for 2020 Your gifts to Loyola University are greatly appreciated. We will be pleased to assist you and your advisors as you plan your charitable goals for 2020. • Complete your gifts to Loyola University New Orleans by December 31 to enjoy tax savings for 2020. • Keep all receipts and acknowledgments for tax purposes. • Giving stock or certain other property that has increased in value may provide greater tax savings than cash.
•G ifts through wills, trusts, insurance policies, retirement plans, and other long-range financial plans are all great ways to support Loyola University. • If you are 70½ years or older, charitable gifts from your IRA may be advisable. •C onsider making a gift through your donor-advised fund, foundation, corporation, or other businesses where applicable.
•D on’t forget “matching gifts” from your employer. •R emember the one-time tax benefit for charitable contributions under the 2020 CARES Act. •A sk your advisors which methods of giving are best for you.
Please contact Monique Gaudin Gardner, director of gift and estate planning, at 504.861.5752 or via email at mgardner@loyno.edu for further information.