Loyola Newshttps://www.loyola.edu/loyolanewsLoyola Newsen{F018F29A-BDDB-49C3-8EEE-9EEE60BCB61F}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1212-mlk-convocationFreeman Hrabowski III, Ph.D., to speak at 31st annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Convocation<p>Loyola University Maryland will hold the 31st annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Convocation with Freeman Hrabowski III, Ph.D., president <em>emeritus</em> of The University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), on Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall East. The Convocation is <a href="/join-us/mlk-convocation">free and open to the public</a> and will also be livestreamed.</p> <p>The Convocation, &ldquo;Looking Back to Look Forward 1964-2024,&rdquo; will be moderated by Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., founding executive director of the <a href="/join-us/karson-institute">Karson Institute for Race, Peace &amp; Social Justice</a> and professor of communication and African and African American studies at Loyola.</p> <p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re honored to welcome Dr. Hrabowski, who has been a revered leader in Maryland higher education&mdash;and an esteemed thought leader nationally&mdash;for more than two decades,&rdquo; said Rodney L. Parker, Ph.D., chief equity and inclusion officer at Loyola. &ldquo;His leadership of UMBC took that university in new strategic directions, and his commitment to equity and justice set an example for higher education more broadly.&rdquo;</p> <p>Hrabowski is a consultant on science and math education to national agencies, universities, and school systems. His research and publications focus on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority participation and performance.</p> <p>Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Hrabowski served as a child leader in the Civil Rights era and marched alongside the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He graduated from Hampton Institute with the highest honors in mathematics. He received his master&rsquo;s degree in mathematics before earning a doctoral degree in higher education administration and statistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.</p> <p>Hrabowski served as president of UMBC from 1992 to 2022, and in 2012, was named by President Obama to chair the President&rsquo;s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans. In 2022, Hrabowski was elected to the National Academy of Engineering for the &ldquo;development of a national educational model for students from diverse backgrounds to excel in engineering and science."</p> <p>In April 2023, the National Academy of Sciences awarded him the Public Welfare Medal, the academy&rsquo;s most prestigious award, and inducted him as a member of the academy for his extraordinary use of science for the public good.</p> <p>His most recent book, <em>The Empowered University</em>, examines how university communities support academic success by cultivating an empowering institutional culture. In addition, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute also launched the Freeman Hrabowski Scholars Program to help build a scientific workforce that more fully reflects our increasingly diverse country. </p> <p>To learn more and register, visit <a href="/join-us/mlk-convocation">www.loyola.edu/mlk</a>.</p> <p><strong>About the Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation</strong><br /> The Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation, celebrating its 31st year, is an occasion for Loyola and the Baltimore communities to launch the spring semester and the new year by coming together for shared inquiry into the issues of social justice, politics, spirituality, and the legacies of race and racial justice in America. The convocation, which is sponsored by Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Office of Equity and Inclusion, is a signature event for the University. Past speakers have included Michelle Alexander, Ibram X. Kendi, Octavia Butler, Spike Lee, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Roxane Gay.</p>Thu, 14 Dec 2023 05:00:00 Z{138CC6D2-55FB-4979-9F81-2C8292B53E1B}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1208-school-ed-kahlertSchool of Education awarded $100,000 grant to support the training of school counselors statewide<p>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s <a href="/school-education">School of Education</a> was awarded a $100,000 one-year grant to support the professional development of K-12 school counselors in Maryland. The philanthropic School Counselors Advancing Student Success and Well-being grant will expand training Loyola provides for site supervisors. Site supervisors are school counselors who train future school counselors throughout the state.</p> <p>The grant, which was awarded by the <a href="https://www.thekahlertfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Kahlert Foundation</a>, will offer support and training, fund professional development conferences, and create opportunities for advanced skills development. It will produce stronger supervisors for Loyola graduate school counseling students in training. This training underscores Loyola&rsquo;s commitment to training and placing highly qualified school counselors across Maryland to support the social and emotional needs of students Pre-K-12.</p> <p>"This grant demonstrates the program&rsquo;s commitment to evidence and research-based practices that transform student outcomes and provide transformational training opportunities,&rdquo; said Afra Ahmed Hersi, Ph.D., dean of Loyola&rsquo;s School of Education. &ldquo;It exemplifies why Loyola continues to offer a cutting-edge School Counseling program for anyone who wants to be a school counselor. Our graduates serve youth in Baltimore, and across the state, and provide much needed counseling services to young people in schools.&rdquo;</p> <p>Training will now be offered to school counselors throughout Maryland who are willing to sponsor and train Loyola students in their endeavor to become strong school counselors and advocates for children.</p> <p>&ldquo;School counselors are a vital part of the educational team. Along with teachers and administrators, they help to improve a student&rsquo;s learning, mental health and outcomes, said Ellen Myers, executive director of the Kahlert Foundation. &ldquo;The foundation is pleased to support Loyola&rsquo;s program to ensure students in Maryland have a positive and healthy student experience.&rdquo;</p> <p>To learn more about Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling">Master&rsquo;s in School Counseling</a>&nbsp;programs, the internship experience, or how to be a site supervisor, visit <a href="/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling">loyola.edu/schoolcounseling</a>.</p> <p><strong>More about the Kahlert Foundation</strong><br /> The <a href="https://www.thekahlertfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Kahlert Foundation</a>'s mission is to provide grants to non-profit organizations to improve the quality of life and well-being of the community in the areas of health care, education, youth programs, veteran organizations, and human services. The foundation&rsquo;s focus is the states of Maryland and Utah.</p>Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:56:52 Z{C8BE6F7E-CEE1-49F4-8CDB-055155FBDE22}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1204-nursing-updateLoyola’s BSN proposal is recommended for implementation by Maryland Higher Education Commission<p>The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) has recommended Loyola&rsquo;s new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program for implementation. This program will be run through a partnership with Mercy Medical Center, which will provide clinical placements at Mercy&rsquo;s downtown Baltimore campus, in addition to other resources and support.</p> <p>&ldquo;This program will be a powerful example of living out our Jesuit, Catholic mission, as we strive to graduate leaders who are capable of meeting the needs of our community,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;This affirmation from MHEC is an important milestone in the process&mdash;and a critical step as we look ahead to implement a strategy of growing health and STEM programs at Loyola.&rdquo;</p> <p>The University, which expects the four-year BSN program to be available for new incoming undergraduates in Fall 2025, still needs approval from the Maryland Board of Nursing. Loyola is preparing to launch a search for a nursing director with the hope of filling that role in the spring.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola is proud, honored, and grateful to partner with Mercy Medical Center in helping to address Maryland&rsquo;s ongoing nursing workforce shortage, and we appreciate the support of MHEC in this process,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. &ldquo;As an anchor institution and the Jesuit university in Baltimore, Loyola has long been involved in partnerships that strengthen our city. This new program will help us continue this legacy of investment and collaboration.</p> <p>Loyola and Mercy have a shared history as faith-based, mission-driven institutions deeply committed to the City of Baltimore. Founded in 1852 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola merged in 1971 with Mount Saint Agnes College, a women&rsquo;s college founded by the Sisters of Mercy, who also founded Mercy Medical Center in downtown Baltimore in 1874.</p> <p>While working toward the creation of the BSN program, Loyola has also created a memorandum of understanding to prioritize admission for BSN graduates to Notre Dame of Maryland University graduate programs in nursing and occupational therapy.</p> <p>&ldquo;We believe this collaborative relationship with Notre Dame will serve our students and the deep workforce needs in our state,&rdquo; Moore-Thomas said.</p>Wed, 06 Dec 2023 05:00:00 Z{9E46335A-5B46-4531-B2E5-301B8D0DED14}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1106-bunting-israel-hamasBunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series to explore Pathways to Peace in Israel-Palestine<p>Loyola University Maryland's Bunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series will host Mohammed Abu-Nimer, Ph.D., inaugural professor of the new Abdul Aziz Said Endowed Chair for Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University, on Thursday, Nov. 16, at 5 p.m. in McGuire Hall West. It is free and open to the public, though <a href="https://bridge.loyola.edu/peace/rsvp_boot?id=2137016" target="_blank">registration is encouraged</a>.<img alt="Mohammed Abu-Nimer" src="/-/media/news/images/2023/1106-bunting-israel-hamas-headshot.ashx?h=225&amp;w=225&amp;la=en&amp;hash=B0D06D88509A01DFC1548500A247E4F30118A38F" style="height: 225px; width: 225px; float: right;" /></p> <p>Abu-Nimer's talk, titled &ldquo;Pathways to Peace in Israel-Palestine: Lessons Learned,&rdquo; will clarify that &ldquo;support for Israelis and Palestinians is to insist on their right to equally live in peace and freedom&mdash;not help structures of state violence and cultures of militarization.&rdquo;</p> <p>Abu-Nimer is the author of the book <em>Islam and Nonviolence</em> and is a global authority on interfaith dialogue. He is a founder of the Salam Institute and a member of the Nonviolence International Board of Directors.</p> <div> <p>In addition to his research and teaching in the areas of conflict resolution and peacebuilding, Abu-Nimer has conducted interreligious conflict resolution training and interfaith dialogue workshops in conflict areas around the world, such as in, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Northern Ireland, the Philippines (Mindanao), Chad, Nigeria, and Sri Lanka.</p> <br /> <br /> </div>Mon, 06 Nov 2023 15:43:50 Z{EFBA3344-6999-4168-B4AC-08B0FBD16D43}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1016-israel-gaza-palestineA message from Loyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., on the events in Israel, Gaza, and Palestine<p>Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola University Maryland, issued this statement on the events in Israel, Gaza, and Palestine:</p> <p>As we observe the terror attack and continued escalation of the violence in Israel and Gaza, we are horrified. While it may be difficult to see beyond our own reaction, I encourage you to keep in mind that these events are especially painful for members of our community who have close ties to what is unfolding.</p> <p>Students, faculty, staff, and administrators here at Loyola have loved ones who have been harmed or are living in fear. Others may be carrying the weight of these events because of their religious or ethnic identities. As members of the human family, and as members of a Jesuit, Catholic university community, we grieve for and with them. We recognize the dignity and immeasurable value of human life. We condemn these acts of hatred, violence, and terrorism and pray for a timely, peaceful, and just resolution.</p> <p>We are called to accompany those who are most affected during this time&mdash;walking with them in prayer and, if possible, other action, leading with love, and working for justice.</p> <p><strong>Prayer Opportunities</strong><br /> Last week, members of our Loyola family gathered to reflect and pray by the Peace Pole outside Alumni Memorial Chapel. I am grateful to everyone who brought their prayers, voices, and presence to that time. The prayers from different faiths and in different languages united us and helped us bring light to darkness. Members of our community are invited to gather on Tuesday, Oct. 17, at 3 p.m. at the statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the Quad, as we join the Ordinaries of the Holy Land in praying the Rosary for peace and reconciliation.</p> <p>As Dr. Milton Bravo, our vice president for mission and identity, <a href="/news/2023/1011-prayer-for-peace-middle-east">shared last week</a>, we are remembering all those affected by these events at the daily Mass in Alumni Memorial Chapel. We will continue to create time and space for prayer, recognizing the strength that can come from entrusting our intentions to a higher power. Prayer changes us and helps us connect more closely with individuals and causes beyond ourselves, even as it reminds us that God is present even at the darkest times in human history.</p> <p><strong>Opportunities for Connection</strong><br /> Leaders across the University are working to create spaces where community members can come together for conversation and connection and identify academic and intellectual spaces to better understand and discuss these issues. We will share more details on those opportunities to connect in meaningful ways and deepen our understanding of complex issues.</p> <p><strong>Support Resources</strong><br /> This time in the semester also adds the stress of academic deadlines and pressures. Please give yourself the space to process and the time to connect with others, including family and friends.</p> <p>If you need extra support as you process these events, please contact members of our community who are ready and available to serve students in the <a href="/department/counseling-center">Counseling Center</a>, <a href="/department/campus-ministry">Campus Ministry</a>, <a href="/department/alana">ALANA Services</a>, or the <a href="/department/residence-life-housing">Office of Residence Life and Housing</a>. Faculty, staff, and administrators are also welcome to seek support through Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/department/hr/benefits/assistance/eap">Employee Assistance Program</a> and our University Chaplain.</p> <p><strong>Our Prayer Today</strong><br /> During this time, I pray that we can support those among us who are in the most pain. I also invite you to use this moment as a time for us to resolve yet again to work to create a more just world. Even in the most challenging times, we can lead with love, work for justice, and step forward with hope.</p> <p>Sincerely,</p> <p>Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D.<br /> President of Loyola University Maryland,</p>Mon, 16 Oct 2023 20:27:35 Z{7981A0C3-B239-4FDA-8B22-AB1763A7223C}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1011-prayer-for-peace-middle-eastA message from Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., vice president for mission and identity at Loyola, on the events in the Middle East<p>Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., vice president of mission and identity for Loyola University Maryland, sent this message to the Loyola community on Oct. 11, 2023:</p> <p>Dear Members of the Loyola Community,<br /> &nbsp;<br /> When I originally envisioned introducing myself to the University community this semester as your inaugural vice president for mission and identity, I could not have imagined the violence we would be witnessing now in Israel and Gaza.<br /> <br /> The type of violence unfolding will be met with difficult emotions, particularly by those within our community who may be personally impacted by the war-like conditions currently underway. Any loss of human life is a loss to all of us, as we are part of a larger human community.<br /> <br /> So, my prayer at this moment is for peace, and an end to this violence. My prayer is for members of our community, that we may wrestle with the complex emotions that a time such as this one in our history brings. My prayer is for a continuation of striving towards the common good, even in the midst of so much pain and suffering.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> <a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/angelus/2023/documents/20231008-angelus.html" target="_blank">As Pope Francis reminded us</a> this past Sunday, &ldquo;Let it be understood that terrorism and war do not lead to any resolutions, but only death and suffering of so many innocent people. War is a defeat! Every war is a defeat! Let us pray that there be peace in Israel and in Palestine.&rdquo;<br /> &nbsp;<br /> All are welcome to gather for prayer near the Peace Pole outside Alumni Memorial Chapel today, Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 2 to 2:30 p.m.<br /> <br /> We will also continue to include an intention for &ldquo;peace in our world&rdquo; at our liturgies throughout this week. We especially ask for the intercession of Mary during this time, that we may continue the work of building up our communities, working toward justice, healing, and love.<br /> <br /> If you are in need of extra support as you process these events, please contact members of our community who are ready and available to serve students in the <a href="/department/counseling-center">Counseling Center,</a> <a href="/department/campus-ministry">Campus Ministry,</a> <a href="/department/alana">ALANA Services,</a> or the <a href="/department/residence-life-housing">Office of Residence Life and Housing</a>. Faculty, staff, and administrators are also welcome to seek support through <a href="/department/hr/benefits/assistance">Loyola&rsquo;s Employee Assistance Program</a> and our University Chaplain.<br /> <br /> May we continue to build a culture of encounter and belonging in our community.<br /> &nbsp;<br /> God Bless,<br /> <br /> Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D.<br /> Vice President for Mission and Identity</p> <div>&nbsp;</div>Wed, 11 Oct 2023 16:46:47 Z{F6F16406-B149-4E6E-A596-37ED3B375A90}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1010-karson-institute-opens-new-spaceKarson Institute opens new physical space<p>The <a href="/join-us/karson-institute">Karson Institute for Race, Peace &amp; Social Justice</a> at Loyola University Maryland celebrated the opening of its new physical space on Monday, Oct. 9, at the Loyola/Notre Dame Library.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> The reception and opening event featured a new mural unveiling at the library, a ribbon-cutting, poetry readings, and a meet-and-greet reception. Speakers at the event included Loyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., Maryland Senator Jill P. Carter, Baltimore City Councilman Mark Conway, and Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., founding executive director of the Karson Institute and professor of communication and African and African American Studies.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> &ldquo;Three years ago, we opened as a virtual space,&rdquo; said Whitehead, recalling the initial launch via a Zoom with Loyola and community leaders in October 2020. "I worked hard along with my colleagues and community partners and donors to move to this level and make this a reality."&nbsp;<br /> <br /> During the welcome event, the Karson Institute also celebrated its third anniversary, and many of the speakers praised Whitehead for her vision and leadership.<br /> <br /> &ldquo;I know that you know the meaning of space and place. I know that you understand the grounding, the rooting, that space and place provides. I know that you know better than most the foundation that that provides,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, Loyola&rsquo;s provost and vice president for academic affairs, speaking at the event. &ldquo;Bless you, Dr. Kaye. Bless you for all that you have done, all that you are doing now, all that you will do in the future, because when the next chapter of Loyola University Maryland is written, I know... that you will be part of that story.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p> <p>Founded at Loyola University Maryland, the Karson Institute provides a scholarly space for professors, students, social justice workers, and activists to come together to research, discuss, debate, and explore answers to America&rsquo;s most urgent questions on inequality, injustice, and racial inequity.&nbsp;</p>Tue, 10 Oct 2023 20:50:37 Z{49FFFBAE-46DB-468B-A16A-B9D57CF0709B}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1006-sister-cleophasNew York Times best-selling author to speak at 32nd Sister Cleophas Costello Lecture<p>Loyola University Maryland will welcome <em>New York Times </em>best-selling author Bonnie Garmus for the 32nd Sister Cleophas Costello Lecture on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at 7 p.m. in McGuire Hall on the Evergreen campus.</p> <p>General admission is $10. Tickets are available through&nbsp;<a href="https://forevergreen.loyola.edu/register/cleophas-lecture-2023" target="_blank">the event information page</a>. Loyola students and employees and Mount Saint Agnes College alumnae are free, but <a href="https://forevergreen.loyola.edu/register/cleophas-lecture-2023" target="_blank">advanced registration</a>&nbsp;is encouraged.</p> <img alt="Bonnie Garmus' book" src="/-/media/news/images/2023/1006-sister-cleophas-book.ashx?h=252&amp;w=182&amp;la=en&amp;hash=EEDE13533D240DBCE0B6592013E4BFC0BA230D3E" style="top: 309.406px; width: 182px; height: 252px; float: right;" /> <p>Garmus is the author of Lessons in Chemistry, a novel about a &rsquo;60s Southern California cooking show host who was fired as a chemist. Published in 2022 as Garmus&rsquo; debut novel, it's been recognized as a "Best Book of the Year" by the Times, Washington Post, NPR, Oprah Daily, Entertainment Weekly, and Newsweek. The novel has also been adapted into a TV series, debuting on Apple TV+ in October 2023.</p> <p>Garmus is a copywriter and creative director who has worked widely in the fields of technology, medicine, and education. She&rsquo;s an open-water swimmer, a rower, and mother to two daughters. Born in California and most recently from Seattle, she currently lives in London with her husband and her dog, 99.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>About the Sister Cleophas Costello Lecture Series&nbsp;&nbsp;</strong><br /> Founded in the late 1970s and named in honor of the late Sister Mary Cleophas Costello, RSM, former president of Mount Saint Agnes College from 1953-1968, the lecture series features prominent women who embody the ideals of scholarship, leadership, and artistic ability.</p>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 16:13:48 Z{473FB3E4-CF8E-4396-9491-826178F4CEBF}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1006-nas-grand-seminar2023 Grand Seminar to focus on genome research<p>Adam Phillippy, Ph.D., &rsquo;02, senior investigator at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), will present the 2023 Grand Seminar lecture on Tuesday, Nov. 7, at 6 p.m. in McGuire Hall on Loyola&rsquo;s Evergreen campus. Phillippy&rsquo;s presentation, &ldquo;Life's Code: The 30-year Quest to Read the Human Genome,&rdquo; will focus on the journey to understanding the entire human genome.</p> <p>Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/loyola-college-arts-sciences">academic division of natural and applied sciences</a>&nbsp;(NAS) encourages all attendees to <a href="/loyola-college-arts-sciences/divisions/natural-applied-sciences/events/grand-seminar/register">register in advance</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are honored to have Dr. Phillippy as this year&rsquo;s Grand Seminar speaker,&rdquo; said Bahram Roughani, Ph.D., associate dean for the natural and applied sciences. &ldquo;His work at the National Human Genome Research Institute is remarkable, and we&rsquo;re excited for him to share his research with our community.&rdquo;</p> <p>In 2022, Phillippy was named to TIME magazine&rsquo;s list of &ldquo;<a href="/news/2022/0609-time-100-adam-phillippy">The 100 Most Influential People of 2022</a>,&rdquo; for his research related to human genome sequencing. In April 2022, his team of genome scientists announced that they had completed the final 200 million bases of the human genomic sequence, leading to their inclusion in the publication&rsquo;s list.</p> <p>After earning his B.S. in Computer Science from Loyola, he obtained his master&rsquo;s and doctorate in computer science from the University of Maryland, College Park. He was also a Hauber Summer Research Fellow while at Loyola. His research project was titled, &ldquo;Efficiently Computing Whole Genome Alignments.&rdquo; In 2022, Phillippy received the Natural and Applied Sciences Alumni Award from Loyola.</p> <p>The 2023 NAS Alumni Award presentation and Hauber Research posters will prelude Phillippy&rsquo;s lecture.</p> <p><strong>About natural and applied sciences at Loyola</strong><br /> Natural and applied sciences at Loyola engages its students through excellence in the study of biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, data science, engineering, forensic studies, mathematical and statistical science, and physics. Students learn to become adaptive learners and ethical leaders ready to serve in a diverse and changing world. <a href="/loyola-college-arts-sciences/divisions/natural-applied-sciences">Learn more</a>.</p>Fri, 06 Oct 2023 15:52:53 Z{209F701B-729A-49D4-BF8C-C074ADAEE684}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1003-expungement-clinic-lccLoyola to hold expungement clinic at Loyola Clinical Centers<p>Loyola University Maryland will partner with Maryland Legal Aid to hold an expungement clinic Sunday, Oct. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The clinic will take place in the <a href="/department/clinical-centers">Loyola Clinical Centers</a> (LCC) at 5911 York Road, Baltimore, MD.</p> <p>&ldquo;The criminal records expungement clinic is a free service for members of the nearby community who want to clear their criminal records,&rdquo; said Matt Beverlin, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor of political science. &ldquo;At the clinic, participants will meet with an attorney to discuss their eligibility for expungement and to have a petition for expungement drafted. Participants will leave the clinic with their completed petition in hand, which they can then file with the court.&rdquo;</p> <p>The expungement clinic at the LCC will mark the fourth clinic of its kind hosted by Loyola University Maryland and Maryland Legal Aid. In the spring of 2023, <a href="/news/2023/0523-equal-justice-award">Loyola was awarded the Community Partner for Justice Award</a> for the University&rsquo;s work on the last three clinics. More than a hundred clients were aided in the past three events, and 135 petitions were issued.</p> <p>Co-sponsored by <a href="https://monse.baltimorecity.gov/safe-streets-new" target="_blank">Safe Street Baltimore</a> and Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/department/ccsj">Center for Community, Service, and Justice</a> (CCSJ), the clinic provides students an opportunity for <a href="/explore/grove/service-learning-at-loyola">service-learning</a>, a critical part of Loyola&rsquo;s mission and Jesuit liberal arts education.</p> <p>&ldquo;The Govans expungement clinic is a great way for Loyola students to be immersed in the realities of law and how it impacts individuals, families, and communities,&rdquo; said Brianna Silva, `25, vice president of Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/academics/pre-law">pre-law society</a>. &ldquo;Without question, the positive outcomes for clinic participants have been transformative and have a powerful effect.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p> <p>Clinic volunteers will help participants on a first-come, first-served basis. No appointments are needed.</p> <p>If you have questions about the expungement clinic, please <a href="mailto:rmbeverlin@loyola.edu">contact Matt Beverlin</a>.</p> <p><strong>More about CCSJ</strong>&nbsp;<br /> CCSJ partners with community organizations and provides academic courses, community development, scholarship, service experiences, and social justice programming. The center leads Loyola&rsquo;s York Road Initiative, a community development effort in the York Road neighborhoods of Baltimore, where the expungement clinic will take place. <a href="/department/ccsj">Learn more</a>.</p> <p><strong>More about the LCC&nbsp;</strong><br /> The Loyola Clinical Centers&rsquo; mission is to provide state-of-the-art comprehensive clinical education to graduate students in psychology/behavioral health, speech-language pathology, audiology, and literacy. <a href="/department/clinical-centers">Learn more</a>.</p>Tue, 03 Oct 2023 04:00:00 Z{E50E67D5-CE5D-44ED-9F4E-AD67192554AB}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/1002-hanway-lectureNobel Peace Prize-winning Russian journalist to give Hanway Lecture in Global Studies<p>Dmitry Muratov, 2021 Nobel Peace Prize winner and editor-in-chief of Novaya Gazeta, will deliver Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Hanway Lecture in Global Studies on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in McGuire Hall. The event is free and open to the public but <a href="https://bridge.loyola.edu/AcadAff/rsvp_boot?id=2135010" target="_blank">advance registration</a> is required for in-person and virtual attendance.</p> <p>Titled &ldquo;Democracy Dies in Darkness: An Evening with Dmitry Muratov,&rdquo; Muratov will discuss the Ukraine crisis, freedom of the press, and human rights.</p> <p>Muratov is a Russian journalist who, as editor-in-chief of the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was a vocal advocate for an independent press and known for investigating abuses of power. In 2021, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace, cited for his "efforts to safeguard freedom of expression."</p> <p>Muratov co-founded the pro-democracy newspaper Novaya Gazeta in 1993 with several other journalists. He was the newspaper's editor-in-chief from 1995 to 2017, and again assumed the position in 2019. The newspaper is known for its reporting on governmental corruption and human rights violations. In the 2000s, six of Novaya Gazeta&rsquo;s journalists were murdered, including Anna Politkovskaya, who was killed in 2006 while covering human rights abuses in Chechnya.</p> <p>Muratov was the recipient of various honors, including the International Press Freedom Award (2007) from the Committee to Protect Journalists. Upon receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021, the Norwegian Nobel Committee noted the difficult conditions facing journalists worldwide and that &ldquo;freedom of expression...is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.&rdquo;</p> <p>To learn more, register, and submit questions for the Q&amp;A, <a href="/join-us/hanway-lecture">visit www.loyola.edu/hanwaylecture.</a></p>Mon, 02 Oct 2023 04:00:00 Z{77204D33-A8F3-494E-9FC1-AB059B065293}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0928-bunting-pamela-whiteBunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series lecture to explore conflict in Haiti, poems of resilience<p>The second lecture in Loyola University Maryland's Bunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series for 2023-24 will take place Monday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. in the 4th Floor Program Room. The speaker,&nbsp;<span style="background-color: #ffffff;">Teri Ellen Cross Davis, will explore poetry in her session, titled "Poems of Resistance and Resilience: An Evening with Teri Ellen Cross Davis."&nbsp;</span>It is free and open to the public, though&nbsp;<a href="https://bridge.loyola.edu/peace/rsvp_boot?id=2135165" target="_blank">registration is required</a>/encouraged.&nbsp;</p> <p>The speaker is the author of <em>a more perfect Union</em>, (Mad Creek Books, 2021) 2019 winner of The Journal/Charles B. Wheeler Poetry Prize and <em>Haint</em>, (Gival Press, 2016) winner of the 2017 Ohioana Book Award for Poetry. She won the Poetry Society of America&rsquo;s Robert H. Winner Memorial prize. She&rsquo;s a Cave Canem fellow and a member of the Black Ladies Brunch Collective. She has received fellowships to attend the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, the Hermitage Artist Retreat, Hedgebrook, Community of Writers Poetry Workshop, and the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown.</p> <p>The first lecturer in Loyola's Bunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series was Pamela White, former U.S. ambassador to Haiti. She explored conflict in Haiti and held a discussion panel with several Loyola faculty members after the talk.</p> <p>The talk, &ldquo;Haiti &ndash; Too Rich to be Poor: From 1804- 2023,&rdquo; took place on Monday, Oct. 2, at 5:30 p.m. in McGuire Hall West.</p> <p>White is an American diplomat who currently teaches at the University of Maine. In 2010, White was named United States ambassador to Gambia by then-President Barack Obama. In January 2012, White was appointed U.S. ambassador to Haiti, where she served in the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake until 2015.</p> <p>Prior to her appointments as ambassador, White served in the Peace Corps in Cameroon. She also worked for the United States Agency for International Development in Burkina Faso, Senegal, Haiti, Egypt, and South Africa. In addition, she was the deputy director for East Africa.</p> <p>Pamela White earned her bachelor&rsquo;s degree in journalism from the University of Maine, master&rsquo;s degree from the School for International Training, and a degree in international development from the National Defense University.</p> <p>The series is sponsored by <a href="/academics/peace-and-justice">Peace and Justice</a> and co-sponsored by <a href="/academics/global-studies">Global Studies</a> and <a href="https://rendezvoushaiti.org/index.html" target="_blank">Rendez-Vous Haiti</a>.</p> <p>To learn more about the speaker series and register to attend a lecture, visit the <a href="/academics/peace-and-justice/speakers-events">Bunting Peace and Justice Speaker Series website</a>.</p> <br />Thu, 28 Sep 2023 15:25:32 Z{E1BE4359-D41F-48BE-843E-D1BB9DBA9D80}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0929-leon-brooks-obitLoyola celebrates the life of Leon W. Brooks Jr.<p>Leon W. Brooks Jr., a public safety officer at Loyola University Maryland, passed away on Monday, Sept. 25.</p> <p>"Leon was a dedicated campus police officer who knew the campus like the back of his hand,&rdquo; said Adrian Black, director of public safety. &ldquo;He has been a staple on his shift for a long time and will be missed.&rdquo;</p> <p>Brooks joined the Department of Public Safety on Oct. 21, 2013, and was approaching his 10-year anniversary as a campus police officer. His son, Leon W. Brooks III, attended Loyola from 2019-2021.</p> <p>"Officer Brooks always came to work professionally and took his job seriously,&rdquo; said Lt. Darelene Early-Wing. &ldquo;He was a constructive and caring person and always had others' best interests at heart. Officer Brooks will be truly missed."</p> <p>Brooks will be remembered in the intentions at Mass in Loyola&rsquo;s Alumni Memorial Chapel on Oct. 4 at 12:10 p.m. All are welcome.</p> <p><strong>Arrangements</strong></p> <p>Visitation &ndash; Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, between 2 &ndash; 4 p.m. at March Funeral Home, 4300 Wabash Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215&nbsp;</p> <p>Funeral Wake &ndash; Monday, Oct. 16, 2023, at 11 a.m. at March Funeral Home, 4300 Wabash Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215</p> <p>Funeral Service &ndash;&nbsp;Monday, Oct. 16, 2023, at 11:30 a.m. at March Funeral Home, 4300 Wabash Ave., Baltimore, MD 21215</p>Thu, 28 Sep 2023 13:01:03 Z{70E81908-20B1-4905-834A-731D144FA800}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0926-pava-lapere-obituaryA message on the passing of Baltimore entrepreneur Pava LaPere<p>Wendy Bolger, founding director of the Simon Center on Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship at Loyola University Maryland, issued this statement on the death of Pava LaPere:</p> <p>"The Loyola University Maryland community is deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Ecomap CEO, Pava LaPere. Ms. LaPere served on the newly established advisory board for the Simon Center for Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship. She was a phenomenally accomplished CEO and innovator, and an inspiration and a friend to so many. She always led with values first, and was deeply committed to Baltimore, and the promises of technology and entrepreneurship for all. Loyola University Maryland joins the communities Ms. LaPere built at Ecomap and across the city in grieving the loss of a true star. She and her family are in our prayers."</p> <p><span data-contrast="auto" class="TextRun SCXW203049611 BCX0" style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span class="NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW203049611 BCX0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;">LaPere</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW203049611 BCX0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> will be the Mass intention at the 11 a.m. Mass on Sunday, Oct. 8, in Alumni Memorial Chapel.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW203049611 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{'201341983':0,'335559739':160,'335559740':259}" style="background-color: #ffffff; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></span></p>Tue, 26 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{FCC79B6A-A34F-4822-BA0D-075B4AC85B81}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0920-forbes-rankingLoyola University Maryland moves up 50 spots on Forbes’ list of top colleges<p>Loyola University Maryland was named to the 2023 list of &ldquo;America&rsquo;s Top Colleges&rdquo; by Forbes. Loyola earned spot No. 248 on the list of 500 colleges, 50 spots higher than <a href="/news/2022/0929-forbes-top-colleges">the 2022 ranking</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;The Forbes rankings take a practical look at the return on investment that colleges and universities offer their students,&rdquo; said Eric Nichols, vice president for enrollment management. &ldquo;This is top of mind for prospective families. Our significant jump up the rankings further demonstrates the significant value of a Loyola education.&rdquo;</p> <p>The annual list from Forbes showcases 500 of the finest U.S. colleges, ranked using data on student success, return on investment and alumni influence. Forbes says that the ranking &ldquo;spotlights the 500 U.S. colleges that check all the boxes: impressive graduation rates, high graduate salaries, and great outcomes for low-income students.&rdquo;</p>Wed, 20 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{913289B1-4F4C-4A91-BEFC-A405220ABC96}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0919-loyola-votes-all-inLoyola University Maryland commits to boosting student voter registration, participation<p>During National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 19, 2023, Loyola University Maryland President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., joined more than 450 college presidents and chancellors in committing to boosting student voter registration and participation in all elections through the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola&rsquo;s mission challenges students to understand the ethical dimensions of personal and professional life and to examine their own values, attitudes, and beliefs,&rdquo; Sawyer said. &ldquo;We believe that every student has the power to make a difference, and we are committed to providing them with the tools they need to exercise their civic duties.&rdquo;</p> <p>Founded in 2012 to support full student voter participation of all eligible students, ALL IN and its Higher Education Presidents Council launched a call to action for higher education presidents and chancellors to fully engage students in electoral participation.</p> <p>By signing the ALL IN pledge, Loyola has committed to ensuring all eligible students are able to register to vote and cast informed ballots in upcoming elections. In addition, the students committed to fostering campus cultures that support nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation.</p> <p>The University previously signed the ALL IN pledge in 2020.</p> <p><strong>About Loyola University Maryland</strong>&nbsp;<br /> Loyola University Maryland is a Jesuit, Catholic University committed to the educational and spiritual traditions of the Society of Jesus and the development of the whole person. Accordingly, the University inspires students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world.</p>Tue, 19 Sep 2023 17:41:27 Z{7F6FA122-648F-4526-BB97-25A25DB81FCA}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0918-us-news-rankingsU.S. News &amp; World Report ranks Loyola No. 7 among Best Regional Universities – North<p>Maintaining its position in the top 10 for more than a decade, Loyola University Maryland was ranked No. 7 among the Best Regional Universities in the North Region in <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report</em>&rsquo;s 2024 &ldquo;Best Colleges&rdquo; rankings.</p> <p>Loyola was also ranked No. 2 for &ldquo;Undergraduate Teaching&rdquo; in the North Region, moving up two spots from 2023.</p> <p>The publication also ranked Loyola No. 4 among the &ldquo;Most Innovative School" in the North Region&mdash;sliding up seven spots over last year&rsquo;s ranking.</p> <p>In addition, <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report</em> ranked Loyola among the &ldquo;Best Value Schools&rdquo; (No. 60) and tied for No. 17 in Service Learning.</p> <p>The University was also ranked for its undergraduate programs in management information systems (No. 18), marketing (No. 29), management (No. 32), finance (No. 34), accounting (No. 60), business (No. 118), computer science (No. 192), and psychology (No. 98).</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola's sustained success in the <em>U.S. News</em> rankings is a testament to our world-class faculty and their commitment to providing a transformative education,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. &ldquo;Beyond academics, we are also proud of our high marks in other areas, such as outstanding undergraduate teaching and service learning. These are both hallmarks of our university community and sources of great pride.&rdquo;</p> <p><em>U.S. News</em> evaluated nearly 1,500 U.S. four-year bachelor's degree-granting institutions on as many as 19 measures for its 39th rankings edition. View all the rankings and learn more at <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges" target="_blank">usnews.com/best-colleges</a>.</p>Mon, 18 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{6C103B28-6EC8-48F6-A611-D762CD2DEB8D}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0914-busch-lectureLoyola’s Busch Lecture looks at workplace relationships<p>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business will present the 2023 Busch Lecture: &ldquo;Why Are Positive Relationships at Work Vital for Success and Well-being?&rdquo; on Friday, Oct. 13, at 2 p.m. The panel discussion will take place in the 4th Floor Program Room in the Andrew White Student Center at Loyola.</p> <p>Leading the panel will be <strong>Jessica Methot, Ph.D.</strong>, associate professor of human resource management in the School of Management and Labor Relations at Rutgers University and distinguished research professor of management at the University of Exeter Business School in the United Kingdom. The panel will discuss the benefits of building positive relationships at work.</p> <p>Methot conducts research on interpersonal workplace relationships and social network dynamics, including how formal human resources practices transform informal social networks and the functional and dysfunctional consequences of workplace relationships. Her research has been published in academic journals and featured in over 300 popular media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, NPR, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and Fortune.</p> <p>The panelists:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Kevin Rockman, Ph.D.</strong>, professor of management at George Mason University, studies working relationships in organizations, including how relationships are generated, maintained, and dissolve. He teaches and consults in the areas of relational leadership, cultivating high quality relationships, and negotiation and conflict management.</li> <li><strong>Christopher G. Myers, Ph.D.</strong>, associate professor of management and organization and founding faculty director of the Center for Innovative Leadership at the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, focuses on individual learning, leadership development, and innovation. He holds joint appointments in Johns Hopkins University&rsquo;s School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health.</li> <li><strong>Michael J. Tews, Ph.D.</strong>, associate professor in the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University, teaches courses in human resource management and focuses on the application of industrial and organizational psychology to the hospitality industry. His work examines issues relating to employee recruiting and selection, training and development, and employee retention.</li> <li><strong>John Michel, Ph.D.</strong>, associate professor of management at Loyola&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business, is the Busch Faculty Scholar hosting the Busch Lecture this year. </li> </ul> <p>The lecture is free and open to the public. To learn more and register, <a href="/sellinger-business/busch-lecture">visit Loyola.edu/BuschLecture</a>.</p> <p>The <strong>Busch Lecture</strong>, supported by the Anheuser-Busch Foundation, aims to feature leaders in business who have led innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives and are of interest to the academic, business, and civic communities. The Anheuser-Busch Foundation also designates a Busch Scholar, a faculty member who conducts and publishes high-quality research in a business discipline.</p> <p><strong>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business and Management</strong> in Baltimore delivers an internationally recognized Jesuit business education. Recognized for its scholarship, ethical leadership and tradition of excellence, the Sellinger School delivers a wide range of sought-after fields of study including eight undergraduate majors and 11 undergraduate minors as well as full-time, part-time and fully online MBA and Master of Accounting programs. (<a href="/sellinger-business">www.loyola.edu/sellinger</a>)</p>Thu, 14 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{B05A5D85-3FE0-4537-85CA-99B0E7EDBEDB}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0913-new-trusteesSix new trustees named at Loyola University Maryland<p>Loyola University Maryland named six new trustees to the University&rsquo;s Board of Trustees. Rev. Gregory Chisholm, S.J., Paul Eibeler, &rsquo;78, Carrie Fox, &rsquo;01, Julia Gray, &rsquo;21, MBA &rsquo;23, KerryAnn O'Meara, &rsquo;93, and Arun Subhas will begin their service on the Board effective Oct. 18, 2023.</p> <p>"I am grateful for the new trustees and their commitment to our community and support of Loyola University Maryland," said Loyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D. "The new trustees will serve an important role and each members' unique perspective will help to guide the University."</p> <h2>Rev. Gregory Chisholm, S.J.</h2> <p>The superior of the Baltimore Jesuit Community, Rev. Gregory Chisholm, S.J., joined the New England Province of the Jesuits in 1980 and was ordained a priest in 1993. He is now a member of the USA East Province of the Jesuits. From April 1998 until June 2005, Fr. Chisholm served in full-time parish ministry as administrator of Holy Name of Jesus Church in Los Angeles, where he served a strong and diverse Roman Catholic community.</p> <p>Today, Fr. Chisholm serves on the governing board of Fordham University in New York. He is a 4th Degree Member of the Knights of Peter Claver, a Catholic fraternal organization.</p> <h2>Paul Eibeler, &rsquo;78</h2> <p>Paul Eibeler, &rsquo;78, is returning to the Board of Trustees after serving two terms from 2012 to 2018. He previously served as CEO of Take 2 Interactive and Chairman of CokeM International. A former Loyola Greyhounds basketball player, Eibeler brings technology and interactive gaming experience from both his work and board experience. Today, he sits on several boards of start-up companies. Additionally, Eibeler is on the board of his high school, Holy Trinity DHS and Long Island Alzheimer and Dementia Center.</p> <h2>Carrie Fox, &rsquo;01</h2> <p>Carrie Fox, &rsquo;01, is the founder and CEO of Mission Partners, a women-owned strategic communications firm and Certified B Corporation that guides high-potential nonprofits, foundations, and socially responsible corporations in realizing their greatest social impact. Since launching her first firm in 2004, she has guided hundreds of organizations worldwide to lead with purpose, fueling organizations and their missions forward in new and more impactful ways. Fox was a member of the Green &amp; Grey Society as a student and served as a former Loyola trustee from 2016 to 2020.</p> <h2>Julia Gray, &rsquo;21, MBA &rsquo;23</h2> <p>Julia Gray, '21, MBA &rsquo;23, works for Parkway Capital in Baltimore as a private equity analyst. She is involved in underwriting, portfolio management, and deal origination for PCI II, a $126 million committed fund.</p> <p>Gray graduated summa cum laude from Loyola University Maryland with a B.S. in Biology in 2021 and her MBA from Loyola&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business and Management in 2023. A member of the Alpha Sigma Nu honor society, Gray distinguished herself in scholarship, loyalty, and service during her time at Loyola. She was a decorated NCAA DI athlete on the Loyola women&rsquo;s soccer team. A two-time captain, she earned All-Conference and Academic All-Patriot League Team honors throughout her career while helping her team reach the Patriot League tournament each season.</p> <h2>KerryAnn O'Meara, &rsquo;93</h2> <p>KerryAnn O'Meara, &rsquo;93, serves as vice president for academic affairs and provost of Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a 1993 graduate of Loyola University Maryland and majored in English Literature. O&rsquo;Meara earned a master&rsquo;s degree from The Ohio State University and a doctorate in Education Policy from the University of Maryland (UMD).</p> <p>Her work has been continuously funded by the National Science Foundation since 2010. She's served on the faculty at UMD for 16 years and directed UMD's ADVANCE program for a decade. Additionally, she was a 2021-2022 American Council on Education (ACE) Fellow and was elected and served as president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education in 2020.</p> <h2>Arun Subhas</h2> <p>Arun Subhas is the office managing partner for the Baltimore office of Ernst &amp; Young LLP.&nbsp; Based in Baltimore for his entire public accounting tenure, Subhas is active in the community, including service on nonprofit organization boards. He is active at his parish, Cathedral of Mary our Queen, and serves as chair of its finance committee.</p> <p>Subhas is a certified public accountant licensed in Maryland and holds a Master of Science degree in taxation from the University of Baltimore. Prior to his career in public accounting, he served in the U.S. Army for seven years. He previously served as a Loyola trustee.</p>Wed, 13 Sep 2023 19:13:40 Z{379F1BB5-0845-473E-B8AB-7C82A688C650}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0912-nyt-diversity-rankingLoyola ranked among “Top U.S. Colleges with the Greatest Economic Diversity”<p>Loyola University Maryland was ranked as one of the Top U.S. Colleges with the Greatest Economic Diversity by the&nbsp;<em>New York Times</em>.</p> <p>&ldquo;We value and celebrate diversity within our Loyola community, and we try to ensure that talented students of all backgrounds have the opportunity to make the most of our distinctive Jesuit, liberal arts education,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president. &ldquo;The <em>New York Times</em> ranking highlights how economically diverse our Loyola student population is among an elite group of institutions. We are committed to continuing to open doors for students so they can become the ethical leaders needed in our diverse and changing world.&rdquo;</p> <p>From 2011 to 2021, Loyola&rsquo;s share of Pell students increased by five percentage points, placing the University at 34th in the country for largest change in Pell students.</p> <p>The ranking was slotted on the <em>Times&rsquo; </em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/09/07/magazine/college-access-index.html" target="_blank">College-Access Index</a>, a list that ranks the country&rsquo;s most-selective universities in order of economic diversity. According to the<em> Times</em>, the list covers the 286 most selective colleges in the country, defined by Barron&rsquo;s Profiles of American Colleges and other metrics.</p> <p>Methodology for ranking economic diversity was calculated by analyzing the share of students receiving Pell Grants at each university. The publication used data reported by schools to the Education Department&rsquo;s <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/about-ipeds" target="_blank">National Center for Education Statistics</a>.</p> <p>Learn more about the <a href="/admission/undergraduate/outcomes-value">value of a Loyola degree</a> and explore stories of <a href="/about/community/alumni">how alumni are leading and serving</a> across the globe today.</p>Tue, 12 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{3EF3A381-6E37-41FA-BD6C-45B5B382BA44}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0903-amazon-just-walk-outLoyola opens first store with Just Walk Out technology on a Maryland college campus<p>Loyola University Maryland announced the opening of the Bowman Express store with Just Walk Out technology on Friday, Sept. 1, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. in Thea Bowman Hall on Loyola&rsquo;s Evergreen campus.</p> <p>Amazon&rsquo;s Just Walk Out technology is designed to be an effortless experience, allowing students, faculty, and staff to enter Bowman Express, pick up the items they want to purchase, and leave the store without stopping to pay. The technology detects what shoppers take from or return to the shelves and creates a virtual shopping session. When shoppers have completed their shopping experience, they are able to leave the store and purchases will be automatically processed and debited from students&rsquo; Evergreen cards. Just Walk Out technology allows Bowman Express to operate with extended hours, both staffed as usual and even partially unattended. Bowman Express features the first installation of Just Walk Out technology at a higher-education institute in Maryland and the first Grubhub-integrated installation of Just Walk Out technology, meaning students can use their Loyola University-linked Grubhub accounts to shop at the store.</p> <p>Just Walk Out technology is made possible by artificial intelligence like computer vision and deep learning techniques, including generative AI, to accurately determine who took what in any retail environment. Amazon built synthetic datasets to mimic millions of realistic shopping scenarios&mdash;including variations in store format, lighting conditions, and even crowds of shoppers&mdash;to ensure accuracy in any environment.</p> <p>&ldquo;At Parkhurst, we provide our clients with innovative solutions to meet the needs of the campus community, and we are thrilled to bring Amazon&rsquo;s Just Walk Out technology experience to Loyola students, faculty, and staff,&rdquo; said Larry Orr, vice president of higher education for Parkhurst Dining, Loyola&rsquo;s food service provider. &ldquo;We know convenience is a major factor for today&rsquo;s students as they evaluate their on-campus dining options. This technology will make it easier than ever for them to get the food they need, when they need it.&rdquo;</p> <p>"Loyola is proud to partner with Amazon and Parkhurst Dining to offer this dining and shopping experience for our students. We are always looking for ways to bring innovative ideas to campus, and this is a wonderful opportunity for our community,&rdquo; said John Coppola, vice president for finance and administration and treasurer for Loyola.</p> <p>Bowman Express offers a selection of products from numerous local vendors as part of Parkhurst&rsquo;s Local Scene program. Local Scene connects college campuses to their surrounding communities through partnerships with local vendors and small businesses. At Loyola, these partners will include Mouth Party Caramel, Popsations Popcorn Company, and Righteous Felon Craft Jerky.</p> <p>"We are thrilled to bring our Just Walk Out technology to Loyola University Maryland,&rdquo; said Jon Jenkins, Vice President of Just Walk Out technology. &ldquo;With our technology, students will find a dynamic and convenient shopping experience that meets them where they are&mdash;day or night&mdash;so they can focus on their studies.&rdquo;</p>Sun, 03 Sep 2023 04:00:00 Z{C5F2ED93-40BE-48DE-8FE6-087286CD395E}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0901-welcome-class-2027Loyola welcomes record-breaking Class of 2027 during New Student Convocation<p>Loyola University Maryland is welcoming its third largest and most diverse class in history to the University&rsquo;s Evergreen Campus this fall. The Class of 2027 formally became members of the Loyola community and took the student honor pledge at the University&rsquo;s New Student Convocation on Friday, Sept. 1.</p> <p>The 1,128 students in the Class of 2027 have already broken several University records. Forty percent of the incoming class identify as students of color, making it the most diverse class in University history. Additionally, the new class has the highest average grade point average in Loyola history at 3.69. Finally, 26% of students are entering as first-generation and 22% are eligible for federal Pell grants&mdash;both the highest on record.</p> <p>&ldquo;The students in the Class of 2027 have already impressed us by being such accomplished, high-achieving individuals who are eager to make their mark,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president. &ldquo;We are looking forward to getting to know them better as we welcome them into our Loyola family and help them learn and thrive through our world-class Jesuit, liberal arts education.&rdquo;</p> <p>This year&rsquo;s historic class builds on the ongoing success of recent years. Since the pandemic, undergraduate enrollment at Loyola has seen an increase, as two of the three largest classes in University history were enrolled in the last two years.</p> <p>&ldquo;We couldn&rsquo;t be more excited to welcome all our incoming students to Loyola this year,&rdquo; said Eric Nichols, vice president of enrollment management. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s exciting to see the momentum building these last few years with our record-breaking incoming classes and is continued evidence that the Loyola experience is resonating more than ever with prospective families.&rdquo;</p> <p>The students in the Class of 2027 hail from 32 states and 15 countries. Twenty-three international students in the class make up the largest cohort of incoming international students in a decade.</p> <p>Six percent of incoming students are from Baltimore City, and 36% are from Maryland, with New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia trailing close behind. In addition, Loyola welcomed 56 transfer students, the largest number of transfer students in eight years.</p> <p>Theresa Nguyen, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, spoke at the New Student Convocation. Nguyen specializes in biochemistry and molecular biology.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are so proud to learn from you, learn about you, to teach you, to walk alongside you,&rdquo; Nguyen said. &ldquo;And we will celebrate you, your stories, and pick you up when you fall, because as marvelous as we all are, we all make mistakes. Mistakes, errors, mutations&ndash;that&rsquo;s the only way we evolve.&rdquo;</p> <p>In total, undergraduate enrollment is projected to be approximately 3,950 students in fall 2023, which would account for the fourth-highest undergraduate enrollment in school history.</p>Fri, 01 Sep 2023 19:52:00 Z{7E98B4F0-CC75-4B68-9B6A-5D8199AF74A2}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0817-princeton-reviewThe Princeton Review names Loyola among “Best 389 Colleges” in the nation<p>Loyola University Maryland was recognized among the nation&rsquo;s top institutions for undergraduates in The Princeton Review&rsquo;s &ldquo;<a href="https://www.princetonreview.com/college-rankings/best-colleges?ceid-hp-banner" target="_blank">Best 389 Colleges: 2024 Edition</a>.&rdquo; Loyola also earned a spot on the publication&rsquo;s lists of &ldquo;Best Mid-Atlantic" colleges and &ldquo;Green Colleges: 2023 Edition.&rdquo;</p> <p>Since 1994, Loyola has been included in every edition of the publication.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are proud to be honored as a top college in the nation. We offer our students a world-class education, a diverse and inclusive community, and opportunities for personal and professional growth,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. &ldquo;Our consistently high rankings are a testament to the quality of our education programs and the impact they have on our students.&rdquo;</p> <p>The Princeton Review tallied the rankings lists in the current edition of &ldquo;The Best 389 Colleges&rdquo; based on the data from surveys of 165,000 students at the 389 schools in the book. The publication is a tutoring, test prep, and college admissions services company.</p>Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:53:21 Z{67D6B956-F4A8-46AB-8870-8E54029B98B8}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0815-bsn-nursingLoyola University Maryland proposes new Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in partnership with Mercy Medical Center<p>Loyola University Maryland announced today that it intends to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program to help address Maryland&rsquo;s ongoing nursing workforce shortage. This program will be in partnership with Mercy Medical Center, which will provide clinical placements at Mercy&rsquo;s downtown Baltimore campus, in addition to other resources and support.</p> <p>The University is formally requesting a recommendation for implementation from the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) and will seek additional approvals and accreditation after a favorable response from MHEC. The four-year undergraduate BSN program would begin to be integrated into Loyola&rsquo;s curriculum during the 2024-25 academic year and would be available for new incoming Loyola undergraduate students in the Fall of 2025.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola&rsquo;s mission to prepare graduates for lives of meaningful professional service and leadership calls us to address the critical need for new nursing graduates in Maryland,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola University Maryland. &ldquo;We are honored to partner with Mercy Medical Center to create a BSN program dedicated to academic excellence and service with a special commitment to underserved, marginalized communities in Baltimore. Through this step, Loyola would help address the critical shortage of registered nurses in Maryland and the nation.&rdquo;</p> <p>About 70% of Loyola&rsquo;s total undergraduates come from outside Maryland, and its current portfolio of <a href="/loyola-college-arts-sciences/divisions/natural-applied-sciences">natural and applied sciences</a> courses already includes <a href="/academics/biology">biology,</a> <a href="/academics/chemistry">chemistry,</a> biochemistry, <a href="/academics/forensic-studies">forensic studies</a>, and <a href="/academics/pre-health">pre-health sequences</a>. Loyola enrolls approximately 600 pre-health students each year, who achieve high acceptance rates into medical, dental, and other health professions schools&mdash;some years even at twice the national acceptance rates.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola is a proven leader, known for graduating young people who excel in the sciences. At our Jesuit, Catholic liberal arts university, our students also benefit from a rich, values-based core curriculum that helps them become the ethical, compassionate, analytical leaders needed in health care,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;This proposed major is a natural extension for Loyola, especially as our Jesuit mission calls us to graduate leaders who are capable of meeting the needs of our community.&rdquo;</p> <p>Loyola and Mercy have a shared history as faith-based, mission-driven institutions deeply committed to the City of Baltimore. Founded in 1852 by the Society of Jesus, Loyola merged in 1971 with Mount Saint Agnes College, a women&rsquo;s college founded by the Sisters of Mercy, who also founded Mercy Medical Center in downtown Baltimore in 1874.</p> <p>&ldquo;As a community teaching hospital, Mercy is excited to partner with Loyola University Maryland to begin building a leading nursing program amid the ongoing nursing shortage in Maryland,&rdquo; said David N. Maine, M.D., president &amp; CEO of Mercy Health Services. &ldquo;Our shared mission of service, core values, and Catholic identity form a strong foundation to build an exemplary academic program. This promising collaboration will generate a new pipeline of high-quality nurses dedicated to clinical excellence and improving community health in Baltimore City.&rdquo;</p> <p>A report commissioned by the Maryland Hospital Association projects a shortfall of 13,800 registered nurses (RNs) by 2035 in Maryland alone.</p> <p>More information about the MHEC program review process can be found on their website: mhec.maryland.gov. Several community leaders and organizations have provided letters of support for the proposal. Leaders and organizations who would like to lend their support are invited to contact <a href="/department/external-affairs/contact">Loyola&rsquo;s office of external relations</a>.</p> <p><strong>About Loyola University Maryland</strong><br /> Loyola University Maryland, a Jesuit, Catholic university anchored in Baltimore, is the second largest private college in Maryland. Loyola enrolls more than 5,200 students, offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and 45 graduate programs, and has 18 Division I athletic teams. More than 30% of undergraduates identify as students of color, 31% are from Maryland, and 98% receive financial aid. Loyola inspires students to learn, lead, and serve in a diverse and changing world, graduating educated, fulfilled, ethical leaders who are driven to better the world around them with their talents and compassion.</p> <p><strong>About Mercy Health Services</strong><br /> Mercy Health Services (MHS), an independent, mission-driven health system serving the greater Baltimore area. Mercy Medical Center, founded by the Sisters of Mercy in 1874, is a general acute care teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Named one of America&rsquo;s Top 50 Hospitals for Surgical Care by Healthgrades, Mercy also offers a regional network of network of primary and specialty care providers at various locations throughout the Baltimore region. Mercy is nationally recognized for its Centers of Excellence in Women&rsquo;s Health, Orthopedics, Cancer, Digestive Health and more. Visit MdMercy.com for more information.</p>Tue, 15 Aug 2023 13:03:39 Z{3A9CAAFA-654C-406E-9788-2E1C8C4BFD0D}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0810-interim-deanFrank D. Golom, Ph.D., named interim dean of Loyola University Maryland’s school of arts and sciences<p>Frank D. Golom, Ph.D., will serve as interim dean of <a href="/loyola-college-arts-sciences">Loyola College</a>, the University&rsquo;s school of arts and sciences, for the 2023-2024 academic year. Golom, who is associate professor of psychology and former chair of the <a href="/academics/psychology">psychology department</a>, began in the role on Aug. 1, 2023.</p> <p>&ldquo;A valued scholar, teacher, and leader, Dr. Golom brings to the position a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s passionate about Loyola&rsquo;s mission, embraces the Jesuit value of constant challenge to improve, and has significant expertise in organizational change. I look forward to seeing how our University will benefit from his considerable leadership skills over the next academic year and as we continue critical discussions about our developing strategic plan.&rdquo;</p> <p>A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Golom earned his B.A. in Psychology <em>summa cum laude</em> from Loyola in 2004 and his Ph.D. in Social-Organizational Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University in 2013. After joining the Loyola faculty in 2013 as an assistant professor of psychology, Golom earned tenure and became associate professor of psychology in 2019. He served as associate department chair for 2018-2019 before becoming chair of the psychology department, a role he held for four years.</p> <p>Prior to coming to Loyola, Golom was an adjunct assistant professor at Columbia University&rsquo;s Teachers College, where he taught in the department of organization and leadership. He also served as the founding associate director for executive education programs in change and consultation.</p> <p>Golom, who was selected through an internal search, will serve in the role while Loyola conducts a national search for the dean of Loyola College over the next academic year. The former Dean of Loyola College, Stephen Fowl, Ph.D., left Loyola University Maryland to become <a href="/news/2023/0606-stephen-fowl-named-president-church-divinity-school-pacific">president and dean of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific</a> this summer.</p>Thu, 10 Aug 2023 17:21:11 Z{E508B90F-DE59-4216-9985-63BFDF98446E}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0802-art-work-muralYork Road Initiative to hold Art@Work mural celebration<p>The <a href="/department/ccsj/york-road-initiative">York Road Initiative</a> (YRI) will hold a mural celebration on Friday, Aug. 11, at 6 p.m. to commemorate the collaborative summer-long teen youth program, Art@Work. The celebration will take place at 4601 York Road in Baltimore, the same location where the mural was painted.</p> <p>The mural, which will be titled &ldquo;Elevate,&rdquo; will feature a dove and an olive branch in the middle of a pair of hands elevating the bird. It&rsquo;s scheduled to be completed by Thursday, Aug. 3.</p> <p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a nod to the peace the community is wanting at a time when violence has been the public narrative,&rdquo; said Gia Grier McGinnis, Dr.PH., executive director of Loyola&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="/department/ccsj">Center for Community, Service, and Justice</a> and York Road Initiative. &ldquo;Youth development is one of YRI&rsquo;s program pillars and this is a great, high-impact program for all involved.&rdquo;</p> <p>Summer 2023 marked the third year YRI partnered with the Baltimore Office of Promotion &amp; the Arts (BOPA) and the Baltimore City Mayor&rsquo;s Office of Employment Development (MOED) on the <a href="https://arts.jubileeartsbaltimore.org/art-work/" target="_blank">Art@Work summer program.</a></p> <p>&ldquo;The real power of the program is that the teens learn their work can be inspiring and meaningful to those around them, which gives them the confidence to know they can make a difference in their community,&rdquo; Grier McGinnis said.</p> <p>During the development process, Art@Work teens spent time interviewing local community neighbors about themes they&rsquo;d like to see in the mural. Then, the youth artists individually interpreted the themes of the interviews to their sketchbooks.</p> <p>With the help of lead artist Iandry Randriamandroso &ndash; whose b&rsquo;morebirds murals can be found throughout the area &ndash; all of the teens&rsquo; themes were consolidated into a single mural. The teens then pitched the mural concept to the local community members, and it was well-received.</p> <p>"A desire for connection and collaboration kept coming up when we interviewed community residents about what the mural message should be,&rdquo; said Art@Work co-founder and 2023 Program Manager Nora Howell. &ldquo;This year we have focused on using the mural as a tool to bring community residents together in the message, but also in the process of the mural.&rdquo;</p> <p>The Art@Work program was launched the summer of 2015 through a partnership between Jubilee Arts and BOPA. Art @Work is a five-week artist apprenticeship program employing Baltimore City youth enrolled in MOED&rsquo;s Youth-Works program to create murals in their communities.</p> <p><strong>About York Road Initiative</strong><br /> The York Road Initiative is geographically focused in the Govans community of north Baltimore City, specifically, Cold Spring Lane (Loyola Evergreen Campus) to Northern Parkway (Loyola Clinical Centers at Belvedere Square) and involves community constituencies, including neighborhood residents and associations, faith-based, civic and business organizations, public and private leaders.&nbsp;</p>Wed, 02 Aug 2023 15:17:04 Z{F7478C53-A698-4B4B-B7EF-13CD1923A847}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0629-affirmative-actionA message from Loyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., on Supreme Court affirmative action ruling<p>Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola University Maryland, issued this statement on&nbsp;the Supreme Court ruling related to affirmative action:</p> <p>The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that institutions of higher education must stop explicitly considering the race of applicants in the admission review process. This disappointing decision overturns the affirmative-action approach that has been a standard at many colleges and universities&mdash;and which has offered one way to ensure that universities educate a population that includes students of diverse backgrounds.</p> <p>Although this ruling changes the law and will affect some of our processes as a university, it does not&mdash;and will not&mdash;alter our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice at Loyola University Maryland. This commitment is integral to our identity and our mission as a Jesuit, Catholic university. We will continue to work to ensure that students of all backgrounds are able to benefit from the exceptional Jesuit, liberal arts education that Loyola provides. We will also continue to welcome faculty, staff, and administrators of diverse backgrounds as members of our Loyola family.</p> <p>We take pride in the fact that the University&rsquo;s two most recent incoming classes of talented and high-achieving students have included the largest percentage of individuals who identify as students of color in Loyola&rsquo;s history. We remain committed to approaching the college application process with a focus on equity and inclusion. That is certainly important to Loyola as we live out our mission and educate people as leaders for our diverse and changing world.</p> <p>Our mission does not simply invite or ask us to embrace a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; it requires this approach of us. As a Jesuit, Catholic university, we must make decisions that are based in our values, leading with love and fighting for justice. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice are essential to who we are&mdash;and to our call to work for a more just world.</p> <a href="https://www.ajcunet.edu/press-releases-blog/2023/6/30/ajcu-statement-on-affirmative-action" target="_blank">Read the AJCU statement on affirmative action.</a>Thu, 29 Jun 2023 21:26:47 Z{974FFF26-2DE5-4FB7-8210-3EB80A2A55A3}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0622-money-rankingLoyola University Maryland ranked as one of the Best Colleges in America of 2023<p>Loyola University Maryland earned 4.5 stars out of a possible 5 stars in Money&rsquo;s ranking of the <a href="https://money.com/best-colleges/profile/loyola-university-maryland/#:~:text=Loyola%20University%20Maryland%3A%20%23161%20in,America%20of%202022%20by%20Money&amp;text=Best%20Mortgage%20Lenders%20Independently%20researched%20and%20ranked%20mortgage%20lenders." target="_blank">Best Colleges in America of 2023</a>. The rankings were compiled by analyzing graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, and alumni salaries.</p> <p>&ldquo;Our high rating is yet another testament to the significant value of a Loyola education,&rdquo; said Eric Nichols, vice president for enrollment management. &ldquo;I applaud Money.com for moving away from a traditional numerical ranking system where negligible differences can translate into different individual ranks, to a general rating system focused on outcomes. This allows families to more easily see how institutions broadly compare to one another in key areas.&rdquo;</p> <p>Only 736 colleges across the U.S. were ranked on Money&rsquo;s list of America&rsquo;s Best Colleges of 2023.</p> <p><a href="https://money.com/" target="_blank">Money</a> is an online magazine that guides people to financial victories through up-to-date information, weekly newsletters, instructional videos, and tools.</p>Thu, 22 Jun 2023 17:09:55 Z{9B8448EF-E232-47CE-857C-21DD4E6FA527}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0620-gilman-scholarshipsLoyola students win Gilman Scholarships from U.S. Department of State<p>Taariq Eddy, &rsquo;24, and Caroline Smuts, &rsquo;25, were awarded scholarships from the U.S. Department of State&rsquo;s Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program. Recipients are chosen from a competitive selection process and the award can be used toward any study or intern abroad costs.</p> <p>&ldquo;The Gilman Scholarship is particularly special because it&rsquo;s exclusively for Pell Grant recipients,&rdquo; said Terre Ryan, Loyola&rsquo;s director of <a href="/department/national-fellowships">national fellowships.</a> &ldquo;This scholarship is extremely competitive, but Taariq and Caroline are very special people. The Gilman program clearly recognized their leadership potential.&rdquo;</p> <p>Eddy, who was raised in Baltimore, Maryland, is a veteran who served as an emergency medical technician in the U.S. Army. He's a biology major who hopes to become a trauma surgeon. Eddy studied in Newcastle, England, during the Spring 2023 semester.</p> <p>&ldquo;The ability to professionally network with other Gilman Scholars was an exclusive perk of the scholarship,&rdquo; Eddy said. &ldquo;The scholarship gave me peace of mind, so I was able to focus on my studies and immerse myself in the culture with my new friends.&rdquo;</p> <p>Smuts, who was born and raised in Mystic, Connecticut, is a global studies major who plans to pursue a career in international relations. In the Fall 2023 semester, she will study abroad in Leuven, Belgium.</p> <p>&ldquo;This scholarship will help my goals within the Foreign Service,&rdquo; Smuts said. &ldquo;I hope to work in the State Department as a Foreign Service Officer. Having this scholarship will help me make global connections that can aid me in my career.&rdquo;</p> <p>The mission of the <a href="https://www.gilmanscholarship.org/" target="_blank">Gilman Program</a> is to develop a generation of future leaders who represent the rich diversity of the U.S. and have the international networks and skills to advance national security and economic prosperity.</p>Tue, 20 Jun 2023 17:41:38 Z{B23C502B-F025-4B44-9C70-C2AC2B256681}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0606-stephen-fowl-named-president-church-divinity-school-pacificStephen Fowl, Ph.D., dean of Loyola College, named president of Church Divinity School of the Pacific<p>Stephen Fowl, Ph.D., dean of Loyola College, will leave Loyola University Maryland to become president and dean of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific. The Episcopal seminary in Berkeley, California, <a href="https://cdsp.edu/2023/06/cdsp-names-stephen-fowl-new-president-dean/">announced today</a> that Fowl will begin in the role later this year. Fowl will remain at Loyola through July 31, 2023.</p> <p>A New Testament scholar and theologian, Fowl has served as dean of Loyola College, the University&rsquo;s school of arts and sciences, since September 2018, after serving previously in the interim role since July 2017.</p> <p>&ldquo;Dean Fowl has been an influential leader at Loyola University Maryland, continuously advocating for the humanities, overseeing the expansion and investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs, and bringing important insight to conversations about the intellectual life of our community,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;We are grateful to Dean Fowl for his distinguished service to our University, and we are excited for him to take this incredible step and begin this wonderful new chapter.&rdquo;</p> <p>Fowl came to Loyola in 1989 as an assistant professor of theology, earned tenure in 1995, and was promoted to professor of theology in 2000. In 2001 he received Loyola&rsquo;s Nachbahr Award for outstanding scholarly accomplishments in the humanities.</p> <p>Prior to being named interim dean, Fowl served for 14 years as chair of the theology department, director of graduate studies, and chair of the Academic Senate.<br /> Fowl has served in several leadership roles over the years, including most recently as co-chair of the presidential task force that is charged with initiating and guiding a <a href="/department/president/priorities/universities-studying-slavery">university-wide examination</a> of the University&rsquo;s connections to slavery and its ongoing legacies.</p> <p>Fowl earned his Bachelor&rsquo;s in History with a minor in ancient languages from Wheaton College, his M.A. in Theological Studies from Wheaton Graduate School, and his Ph.D. from University of Sheffield in Sheffield, United Kingdom.</p> <p>Fowl is the seventh member of Loyola's Cabinet to be named the president of an institution of higher learning since 2014. The others are Marc Camille, Ed.D., president of Albertus Magnus College;&nbsp;Susan Donovan, Ph.D., president of Bellarmine University;&nbsp;Kathleen Getz, Ph.D., president of Mercyhurst University; Robert Kelly, Ph.D., president of University of Portland; Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola University Maryland; and Timothy Law Snyder, Ph.D., president of Loyola Marymount University.</p> <p><a href="https://cdsp.edu/2023/06/cdsp-names-stephen-fowl-new-president-dean/">Read the announcement by the Church Divinity School of the Pacific</a>.&nbsp;</p>Tue, 06 Jun 2023 14:11:39 Z{93343236-6404-4540-9AEC-C3660F1C9724}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0605-nsf-grantLoyola faculty awarded 3-year, half-million-dollar grant to support future STEM professionals<p>The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Qi Shi, Ph.D., LCPC, director of the <a href="/department/center-equity-leadership-social-justice-education">Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education</a> (CELSJE), a three-year, $498,271 grant to support her research on preparing the next generation of STEM professionals.</p> <p>This research award will fund a postdoctoral fellow in CELSJE and continue to strengthen Loyola&rsquo;s research in equity and STEM education by producing information that helps counselors, educators, and research programs to address the unique needs of LatinX and Hispanic students.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am super excited to receive this award from NSF to keep studying Latina students in STEM undergraduate programs,&rdquo; said Shi, associate professor of <a href="/graduate-info/school-counseling">school counseling</a>. &ldquo;Findings from this study can be used to develop inclusive policies and counseling strategies to broaden participation and increase persistence in STEM at both Predominantly White Institutions and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.&rdquo;</p> <p>Shi&rsquo;s award, titled &ldquo;Latinas Resistance Behaviors in Engineering Programs at Predominantly White Institutions and Hispanic-Serving Institutions: An Intersectional View,&rdquo; will produce information that helps counselors, educators, and researchers to design interventions and programs at those institutions to address the unique needs of LatinX students.</p> <p>"Research like Dr. Qi Shi&rsquo;s is adding to our growing understanding of systemic barriers and ways to ensure inclusive environments and equitable outcomes for all students,&rdquo; said Afra Ahmed Hersi, Ph.D., dean of Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/school-education">School of Education</a>.</p> <p>The half-million-dollar award comes on the heels of two other grants Shi helped secure. A <a href="/news/2023/0412-nsf-grant-stem">$1.2 million award</a> from the NSF and a <a href="/news/2023/0424-education-grant">$3.3 million award</a> from the U.S. Department of Education.</p> <p><strong>About the U.S. National Science Foundation&nbsp;</strong><br /> The NSF is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1950 that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>Mon, 05 Jun 2023 16:19:04 Z{89621A77-E8DF-4783-905E-2E579616650F}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0601-life-cohort/0605-nsf-celsje-grantLoyola faculty awarded 3-year, half-million-dollar grant to support future STEM professionals<p>The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded Qi Shi, Ph.D., LCPC, director of the <a href="/department/center-equity-leadership-social-justice-education">Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education (CELSJE)</a>, a three-year, $498,271 grant to support her research on preparing the next generation of STEM professionals.</p> <p>This research award will fund a postdoctoral fellow in CELSJE and continue to strengthen Loyola&rsquo;s research in equity and STEM education by producing information that helps counselors, educators, and research programs to address the unique needs of LatinX and Hispanic students.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am super excited to receive this award from NSF to keep studying Latina students in STEM undergraduate programs,&rdquo; said Shi, associate professor of <a href="/graduate-info/school-counseling">school counseling</a>. &ldquo;Findings from this study can be used to develop inclusive policies and counseling strategies to broaden participation and increase persistence in STEM at both Predominantly White Institutions and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.&rdquo;</p> <p>Shi&rsquo;s award, titled &ldquo;Latinas Resistance Behaviors in Engineering Programs at Predominantly White Institutions and Hispanic-Serving Institutions: An Intersectional View,&rdquo; will produce information that helps counselors, educators, and researchers to design interventions and programs at those institutions to address the unique needs of LatinX students.</p> <p>"Research like Dr. Qi Shi&rsquo;s is adding to our growing understanding of systemic barriers and ways to ensure inclusive environments and equitable outcomes for all students,&rdquo; said Afra Ahmed Hersi, Ph.D., dean of <a href="/school-education">Loyola&rsquo;s School of Education</a>.</p> <p>The half-million-dollar award comes on the heels of two other grants Shi helped secure. A <a href="/news/2023/0412-nsf-grant-stem">$1.2 million award</a> from the NSF and a <a href="/news/2023/0424-education-grant">$3.3 million award </a>from the U.S. Department of Education.</p> <p><strong>About the U.S. National Science Foundation</strong><br /> The NSF is an independent federal agency established by Congress in 1950 that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories.</p>Mon, 05 Jun 2023 04:00:00 Z{9434791E-35F0-4C54-BD7C-7E4A14220AE0}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0601-life-cohortFirst cohort of spiritual directors graduates from Loyola’s LIFE program<p>A 16-student cohort of spiritual directors graduated from the University&rsquo;s first Loyola Ignatian Formation Experience (LIFE) program at the end of the 2023 semester.</p> <p>The three-year LIFE program was established and voluntarily led by spiritual directors Rev. Steven Spahn, S.J., Rev. Timothy Brown, S.J., and Sue Cesare, M.A. &rsquo;09, with assistance from Rev. Dom Totaro, S.J., and Donelda Cook, Ph.D.</p> <p>&ldquo;Not only did the students in the program improve their skillsets, but for each one, it was a meaningful and spiritual experience to deepen their faith and build a community amongst themselves,&rdquo; said Spahn, affiliate faculty of theology and assistant to the director of mission integration. &ldquo;These participants forged many important connections throughout the process.&rdquo;</p> <p>The LIFE program was developed to meet the need for spiritual directors to companion people through the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. The program provided structure, content, mentoring, and supervision to individuals who have prayed the spiritual exercises and who have discerned a call to the ministry of giving them.</p> <p>The exercises, laid out by Ignatius, unfold a dynamic process of prayer, meditation, and self-awareness that help those who embark on this nine-month prayer journey&mdash;the 19th Annotation of the spiritual exercises&mdash;to become more attentive to God's activity in the world, and more responsive to what God is calling them to do.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are beautifully blessed by being a companion to one who is looking so carefully, so poignantly, so confidently, for God&rsquo;s will in his or her life,&rdquo; said Cesare.&nbsp; &ldquo;One of the graces experienced by the students and team alike is an increased desire to be more faithful&mdash;not only in prayer, but in word and action. As team and students, we are continually being formed in the process.&rdquo;</p> <p>For her contributions, Cesare was recently awarded Marquette University&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.alphasigmanu.org/awards/magis-medal/about-the-magis-medal/" target="_blank">Alpha Sigma Nu Magis Medal</a>, given to those who best exemplify scholarship, loyalty, and service in their work to better the world.</p> <p>A closing ceremony was held Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Loyola&rsquo;s Alumni Memorial Chapel to honor the students and all their hard work.</p> <p>Since 2017, through the <a href="/department/mission-integration">Office of Mission Integration</a>, Fr. Spahn, Fr. Brown, and Cesare have offered the 19th Annotation to the Greater Baltimore Area, focusing primarily on Jesuit institutions and churches.</p> <p>The LIFE program will welcome a new cohort of students to train to become spiritual directors starting in January of 2024.</p>Thu, 01 Jun 2023 17:34:47 Z{E2896C40-A677-4DD5-9E48-CC55726B7DEF}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0601-vp-mission-announcementMilton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., named vice president for mission and identity for Loyola<p>Milton Javier Bravo, Ph.D., has been selected as the vice president for mission and identity for Loyola University Maryland. He will start in the role on July 1, 2023.</p> <p>Currently vice president for mission, values, and inclusion at Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, Bravo has more than 15 years of experience in higher education, having served in roles in mission integration, student life, student services, research, teaching, and enrollment management.</p> <p>&ldquo;Dr. Bravo will bring to Loyola a deep understanding of our Jesuit mission and Catholic social teaching, a wealth of relevant expertise, and a demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. &ldquo;I look forward to seeing all that Dr. Bravo will achieve in this integral role, which is so important to the work we do as a university. He brings important experience and leadership to this position, which will be critical to Loyola as we continue to deepen our commitment to our Jesuit mission.&rdquo;</p> <p>Prior to joining Edgewood College in 2021, Bravo was associate publisher of Commonweal Magazine. He has worked previously as an assistant dean for Fordham University, assistant director of university admissions for the New Jersey Institute of Technology, and as an admission counselor and assistant director of admissions for Seton Hall University. He has taught as an adjunct instructor for Fordham University and as an adjunct assistant professor for four years in St. John&rsquo;s University&rsquo;s theology and religious studies departments, where he won the university&rsquo;s Outstanding Adjunct Faculty award in 2020.</p> <p>Bravo earned a B.A. in Theology and Philosophy from Saint Peter&rsquo;s University, an M.A. in Theology with a concentration in Biblical Studies from Seton Hall University, and a Ph.D., in Education, Religion, and Religious Education from Fordham University. He serves on the boards of the College Theology Society, Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, the Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the United States, and the Hope Border Institute.</p> <p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m excited to bring my skillsets and higher education experience to Loyola, and I&rsquo;m also excited just to bring my whole self to this relationship-centered community,&rdquo; Bravo said. &ldquo;My hope&mdash;and my goal&mdash;is to be a resource to help the community think about how to integrate mission and our Catholic, Jesuit identity into everything we do.&rdquo;</p> <p>In addition to being included in Commonweal, Bravo&rsquo;s writing has appeared in U.S. Catholic Magazine, National Catholic Reporter, and Jesuits News. He was a contributing writer for the book, Beyond National Catholicism: Transnational Networks of Hispanic Catholicism. His research interests include student equity and Catholic Social teaching, contextual theology, ecclesiology, and U.S. Latino/Hispanic Catholicism.</p> <p>The position was established last summer at Loyola and is currently held by Se&aacute;n Bray, interim vice president for mission and assistant vice president for mission.</p>Thu, 01 Jun 2023 13:34:57 Z{3C21DA4E-66BC-4A44-93F5-1DD9FC3FD381}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0530-critical-language-scholarshipLoyola student wins Critical Language Scholarship from U.S. Department of State<p>Serah Njoroge, &rsquo;24, won a Critical Language Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State. With the scholarship, she will spend eight weeks studying Swahili and learning Tanzanian culture in Tanzania during the summer of 2023.</p> <p>&ldquo;These fully-funded scholarships provide an immersive language and cultural study abroad experience like no other, and the award is extremely competitive,&rdquo; said Terre Ryan, Ph.D., associate professor of writing and director of national fellowships.</p> <p>Njoroge, who was born and raised in Mine Hill, New Jersey, is majoring in speech-language-hearing sciences and minoring in communication.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am most looking forward to meeting the people in my cohort, expanding my Swahili abilities, and exploring Arusha, Tanzania,&rdquo; Njoroge said. &ldquo;I am so excited for the wealth of knowledge I will obtain in Tanzania and to be able to speak with local people there.&rdquo;</p> <p>Critical Language Scholarships are highly competitive opportunities open to undergraduate and graduate students. The scholarships provide an intensive language and cultural immersion in 14 less commonly taught languages that the State Department deems essential to America's engagement with the world.</p>Tue, 30 May 2023 04:00:00 Z{3FD45A78-6632-4634-874E-3E518BDC912C}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0523-equal-justice-awardLoyola recognized by Maryland Legal Aid Justice Council for expungement clinics<p>Loyola University Maryland was awarded the Community Partner for Justice Award by the Maryland Legal Aid Justice Council and the Equal Justice Council at the 24th Annual Equal Justice Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.</p> <p>The award recognized Loyola&rsquo;s support of <a href="/news/2023/0201-expungement-clinic-2023">three expungement clinics</a> over the course of 2022 and 2023. Loyola partnered with Maryland Legal Aid to hold the expungement clinics at 5104 York Road in Baltimore, the location of <a href="/news/2023/0509-govans-farmers-market">Loyola&rsquo;s Govans Farmers Market</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;The award we received today is a testament to the hard work of so many Loyola students and staff as well as the strong partnership we have developed with Maryland Legal Aid,&rdquo; said Matt Beverlin, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor of political science. &ldquo;In the years ahead, we&rsquo;ll continue our work as a university community to strengthen our bonds with our neighbors and work toward the ideal of equal justice.&rdquo;</p> <p>Loyola students and attorneys who are alumni and friends of Loyola volunteered for the clinics, offering one-on-one assistance to participants, advising them on legal matters and preparing petitions on-site. Additionally, the clinic provided student volunteers an opportunity for service-learning, a critical part of Loyola&rsquo;s mission and Jesuit, liberal arts education.</p> <p>&ldquo;This award represents the best of Loyola&rsquo;s mission in action&mdash;a partnership with a high-impact nonprofit that created cross-campus collaborations, building on academic excellence in our arts and sciences areas while leveraging dedicated student, faculty, administrators, students, and alumni volunteers to the betterment of our York Road community,&rdquo; said Gia Grier McGinnis, Dr.PH., executive director of the <a href="/department/ccsj">Center for Community, Service, and Justice</a>.</p> <p>The three clinics resulted in more than a hundred clients aided, and more than 135 petitions were issued.&nbsp;</p>Tue, 23 May 2023 19:12:25 Z{8C157A35-C2CD-4F80-9946-D87CBD45BCED}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0520-class-23-commencementLoyola celebrates Class of 2023 at 170th Commencement ceremony<p>Loyola University Maryland celebrated the Class of 2023 at the University&rsquo;s 170th Commencement Exercises during a ceremony at the CFG Bank Arena in downtown Baltimore on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Approximately 1,200 students walked across the stage to mark the completion of their bachelor&rsquo;s, master&rsquo;s, and doctoral degrees during the ceremony.</p> <p>The Commencement speaker, Chris Lowney, received a doctor of humane letters, <em>honoris causa</em>, from Loyola. Lowney is an author and business leader with a deep understanding of Jesuit ideals.</p> <p>"You show up and stand beside those you love, you make sacrifices for those in your life, and you welcome life with gratitude for what it brings you," said Lowney, who told stories from his father's life to inspire the Class of 2023. "As long as you are pursuing some worthy mission, then the whole world will be your home, and you&rsquo;ll be at home anywhere, whether you never travel far from Baltimore, or, like my dad, cross an ocean to find your life calling."</p> <p>Terrence Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola, offered the Class of 2023 words of encouragement and wisdom as graduates prepared to embark on the next chapter of their lives.</p> <p>&ldquo;As you receive your degree and move on to your next destination, keep in mind the difference between success and significance," Sawyer said. &ldquo;It is one thing to be successful&mdash;and you&rsquo;ve already proven that you are well on your way there. But significance! Significance is when you use your success to improve the lives of others. That&rsquo;s what you&rsquo;ve already done here at Loyola. And that&rsquo;s why we look at you with so much hope, and so much pride, today.&rdquo;</p> <p>Albert Kang, &rsquo;23, who graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration with a dual concentration in Finance &amp; Information Systems and Data Analytics, addressed his classmates during the ceremony.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola has readied us for whatever the world has in store and has helped us discover the fire that&rsquo;s within every single one of us. It has nurtured this fire throughout our time here and with this inner fire now ablaze, we&rsquo;re ready to go forth, and set the world on fire,&rdquo; said Kang, who came to Loyola from Vancouver, British Columbia, and competed on the Loyola Greyhounds men&rsquo;s soccer team.</p> <p>Also at the Commencement Exercises, awards were received by; James D. Forbes, &rsquo;80, who received the President's Medal and a doctor of commercial science, <em>honoris causa</em>; Kelly Bryan Rizzo, &rsquo;98, who received the Carroll Medal; Curtis J. Wilson, Jr., who received the Newman Medal (awarded posthumously); and Sisters Academy, who received the Milch Community Partnership Award.</p>Sat, 20 May 2023 04:00:00 Z{EE3FD533-CED3-4A00-86EB-38DFBE38A72E}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0511-civic-fellowshipNea James, ’24, selected for Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellowship<p>Nea James, &rsquo;24, was selected to serve as the <a href="https://transformmidatlantic.org/community-action-for-improvement/mid-atlantic-civic-fellowship/nea-james/" target="_blank">2023-2024 Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellow</a> representing Loyola University Maryland. Through the <a href="https://transformmidatlantic.org/community-action-for-improvement/mid-atlantic-civic-fellowship/" target="_blank">Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellowship</a> program, students develop their leadership skills and understanding of civic and community engagement.</p> <p>"Nea is an exemplary model of civic leadership on our campus and in our Baltimore community,&rdquo; said Loyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., in a letter nominating James for the award. &ldquo;It is rare to find students who are as motivated in connecting their academic interests with ongoing advocacy initiatives as Nea.&rdquo;</p> <p>During the spring 2023 semester, James has chosen to fulfill her credited, unpaid internship by working for <a href="https://baltimorewitness.org/" target="_blank">Baltimore Witness</a>. She will observe court events, such as hearings and trials, that involve murders and nonfatal shootings.</p> <p>&ldquo;Focusing on the administration of justice and how bias may creep into it&mdash;rewarding some and disenfranchising others&mdash;is consistent with my understanding of Loyola's cura personalis,&rdquo; James said. &ldquo;I look forward to learning from local and global leaders so I can bring those leadership skills back to my community.&rdquo;</p> <p>In the fall 2022 semester, James participated in an unpaid and uncredited internship with the Baltimore County Police Department to learn about the nature of patrolling, the court liaison process, and crime lab procedures.</p> <p>James, who is from Hagerstown, Maryland, is completing a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and is enrolled in enrolled in the <a href="/graduate-info/forensic-pattern-analysis">Master of Science in Forensic Pattern Analysis</a> program at Loyola.</p> <p>The <a href="https://transformmidatlantic.org/community-action-for-improvement/mid-atlantic-civic-fellowship/" target="_blank">Transform Mid-Atlantic Civic Fellowship</a> program offers high-impact opportunities to student leaders across Maryland, Washington D.C., and Delaware. Students learn how to serve as leaders in their communities and collectively create solutions to our region&rsquo;s most urgent problems.</p>Thu, 11 May 2023 17:41:59 Z{DBC3D2C4-175C-4B8E-B24B-39FE19D20A1A}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0511-case-competitionLoyola University Maryland business students take awards at sustainability case competition<p>Three undergraduate student teams from Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business and Management won five awards at the <a href="https://cba.lmu.edu/centers/ibes/eventsprograms/ibescc/" target="_blank">International Business Ethics and Sustainability Case Competition</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;This is a remarkable accomplishment, and I couldn&rsquo;t be prouder of our students," said Astrid Schmidt-King, J.D., an assistant teaching professor of management and organizations who worked with the students. &ldquo;Their innovative ideas, hard work, perseverance, goodwill, and teamwork are commendable and inspiring.&rdquo;</p> <p>Loyola&rsquo;s teams competed against 30 universities from around the world and presented cases to be judged by executive panels in the form of 25-minute, 10-minute, and 90 second pitches. The competition was held in a hybrid format, both online and in-person at Loyola Marymount University.</p> <p>The titles of the case studies Loyola teams entered in the competition were:</p> <ul> <li>&ldquo;Food for Thought: Good Lunch Today for a Better Tomorrow,&rdquo; 25-minute competition runner-up</li> <li>&ldquo;Vacant Lots to Green Spots: Pocket Parks in Communities,&rdquo; 25-minute competition winner and 10-minute competition winner</li> <li>&ldquo;Are You Still Watching? Carbon Emissions Are Streaming,&rdquo; 90-second competition winner and 10-minute competition runner-up</li> </ul> <p>Throughout the spring 2023 semester, Loyola students prepared cases aimed at advancing sustainability while being legally, financially, and ethically sound.</p> <p>"This experience made me realize what career path I want to pursue within the business field,&rdquo; said Alyssa De la Cerda, &rsquo;26. &ldquo;I really look forward to competing again next year.&rdquo;</p> <p>Additionally, each team of students was paired up with two business professionals. Some of the professionals were from Loyola&rsquo;s Department of Management and Organizations&rsquo; Advisory Board and others were alumni and Sellinger supporters.</p> <p>&ldquo;While difficult at times, we were always helped by our professor and coaches, which made the process manageable and helped to improve our quality of work,&rdquo; said Matthew Butler, &rsquo;23. &ldquo;This also helped me grow professionally, as the whole process required intricate collaboration and communication within the team and from coaches.&rdquo;</p>Thu, 11 May 2023 04:00:00 Z{F3F82B5B-FBF8-4823-95C1-5728C275E60A}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0509-govans-farmers-marketGovans Farmers Market to return for 12th season<p>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s <a href="/department/ccsj/york-road-initiative">York Road Initiative</a> (YRI) will host the 12th season of the Govans Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 3 &ndash; 6 p.m. between June and September 2023.</p> <p>The market will be located in the parking lot of Loyola's Transportation and Public Safety complex at 5104 York Road. The side entrance on Notre Dame Lane will be the main point of entry.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are excited about what&rsquo;s in store for the market as we enter our 12th season,&rdquo; said Gia Grier McGinnis, Dr.PH., executive director for Loyola&rsquo;s <a href="/department/ccsj">Center for Community, Service, and Justice</a> (CCSJ) and the York Road Initiative. &ldquo;As always, we will offer special subsidy programs that will make local goods and produce fresh accessible to all. We are also grateful to have the market sponsored by the Small Business Administration this cycle, which will allow us to have special promotions each month.&rdquo;</p> <p>Located just a short walk from Loyola&rsquo;s Evergreen Campus, the Govans Farmers Market was created to provide the York Road community of north Baltimore City with produce that is affordable, fresh, and local. Market selections include returning favorites serving fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, cold crabs and seafood, baked goods, and hot Mexican food, including tacos and burritos.</p> <p>Loyola&rsquo;s York Road Initiative continues to work toward making an impact on the York Road corridor, recently <a href="/news/2023/0228-york-corridor-bid">celebrating the approval</a> of the <a href="https://www.bidyork.org/" target="_blank">York Corridor Business Improvement District</a>.</p> <p>For more information, visit <a href="https://govansmarket.weebly.com/" target="_blank">www.govansmarket.org</a> and follow the Govans Farmers&rsquo; Market&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.facebook.com/govansmarket" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>. Questions from customers, vendors, and prospective vendors should be directed to <a href="mailto:govansmarket@gmail.com">govansmarket@gmail.com</a>.&nbsp;</p>Tue, 09 May 2023 18:10:37 Z{43840E7B-99E3-4B5F-9820-392E6BAAC436}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0505-class-2027-enrollmentLoyola Class of 2027 projected to be third largest, most diverse in school history<p>Loyola University Maryland plans to welcome a strong and diverse Class of 2027 this fall after exceeding the University&rsquo;s deposit goal for the incoming undergraduate class.</p> <p>As of May 3, 2023, the University received more than 1,160 deposits from first-year students, surpassing the goal for the incoming class by 100 deposits. The Class of 2027 is projected to be the third largest first-year class in Loyola history.</p> <p>"We are excited to welcome the Class of 2027 this fall and look forward to the remarkable contributions they will undoubtedly make to our campus community," said Eric Nichols, vice president for enrollment management. "I appreciate the enrollment team and Loyola community members who continue to attract promising students from a wide range of backgrounds.&rdquo;</p> <p>As the class stands today, it&rsquo;s the most racially diverse class in history with 40% of incoming students identifying as students of color. In addition, a record 25% are first generation students and 21% are Pell eligible, which ties the largest percentage on record from last year&rsquo;s class.</p> <p>&ldquo;What a wonderful time for Loyola as we prepare to celebrate our graduating students in the Class of 2023 and look forward to welcoming the incoming Class of 2027,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president. &ldquo;As these students benefit from our outstanding Jesuit, liberal arts education, they will also add so much to our community and to our growing and thriving Greyhound Nation.&rdquo;</p> <p>The class was yielded from a 5% larger applicant pool, contributing to a 7 percentage point reduction in admit rate. This increased selectivity led to the Class of 2027 having the highest average weighted high school GPA on record at 3.69.</p> <p>The Class of 2027 hails from 34 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and 17 countries. International students make up 2% of the class, which would mark the largest incoming class of international students at Loyola in at least two decades.</p>Fri, 05 May 2023 04:00:00 Z{9666B235-3995-4AF8-A8A6-8754D37F995A}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0504-fulbright-awardsFour Loyola seniors receive distinguished Fulbright Awards<p>Four Loyola seniors&mdash;Christina Guerra, &rsquo;23, Isis Santoni Morro, &rsquo;23, Mary Velazquez, &rsquo;23, and Anna Young, &rsquo;23&mdash;were awarded prestigious Fulbright Awards to spend one year abroad.</p> <p>"Loyola&rsquo;s application process for Fulbright is quite rigorous, and I am thrilled that Fulbright will send four Loyola graduates overseas,&rdquo; said Terre Ryan, Ph.D., associate professor of writing and director of national fellowships. &ldquo;Each of these students is an outstanding example of what can be accomplished with a Loyola education."</p> <p>Guerra, who was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, will spend the 23-24 academic year in Laos as an English teaching assistant. She is in <a href="/academics/honors-program">Loyola's Honors Program</a> and double majoring in art history and classical civilizations while minoring in Medieval studies, Italian studies, and Spanish.</p> <p>&ldquo;My goal is to make learning English a fun and rewarding experience for my students and give engaging presentations about American culture that encourage cross-cultural understanding,&rdquo; Guerra said.</p> <p>Santoni Morro, who grew up in Puerto Rico, will travel to Peru as an English teaching assistant for the 23-24 academic year. She is double majoring in English and Spanish and minoring in Latin American studies.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am looking forward to learning new ways of seeing and understanding the world by connecting with different communities,&rdquo; Santoni Morro said.</p> <p>Velazquez, who was born and raised in Connecticut, will pursue a master's degree in the United Kingdom. She is majoring in writing and minoring in studio arts.</p> <p>"I look forward to working with the Manchester Metropolitan University writing department and putting together my collection of short stories based around Latino culture,&rdquo; Velazquez said.</p> <p>Born and raised in Long Island, New York, Young is heading to Spain&rsquo;s Canary Islands as an English teaching assistant. She is majoring in global studies with a double minor in history and international business.</p> <p>"I hope to foster an environment where my students and I can learn from one another and appreciate aspects of each other's culture,&rdquo; Young said.</p> <p>In addition to the four scholars, Sage Factora, &rsquo;23, and Cassidy McCabe, &rsquo;23, were selected as Fulbright Alternates. Factora is also a student in the Honors Program. </p> <p>The <a href="https://fulbrightscholars.org/" target="_blank">Fulbright U.S. Student Program</a> facilitates cultural exchange provided in more than 140 countries around the world through opportunities to engage in research in a foreign country or teach English for students of various age groups. Through engagement in the community, grantees interact with their hosts on a one-to-one basis in an atmosphere of openness, academic integrity, and intellectual freedom, thereby promoting mutual understanding.</p>Thu, 04 May 2023 18:43:48 Z{E6B4EEB9-4C99-4533-9406-4143E2F4E8FF}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0428-higher-education-power-listLoyola President Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., named to Power 30 List<p>Loyola University Maryland President <a href="/department/president">Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D.</a>, was named to the <a href="https://thedailyrecord.com/2023/04/28/introducing-the-daily-records-2023-higher-education-power-list/?utm_term=See%20all%20the%20honorees&amp;utm_campaign=Announcing%20The%20Daily%20Record%27s%202023%20Higher%20Education%20POWER%20LIST&amp;utm_content=Editorial&amp;utm_source=Act-On+Software&amp;utm_medium=MDDR&amp;Email=MEDIAWISE@COMCAST.NET" target="_blank">2023 Higher Education Power List</a> by <em>The Daily Record</em>.</p> <p>According to <em>The Daily Record</em>, individuals are selected for the list because they &ldquo;are helping guide their institutions in the ever-changing field of education. They are working for or with programs that aim to bring new technology or change to the region.&rdquo;</p> <p>This recognition comes on the heels of Sawyer landing on <em><a href="/news/2023/0103-president-100-power-list"><em>The Daily Record</em></a></em><a href="/news/2023/0103-president-100-power-list">&rsquo;s </a><a href="/news/2023/0103-president-100-power-list">Power 100 List for 2022</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;Being honored in this way recognizes the exceptional work we are undertaking here at Loyola University Maryland," said Sawyer. &ldquo;Loyola is proud to be educating young people as the ethical leaders that our diverse and changing world needs. The culture of innovation is alive and well at Loyola, and we are enthusiastic about how we are partnering with the broader community to bring about change.&rdquo;</p> <p>Sawyer became president of Loyola on Jan. 1, 2022, after 23 years serving the University in several leadership roles, including most recently as the University&rsquo;s senior vice president.</p> <p>Under his leadership in that role, the University raised more than $100 million in the largest campaign in Loyola&rsquo;s history, growing the University&rsquo;s endowment and student scholarship support. He also led the advancement team in raising funds to support strategic capital projects, including the Miguel B. Fernandez Family Center for Innovation and Collaborative Learning, which opened in Fall 2021. Earlier in his career, Sawyer was instrumental in developing and launching the York Road Initiative, where Loyola collaborates with neighbors and partners in the Govans community to bring positive change in the areas of civic capacity, education, and economic and business development.&nbsp;</p>Fri, 28 Apr 2023 04:00:00 Z{238B9DFE-77AA-4CFD-A647-5FCC32E5AAEF}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0427-public-policy-fellowshipJuan L&#243;pez, ’24, named Loyola’s first Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow<p>Juan L&oacute;pez, &rsquo;24, has been admitted to the selective Public Policy and International Affairs (PPIA) Junior Summer Institute (JSI). As Loyola&rsquo;s first PPIA Fellow, L&oacute;pez will participate in a seven-week, fully funded program at the University of Washington&rsquo;s Daniel J. Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola has taught me to be open to unexpected opportunities that come my way,&rdquo; L&oacute;pez said. &ldquo;I look forward to connecting with like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds and expanding my perspectives on issues of policy that I'm passionate about.&rdquo;</p> <p>L&oacute;pez, who is from Ponce, Puerto Rico, is majoring in global studies and minoring in innovation &amp; entrepreneurship and said he hopes to have a career in public service.</p> <p>&ldquo;A career in public service is the best way for me to make a meaningful contribution to society and work toward a better future for all,&rdquo; he said.</p> <p>In addition to the JSI fellowship, L&oacute;pez will receive a $5,000 scholarship if he pursues his master&rsquo;s degree at one of the <a href="https://ppiaprogram.org/page/graduate-school-consortium" target="_blank">65 universities</a> in PPIA&rsquo;s consortium.</p> <p><a href="https://ppiaprogram.org/" target="_blank">PPIA</a> works to cultivate the next generations of diverse public service and international affairs professionals by investing in their education, essential skills, and networks to effect domestic and global change. The Junior Summer Institute is an academically rigorous program that helps prepare students for their future careers and for applying to graduate programs in public administration/international affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:54:38 Z{2E384385-412A-48D2-B0D0-FA21C7281F5B}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0427-vita-tax-returnsLoyola student volunteers prepare 356 tax returns for Baltimore residents<p>Student volunteers with the accounting department at Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business prepared 356 tax returns for taxpayers in the Baltimore community, resulting in tax refunds totaling over $500,000 this season. The tax preparation services were provided free of charge for qualifying taxpayers at the Loyola Clinical Centers on York Road.</p> <p>&ldquo;Loyola embraces our role and responsibility as an anchor institution in the city,&rdquo; said Mary Ann Scully, MBA &rsquo;79, dean of Loyola&rsquo;s Sellinger School. &ldquo;We care deeply about our neighbors. That care is evidenced year after year in the work that faculty, students and a growing number of business partners do for individuals and families to ensure they receive all available credits and deductions every tax season. In the process of assisting these individuals, we&rsquo;ve collectively created more opportunity and equity in the community.&rdquo;</p> <p>Over 70 IRS-certified students, Loyola faculty members and professional accountants volunteered through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant (VITA) program in partnership with the nonprofit Creating Assets, Savings and Hope (CASH) Campaign of Maryland. This is the fifth year Loyola has hosted a site offering free tax preparation services.</p> <p>&ldquo;The Loyola VITA program gives our students real-life training on tax preparation and experience interacting with community clientele,&rdquo; said Michael Bender, CPA, executive in residence at the Sellinger School. &ldquo;This invaluable experience provides our students with the opportunity to learn from seasoned CPAs and gives the participating firms the opportunity to meet and get to know our students. More than 350 community members benefited from these efforts.&rdquo;</p> <p>Loyola has participated in the VITA program for many years, but in the past, students volunteered at other sites. Students have facilitated hundreds of thousands of dollars in refunds to members of the community in prior years.</p> <p><strong>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business and Management</strong> delivers an internationally recognized Jesuit business education. Recognized for its scholarship, ethical leadership and tradition of excellence, the Sellinger School delivers a wide range of sought-after fields of study including eight undergraduate majors and 11 undergraduate minors as well as full-time, part-time and fully online MBA and Master of Accounting programs. In-person classes are available on campuses in Baltimore, Columbia and Timonium, Maryland. (<a href="/sellinger-business">www.loyola.edu/sellinger</a>)</p>Thu, 27 Apr 2023 04:00:00 Z{EC08321D-3212-4B0E-A9F3-6A0A1B583A8C}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0426-school-education-deanAfra Ahmed Hersi, Ph.D., named dean of Loyola’s School of Education<p>Afra Ahmed Hersi, Ph.D., has been named the next dean of Loyola&rsquo;s School of Education. Dr. Hersi, who was selected after a national search, has served as the University&rsquo;s interim dean of the School of Education since July 2021. She begins in the role effective July 1, 2023.</p> <p>Hersi joined the Loyola faculty in 2007 as an assistant professor in the Teacher Education department, received tenure and was promoted to associate professor in 2014, and was named professor of literacy teacher education in 2021. From 2017-2021, Hersi served as chair of the Teacher Education Department before being named interim dean.</p> <p>&ldquo;Since her appointment as interim dean, Dr. Hersi has shown exceptional leadership, guiding the School of Education faculty in innovation, deepening the School&rsquo;s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and strengthening community partnerships, which are so key to the School&rsquo;s mission and success,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;I look forward to seeing all that Dr. Hersi will achieve as dean of the School of Education, especially as she continues to seek opportunities for innovation within the School and collaboration across the University.&rdquo;</p> <p>Hersi&rsquo;s achievements in the interim role include leading the School of Education through a short-term strategic planning process; establishing the <a href="/department/center-equity-leadership-social-justice-education">Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education</a>, which serves as a collaborative space to support and highlight engaged research, and evidence-based partnerships; and urging faculty and administrators within the School to increase applications for grants&mdash;an initiative which is already seeing strong results. This spring, the School of Education has received a <a href="/news/2023/0424-education-grant">$3.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education</a> and, in conjunction with faculty from Loyola College of Arts and Sciences, a <a href="/news/2023/0412-nsf-grant-stem">$1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;I have long been committed to&mdash;and inspired by&mdash;the mission of the School of Education to prepare transformational educators, leaders, and counselors committed to social justice, equity, and service in the greater Baltimore community, the state of Maryland, the United States, and beyond,&rdquo; Hersi said. &ldquo;I have a steadfast belief in the people who make up the School of Education and Loyola. We can address the challenges ahead, work together, harness the energy and talent of faculty, administration, staff, and students, and take bold actions that strengthen our institution&mdash;and our community.&rdquo;</p> <p>Hersi, who came to the United States from Somalia and grew up in northern Virginia, received her Ph.D. and Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College, and B.A. in History, Social Studies, and Secondary Education from Radford University.</p> <p>Hersi has published research in the areas of immigration and education, literacy and language development for bilingual learners, culturally and linguistically responsive practice, and teacher education. Her focus is on academic opportunities for culturally and linguistically diverse students and research that expands the educational and life opportunities of marginalized children, their families, and communities.</p> <p>&ldquo;The work of the School of Education is integral to Loyola&rsquo;s commitment to live out its mission, as our faculty prepare educators and counselors who make a difference in the lives of their students,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president. &ldquo;Loyola is fortunate to have Dr. Hersi as dean, as she brings her expertise and her commitment to strengthening community partnerships to the role.&rdquo;</p> <p>Founded in 2009, the School of Education offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. Within the Jesuit traditions of intellectual excellence, social justice, ethical responsibility, and <em>cura personalis</em>, the School of Education promotes leadership and scholarship in the development of teachers, counselors, administrators, and other educators.</p>Wed, 26 Apr 2023 13:34:43 Z{25A796D3-C1F0-4C1A-B076-A67A1F258F27}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0425-us-news-rankingsLoyola’s MBA programs ranked among best in the nation<p>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s Sellinger School of Business and Management&rsquo;s Professional&rsquo;s MBA, a part-time, evening MBA program designed for working professionals, was ranked No. 102 in the nation in <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report</em>&rsquo;s 2023-24 <a href="https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-graduate-schools/loyola-university-maryland-163046" target="_blank">Best Graduate Schools</a>.</p> <p>&ldquo;The Sellinger School is proud of our decades-long partnership with the business community in creating successive generations of leaders,&rdquo; said Mary Ann Scully, dean of Loyola&rsquo;s Sellinger School. &ldquo;When higher education rankings confirm the quality and the impact of our education programs, we are doubly pleased.&rdquo;</p> <p>In addition, <em>U.S. News &amp; World Report</em> ranked Loyola:</p> <ul> <li>No. 27 for the management specialty, moving up three spots from last year</li> <li>No. 28 for the business analytics specialty</li> <li>No. 124 for the Emerging Leaders MBA, a full-time, one-year MBA program</li> </ul> <p>The Best Graduate Schools rankings are based on two types of data: expert opinion about program excellence and statistical indicators that measure the quality of a school&rsquo;s faculty, research, and students.</p> <p>&ldquo;Kudos to our faculty and administration who are devoted to ensuring that our curriculum is relevant, and congratulations to our alumni who move up in the world as a result of their education here,&rdquo; Scully said.</p> <p><strong>Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s</strong> <a href="/sellinger-business">Sellinger School of Business and Management</a> delivers an internationally recognized Jesuit business education. Recognized for its scholarship, ethical leadership and tradition of excellence, the Sellinger School delivers a wide range of sought-after fields of study including eight undergraduate majors and 11 undergraduate minors as well as full-time, part-time and fully online MBA and Master of Accounting programs. In-person classes are available on campuses in Baltimore, Columbia, and Timonium, Maryland.</p>Tue, 25 Apr 2023 04:00:00 Z{701931BB-DBA3-47E4-B1D9-35205EC7A972}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0424-education-grantLoyola School of Education awarded $3.3 million grant from U.S. Department of Education<p>Loyola&rsquo;s School Counseling Program in the School of Education has been awarded a $3.3 million School-Based Mental Health Services Grant from the U.S. Department of Education.</p> <p>The grant provides urgently needed resources to increase students&rsquo; access to school-based mental health services by increasing the number of qualified and culturally responsive mental health counselors working in K-12 schools.</p> <p>The project, &ldquo;Loyola University Maryland School Counseling Scholarship Program: Culturally Responsive and Inclusive School-Counselor Preparation (CRISP),&rdquo; will increase high-quality mental health access for children and youth in Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) by improving the preparation and increasing diversity of school counselors who enter the workforce.</p> <p>&ldquo;I am excited that this grant centers evidence-based pedagogy to prepare school counselors with the skills, knowledge, and dispositions to effectively meet the mental health needs of today&rsquo;s culturally diverse high school students,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Loyola University Maryland.</p> <p>The 5-year collaborative grant will have a transformational impact on the School Counseling program, Loyola, and BCPS.</p> <p>Jennifer Scaturo Watkinson, Ph.D., LCPC, associate professor of <a href="/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling">school counseling</a> and the program director of Loyola&rsquo;s School Counseling Program will lead the grant as Principal Investigator.</p> <p>&ldquo;This award gives us the opportunity to strengthen our master&rsquo;s training program and invite candidates from diverse backgrounds into the profession,&rdquo; Watkinson said. &ldquo;I am extremely grateful and excited to work with my colleagues in the School Counseling Program and Baltimore County Public Schools.&rdquo;</p> <p>Qi Shi, Ph.D., LCPC, associate professor of <a href="/school-education/academics/graduate/school-counseling">school counseling</a> and the director of the <a href="/department/center-equity-leadership-social-justice-education">Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education</a> will lead the evaluation of the grant.</p> <p>&ldquo;As the founding director of the Center for Equity, Leadership, and Social Justice in Education, I am deeply honored to lead the evaluation for this project funded through the Department of Education,&rdquo; Shi said. &ldquo;I am very excited to see the positive impact this award will bring to our students in Loyola&rsquo;s School Counseling Program as well as K-12 students they are going to serve in high-need schools.&rdquo;</p> <p>Other objectives of the grant include:</p> <ul> <li>Increasing the School Counseling Program&rsquo;s student diversity by December 2027.</li> <li>Strengthening preparation at the School Counseling Program in culturally responsive and inclusive counseling practices.</li> <li>Decreasing the student to counselor ratio in BCPS.</li> </ul>Mon, 24 Apr 2023 18:40:17 Z{B5585B3F-FB7A-47A8-9F18-06E444F5A238}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0412-nsf-grant-stemLoyola faculty awarded $1.2 million grant to increase the number of STEM educators working in high needs schools<p>The National Science Foundation has awarded Loyola a $1.2 million grant to establish the Culturally Responsive Equitable STEM Teaching (CREST) program at the University. The funding, received over five years through the NSF&rsquo;s Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program, will support teacher candidates in developing the necessary knowledge and skills to implement equitable practices and to succeed as highly qualified STEM teachers in high-need schools.</p> <p>By leveraging the existing Loyola-Baltimore County professional development school network, CREST will add innovative features to Loyola&rsquo;s clinical preparation program, deepening student commitment to equitable teaching in their chosen discipline.</p> <p>The grant was awarded to principal investigator Timothy B. P. Clark, Ph.D., associate professor of <a href="/academics/mathematics-statistics">mathematics and statistics</a>, and co-principal investigators Afra Hersi, Ph.D., interim dean of the <a href="/school-education/academics/graduate/literacy-reading">School of Education</a>; Qi Shi, Ph.D., director of the <a href="/department/center-equity-leadership-social-justice-education">Center for Equity, Leadership and Social Justice in Education</a> and associate professor of <a href="/graduate-info/school-counseling">school counseling</a>, and Stacy Williams, chair of the teacher education department.</p> <p>&ldquo;This grant is a unique collaboration between Loyola&rsquo;s School of Education, Loyola College of Arts and Sciences, and Baltimore County Public Schools," Hersi said. &ldquo;Securing such a highly competitive grant is a wonderful tribute to our programs at Loyola and to the strong collaborative efforts among faculty in science and mathematics departments and the School of Education."</p> <p>The grant primarily funds student cost of attendance and retention of new teachers. Science and mathematics majors at Loyola and graduates in STEM fields from any university are eligible for scholarship support of approximately $23,000 toward earning a Master of Arts in Teaching. In exchange, CREST graduates will agree to teach science or mathematics in a high-need school.</p> <p>&ldquo;The CREST Scholars Program is a way to live out Loyola&rsquo;s mission and leverage the culturally responsive practices infused in the School of Education&rsquo;s curriculum,&rdquo; Clark said. &ldquo;At Loyola, we have the capacity and initiative to support STEM students with diverse backgrounds, especially those interested in secondary teaching. The CREST Program will reduce cost barriers so that overall, more STEM students can pursue a career in teaching.&rdquo;</p> <p>Resources for new teachers include an annual STEM summer institute and a seminar for early-career teachers held during the school year. During the summer institute, CREST graduates and their mentor teachers will further develop culturally responsive teaching practices and create curriculum resources.</p> <p>Funding is available for 28 students in total over three cohorts of scholars and begins in June 2023.</p> <p>&ldquo;We are deeply honored to receive the Noyce award from the National Science Foundation&mdash;and proud of the faculty scholarship and collaboration that has made this possible,&rdquo; said Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, provost and vice president for academic affairs. &ldquo;The award will greatly enhance Loyola&rsquo;s ability to address one of our nation&rsquo;s most pressing issues&mdash;the need to improve access to quality science and mathematics education for the next generation of students.&rdquo;</p> <p>In 2019, Hersi and Clark were awarded a <a href="/school-education/academics/stem/about">$75,000 grant from NSF</a> to help build a strong pipeline for recruiting and retaining diverse STEM educators.</p>Wed, 12 Apr 2023 04:00:00 Z{217C55CD-7F03-4364-98F3-ABC438B30044}https://www.loyola.edu/news/2023/0411-provost-announcementCheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, to be Loyola’s next provost and vice president for academic affairs<p>Cheryl Moore-Thomas, Ph.D., NCC, has been named Loyola University Maryland&rsquo;s next provost and vice president for academic affairs.</p> <p>Moore-Thomas, who was selected after a national search, has served as the University&rsquo;s interim provost and vice president for academic affairs since July 2021. She begins in the role effective immediately.</p> <p>A longtime resident of Baltimore, Moore-Thomas will become the first Loyola graduate to serve as provost of the University. Before earning her Ph.D. in Counselor Education from the University of Maryland at College Park, Dr. Moore-Thomas earned both her B.A. in Elementary Education summa cum laude and her M.Ed. in School Counseling from Loyola. Two of her siblings and her father also graduated from Loyola.</p> <p>&ldquo;With her strong ties to Loyola, Dr. Moore-Thomas is truly one of our own&mdash;and I look forward to seeing all she can bring to the work that lies ahead,&rdquo; said Terrence M. Sawyer, J.D., president of Loyola. &ldquo;I have confidence that she will partner with faculty and other colleagues in strengthening the exceptional, rigorous liberal arts education Loyola delivers to our students. She brings to the role a dynamic vision that builds on Loyola&rsquo;s strengths and recognizes the opportunities we can embrace moving forward.&rdquo;</p> <p>Prior to assuming the interim provost role, Dr. Moore-Thomas has served as associate dean of the School of Education, chair of the Education Specialties department, associate vice president for faculty affairs and diversity, associate vice president for graduate academic affairs and diversity, and as the University&rsquo;s inaugural chief equity and inclusion officer.</p> <p>After joining the Loyola faculty as an assistant professor of education in 2001, Dr. Moore-Thomas earned tenure in 2007 and was promoted to full professor of education in 2017.</p> <p>&ldquo;It is my honor to work alongside President Sawyer, the Board of Trustees, the Cabinet, and Loyola&rsquo;s tremendous team of dedicated and talented faculty, staff, students, and administrators to help Loyola meet this moment and chart the course for our future and the continuation of our journey in excellence,&rdquo; said Moore-Thomas. &ldquo;Together, we have the opportunity to set and realize a vision and academic priorities aligned with the University&rsquo;s vision, mission, and strategic plan; and to help to co-create a bold new path for Loyola and its next chapter in the story of Jesuit, liberal arts education in Baltimore and beyond.&rdquo;</p> <p>Moore-Thomas began her career as a teacher and school counselor in the Montgomery County Public Schools. An accomplished scholar, professor, and advocate for faculty development, Dr. Moore-Thomas has been involved in strategic planning at Loyola, participated in the Ignatian Colleagues Program, and traveled on the Ignatian Pilgrimage.</p> <p>&ldquo;I believe higher education faces a liminal moment,&rdquo; Moore-Thomas said. &ldquo;Provosts must lead their academic teams while simultaneously casting the vision and laying the framework for bold work for perhaps a very different tomorrow. No institution is better positioned to address the challenges that higher education faces today and the opportunities it must unlock for the students of tomorrow&mdash;and get it right&mdash;than Loyola University Maryland.&rdquo;</p> <p>Author of the book, College and Career Readiness: A Guide for School Counselors K-12, published in 2019, Moore-Thomas received Loyola&rsquo;s Inaugural Graduate Teaching Award in 2017. She serves on the boards of Marian House, Archbishop Borders School, and the Carroll County Community College Psychology Department Advisory Board.</p> <p>&ldquo;As a leader with a demonstrated record of achievement and collaboration, Dr. Moore-Thomas brings to her work a commitment to faculty and students&mdash;and to Jesuit, liberal arts education,&rdquo; said Ed Hanway, &rsquo;74, chair of the Academic Affairs Committee for the Board of Trustees, who chaired the provost search. &ldquo;In addition to knowing the challenges and opportunities Loyola faces, Dr. Moore-Thomas has a real depth of understanding of the issues facing the higher education landscape today. We will be looking to her for that insight and expertise as she takes on this critical leadership role.&rdquo;&nbsp;</p>Tue, 11 Apr 2023 04:00:00 Z