Gifts to the Parents’ Fund empower tomorrow’s leaders today

Last year, gifts from parents of current Loyola students totaled almost $500,000. Each annual fund contribution—no matter the size—has an impact on today’s students. With nearly 50 percent of Loyola parents participating in this year’s Parents’ Fund to date, the university is on track to experience the same level of generosity.

Parent support is particularly important in today’s challenging economic times, when Loyola has been able to continue to count on parents to help enhance programs that are so important to students.

Thanks to support from parents and other generous donors, Theresa Ferraina, ’09, has been able to experience an extraordinary range of opportunities as part of her Loyola education. A midfielder for the women’s soccer team and leader in both goals and assists, Ferraina is also a member of the Beta Gamma Sigma business honor society and a volunteer at Baltimore’s Beans and Bread outreach center. As she prepares to graduate, the wide range of experiences she’s had as a Loyola student will play a significant role in readying her to become a leader. “At Loyola, I’ve had a chance to engage in so many different activities,” she said. “I’ve learned something from each one, and they’ve shaped the person I’ve become.”

Service has also played a big part in the Loyola experience of Alexandra Vargas, ’11. Through Loyola’s Center for Community Service and Justice, Vargas has had the opportunity to help young children who are homeless learn to read and helped adults recovering from addiction take steps to put their lives back on track. “Service is a critical part of my education,” she said. “It has opened my mind and helped me begin to understand the daily struggles so many people face.”

The Parents’ Fund fiscal year runs from September through May, and gifts are tax-deductible for the calendar year in which they are made. To designate your gift to a particular area of study, program or athletic team please contact Julie Ryder ’03, director of parent relations, at jryder1@loyola.edu. You can also make a gift on our secure Web site by visiting www.loyola.edu/give.