Concerns we address
Announcements
"The Retreat" Newsletter
Solidarity with Morgan State University
On October 3, 2023, Morgan State University experienced a shooting that injured five people during an on-campus homecoming event. Our hearts go out to all who are directly impacted by this and other mass shootings, and to all who feel less safe and less trusting in the aftermath of such a tragedy. The Loyola community stands in solidarity with the students, faculty, staff, our friends, and colleagues of Morgan State University.
The pandemic of gun violence, and particularly school-based shootings, has been tragically inter-woven into the fabric of the educational experiences of our current generation of students. Today’s young adults are more likely to have been personally affected by gun violence, to question their safety at school, and to have fears that an act of gun violence will occur at their school, than any previous generation. These concerns are amplified in BIPOC communities, which have been subject to higher rates of gun violence due to the inter-generational impact of systemic racism and inequities that exist in the US.
The tragic events of Tuesday evening, at a university in our own community, heightened these fears. Students may experience symptoms of secondary trauma, or a resurfacing of past trauma, in response to acts of gun violence. We urge students to intentionally engage in self-care, find community with their peers and loved ones, and seek additional support, if needed.
The Loyola Counseling Center is here for students that wish to process these experiences. Located in Humanities 150, the Counseling Center is open M-F from 8:30am until 5pm (EST). If you would like to make an appointment with a counselor you can schedule an appointment online, stop by our office, or give us a call at 410-617-2273. To speak with a counselor after 5pm and on weekends please call the Counseling Center Crisis line at 410-617-5530.
Loyola Counseling Center Land Acknowledgement
The staff at the Counseling Center humbly acknowledges and honors the Indigenous communities whose ancestral homelands and resources were stolen and colonized in the creation of this nation, state and campus. We recognize the Piscataway, Nanticoke, Lumbee, and Susquehannock as past, present, and future caretakers of this land.
A land acknowledgement is a small and insufficient step towards correcting the narrative and injustice of colonialism both past and present. While this small act will never erase the atrocities that have been endured by Indigenous peoples both locally and around the world, it is a part of our ongoing commitment to uplifting the sovereignty of Indigenous communities. We are therefore committed to resisting the oppression that takes many forms, including the attack on mental health, threat to the environment, and continued violence caused by systems of racism.