Further the mission

Elaine Grillo was thrilled when her daughter Elizabeth decided to follow in her footsteps and become an elementary school teacher—and even more so when the two talked about Elizabeth’s experiences in Loyola’s undergraduate program in teacher education.

“My daughter received excellent preparation at Loyola,” said the New Vernon, N.J., resident. “I was a teacher, and when I saw and heard what she was doing, how she was able to work in schools right away, I knew the education she was getting was a good one. We were thrilled with Loyola as a whole—but especially the education program.”

Elizabeth graduated in 2008, Elaine Grillo and her husband, Anthony, who had become members of the University’s Parents Council and John Early Society, welcomed the opportunity to continue their involvement with Loyola.

As the University prepared for the launch of the School of Education, Elaine Grillo accepted an invitation to join the School’s Board of Advisors, lending her background as an educator and a supportive parent to a school whose mission was just taking shape.

“I wanted to help Loyola expand what they were doing with the School,” she said. “I felt I had something to contribute.”

Three years later, the Grillos have shown their support for the School in a new way—by endowing the School’s first graduate fellowship, which will support student research.

“Loyola is on such an upward trajectory,” she said. “Research is really where universities draw their strength, yet it seems as if graduate students—the young people doing this exciting work—have the least amount of support. We wanted to help where it was needed most.”