Loyola University Chicago

Division of Student Development

Excellence Awards

Excellence Awards

Excellence Awards 2024 Ceremony - Thursday, April 18 at 6pm

Every year, outstanding Ramblers are recognized for their commitments to excellence in exemplifying Loyola's mission and values. Students, staff, and faculty are encouraged to review information about award criteria and deadlines

The Excellence Awards Ceremony continues to be a signature event of the university-wide Celebration of Students' Achievement, Scholarship, and Creative Works (formerly known as the Weekend of Excellence). The 2024 Excellence Awards Ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 18 in the evening at the Lake Shore Campus. More information will be shared soon. 

The Division of Student Development is proud to work with Arrupe College, Athletics, Career Services, Military Veteran Student Services, the Office of Sustainability, and Student Academic Services to coordinate the annual Excellence Awards Ceremony. At the Excellence Awards Ceremony, the following awards and honors are recognized: 

  • Arrupe College's 2015 Award

  • Athletics' Student Athlete of the Year Award

  • Damen Award

  • Diversity Awards

  • Graduate, Professional, and Adult Student Awards

  • Maroon & Gold Society Recognition 

  • Spirit of Laudato si' Sustainability Awards

  • Student Employment Awards

Below, you can find descriptions of awards that are presented at the Excellence Awards Ceremony, as well as other awards distributed by the Division of Student Development. Any awards not listed above will be presented in ceremonies that are separate from the Excellence Awards Ceremony. Students, staff and faculty are encouraged to nominate outstanding Ramblers for awards. Click on the following hyperlinked words to find information about nomination criteria, past nominees and award recipients, and the awards process timeline

The 2015 Award is named for the year of the founding of Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago. The 2015 Award is presented to a student who embodies the spirit of transformative education, who has used their gifts and talents to persist through adversity, and who has contributed significantly to building and advancing the Arrupe mission.

Loyola University Chicago's Athletics department presents awards to outstanding student athletes each year. Awards include the PNC Student Achiever Award, which is presented to a female student athlete, and a male student athlete.

The Damen Award is named for Loyola University Chicago's founder, Arnold Damen, S.J. It seeks to honor undergraduate students who have committed themselves to Jesuit ideals by being a true source of inspiration and leadership to the Loyola community throughout the year. These students are people who have led other students in spirit, motivation, and purpose. 

The Center for Diversity & Inclusion is honored and excited to organize the Diversity Awards to showcase key students, alumni, faculty, and staff members who have contributed to the success of our diverse student population academically, spiritually, culturally and professionally. Awards also highlight outstanding individuals who have committed themselves to embracing diversity and social justice at Loyola. Award criteria can be found here. 

Center for Diversity & Inclusion Transformative Educator Award Recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated a commitment to student development and has gone beyond their administrative role to address the needs and concerns of underrepresented students. This individual provides students with the opportunities to explore issues regarding diversity, identity development, multicultural education, social justice, and leadership initiatives. This ultimately enhances the retention, matriculation, and success of historically underrepresented students. 
Center for Diversity & Inclusion Lifelong Commitment to Justice Award Recognizes a professional staff member who has shown a strong commitment to student development and has gone beyond their administrative role to address the needs and concerns of underrepresented students. 
Center for Diversity & Inclusion Emerging Leader Award Recognizes a first- or second-year undergraduate student who has motivated other members of the University to strive for excellence. This individual embraces diversity and servicing humanity through learning, justice and faith. Not only is this individual constantly working to better themselves, but they are also dedicated to the growth of their peers. 
Center for Diversity & Inclusion Social Justice in Action Award Recognizes a current LUC student who has demonstrated leadership in assisting the University in responding to its commitment to diversity. This student has worked to develop a university community that appreciates and respects all facets of diversity. This student’s leadership initiatives are in the forefront of exploring issues regarding diversity and they are actively working to expand their knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice, and faith. 
Center for Diversity & Inclusion Father Arrupe Award Recognizes a graduate or professional student who has made an outstanding contribution to their department, to students, and the LUC community. This individual has promoted diversity and unity. They have found an appropriate balance between their educational goals and the desire to help underrepresented students succeed. 
Center for Diversity & Inclusion Community & Solidarity Award Recognizes a registered or sponsored student organization that consistently makes the effort to achieve their organization's goals specifically as they relate to Loyola's diversity, community, and solidarity. 

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Outstanding GPA Student Leader Award Criteria

  • This Award recognizes a Graduate, Professional or Adult (SCPS) [GPA] student that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in a student organization. They have transcended the duties of their role and embodied the principals of Magis.

  • Any currently enrolled Graduate, Professional, or Adult (SCPS) student is eligible.

  • No nominee may receive this award for two consecutive years.
  • A faculty, staff, student, or administrator must nominate nominee.

  • Self-nominations are prohibited.

  • One award will be presented each year.

  • Nominee must have completed one semester in good academic standing at Loyola University Chicago by January of the semester when they are nominated.

  • Nominee must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above, as listed in LOCUS.

  • Nominees screened by Office of Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution and Behavioral Concerns Team.

  • The Graduate, Professional and Adult Student Council selection committee will select the recipient.

 

Outstanding GPA Student Organization Award Criteria

  • This award recognizes a student organization that is either a graduate student organization or a student organization with majority Graduate, Professional, & Adult students that promotes and embodies the organization’s mission and has shown a commitment to the university’s mission. 

  • Any student organization with a majority of Graduate, Professional, or Adult (SCPS) students is eligible. Including sponsored student organizations.

  • A faculty, staff, student, or administrator must nominate the organization.

  • Self-nominations are allowed.

  • One award will be presented each year.

  • Student organization advisors will be consulted.

  • The Graduate, Professional and Adult Student Council selection committee will select the recipient.

 

Outstanding GPA Program of the Year

  • This award recognizes and group or student organization that has produced an outstanding program/event/lecture that made a significant contribution to the Loyola University Chicago community.

  • Any student organization or group with a majority of Graduate, Professional, or Adult (SCPS) students is eligible. Including sponsored and ad hoc student organizations.

  • The program may be a conference, summit, lecture, or social event.

  • A faculty, staff, student, or administrator must nominate the organization.

  • Self-nominations are allowed.

  • One award will be presented each year.

  • Student organization advisors will be consulted.

  • Respective College Dean will review the nominee.

  • The Graduate, Professional and Adult Student Council selection committee will select the recipient.

Loyola University Chicago established the Maroon & Gold Society during the 2011-2012 academic year to recognize rising seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to leadershipacademic excellence, and service to others. Members represent a cross-section of undergraduate communities and leadership paths at the university. Each spring, students are nominated by faculty and staff for membership with Maroon & Gold Society.  Once nominations are screened and reviewed, eligible students are asked to submit an online application. A small committee then reviews all applications and makes a recommendation of 25 top students to the Vice President of Student Development and university president who then makes the final selection of its new class. The new class is recognized at the Excellence Awards Ceremony and a special Induction Ceremony with the president of the university and select administrators, where they receive their cardigan. 

The Maroon & Gold Society intends to honor students who personify the promise of Loyola University Chicago: Preparing People to Lead Extraordinary Lives. In doing so, Society members embrace the Jesuit ideal of Magis (the pursuit of excellence).

Members of this group are invited to participate in various activities, committees, and discussions. This also includes participating in university functions that enhance school spirit and campus pride. Members also will have opportunities to meet with the president of the university, distinguished alumni, and other members of the Loyola University Chicago community. 

The Five Pillars of Maroon & Gold Society: Academic Excellence, Diversity, Leadership, Loyola Community, and Service 

Expectations

Members of Maroon & Gold Society serve as official student ambassadors at all times especially at major university sponsored events. They are asked to share their authentic student experiences with administrators, alumni, and other members of the Loyola University Chicago community. Members are expected to uphold a standard of leadership for students at Loyola University Chicago by maintaining involvement with a leadership role in various groups around campus. All members are expected to uphold the values of the Student Promise as well as the policies written in the Community Standards. Membership is contingent upon active participation in the Society’s meetings and events while maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.0. 

Benefits for Members

  • Participation for student ambassadorship at major university functions/events
  • Experience communicating needs and desires of students with administrators or board members
  • Networking opportunities with university community members
  • Participation in large-scale university sponsored events

The Sorority & Fraternity Life Awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments/work of our organizations within and outside of Loyola University Chicago throughout the past year. There are two categories of nominations which are Individual Member awards and Organizational Council/Chapter award. An individual member or council/chapter can be nominated multiple times, but it will be reviewed as one submission for the one member or council/chapter.

2024 Sorority and Fraternity Life Awards Nominations opened on Friday, February 2nd at 8:00 a.m. and will close on Friday, March 1st at 11:59 p.m. Please see the list of awards on the Awards Criteria webpage. If you have any questions about the Sorority & Fraternity Life Awards, please reach out to the Coordinator of Sorority & Fraternity Life, Gabrielle Young, at gyoung1@luc.edu.

Student Development partners with the Office of Sustainability to recognize students expressing leadership on Loyola’s value of sustainability. As a key aspect of Loyola’s mission of social justice, we award two to four students each year during the Celebration of Student Achievement, Scholarship, and Creative Works. Attention is paid to efforts that address the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and embrace the ‘integral ecology' framework called for in Pope Francis’ Encyclical on Ecology, Laudato si’.

Sustainability in Service – This recognition rewards students for their efforts to implement sustainability on campus or in community.

Sustainability in Learning – This recognition rewards students for their efforts incorporating sustainability into their academic experience through research, publication, or coursework advancing sustainability knowledge.

Hundreds of students and more than a dozen organizations received awards at the Weekend of Excellence for their outstanding work throughout the school year. Nominations open January 8, 2024 and close on February 13, 2024. A separate nomination must be submitted for each student for the individual awards. 

Award Categories: 

Arrupe Person for Others AwardThis award goes to a student employee who clearly serve others with a passion. 

Cura Apostolica - Person for Institution Award: This award goes to a student employee who has demonstrated considerable care in their work tasks, commitment and attitude in promoting, developing and supporting the organization or institution where they are employed. One recipient is recognized for work on campus; the other, for work away from Loyola. 

Ignatian Spirit - Team of the Year Award: The Ignatian Spirit Award is given to the team or staff of employees who work with passion and dedication as if they live each day to “go forth and set the world on fire.” 

Student Employee of the Year: This award goes to one student employee to recognize their outstanding contributions, achievements, and who has made a positive impact on the university. 

The Student Organization Awards honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our Recognized and Sponsored Student Organizations. Our student leaders work tirelessly to plan and implement a wide range of programs over the course of the academic year. The award categories include three recognition groups: program recognition, individual recognition, and group recognition.