Our Staff
Loyola's Center for Experiential Learning is staffed by a full-time Director, two full-time Coordinators (of Academic Internships and Service-Learning), a full-time Federal Work-Study Coordinator provided through the AmeriCorps*VISTA program, a Graduate Assistant who assists with the coordination of the undergraduate research program (LUROP), and a team of undergraduate Community Site Coordinators.
For the Center's general phone and fax numbers and email, mailing, and shipping addresses, click here.
- Director
- Academic Internship Coordinator
- Service-Learning Coordinator
- Federal Work-Study Coordinator / AmeriCorps*VISTA
- Graduate Assistant (Assistant Coordinator for LUROP)
- Student Program Assistants
DIRECTOR - Patrick M. Green, Ed.D. 773.508.3945 | pgreen@luc.edu
Patrick M. Green, Ed.D., joins Loyola after serving as the Director of Career Services at Roosevelt University, where he also taught in the College of Arts and Sciences. He completed his dissertation entitled, Service-Reflection-Learning: An Action Research Study of the Meaning-Making Processes Occurring through Reflection in a Service-Learning Course, in 2006.
Since then, Dr. Green's research has focused on the meaning-making processes of reflection as key components of learning in service-learning courses and forms of experiential education. This research led to a recent publication in the Michigan Journal of Community Service Learning (Spring 2007) and multiple presentations at conferences, including the International Research Conference on Service-Learning and Community Engagement.
Dr. Green also has served as an Engaged Scholar for Service-Learning with the Illinois Campus Compact, a role which allowed him to consult with other institutions of higher education to develop experiential learning programs and to coordinate faculty development for service-learning.
ACADEMIC INTERNSHIP COORDINATOR - Louise M. Deske, M.A.
773.508.3952 | ldeske@luc.edu
Louise M. Deske, M.A., served as the Internship Coordinator in the Niebuhr Center at Elmhurst College. She was responsible for the development, oversight and implementation of the Niebuhr Center: Callings for the Common Good Internship Program (a Theological Exploration of Vocation program funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.). The process of establishing an internship placement integrated the student’s academic preparation, faith motivation and career exploration in a very purposeful way. Ms. Deske successfully established and maintained relationships with students, faculty and supervisors at community service agencies and ministry-related internship sites.
Ms. Deske returns to employment at Loyola University Chicago where she received a Master of Arts in Religious Education in 1989 and previously held administrative positions in the departments of Financial Aid and the Career Center.
SERVICE-LEARNING COORDINATOR - Christopher A. Skrable, M.A.
773.508.2380 | cskrabl@luc.edu
Christopher A. Skrable, M.A., returns to Loyola after serving as the Community Service Director at Chicago’s Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. There, he worked to establish and strengthen reciprocal partnerships between not-for-profit agencies in Pilsen/La Villita and the high school community. He looks forward to continuing that work on a larger scale in his role as Service-Learning Coordinator at Loyola, facilitating the sharing of resources between the University and community partners through the development and support of service-learning classes across the undergraduate curriculum.
Mr. Skrable’s own background includes extensive experience in secondary and post-secondary education, campus ministry, and advocacy/social justice, including serving as a Disabilities Specialist in Loyola’s office of Services for Students with Disabilities. His personal volunteer commitments have included work with the Jesuits of the Maryland Provice, Annunciation House of El Paso, TX, and the parish of San Francisco de Asís in Bánica, Dominican Republic. He presently volunteers on behalf of Chicago's LGBTQ communities, as well as occasionally working towards completing a second M.A. degree at Loyola, focusing on the ethical thought of 20th Century philosopher Emmanuel Levinas.
FEDERAL WORK-STUDY COMMUNITY PARTNER COORDINATOR - Joanna Buchmeyer
AmeriCorps*VISTA
773.508.6090 | jbuchmeyer@luc.edu
Joanna Buchmeyer is a recent graduate of the University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism and International Studies. Joanna joined the Center for Experiential Learning in August as part of the AmeriCorps*VISTA, a national community service program designed to fight poverty.
In her position at the Center, Joanna works with community based organizations and local not-for-profit agencies to help them create positions for Loyola students qualified for Federal work-study. Joanna is also in charge of writing and collecting content for the CEL’s civic engagement focused newsletter. If you have any stories you would like to share, please email her your submissions!
GRADUATE ASSISTANT - Ashley Kehoe
773.508.3366 | akehoe@luc.edu
Ashley Kehoe is a graduate student in the M.Ed. Higher Education program at Loyola University Chicago. She recently graduated with a B.A. in English from Roosevelt University, where she served as Project Leader of a Raise Your Voice Fellowship initiative to increase the opportunities for service and experiential learning on campus.
Upon completing her undergraduate degree, Ms. Kehoe interned with Discover Loyola, the first-year and transfer orientation program for Loyola University Chicago. She remains active in the community as a member of the Executive Committee of Illinois Campus Compact, an organization dedicated to civic engagement and fulfilling the public purpose of higher education.
UNDERGRADUATE COMMUNITY SITE COORDINATORS
General Phone: 773.508.7690, then select from the menu options
Zainub Ashrafi (zashrafi@luc.edu) is a sophomore at the College of Arts and Sciences. She is Psychology/ Pre-Med student with a minor in Finance. Her goal for this year is to go to Honduras on a medical mission trip. She also hopes to study abroad this summer. Zainub is a member of Psych Club and AMSA. When she is not in the office, she likes to relax by hanging out with friends.
Juliet Gutierrez (jgutierrez@luc.edu) is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, graduating in May 2010. She will be receiving her B.S. degree in Sociology, with a minor in Psychology. Juliet currently volunteers at the Rice Children’s Center in Evanston as a mentor and a tutor. She also works full time at S&C Electric Co. in the Facilities Engineering dept. as a maintenance administrator.
Bill Masters (wmasters@luc.edu) is a student in the College of Arts and Sciences, graduating in May 2011. He will be receiving his B.S. degree in Psychology, with a minor in Neuroscience and plans to attend medical school in Chicago. Bill is currently enrolled in the SOWK 361 Youth Mentoring service-learning course and serving his placement for that class with Chicago Youth Programs.
Oliver Miller (Team Coordinator, omiller@luc.edu) will finish his senior year at Loyola University Chicago in May of 2009 with majors in both History and International Studies. He spent his time at Loyola working on various projects from his work with the organization Invisible Conflicts at its conception to undergraduate research in history to directing Loyolacappella his Junior year. Oliver has a passion for work which positively impacts the lives of others and loves the fulfilling nature of his job at the Center for Experiential Learning. Currently he spends his time balancing work, school, friends, and figuring out life after graduation.
Ebbie Ruiz (eruiz3@luc.edu) is a sophmore student at Loyola University Chicago. He is a History Major and an International Studies Minor. He comes from Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood. Ebbie attended Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and graduated in June of 2007. When he isn’t in school or at the office he is either playing soccer with friends or relaxing by listening to music, watching the hit show "The Office," or playing video games and reading about history. He plans to teach once he is done with school, and go around the world and do an extensive amount of research on history.