Recognizing the Excellent Contributions, Commitment, and Impact of Loyola Faculty

For René Luís Alvarez, PhD (BA ’91), teaching and advising are deeply connected. Whether he is helping a first-year student adjust to college, encouraging a student to advocate for themselves, or challenging a history class to think critically about the past, Alvarez’s work is rooted in helping students grow.

That commitment earned Alvarez Loyola’s 2026 Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM Award for Excellence in Advising and Mentoring, honoring faculty who make an exceptional impact on students’ growth and development.

At Arrupe, Alvarez serves as the full-time academic adviser for a cohort of 20 first- and second-year students, supporting them as they navigate the transition from high school to college and develop greater independence and confidence. He also co-taught ACUNI 101, Arrupe’s first-year seminar, with Assistant Dean of Student Success Mariaton Tate during the Fall 2026 semester.

“To me, advising and mentoring Arrupe students provides the best opportunity to demonstrate cura personalis,” Alvarez said. “Through my one-on-one relationships with students, I foster their intellectual development and personal well-being while facilitating their ability to ask for help when needed or to advocate for themselves when appropriate.”

His mentorship extends throughout Arrupe. Alvarez has worked closely with the college’s Peer Educator Program and serves as chapter adviser for the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

In the classroom, Alvarez teaches courses in Western civilization, U.S. history, and Mexican American history. Across each subject, he encourages students to question assumptions, engage thoughtfully with primary and secondary sources, and develop their own interpretations.

A Loyola alumnus himself, Alvarez earned his BA from Loyola before completing graduate degrees at New York University, Northwestern University, and the University of Pennsylvania. His return to Loyola has given him the opportunity to help a new generation of students find their own path through higher education.

For Alvarez, that work ultimately comes back to the Jesuit ideal at the heart of his approach to mentoring.

“I hope that my modeling of cura personalis for Arrupe students contributes to their own growth into being persons for others.”