Peter J. Schraeder, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Loyola University Chicago, along with a committee from the CAS Dean’s Office, have selected Brigid Ard (English), Joshua Jones (Economics), and Paul Kalapala (Biology) as the 2024 Commencement student speakers. 

Ard will address her fellow graduates during the 9 a.m. ceremony on Friday, May 10, while Jones will speak at the 1 p.m. ceremony and Kalapala will be the featured student speaker for the 5 p.m. graduation event. An overview of departments and interdisciplinary programs with their corresponding College of Arts & Sciences Commencement Ceremony can be found here.  

“Our three student speakers are each exemplary representatives of the Jesuit-inspired education that serves as the heart and soul of the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Dean Schraeder. “We look forward to them sharing their thoughts, experiences and wisdom with the larger CAS community during this milestone moment. We also owe a debt of gratitude to the selection committee for their dedicated work in selecting and preparing this year’s student speakers.” 

Each ceremony will be live streamed, and more information can be found on the LUC Commencement homepage. 

See below for more information on the 2024 Commencement student speakers. 

BRIGID ARD 
Major: English  
Commencement: 9 a.m. Ceremony 

 Brigid Ard is graduating from the College of Arts and Sciences with a BA in English and a minor in History. Her undergraduate experience has cultivated a multifaceted understanding of societal dynamics and human dynamics, and she plans to combine her academic background with her passion for social justice to pursue a career in law. She recently accepted a position at a firm as a law clerk and is embracing the opportunity to immerse herself in the intricacies of legal practice. Through Ard’s endeavors, she seeks not only to navigate the complexities of the legal realm but also to effect positive change within her community and beyond. 

JOSHUA JONES 
Major: Economics  
Commencement: 1 p.m. Ceremony 

After completing his service with the United States Marine Corps, Joshua Jones enrolled at Loyola University Chicago to pursue a BA in Economics. He found community and purpose in his transition to civilian life through his leadership and advocacy with Student Veterans of America. He was named the 2023 College of Arts and Sciences recipient for the President’s Medallion, awarded for his outstanding scholarship, leadership and service. He is set to begin his career at Ernst & Young following graduation and will also serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Chicago Brigade, a student-led nonprofit that he founded that provides professional development and pathways to gainful employment for student veterans. 

 
PAUL KALAPALA 
Major: Biology 
Commencement: 5 p.m. Ceremony

Paul Kalapala is graduating from the College of Arts of Sciences with a BS in Biology and is set to begin his first year of medical school at Creighton University School of Medicine. He has gained valuable experience outside of the classroom by volunteering at a variety of clinical settings at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Kalapala was active in several areas and organizations at Loyola and beyond, including Heart for the Unhoused, American Medical Student Association, Agape Christian Fellowship, Rambler Brotherhood Project and as a peer advisor helping lead incoming Loyola students through UNIV 101 courses.  

About the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest of Loyola University Chicago’s 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. More than 150 years since its founding, the College is home to 20 academic departments and 37 interdisciplinary programs and centers, more than 450 full-time faculty, and nearly 8,000 students. The 2,000+ classes that we offer each semester span an array of intellectual pursuits, ranging from the natural sciences and computational sciences to the humanities, the social sciences, and the fine and performing arts. Our students and faculty are engaged internationally at our campus in Rome, Italy, as well as at dozens of University-sponsored study abroad and research sites around the world. Home to the departments that anchor the University’s Core Curriculum, the College seeks to prepare all of Loyola’s students to think critically, to engage the world of the 21st century at ever deepening levels, and to become caring and compassionate individuals. Our faculty, staff, and students view service to others not just as one option among many, but as a constitutive dimension of their very being. In the truest sense of the Jesuit ideal, our graduates strive to be “individuals for others.”