Loyola University Chicago

Office of the Dean of Students

Division of Student Development

Staff: Kimberly Moore

‌‌Title: Assistant Dean of Students & Director of Off-Campus Student Life
Alum: Masters in Higher Education
Previous LUC Roles: Financial Aid, Mission & Ministry, Student Conduct, & Student Activities
Started LUC: 2004

I grew up in a small lake town just west of Milwaukee, WI called Pewaukee.  I went to college in South Bend, IN and since, have lived in the Chicago area for 15 years.

I serve in multiple roles within the Division of Student Development, one is as the Case Manager for CARE services out of the Office of the Dean of Students.  I am responsible for providing support and resources to students who are struggling with life’s unexpected challenges.  I outreach to students who aren’t sure where to go or what to do when facing difficulty.  I pride myself on offering a safe space while navigating next steps.  Many of our students carry heavy burdens – I lend a helping hand so they don’t have to carry it alone.

The Office of the Dean of Students strives to care for students by offering a number of different services that support, advocate, and connect students.  We each take the lead in a specific area or service, but all of us are here for any and every student who is in need of assistance.  The Office of the Dean of Students is a great office to turn to when a student isn’t sure where to go or who to ask. 

The view from the parking garage is seriously underrated.  There is a parking spot on the third or fourth floor that aligns perfectly with the arches between the IC and the Madonna Della Strada Chapel.  If you park in just the right spot, you can see the lake through the arches.  In the morning, the sun hitting the lake shines through the arches and it makes me smile.

I serve as CARE Case Manager, Co-advisor to SGLC, Director of Off-Campus Student Life, and I often serve as Chair or committee member of various divisional initiatives.  I would like to think I positively impact students by being present, showing genuine care, being authentic, advocating on their behalf, and empowering them to maximize their college journey.  Over the years I have originated a few ideas that, with collaboration and divisional support, have become campus traditions.  I believe those campus traditions have positively impacted our students who have experienced them over the years.

It means giving out of abundance (could be material resources, but primarily giving of oneself through gifts or talents), particularly to those in need, in order to bring about positive systemic social change.  One of my first jobs at Loyola, during graduate school, was working for a vocational discernment initiative called Evoke.  This question reminds me of a quote by Frederick Buechner that served as the foundational principle of the initiative, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”  The quote speaks to one’s sense of calling or purpose.  I am called to serve students and help them prepare to live in the spirit and tradition of their Catholic, Jesuit education – when they are in need, I am here to help.  By being present to students in need, I hope that they are able to maximize their college experience and ultimately, be ready to go forth and contribute their gifts and talents to bring about positive systemic social change.

As an alumna of Loyola University Chicago, I am proud to say I am Jesuit educated.  My personal values and the Jesuit ideals are congruent.  My master’s program challenged me and created a space for me to discover and embrace my life’s vocation or calling.  I don’t know if I would have discovered my calling had I been at a non-Jesuit institution.  I am also an alumnus of a Catholic undergraduate institution – so I feel like I understand the distinction between experiencing a Catholic education versus a Catholic, Jesuit education.  It is because of my rich, values-based experience at Loyola University Chicago, that I found I just couldn’t leave.  Upon graduating from the master’s program in higher education here at LUC – I was offered a full-time position and have been here ever since.

I grew up on an inland lake in Wisconsin, and as such, need water in my life.  Lake Michigan has become my sanctuary and my place of refuge.  My favorite spot on campus is a grassy knoll near Crown Center overlooking Lake Michigan.  I absolutely love sitting on the knoll and experiencing the energy of where the wind and water meet.

I have many great LUC stories as a professional, but if I have to just pick one, it would be my summer graduate program experience in Rome.  I had been to Rome before, but this time I was able to experience it as a learner rather than a tourist.  The experience was reflective and meaningful.  Rome is vibrant and alive – I learned by engaging all of my senses. 

My favorite experience on that trip is when by pure happenstance, my friends and I enjoyed the most amazing meal I have ever seen or tasted.  I’m sure most people say that after they experience Italy, but still to this day I don’t know if we were at a restaurant or a local family’s home.  My friends and I decided to explore the neighborhood by the Rome Center.  We set off by foot, walked, and wandered until we came upon a couple who invited us to come and sit down at their outdoor table – it was the only table.  The building, which held the kitchen, was so small that if there was inclement weather they must close down because there wasn’t any room for a table inside.  There wasn’t a name on the building, there weren’t menus, and they didn’t speak English.  They just brought us dish after delicious dish and never let our glass get empty. 

We stayed for hours laughing, telling stories, enjoying one another’s company, and the beautiful atmosphere created by the true Italian spirit of gracious hospitality.  Eventually a bill came, but it was so small compared to the experience, it felt free.  If I went back today I wouldn’t be able to find the place again.  I may not remember where it is, but I will remember that meal, that evening, and that summer for the rest of my life and Loyola will be credited with making it possible.

Recognize the gift of being in college.  It is not something that everyone gets to do.  It is a privilege.  Recognize the gift and maximize the opportunity.  Be fearless, not reckless – do this by making good and healthy decisions that push, challenge, and question what you know now.