We are Chicago’s Jesuit, Catholic University–a diverse community seeking God in all things and working to expand knowledge in the service of humanity through learning, justice and faith.

As a Jesuit, Catholic University — we are stewards of our Catholic tradition and our unique Ignatian heritage. Our mission defines our roots, our ways of proceeding and the outcomes we strive to achieve. At Loyola University Chicago, we actively support our mission in many ways:

Loyola University Chicago takes pride in our Roman Catholic tradition and the faith which is at our foundation. The tradition itself is a developing heritage that learns from every generation. The University plays a vital role in the life of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Our Ignatian heritage is the living legacy of Ignatius Loyola. It is a rich heritage of faith, seeking God in everyday life; a profound commitment to the poor and to issues of social responsibility and justice. Ignatius believed that it is imperative to act upon what is learned–to use our values in service to humanity. We are called to make a difference as “persons for others.”

The mission of the Society of Jesus is “the service of faith and the promotion of justice.” One way Jesuits and their lay partners carry out this mission around the globe is through the network of 175 colleges and universities; 28 of which are in the United States.

Each year, we welcome new students, faculty and staff to join our community and pass on the story of who we are. First-year students are invited to Discover Loyola in overnight summer programs, while faculty and staff take part in an orientation workshop on becoming Partners in Mission. Throughout the year many programs and resources are available to learn more about the Jesuit mission.

The search for truth is carried out in an atmosphere of Academic Freedom and open inquiry based on two fundamental assumptions of the Catholic faith. First, that the truth will set us free. Second, that faith and reason ultimately bear harmonious witness to the unity of all truth.

The undergraduate core curriculum emphasizes ethical awareness, reflection and decision making and educates students in principled behavior in all walks of life. Personal and professional ethics are included in all graduate and professional studies.

The mission or vocation of Loyola is to address critical areas of need in ways that only a university can. Loyola University Chicago has elected to concentrate its resources in Centers of Excellence. Each of these centers addresses specific humanitarian problems from the vantage point of many disciplines working in collaboration with one another.

As a Jesuit, Catholic University, Loyola gives priority to serving the faith of the Roman Catholic community. This includes providing for the devotional and sacramental life of the University. We give special attention to the celebration of the Eucharist, which is the heart of our faith.

Secure in our Jesuit Catholic identity, we understand Loyola University Chicago as a “home for all faiths.” Concretely this support is evident in the presence of Hillel at Loyola, the student Mosque and the Puja prayer room. We encourage each person to celebrate their personal faith and to respect and learn from other people of faith within our Loyola community.

Developing an awareness of your calling is an important starting point for leading an extraordinary life. Evoke is an intentional initiative on campus designed to raise Loyolans’ awareness of their callings, and to deepen their understandings of it through targeted programs, courses and faculty/staff development.

Believing that “the real measure of our Jesuit universities lies in who our students become,” Loyola engages real-world implications of promoting social justice through numerous academic and co-curricular service opportunities for students. Faculty and staff are invited to demonstrate their social responsibility take part in similar experiences as well as in University-wide conversations on Catholic social thought and social responsibility.

Jesuit education strives to seek the truth and to form each student into a whole person of solidarity who will take responsibility for the whole world. Our students must have an educated awareness of society and culture, a sense of being interrelated and interconnected, and a commitment to act for the rights of others, especially the disadvantaged and the oppressed.

None of the above characteristics are unique to Loyola University Chicago. But the integrated and collective presence of all of them forms our identity and makes us who we are.