November 9, 2020

Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

The President’s Ball and Medallion has been a tradition at Loyola University Chicago for more than 50 years. Each year, we celebrate and honor extraordinary students from each of our colleges, schools, and institutes who exemplify leadership, scholarship, and service. These students extend the legacy of our Jesuit, Catholic mission, which is traced from Loyola’s founder and first president, Father Arnold Damen, and extends through his 23 successors.

Today, we are proud to introduce to the Loyola community our 2020 honorees. These 14 students represent many fields of study and diverse backgrounds, and their common commitment to the University’s mission is demonstrated by their superlative talent, high integrity, and compassion.

Arrupe College
Karen Camargo

College of Arts and Sciences
Esther Durosinmi

Graduate School
Lauren Hindt

Institute of Pastoral Studies
Diana Gutierrez

Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing
James Dao

Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health
Eric Karney

Quinlan School of Business
Varsha Kalangari

School of Communication
Camille Jackson

School of Continuing and Professional Studies
Chad Kingsbury

School of Education
Ryan Evans

School of Environmental Sustainability
Natasha Gonzalez

School of Law
Rebecca Bavlsik

School of Social Work
Marissa Latini

Stritch School of Medicine
Herbert Stride

While we unfortunately cannot honor our Medallion recipients in person this year as we usually do, we celebrated virtually in a private, personal ceremony last week. We have also put together a dedicated website honoring these students and their accomplishments—we invite you to visit LUC.edu/presidents-medallion to learn more about our winners and this prestigious recognition.

During Ignatian Heritage Month, we reflect deeply on the values and methods of the educational mission founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola nearly 500 years ago. Please join me in congratulating these students for their profound commitment to Jesuit education, as well as to their own professional and personal growth. As we celebrate our 150^th anniversary, our 2020 Medallion winners serve as beacons of hope and talent for the future of our communities and the world.

Yours in Loyola,

Jo Ann Rooney, JD, LLM, EdD
President