Honoring our President’s Medallion Winners
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 150th 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