adele-gedig
SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION
Adele Gedig
Hometown: Tinley Park, Illinois
Major: Advocacy and Social Change
Expected date of graduation: 2022
Adele Gedig is passionate about social justice. Her academic studies live at the intersection of communication theory and ethical social change. Outside the classroom, Adele has dedicated her time to serving others and helping all Loyolans feel included on campus.
Adele helped found the Sikh Student Organization as well as an interfaith group called the Spiritual Life Community. As a resident assistant, she helps support and provide resources to her fellow students and recently served as a voting member on the School of Communication faculty hiring committee for the new environmental communication minor.
Here, Adele reflects on how the Jesuit mission has influenced her Loyola experience and discusses her plans for the future.
What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your time at Loyola?
I think the most important lesson I’ve learned during my time at Loyola is what it truly means to be a person “for and with others.” This notion goes beyond helping people because it’s the right thing to do. It’s about the type of service that is reflective and thoughtful, and it’s about serving the holistic needs of others—not forcing solutions on them.
What does Loyola’s Jesuit mission mean to you? How has it influenced your experience as a student?
The aspects of Loyola’s Jesuit mission that mean the most to me are the commitment to social justice and the concept of cura personalis. I feel very fortunate to study at a University where social justice is at the forefront of pedagogy and action. Witnessing the impact that a social-justice oriented mindset can have also inspires me to continue pursuing my passion for equity and justice. In addition, the concept of cura personalis has truly defined my experience at Loyola because it has informed both my care for myself and for others. Caring for the “whole person” is, I believe, truly the approach we must take in our daily lives both in regard to our own self-care and our treatment of others.
What are you planning to do with your degree? How has Loyola prepared you for your future goals?
I plan to get a master’s degree in environmental justice and policy. After that, I plan to dedicate my life to serving marginalized and disadvantaged communities that have been most impacted by environmental degradation and climate change. The knowledge I have gained about social justice, advocacy, and community organizing through my major and minor coursework has greatly enabled me to pursue this goal, and I feel confident in my abilities to fulfill it. Helping our world’s most oppressed communities achieve greater environmental equity is my main goal. I believe my time at Loyola has been the perfect foundation for developing these aspirations.
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