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Loyola hosted its first unified University Convocation on August 21, coinciding with Welcome Week and the 106th birthday of Sr. Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM. Faculty, staff, and administrators came together to celebrate achievements, welcome new colleagues, and look ahead to the future through a preview of the new strategic plan.
A moment of renewal
“University Convocation is a moment of renewal,” said Provost Douglas W. Woods in his welcome remarks. “It reminds us as the semester sweeps us into its familiar rhythm—we are a community rooted in something deeper. Across disciplines and divisions, we support each other and challenge one another, care for each other and renew our sense of common purpose.”
The program included recognition of faculty and staff award recipients and featured remarks from President Mark C. Reed, Provost Douglas W. Woods, Wayne Magdziarz, senior vice president and Chief Financial Officer, Janice Parks, vice president and Chief Human Resources Officer, and Markeda Newell, vice provost for Faculty Affairs.
In his remarks, President Reed reflected on the past year, set the vision for the future, and highlighted the value of coming together in mission at the start of the year. He noted the 106th birthday of Sister Jean and asked attendees for a round of applause “loud enough that she can hear at the Clare.”
Reed praised the University community’s involvement in the University’s Strategic Plan, and laid out the four pillars of the strategic framework that will guide university priorities and investment over the coming decade:
- To deliver on the promise of a Jesuit education
- To elevate our reputation and impact
- To deepen our Jesuit Catholic culture
- To strengthen our institutional capacity for future growth
“Under and across each of these pillars are the core reasons we exist,” Reed said. “The discovery and transmission of knowledge; the integration of excellence with our Jesuit and Catholic heritage; student learning and formation. All of these in the service of humanity and for the greater good.”
Reed noted the challenges faced by higher education in terms of politics, culture, and demographics today and the way in which Loyola has navigated the challenges of the past to its strong position in the present by staying engaged in its core work and true to its mission.
“As we walk around campus this year and fulfill our respective roles, we can remember that our common job is to educate students and make Loyola better with urgency and purpose,” Reed said.
As we walk around campus this year and fulfill our respective roles, we can remember that our common job is to educate students and make Loyola better with urgency and purpose.
— President Mark C. Reed, EdD
The audience heard from Wayne Magdziarz, senior vice president and chief financial officer, about the fiscal health of the University and investments connected to the strategic plan. The University is in a strong financial position, with robust enrollment and positive financial performance.
Magdziarz reported that over the past 10 years, undergraduate applications to Loyola have grown by nearly 70 percent, and that the University is increasingly in demand and selective. More than 17,000 students applied for this fall’s class.
“Our undergraduate enrollment has grown by more than 13 percent in that decade,” Magdziarz said. “Undergraduates now make up 71 percent of our overall student enrollment.” He added that Loyola’s endowment, which provides resources for students, faculty and programs, has surpassed $1.2 billion in value and that fundraising experienced another year-over-year increase to more than $50 million in fiscal year 2025.
Provost Woods gave a special welcome to the 78 new faculty members joining Loyola this year, and he also previewed the new Strategic Plan’s four pillars, emphasizing how they will guide Loyola’s commitment to transformative education, innovative research, and service to the common good.
Celebrating excellence
Michael Hewitt, professor of Supply Chain Management in the Quinlan School of Business, was awarded Faculty Member of the Year for his globally recognized research, leadership, and mentorship. Hewitt serves as Ralph Marotta Chair in Free Enterprise, executive director of the Quinlan Business Leadership Hub, and director of the Supply Chain and Sustainability Center.
“I am very honored to receive this award,” Hewitt said. “I am grateful to have an opportunity to play a role in the success of our students.”
Paulina Dzieza, manager of the Language Learning Resource Center in Modern Languages & Literatures, received Staff Member of the Year for transforming language learning at Loyola into an inclusive, joyful, and mission-driven experience.
“This award is not just mine—it is a reflection of the collaborative spirit that defines Loyola,” shared Dzieza in accepting her award.
Alongside the Faculty and Staff Members of the Year, the program also recognized new faculty and staff, promotions and tenure, service milestones, and recent retirements.
Read the full list of faculty and staff awards on the University Convocation website.
