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Navigating today’s challenges through a shared commitment to Jesuit, Catholic values emerged as the theme of the President’s Luncheons this spring, where University faculty and staff gathered at the Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences Campuses to hear updates and connect with campus colleagues.
More than 500 attendees across three sessions listened as President Mark C. Reed shared highlights from the 2024-2025 academic year, provided updates on the University’s strategic initiatives and campus planning, and discussed how Loyola’s Jesuit foundation provides guidance for the future.
Reflecting on achievements
Reed began by reflecting on some of the University’s academic accolades and community accomplishments throughout the year. These highlights included a positive site visit from the Higher Learning Commission as a part of Loyola’s reaccreditation the achievement of the Research 1 classification from the American Council on Education, and the postseason National Invitation Tournament (NIT) run by the Men’s Basketball team.
Strategic initiatives and campus planning
In addition to showcasing Loyola’s achievements, Reed also provided updates on ongoing campus initiatives, finance and enrollment numbers, and leadership transitions. He highlighted the next phases of the University Strategic Plan and the Campus Plan, both of which represent a future-oriented vision for Loyola’s growth and innovation to continue to provide a high-quality Jesuit education. “We say we have a certain set of expectations for what students will achieve here and what success will look like,” said Reed. “We’re going to sharpen our focus and sharpen our excellence.”
As part of these forward-looking efforts, Reed also touched on Loyola’s ongoing brand strategy work, which includes unifying logos, colors, and fonts across units to support a more cohesive and consistent Loyola identity.
Enrollment and transfer data
The frameworks of these plans will support Loyola’s continued strong enrollment. For the 2025-2026 academic year, Reed reported 40,576 applications and 31,759 admittances, as well as 1,786 transfer applications and 721 admittances. Graduate and professional programs also shared strong application numbers: grad/professional applicant numbers overall have grown 41 percent, School of Law 31 percent, and Stritch School of Medicine 10 percent.
Leadership transitions
During his remarks, Reed welcomed Malini Suchak as the new Dean of the School of Environmental Sustainability (SES). She succeeds founding SES Dean Nancy Tuchman, who steps down in the summer. Reed thanked Tuchman for her leadership in growing SES at Loyola: “The University is forever grateful to Nancy for everything she has done to establish the Institute of Environmental Sustainability and later serve as the Dean of the School of Environmental Sustainability.”
Reed shared that the searches for the dean of University Libraries, as well as the vice president of Advancement, continue and are expected to conclude by the end of the year.
Facing challenges
Finally, Reed commented on the current political, social, and financial headwinds facing higher education. Despite the challenges, questions, and confusion that recent federal actions have produced, Reed stressed Loyola’s commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive community, in keeping with the University’s core mission.
Among the uncertainties he referenced was the future of federal research funding—a growing concern for institutions across the country. Reed noted Loyola’s efforts to stay engaged on the issue by working alongside peer universities and Congress, and by launching a new webpage to help inform and support faculty.
“As a Jesuit, Catholic university, we believe in some core tenets, and we believe that everyone in the world has inherent value, dignity, and worth,” said Reed. “We’ve been a leading Jesuit, Catholic institution for more than 150 years, and there’s no federal action or federal order that can stop us from being that.”
The luncheon closed by looking ahead to the excitement of Commencement and the end of the semester at Loyola, as Reed thanked those assembled for their efforts in support of Loyola’s mission and vision.
