Annual symposium highlights student research and community engagement

Loyola University Chicago’s annual Undergraduate Research & Engagement Symposium took place at the Mundelein Center for the Fine and Performing Arts at the Lake Shore Campus on April 18, 2026. As part of the Celebration of Students, the Center for Engaged Learning, Teaching and Scholarship (CELTS) featured presentations on undergraduate research and community engagement projects supported by LUROP fellowships, external programs, academic courses, service-learning experiences, internships, or community partnerships.

The day concluded with the CELTS Awards Ceremony, where outstanding students, faculty, and community partners were recognized for their contributions to high-impact learning at Loyola. President Mark C. Reed welcomed attendees and Provost Douglas W. Woods offered remarks during the Awards Ceremony.

“Rooted in our Jesuit, Catholic tradition, we are called not only to seek knowledge, but to put that knowledge into action in service of others. This is how we form women and men for and with others—through learning that is active, reflective, and deeply connected to the world around us,” said President Reed. “Today’s honorees demonstrate what that looks like in practice.”

Awards are focused on community engagement, research, and digital learning portfolios, as well as highlighting student academic excellence, extraordinary faculty teaching and learning, and outstanding community partnerships that contribute to student learning.

“The Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium, as part of our Celebration of Students, tells a powerful story: that when we integrate learning, reflection, and engagement, we transform not only our students, but the communities we are privileged to serve,” said Provost Woods.

Nominees and the 2025-2026 recipients can be found on the CELTS website.