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As 2025 draws to a close, Loyola University Chicago looks back on the milestones, achievements, and community spirit that made the year remarkable. From academic breakthroughs to cherished campus traditions to celebrating the lives of Loyola legends we lost, here’s a look back at some of the stories that captured the spirit of 2025.
This year Ramblers…
Loyola attained the highest research classification, Research 1 (R1), joining the ranks of Chicago’s top research institutions. The University’s leading-edge research and innovative education programs are aimed at fostering solutions to the complex challenges that face society.
Faculty research included a study challenging the common understanding of the cause of obesity and another on how heavy drinking at the time of a burn injury could hinder recovery.
Other highlights included a study that showed how muskrats can help control invasive plants in wetlands, and NIH-supported research that will lead to interventions for feeding premature infants.
With artificial intelligence transforming research and business practices, Loyola’s faculty members navigated how to ethically and responsibly incorporate AI into their classrooms.
U.S. News & World Report named Loyola a Best Value School and ranked five disciplines among the Top 25 in the nation. Loyola was also named among the nation’s Best Colleges by Princeton Review, and top among Private Colleges and Research Universities by Forbes.
Advanced our mission
In September, Loyola launched its new strategic plan, For the Greater Good, which provides a framework for action and sets ambitious priorities to guide the University’s development in education, research, service, and leadership.
“For the Greater Good honors Loyola’s history while positioning us for the future,” said President Mark C. Reed. “It will guide our thinking and actions for the next five to ten years, creating a path to a future of continued impact and growth.”
Earlier this year, Loyola launched the Holistic Immigration Hub (HIH), a transformative initiative aimed at educating and empowering students and professionals to tackle global displacement and migration. By bringing together experts from law, health care, education, public health, and social work, the HIH will solidify the University’s standing as a national expert in immigration law.
The University unveiled plans for a new nursing and science facility on the Lake Shore Campus. Slated for completion in fall 2028, the new building will create expanded and modernized academic space for programs from the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing and the College of Arts and Sciences. Designs for the state-of-the-art building include specialized classrooms, research labs, simulation spaces, and areas for study and collaboration.
Cared for our shared home
Loyola’s continued commitment to sustainability was on display this year, with the University’s green roofs, native grasses, and rain gardens reaping environmental dividends. It is part of a larger green infrastructure network that collectively diverts an estimated 19 million gallons of water from city sewers annually. Loyola’s journey to become one of the country’s most environmentally sustainable universities can be traced to one woman’s vision: Nancy Tuchman, founding dean of the School of Environmental Sustainability, who retired in June, leaving behind a legacy of leadership and innovation.
Commemorated those we lost
Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, BVM, a beloved part of the Loyola community and iconic Rambler men’s basketball chaplain, passed away on October 9, at 106 years of age.
Known for her many roles on Loyola’s campus, Sister Jean gained international fame as team chaplain during the 2018 March Madness basketball tournament as she accompanied the Rambler men’s basketball team to the Final Four.
Ramblers gathered to remember her, and messages and tributes from national leaders, faith communities, and the sports world reflected the profound impact of her 106 years of life and ministry.
Along with the rest of the world, the Loyola community mourned the passing of Pope Francis when he died on April 21 at age 88. The first Jesuit pope built a cherished connection with Loyola, from direct meetings with Loyola students and staff to wisdom that drove worldwide initiatives, ensuring his legacy will live on through the Loyola community.
Loyola mourned the passing of Michael R. Quinlan (PhB ’67, MBA ’70), a loyal alumnus, devoted benefactor, and former McDonald’s CEO and board chairman, who died on September 22 at age 80. Quinlan led an extraordinary life, rising from humble beginnings to the helm of McDonald’s Corporation, and had a lasting impact on Loyola, from his transformational gifts to his years of leadership and service.
Celebrated student achievement and community spirit
Student life at Loyola flourished in 2025, from lively campus celebrations to moments of contemplation. Faith traditions brought the community together, with Ash Wednesday offering time for prayer and reflection. The spring saw gatherings for several holidays or religious events including Passover, Ramadan, Easter, and a Hindu puja ceremony, as campus organizations, chaplains, and student groups worked to create meaningful opportunities for worship and connection.
The Loyola community watched as the Catholic Church elected Pope Leo XIV, the first-ever U.S.-born pontiff—born and raised here in Chicago. Loyola representatives attended a Mass organized in celebration of the historic election at Rate Field, home of the pope’s beloved White Sox.
Commencement Week filled the campus with pride as the Class of 2025 celebrated their achievements and prepared for new horizons, from a student-athlete planning to declare for the NBA draft to a nursing student pursuing a career in a Level 1 Trauma Center ER.
During Welcome Week, treasured traditions came alive as new and returning Ramblers came out in the thousands—breaking every attendance record from years past. The University welcomed over 3,000 new students who showed especially strong representation in biology, nursing, psychology, finance, political science, and forensic science.
Arrupe College celebrated 10 years of offering a transformative education. The College’s associate degree program provides an accessible, affordable pathway to four-year colleges for first-generation, low-income students. Eighty-three percent of Arrupe students who graduate on time go on to a bachelor’s degree program.
Welcomed new leaders
Malini Suchak joined Loyola as the new dean of the School of Environmental Sustainability. She comes from another Jesuit university, Canisius University, with a background in animals, the environment, sustainability, and food justice.
Jamie Wittenberg was named the new dean of University Libraries, bringing extensive experience in academic library leadership, research data management, and open scholarship.
At the University Convocation, faculty, staff, and administrators came together to celebrate achievements, welcome new colleagues, and look ahead to the future.
Channeled ingenuity into new projects and businesses
Loyola engineering students partnered with Chicago-area businesses to put their skills to work in real-world capstone projects, from designing a groundwater reuse system for Brookfield Zoo Chicago to developing biomedical tools. The program bridges the gap between classroom learning and professional experience while delivering practical solutions for partners.
Alumnus Abdullah Motiwala (BS ’14) developed Heaven’s Honey—a co-op of beekeepers—to supply honey to businesses and restaurants across Chicago. He credits his Loyola education with helping to give him the confidence he needed to take the leap into his own business.
Quinlan School of Business alumnus Cam Stacey (BBA ‘18) is co-owner of Bookclub, a new venue for Chicago’s underground music scene. Stacey’s time at Loyola influenced business decisions he made to get Bookclub off the ground and helped his team create “a place where people come to find community.”
Applauded Athletics’ accomplishments
Loyola student-athletes had much to celebrate this year. For the second year in a row, the men’s basketball team earned a bid to the NIT Tournament.
The men’s volleyball team clinched the MIVA Tournament Championship, their first since 2015. The win earned them an appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
The Rambler men’s and women’s cross country teams both won conference championships, marking Loyola’s third A-10 sweep in the last four years.
The women’s volleyball team won its second straight Atlantic 10 Championship, earning the team a spot in the NCAA Tournament.
Connected with communities in Chicago and beyond
A Loyola delegation joined a group from U.S. Catholic universities accompanying U.S. Catholic bishops on a pilgrimage to Hiroshima and Nagasaki marking the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings.
A group of Loyola School of Law students and faculty traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border for a week-long immersion course on international human rights protections, gaining hands-on experience with legal advocacy groups and the effects of immigration policy.
The School of Law also convened religious leaders, policymakers, and migration experts to discuss the global migration crisis at a conference in Rome. Superior General of the Society of Jesus Rev. Arturo Sosa, S.J., opened the event with a call to continue to collaborate and find solutions that recognize migrants’ dignity.
Here at home, students participated in service opportunities with Chicago-area charities throughout the week of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Their efforts reflected both Dr. King’s legacy of community engagement and Loyola’s Jesuit ideal of being people for others.
