‘It’s a special day’: Grads, families reflect on the Loyola journey

On the west quad of Loyola University Chicago’s Lake Shore Campus, Jackie Gilbert and her family gathered to celebrate a day 35 years in the making. Joined by her four adult children, Gilbert traveled to Chicago from New Jersey to walk the stage as she earned her bachelor’s degree in applied psychology through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

“I went to college for about five minutes after high school, and it just didn’t work with my family situation,” Gilbert said. “To complete something that you waited that long for, it is the most unbelievable thing in the world.”

Next, she hopes to earn a master’s degree, also from Loyola, to eventually become a grief counselor.

“Things that I’ve been thinking about for a very long time, I’m ready to push the button,” she said.

Her oldest son, Ben Gilbert, summed up the feelings of the day.

“Hero is an understatement,” he said of his mom. “She was born for it, because she picked it up very quickly. It’s somebody who is most deserving finally getting what she needs. It’s a special day.”

Graduates donned their hoods and moved their tassels from right to left this week in Loyola University Chicago’s 154th Commencement. After a bagpiper led graduates, faculty, and staff out of Gentile Arena, families and friends greeted students outdoors to document the day with photos and celebrate their accomplishments.

After officially earning her master’s degree in social work, Vanessa Rodriguez met her family on the west quad, her graduation cap decorated with red and white flowers. Translated from Spanish, her cap donned the phrase “for my parents, who came here with nothing and who gave me everything.”

Rodriguez said she’ll miss the camaraderie she had with her classmates the most as she prepares to start a job with Chicago Public Schools.

“I think that the education I got here was really great and they did a great job of talking about racial injustices,” she said. “Especially in my social work classes, they did a wonderful job about that and preparing for us to be culturally competent in our practice.”

After graduating with her bachelor’s degree in health care administration on Wednesday, Giovanna La Porta and her family made their way to the green doors of the Cudahy Library. La Porta posed in her maroon regalia and held up the LU Wolf sign as her family took photos.

“I was a transfer student, so I never was able to walk in through the doors freshman year,” she said. “I’m glad that I was able to walk on my last day.”

When asked what she would miss the most about her time at Loyola, La Porta quickly responded, “Basketball and Sister Jean.”

Some students and their families ventured toward the lakefront to take in the picturesque view and capture the landmark in their graduation photos.

Parker Van Buren, who earned his degree in accounting from the Quinlan School of Business, sees his life stretching in two possible directions: playing professional volleyball (van Buren was an outside hitter on the Loyola men’s volleyball team) or a career in accounting.

For now, he has his sights set on a master’s degree at Loyola, which he said had a large impact on him.

“I feel like I’ve changed and matured so much over the last four years,” he said. “The professionalism that Quinlan taught me will stay with me forever.”

In her speech at the commencement ceremony for the School of Communication and the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Melody Spann-Cooper (BS ’88) noted that this graduation was remarkable because for many students who graduated high school in 2020, this would be their first ceremony.

One such student was Jack Slaughter, who graduated with his bachelor’s degree in multimedia journalism.

“It feels incredible to see him graduate, especially since he didn’t have a high school graduation because of 2020,” Jack’s mom, Leslie Slaughter, said. “We’re so proud of him and just thrilled with the whole experience at Loyola.”

He plans to come back to Loyola for a yearlong master’s program.

“I feel like the sense of community is really nice, and it’s really great to have such good support system academically,” he said. “It’s had a pretty huge impact. I feel like I’m definitely a different person now than I was when I arrived here. I just see the world in a different way.”

His dad, Brad Slaughter, said he’s watched his son grow through his time at Loyola.

“It’s like he came here and didn’t really know anyone when he arrived, and the friendships and the relationships and the things that he’s achieved have been magnificent,” he said.

Rose Bazile, who earned her master’s degree in digital media and storytelling from the School of Communication on Wednesday, was met with a large group of family and friends near the Wolf and Kettle statue following her ceremony.

A veteran, Bazile said Loyola taught her to view the world differently through a Jesuit lens.

“Learning about St. Ignatius and what he’s accomplished, I feel more connected knowing that he was a veteran, and I made the right choice to come to Loyola.”

Bazile’s mom, Kenia Bazile, said she was feeling proud to watch her daughter walk the stage.

“Today showed all the hard work that she accomplished,” Kenia Bazile said. “I just don’t have words for today. I’m so happy.”

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