Blog Proj #1
In years past, the LMU graduation commencement ceremony used to take place in the BMO stadium, not on the actual Loyola campus. Due to this many students were upset and even considered not walking because it wasn’t worth it to make the journey to BMO and graduate somewhere that wasn’t their own campus. However, recently two seniors planning on graduating in the spring started a petition to move the commencement ceremony back to campus on the Sunken Gardens where the ceremony used to be held. The ceremony had been moved to BMO to accommodate the growing attendance for these events; however, the petition was met with enthusiasm and over 1,800 people signed to get the ceremony moved to the gardens, also known as the Bluff. To the joy of many the school listened and relocated the graduation back on campus which has sparked cheers among the students. Now LMU celebrates the power of its community and their ability to join together to see a change.
LMU students support Los Angeles community following devastating wildfires | News | laloyolan.com
Following the recent wildfires in LA Loyola University students have felt compelled to help their community members that have suffered due to the natural disaster. Three major projects were started with the help of the university for relief efforts. The Brothers of Consciousness, a black male leadership group on campus, organized products that were deemed essentials such as paper towels, clothes, feminine products, and water into relief bags that were distributed to survivors of the fires. A student named Sadie Scheiter spent her Christmas break collecting donations for an animal wellness center that was offering free examinations of animals that were rescued from the fires and began volunteering herself at the wellness center. Finally, another student named Karenina Osuna organized a comedy show with different highlighted standup comedians. Tickets were sold at $10 a piece, and all proceeds went to families that suffered loss during the disaster. All through the student’s good deeds the university has also announced an emergency fund to aid faculty and staff members that were affected with financial support.
Blog Proj #2
Loyola University is working on a partnership with a program called Laudato Si’ Action Platform which helps promote environmental sustainability in university communities. The platform has seven goals that line up with, emphasizing ecological sustainability, education, economics, criticizing consumerism habits, and promoting global unity. About a year ago LMU really embraced this program and has only continued to grow. Today the working group members are expanding and have divided into four subcommittees that focuses on four parts of the plan, how environmental crisis emotionally impacts students, how integral ecology can be incorporated into the core curriculum, how to update the campus standard operations, and how campus can be relandscaped to address integral ecology. An in-action example of this program can look like advocacy for keeping invasive species off campus, such as the ice plant on The Bluff which is reportedly causing it to erode whenever it rains. This project is really being looked at as an act of citizenry and LMU trying to do its part to help the world in this current day and age.
Coachella? No, Springchella — ASLMU’s new concert | Campus News | laloyolan.com
Since the fall semester at LMU was busy will holiday events surrounding Thanksgiving and Christmas a concert called Springchella was announced as a major spring semester event to look forward to. In years past, the university has put on concerts before since Los Angeles, where the school is based, relies heavily on music and concerts as a form of community building and has now done it again. To determine who will be in the opening lineup for the concert a competition among students will be held on Feb 17 and Feb 21. The main artist is yet to be determined based on who the university is able to hire that is relevant, popular, and also within budget. Students are looking forward to what spring offers now, warm weather, community, and now the event of the season that will hopefully leave behind a legacy to be repeated again.
Blog Proj #3
DEVELOPING: Sigma Chi suspended amid investigation into alleged hazing | News | laloyolan.com
Sigma Chi a Greek life chapter was suspended from new member activities and operations due to the injuring of a student during a hazing incident from another student. Now an investigation is underway, but not much information has been released. The president of the Sigma Chi chapter said the incident occurred in the fall semester between bid night and initiation ceremony. What is said to have happened is an altercation between two already active members at an event not linked to the fraternity and it was assumed it was an act of hazing a new member. A separate member of the Sigma Chi fraternity sought medical attention after the incident. The Sigma Chi chapter due to this has faced a lot of repercussions from the suspension including being barred from recruitment in the spring semester. However, LMU is taking the incident seriously and attempting to maintain the privacy of all the individuals involved and has not included any information from the direct investigation.
BREAKING: LMU selects new campus food partner, dropping Sodexo | News | laloyolan.com
LMU has replaced their food service partner on campus, switching from Sodexo to Aramark Collegiate Hospitality beginning in May 2025. The reasoning given by the university in an announcement was to maintain a commitment to “high-quality campus dining options that prioritize value and choice for students, faculty and staff”. Some of the updates that come with this change are food carts around campus. LMU acknowledges the help Sodexo has provided in the past but looks forward to how Aramark Collegiate Hospitality’s work and how they align with the future goals of the university.
Blog Proj #4
This past Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday LMU hosted a blood and bone marrow drive. The Pam Reactor Center for Service and Action and the Crimson Circle are the ones who hosted the annual event at the St. Roberts Auditorium. The drive worked via walk in or scheduled appointment, and there was also a representative looking for matches for the National Bone Marrow Registry. The UCLA Blood and Platelet Center also worked on the event and provided medical chairs, transportation for the donated blood, and medical staff. To promote the event members of the Crimson Circle wore pink stickers that said, ‘ask me about donating blood’ and even incentives were offered for donating such as Chipotle gift cards. It was said not many people in the California area donate blood, around 2-3% of the population, and this event is estimated to have an impact as large as saving up to 1,000 lives. One 45-minute donation can save upwards of 3 lives, so the over 400 donations that were made by the LMU community have had an outstanding effect on the Los Angeles area.
Delta Sigma Theta prepares for reactivation at LMU | News | laloyolan.com
The Delta Sigma Theta sorority is preparing to reactivate, last inactive since 2021. Delta Sigma Theta is not to be confused with Delta Sigma which is a fraternity that has been suspended due to an alleged hazing event. Delta Sigma Theta was suspended in 2021 due to ‘reports of underground activities’ which has since been resolved. However, since 2018 the entire sorority chapter has been experiencing issues with recruitment and participation. Recently there was expressed interest in reopening Delta Sigma Theta which is why it is reactivating now and there are hopes that this is a fresh start for the future of D9 (historically Black Greek Letter Organizations) at LMU. On February 10 of 2025 the sorority hosted a virtual informational session which distributed applications for the rush process. This rush process was intentionally designed to be more discrete and confidential, untraditional of other sororities.
Blog Proj #5
A couple months ago it was announced an event called Springcella would be happening in the warmer months. It’s essentially a music festival put on in hopes to boost spirits and morale on campus. Following the news of the event another event was announced called the ‘Spring Spotlight Competition’ to determine would perform ahead of Spingcellas headliner who is Jordan Ward. The competition spans two nights and has four ‘winners’. The winners were decided on a vote on February 17 which chose one singer and one rapper and then again on February 21 which chose two different bands. One of the singers was Ryan Werner and a rapper named Jay Hollywood. The winning student bands were Midfield Avenue and Ultra Violet. The competition was also good exposure for the artists competing, even the ones who didn’t win. They were able to showcase their talents and gather new fans. Regardless there is a lot of excitement for the upcoming Springcella event.
The LMU theatre club put on a production called “Puffs” which is a parody of the 7 original Harry Potter movies. The whole thing is 2 and half hours long and is a speed run through all the movies. ‘Puffs’ in this play was the subbed in word for wizard. Due to copyright reasons some of the terminology was changed such as muggles turned to mugborns and Dobby to Bippy. The play was a comedy but there were also dramatic elements such as struggle to belong, fights scenes, and lost love. Some of the actors had to learn magic tricks for the show for an added bit of flare. The show concluded with a heartfelt note on learning that following one’s own path is the best one and to appreciate their unique gift as ‘puffs’ and not to feel the need to compare themselves to one another.
Blog Proj #6
D’Anthony Yates was announced as the next student president and Isla Del Carlo the next student vice president. There was a weeklong campaigning process where the duo promoted “Empower. Expand. Evolve.” They plan to reallocate a good portion of the budget to better support student organizations and reproductive health services. Both Yates and Del Carlo have had experience with the student government as an executive producer for the Spirit and Pride Team and the executive producer for the special events team. The estimated turnout for students who voted in the election was around 30%. This was considered pretty high and there was some surrounding hype at the approaching election. It is safe to say Yates and Del Carlo are both very qualified individuals and student affairs can be considered in good hands.
The LMU Disabled Student Union has made a return to the school after being inactive for a year. They hope to foster a supportive, open environment for both disabled students and allies to gather and feel empowered by community. Saturday Rojas, a sociology major at LMU and the president of the Disabled Student Union can be accredited with getting the program back up and running. The DSU hopes to be able to make an impact in the lives of the students on campus since college can be very able bodied and neurotypically oriented. Amanda Apgar, Ph. D. is the faculty advisor for DSU and works mainly for Disability Support Services as a legal structure is upheld such as providing accommodations required by law.
Blog Proj #7
Ava Duel, an entrepreneurship major, is working on making a neurodivergent friendly clothing brand called Nuro Apparel. The idea behind the brand is that it is designed for the neurodivergent community from a neurodivergent perspective to provide clothing for sensory friendly comfort. Duel says as a neurodivergent individual she really enjoys wearing hoodies as a piece of clothing that feels particularly safe and comfortable. She says she’s had issues with other clothes in the past and relies heavily on this and feels a large portion of the neurodivergent community feels the same way. Nuro Apparel goal is not just about comfort though. It also has customized fidgets on the aglets, tags printed on the back to avoid sensory issues, and 80-100% cotton material for the most comfort. The brand also serves as a way to connect the neurodivergent community. Nuro Apparel isn’t stopping at hoodies though. They are also in the process of working on different beanie designs, including ones with electromagnetic radiation-proof lining that will help protect with the radiation often found in phones, computers, Wi-Fi, and other electronic devices.
LMU’s theatre company put on a production called ‘Anon(ymous)’ which has hooked audience’s attention on the idea of coming home through a refugee’s eyes. The opening scene began with a group of refugees taking the stage and sharing some of their individual stories. It became loud and chaotic as their voices overlapped and they shouted over one another to be heard and remembered. ‘Anon(ymous)’ was adapted from the Greek tragedy ‘The Odyssey’. ‘Anon(ymous)’ follows the main character Anon, a refugee who has been separated from his mother and forced to face the uncertainty of this world. The cast was relatively small, only 11 actors and some even took on multiple roles. Anon encounters these different roles, each with a different past, some being kind to him and some causing harm. As he wanders in these strange places he learns important life lessons. A reoccurring theme throughout the production is the idea of family, and one’s roots. Anon struggles with finding family and his experiences are rich with social commentary.
Blog Proj #8
Meet Raquel Justice: LMU senior and star on ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ | LIFE+ARTS | laloyolan.com
Raquel Justice is a senior at LMU, theatre arts major, and is a star on the TV show, ‘Dexter: Original Sin’, the prequel series to the TV show ‘Dexter’. The entire experience has been career altering for Justice. Justice had heard about the auditions from another classmate, filming began in December 2024 and the last episode aired on February 14, 2025. One of the most notable parts of the experience Raquel says is the stacked cast including that of Patrick Demsey, Chrisitan Slater, and Patrick Gibson. In the series Justice plays the young love interest of Dexter, which she considered vastly different to roles she has played in the past. She notes she appreciates how mature the role is compared to ones she’s done before and how it allowed her to feel like she is coming into her career and is given an opportunity to explore her skills.
LMU beach volleyball’s dynamic pairs prove that two is plenty | Sports | laloyolan.com
The LMU beach volleyball team is ranked number 3 in the country, with an estimated 21 games left of the season. A huge aspect of this volleyball team is the pair dynamic, there are 17 players on the team’s roster but only there are only two players on the court at a time. The LMU volleyball team has found a lot of success in this and was awarded the West Coast Conference Pair of the Week Award four out of the five times this honor has been given this season. Some of the mini teams formed on this larger volleyball squad say that they like to form a code of morals and values to play by to put their best foot forward on their game days. Some of these morals were ‘good vibes, fierce, and communication.’ One of the feats some of the players on the team were able to do to win themselves the Pair of the Week award was not dropping a single set against the University of Washington, Concordia University and California Polytechnic Institute, San Luis Obispo. The girls say the key to their success is the relationship they build.
Blog Proj #9
LMU was recently awarded the school’s first Mellon Foundation Grant which promotes projects and other contributions to with the goal of fixing ethical and social injustices for the disabled community with the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The grant supports nine faculty fellowships, with associate professor and chair of Women’s and Gender Studies, Mairead Sullivan, Ph.D. leading the initiative. She has the goal of making the world more accessible and livable for the disabled community with the advances of AI technology. Sullivan believes with the progression of AI it will reshape the disabled community, and due to the injustices, the disabled community already faces, must evolve alongside AI. This initiative to create perspective of understanding for the disabled communities through advanced technology is called “Habitable Worlds”. A key factor in this initiative is surrounding the growing fear of AI advancements Habitable Worlds seeks to embrace it and its potential to create an environment to support everyone. LMU has dedicated to the next three to working with this initiative and hopes to make great advancements.
LMU’s Theatre Arts has collaborated with KXLU’s radio drama to create the production “Darkside” which immortalizes Pink Floyds album, “The Darkside of the Moon”. Pink Floyds album touched on themes conflict, the inescapable passage of time, greed, death, and mental illness. Through sound effects, dialogue, and clips of songs from “The Darkside of the Moon” album the radio drama by playwright, Tom Stoppard, came to life on the KXLU station. The drama opens with the classic trolley problem and a sea of shouting voices yelling warnings of the train quickly approaching. Stoppard uses the character “Ethics Man” who chooses to divert the train, hitting one man instead of five men to get inside the heads of the listeners and make them think. The main character is Emily who watched the innocent boy get run over by the trolley just as Pink Floyds song, “Breathe” begins to play. The rest of the radio drama follows the same structure using songs from the album to relate to the plot of the story. The story follows Emily on a path of moral discovery and encounters many controversial ethical problems the world faces. There is a theme Emily struggles with the ‘no one man can save the world’ problem as she battles through the drama.
Blog Proj #10
‘Make It Make Sense’ showcases senior artwork on campus | LIFE+ARTS | laloyolan.com
“Make it Make Sense” is an exhibition showcasing senior artwork from the College of Fine Arts graduating class. For many seniors this showcase represents the closing of their journey at LMU as student artists. The exhibition showcases art of different mediums from paintings to ceramics and photography. These artists had two months to prepare for their final project in the showcase after working together as a class to decide on a theme for the event. They chose the title “Make it Make Sense” to reflect on the fact each artist showcase were different individuals on separate journeys that each have a different thing to offer. The collection is described as very “controlled chaos” but ultimately stands as a testament to the power of artistic creation and collaboration. The pieces with be up for 3 weeks (until April 10th) and those involved hopes it can be an inspiration to oncoming seniors at the school.
Within the 2024-2025 school year LMU is in the process of switching their campus food service partner from Sodexo to Aramark Collegiate Hospitality which has now created fear among workers of job security from some of those employed by Sodexo. Since the announcement of the switch Aramark Collegiate Hospitality has required employees to reapply and reinterview for their jobs. In response Sodexo workers have been organizing a campaign to pressure Aramark to rehire all current workers back. People involved in the campaign claim that Aramark requiring workers to reapply allows them room to fire people based on their age or seniority. Organizers say that in past instances with other hospitality companies they have prioritized younger workers because of their more appealing youthful features and fired more senior workers to get rid of their higher wages that have been acquired through years of service. So far during the reapplying process 100 of 150 current workers have been accepted as of April 1. People from the university responsible for the switch have been working with the worker organization on maintaining fairness among workers including positions, seniority, and wages. Sodexo workers have even recently created pins to promote solidarity and spread awareness saying “I already work here” in both English and Spanish.
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