Welcome from the President!

Posted on: April 16th, 2012

Welcome to Loyola University Chicago’s new Social Justice Web Portal.  This portal is designed to serve as a clearinghouse for social justice research, academic coursework, co-curricular activities and events, resources and more.  It will feature stories and photos on social justice related activities of our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends and it will surely grow and evolve in the weeks and months ahead.
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The commitment to social justice is at the heart of our Jesuit, Catholic educational mission.  In our teaching, learning, and service to one another, we are challenged to stand in solidarity with those who suffer, and in a special way, to the poor and marginalized in our society and in our world.   We are rooted in the desire to gain knowledge and understanding so that we may be transformed by that knowledge and understanding in order that we might become persons for others.
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As this portal will highlight, the manifestations of our commitment to social justice are varied and impressive.  We are a university that welcomes a diversity of students including a high percentage of first-generation students—nearly 33% of our undergraduates are the first in their families to pursue a university degree.  We are a university that seeks to be a good steward of our natural resources, and so we have a growing number of programs for our students to be actively engaged in sustainability initiatives and care of the environment (as well as a growing number of campus buildings that exemplify this commitment to the environment).  And we are a university that partners with local and global institutions in the creation of academic programs, immersion experiences, and more so that we can be challenged and transformed by these opportunities to work and study with others.
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As we say in the university’s Transformative Education in the Jesuit Tradition document, “We are set on preparing people to lead extraordinary lives, providing growth at every corner- from ignorance to understanding, from isolation to dialogue, from indifference to moral responsibility. This renewing sense of purpose, fed by knowledge in the service of humanity, helps guide our every action.”  I am delighted that this portal has been developed so that we can better fulfill that commitment by gathering and sharing information on the myriad ways that we live out our social justice mission here at Loyola.
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Please share your stories and your ideas with us so that this site truly captures the good work of people from across the institution.  Thank you for being part of this initiative, and for your contributions and support of this work.
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Sincerely,
Michael J. Garanzini, S.J.
President and CEO


Loyola University Chicago's Social Justice Web Portal is designed to provide a positive environment for the Loyola community to discuss important issues and ideas. Differences of opinion are encouraged. We invite comments in response to posts and ask that you write in a civil and respectful manner. Comments will be screened for tone and content. All comments must include the first and last name of the author and a valid e-mail address. The appearance of comments on the Web Portal does not imply the University's endorsement or acceptance of views expressed.


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