Category: Student Activities

Remembering the Kristallnacht at Loyola

Remembering the Kristallnacht at Loyola

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To be honest with you, one of my main hesitations about going to Loyola at first was that it’s a Jesuit university, and I’m not religious. But it’s been really great, these past four years, to see that Loyola is not just a Catholic university but one that thinks about the diversity of its students. I heard recently, although I don’t know if it’s true, that Loyola University Chicago is both the most diverse Jesuit institution and that a majority of our students are Hindu. Nevertheless, it’s the persistent idea.

The reason I’m writing about this is because I recently went to an event commemorating the Kristallnacht, the Night of Shattered Glass on November 9-10, 1938, in Germany and Austria.

Being a history major and that it was sponsored in part by the History department, I was reminded again and again to go – but I would have gone anyway. It was not a religious event, but it took into consideration the different religions and identities that Loyola students have even just to put on this kind of event. It’s like including the menorah in stereotypical holiday designs out there, next to Christmas trees and Santa hats and (although it seems like it’s getting rarer) saying “Joyous Kwanzaa” … Even though I don’t identify as a member of the group, I think inclusion is always good.

Dr. Elliot Lefkovitz was a really impressive speaker. It was heartbreaking to be there on the day that another mass murder was committed in the United States, and he read a letter from someone who had grown up in the Pittsburgh community where the Tree of Life Synagogue is, as well as a moving memorial of the lives lost. He especially emphasized that atrocities such as the Tree of Life killings and the Holocaust were killed themselves in abstractions: in learning that six million died in those short years of World War II rather than one plus one plus one plus one… and so on, and the same too at the level of eleven dead.

After speaking for a while, he played a short film he had made almost thirty years ago called ‘The Double Crossing’, interviews of refugees from Germany in 1939 who went to Cuba for safety but most were returned to the European mainland, over 200 of which were to die in the following years.

I was really amazed by it. I think one of the things that so drives me about history is the human experience of it all, and interviews like these, preserved memories of people who now have mostly passed away, are incredible. After the film ended, Dr. Lefkovitz read some quotes from Eli Weisel about the damage that indifference does in conclusion and answered some questions that had come up about the short film.

As always, I’m amazed by the variety of events you can find and go to at Loyola, and each one of them are exposure to unique things that I am so, so grateful I get to experience and learn about in my college years. When/if you tour here, you’re probably going to see posters for things you want to go to and clubs you want to join as well! When I applied to Northwestern University after touring it, my application letter was all about how I wanted to be involved in the different clubs and events I had seen on posters around the campus (although now of course! of course! I’m so glad I went here instead).

No matter where you end up, don’t be afraid to get out there and go to things. You’ll learn so much beyond the classroom!

Greeksgiving

Greeksgiving

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How do Loyola students give back?

Well, one of the ways that the Sorority and Fraternity Life organizations came up with is Greeksgiving – led by Allyssa Suarez, a sister of Delta Phi Lambda and the Programming Chair for the Multicultural Greek Council, the idea was to make bags and fill them with supplies that the people experiencing homelessness in Chicago may need.

Last Sunday, members from both the Multicultural Greek Council and the Panhellenic Council gathered in Palm Court to get to work! Although neither the Interfraternity Council nor some orgs in the Councils that did come showed up, the work still got done – and hours before schedule, too!

The organizations, before this day, had gathered resources to donate, from warm cold-weather accessories like scarves and mittens to razors and shaving cream, feminine products and toothbrushes, hair brushes and water bottles, granola bars and baby wipes. Setting them all out was wonderful to look at and to know we would be giving these.

Each person there decorated the brown paper bags that we would be putting the items inside in a holiday theme, whether it was a menorah or the sun wearing sunglasses and a santa hat. You can see other designs on the picture below. Then, we assembled them and made holiday notes to slip in there too, just for good measure.

Overall, we made just under 50 bags!

Although of course we wish we could make more, we ended the event glad we were able to give, even just a little bit. No two bags were alike, due to the variety of supplies we received from the organizations, and they’ll be handed out sometime next week by the Labre ministry group on campus, who work to build relationships with people experiencing homelessness in Chicago and give them food as well. You can learn more about their work here!

This upcoming holiday season, it’s certainly much easier to think about the people suffering around us, since everyone is big into the, well, holiday spirits, and the cold sets in. Equally important, though, is thinking of others outside of this season, so I hope the tri-Greek council will be able to keep doing events like this into next year! That’s the true Loyola spirit!

How do you give back?

Keeping in the ‘Loop’

Keeping in the ‘Loop’

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Loyola students share a lot of things – common values, attendance at Loyola (shock, I know), dread at the incoming presence of finals week, to name a few – but we also all like to be kept updated on what is happening in the Loyola community. That’s why we have the Loyola Phoenix, our student-run newspaper!

With sections such as Arts and Entertainment, Current News, Sports, and Opinion, as well as podcasts and ‘Closer Look’, a column dedicated to tackling issues students are concerned about, the Phoenix covers lots of topics and is published in print every Wednesday, with online articles being updated often. Sometimes the articles create controversy and stir, like an article they wrote about their copies going missing (the general thought was: why is this a big deal?) and other times they echo student sentiment, such as the ones regarding student safety or lack thereof. It also strives for a social media presence so students don’t have to seek it out but they can pop up on newsfeeds to increase readership.

When our men’s basketball team was doing great in the Final Four, our  sports writers were all over it. They show a fantastic amount of dedication to sports and to Loyola as a whole by going out and supporting games and matches of all types of sports, even if I don’t really understand what they’ve written because I’m not a sports girl. If you want to see what was covered and written during the spring, you can search for the previous articles on the website!

Everyone on the team is a student, from the graphic designer to the top editor. Although personally I’m not always impressed by the quality of the writing (you don’t have to be a journalism major to write with them) I still appreciate what they are doing. They don’t just write about Loyola things as well! They have features on things to do around Chicago and the Arts and Entertainment section has reviews of new movies and artists of all kinds. It’s really neat to connect with Chicago and culture in this way, and they’re more than a student-run newsletter but a real newspaper this way.

So if you want to get a feel for student life at Loyola (beyond these blogs, of course) I’d totally advise you to follow this link and see their website.

Such a ‘Bler: Dragging It Up

Such a ‘Bler: Dragging It Up

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It was a night of firsts for a lot of us. The stars and the stargazing breathed the same air of anxious excite, as the theatre became more and more packed by the minute. People were in between chair rows, against the wall of walk ways, right against the stage and still there were more eager to have a peak.

It was the annual Rainbow Connection Student Drag Show – an explosive, kaleidoscope of personalities screaming human. As the music danced with hearts beating proud of courage and support, we witnessed the magic that happens when an individual finds enough comfort to be themselves.

From to CTA references, earl grey tea, silhouettes to debut tears that triggered mine – they had it all. But there is still so much to see.

And in the (rephrased because I was way too emotional to write them down) words of the host, Naomi Smalls, that night, “I feel so blessed to be a part of a tradition that helps celebrate and advocate such love and expression.”

It was a Rainbow Connection.

Thank you.

www.facebook.com/Rainbow.Connection.LUC

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:
Such a ‘Bler: HalLUween 2018

Such a ‘Bler: HalLUween 2018

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October 31st 2017, I found myself at the Chicago Northalsted Halloween Parade & Costume Contest. I went as a social butterfly with my harlequin doll roommate and our closest friends. The weather was so chilly, and we couldn’t feel our hands half the time, but the energy was addictive.

This year, my sophomore roommate and I did a couple’s costume of Puff the Magic Dragon and Jackie Paper. It was also really exciting to find other Ramblers rocking some Halloween spirit – I met the joker, Charlie Brown (my theatre scenic practicum professor) and a lion – and the candy supplies were endless. However, other than that, I honestly thought I wasn’t going to do much this Halloween. Festivities have been all around campus for a week or two now, from spooky movie nights to the Murder in the MPR Murder Mystery Dinner.

From my experience last year as a Mertz Hall Council E-board member, I assumed that student organizations like the Department of Programming (DOP) and the Residence Hall Association (RHA) along with residence hall assistants planned their events ahead, keeping in mind that student will probably be out on the actual Halloween night. In addition to this, assignments have been piling up with Thanksgiving and soon after, finals on the way. But as always, Loyola surprised me.

DOP and Peer Advisors were showing A Quiet Place. This was an award-winning film that I’ve been dying to see, and the exact short break I needed (could afford) with such a hectic schedule these day. The Regis MPR was soon packed with excited eyes (and free popcorn!).

And with that, t’was the spoopy season! Now, get out those Christmas lights, Michael Buble is already playing.

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

Such a ‘Bler: Hi there!

Such a ‘Bler: Hi there!

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Hi there! My name is Ha Le, but I often go by Millie. I’m from Hanoi, Vietnam and am currently a sophomore in Communication Studies, with minors in Theatre and Creative Writing. My wonders lie in storytelling and videography, and you can usually find me with the Diminuendo Literary and Arts Magazine creatives or scribbling in the Schreiber Center. But more on that later.

Welcome to Such a ‘Bler! I decided to take on this name because honestly who could resist a pun opportunity? (‘Bler = Rambler = …sounds like blur, okay I’ll stop) But besides that, the phrase truly speaks to my experience at Loyola University Chicago so far. It’s a new unpredictable with every turn, but I think I’ve grown to love living this way – this spontaneous, promising and ever so exciting way.

Being a part of the Social Media team means a lot to me because their work actually helped me discover the university! I remember re-watching the School of Communication’s tour on LUC’s YouTube channel and sending in my application knowing that I needed to call it home! Now that I’m here, I am ecstatic to share my Loyola lens with you. Through these scribbles and a tasteful twist of some new video projects, I hope to capture a closer look at the welcoming, enthusiastic and driven community that’s waiting for you!

Find my first video here:

This is my Loyola lens. Let’s make some memories!

 

HEY, I ALSO MAKE VIDEOS!

HERE’S THE SUCH A ‘BLER PLAYLIST:

Presidents Ball

Presidents Ball

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Can you believe it’s already November? With midterms over, and finals slowly approaching, I’m sure many of us need any break we can get! The good thing is, Presidents Ball is approaching! On November 2nd, 2018, Loyola will hold an annual semi-formal event, which celebrates the accomplishments of the President’s Medallion recipients.  One medallion recipient is selected from each of Loyola’s 14 colleges; Arrupe College, Continuing Studies, School of Business, The Graduate School, School of Medicine, School of Law, Pastoral Studies, School of Education, School of Communication, Arts & Sciences, St. Joseph Seminary, Institute of Environmental Sustainability, School of Nursing, and School of Social Work.

Originally, the President’s Medallions were presented during the President’s Ball, a semi-formal dance held in November of each year.  The custom has now evolved to presentation of the President’s Medallions earlier in the day at a private reception, dinner, and ceremony.  Following this ceremony, the President’s Ball is held to honor President’s Medallion Recipients.

You may wonder, what is the President’s Medallion? Well, the President’s Medallion is one of the most prestigious awards conferred by Loyola University Chicago.  A medallion is presented to a single student in each college, school or institute of the University each year. This is quite an accomplishment!

President’s Medallion recipients must meet the following qualifications:

  1. Currently enrolled student expected to graduate in the 2018-2019  academic year;
  2. Rank academically in the upper 25% of his/her class;
  3. Best exemplify a combination of outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service;
  4. Person of integrity and good reputation;
  5. Manifest leadership in serving others through involvement in student organizations or volunteering in community settings.

Loyola University Chicago has awarded the President’s Medallion annually to its most outstanding students for almost 50 years!  The President’s Medallions and President’s Ball are longstanding Loyola traditions.

Historically, the President’s Ball has provided an opportunity for student leaders to celebrate the founding of Loyola University, then known as St. Ignatius College, by Jesuit Father Arnold Damen and four other Jesuit priests more than 140 years ago. The spirit of Father Damen has endured to this day and is represented by the recipients of the President’s Medallion.

I hope to see many of you there on a fun and incredible night!

Creativity in the IC

Creativity in the IC

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One of the things I hear a lot from my friends and roommates is how little time they’ve had for their hobbies since entering college. Granted, we do have free time… But we spend it watching Netflix or laying on the grass in the quad instead. Without a music class or a motivation to pick up the paintbrush, it can be hard to choose that over something mindless and easy to unwind after a week of classes.

But luckily recently the Information Commons brought in a local craftswoman (and professor at DePaul University and Columbia College Chicago, and activist, and all-around cool woman) to offer an opportunity for students to take a bit of a break and learn how to cross-stitch! Check out her website here.

Although technically she taught basic embroidery, people who came into this (like me) with stitching experience already could cross-stitch if we so pleased. I can’t remember the last time I did anything like this since probably middle school, so it was a real throwback. We had total free range to do anything we wanted, and Shannon (aka Badass Cross Stitch, the instructor) and the IC teamed up to bring us fabric, thread, and hoops that we could then take home if we didn’t finish in time.

Don’t tell her this, but I started on something for my little sister, whose birthday it is soon. (I drew the pattern, but ignore it. I will be too…. Oops.)

But actually, this event was put on as part of the Library’s #LoyolaVotes awareness, so there was lots of pre-made voting-related patterns available, and many of the other people there with me made things that read “rights are right” and “equality for everyone” and on that theme. There have been lots of events and tabling going on to promote voter registration, which I’m always impressed that Loyola does.

One of the other things I really like about our library is that we have a monthly meeting where students can propose ideas to the library and talk about what we want to see from the Library/Information Commons. Although I can’t make it, after this event I really want to let them know that they should do similar things, more often! My roommates and I have paint supplies at our house, and I know we have time… but if we sat down and tried to do it together, we’d probably just lose ourselves in the talking and forget to paint!

The moral of the story is that you never know what opportunities Loyola will bring you. And hold on to your hobbies!

Learning About Little Corpses

Learning About Little Corpses

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One of my favorite things about Loyola is the quest for knowledge outside of the classroom. My Astronomy professor, for example, recently sent out an email bringing to my attention a seminar about … well, ‘Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation’ happening this week. I know what all of those words mean individually, but I have to be honest, Astronomy is not my top subject.

 

History, on the other hand? I’m a history major. Plus, one of my professors gives us extra credit for attending the lectures the history department sets up, like one I recently attended called “Living With Little Corpses” and examining infant burials in post-Roman/Early Medieval Britain. A wild topic, right?

It was a great lecture, which I was not expecting, actually. I was very hesitant about the content – because Britain is not really in my area of study, nor is burials – or infants – but they had a small essay contest for a free copy of the speaker’s latest book (which I participated in and won, because 1. Why not and 2. I love free books), plus hors d’oeuvres and coffee. The speaker, Professor Robin Fleming from Boston College, was engaging, hilarious, and it turns out: had a very interesting topic, because it was a very interesting mystery. The essence of her speech was describing her findings studying graves made during post-Roman/Early Medieval Britain – and apparently, she found very few children’s bodies, which was odd given the child mortality rates of the time, and she found infant’s bodies buried beneath the floors of working buildings like stables and kitchens. The why is a puzzle to be solved, especially given that as the Medieval age dawned, children’s bodies start to re-appear in cemeteries while infant bodies vanish in graveyards and in houses (unless they are buried with adult men).

 

All sorts of stuff I never knew about! Professor Fleming also chose not to use textual evidence during her research – well, sort of chose. Sort of.. Because there is no existing textual evidence! The texts we have regarding that age come either from across oceans and hundreds of miles away and deal with the elite class (while these burials were of common, peasant folk) or from hundreds of years after the fact, neither of which address the why anyway nor can be accepted as close enough to the truth.

 

Other lectures I’ve attended this year included exploring the biology of the Black Death (and how it still exists today) and the history of human’s idea of Hell over the ages. Granted, I have only been attending lectures that the Medieval Studies department has set up, so it makes the topics a little dark so far. But I think one is coming up about the environment (as in, forests and land) in the Middle Ages, so maybe that one will be less gruesome. Only maybe. It is the Middle Ages, after all.

 

The Final Chapter

The Final Chapter

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This blog, Rambler’s Pie: A Slice of Loyola, is something I value very much. When I was given this position as ‘blogger’ for the Undergraduate Admissions Office freshman year, little did I know how much I benefited from it. This blog gave me a second voice that was stronger, more descriptive, and creative. It allowed me to develop a lot of professional skills such as good communication, being organized and responsible, and having respect for my superiors and co-workers. Personally, I also gained more knowledge of Loyola, better writing skills, and developed a passion for helping prospective students steer towards a college education. Now as a senior just about ready to graduate, this blog must come to an end and this blog will be the last and final chapter. I am sad to see my 4-years worth of hard work come to an end but it is something that must be done. When one door closes, another door will open. 

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The Undergraduate Admissions office has been my home for the last 4 years and I had the honor of meeting so many outgoing people working in the department. When I was a freshman, I was nervous because I did not know anyone, but these people made me feel comfortable and welcomed right from the very beginning. Throughout the years, I opened my shell more and stepped out of my comfort zone. Because of that, my Loyola experience blossomed. My creativity through social media grew as well as my motivation to help first generation prospective students.

I remember one instance when a family member commented on one of my blog posts and asked to meet in person. Within the next week, I got to meet her and her niece (the prospective student) in person at the office and borrowed my supervisor’s office to speak in a more appointment-based setting. From that moment, I knew that I WAS influential and that I DID make a difference through my blog posts. Another time, I was helping another supervisor with the Chicago Public School event downtown and sat with students to chat about anything. I brought many of my experiences including being a part of the Achieving College Excellence (ACE) program, which serves students of minor, first-generation, low-income, and/or disability status. A year after, I was extremely proud to see a couple of those CPS students not only go to Loyola, but be a part of ACE.  It is obvious we are now good friends!

Later on, I joined the student worker family at the Undergraduate Admissions Office and things got completely better. Not only did I open myself to others more, but I enjoyed working the front desk and meeting the families. I had experiences I could share with them, I could offer advice about admissions, and most importantly, I could relate to their struggles in many ways (I was in their shoes only 4 years ago!). Therefore Open House, Loyola Weekend, and Weekend of Excellence are my most favorite Loyola events because I get to showcase the university that I honestly appreciate and love.

Open House and Loyola Weekend are awesome because we get to showcase all the best there is to Loyola – labs, dorms, curriculum, and more. As a student worker, I get to help plan these events and I always get excited! For the Weekend of Excellence, things are a little different because it is directed to CURRENT Loyola students, showcasing their talents and abilities. This year, I had the honor and privilege of getting the Motivational Member Award and my organization, Vietnamese Student Association, won ‘Best Cultural/Ethnic Organization’ and better yet, ‘Organization of the Year.’ In addition, I attended the ACE banquet and did a speech as well as got my graduation cords.

To say in the least, I have benefited from going to Loyola. It was an amazing experience filled with so many memories with good people including Sister Jean, Natasha Bhamla, and Dr. Rodriguez. I exhausted all my resources and have gained so much experience. I have grown into a young adult and I am proud to say that Loyola helped me shape into the person I am today. This is a bittersweet moment for me as I close this chapter of my life. Specifically, I am now closing my work with the social media team. Very soon, I will close other doors as graduation comes closer however I am quite hopeful for the future and the new experiences I will have.

Thank you for reading my blogs and thank you for traveling with me on my unique Loyola experience. It has been a pleasure serving Loyola and promoting a school that I dearly love.

Thank you Loyola.