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!
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:
Currently enrolled student expected to graduate in the 2018-2019 academic year;
Rank academically in the upper 25% of his/her class;
Best exemplify a combination of outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service;
Person of integrity and good reputation;
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!
What a weekend it has been! From Nick Jonas performing a burnin’ performance, to Loyola making it to the sweet sixteen, to Loyola’s Pakistani Students’ Association holding an amazing event, to Hannibal Buress getting kicked off of stage! It all happened this weekend, and it couldn’t have been better.
Nick Jonas came to Loyola and fans were in so much excitement. Nick Jonas performed old classics to new ones and the crowd went wild, singing along to every lyric.
The next day, comedian Hannibal Burress was kicked off the stage here at Loyola University after joking about priests molesting kids. Before getting kicked off, the comedian shared an email he received asking him to refrain from cursing– topics including sexual assault. After an extended 15 minute break, Buress was allowed to return to the stage and continue his set. Students expressed how they were “shocked how he can say this at a university performance even after told not to.”
In addition, Loyola University’s Pakistani Student Association held an event called “Explore Pakistan” on Saturday evening. Over 200 students attended and enjoyed the celebration of Pakistani culture. Pakistani food, music, and colorful decorations done by Afrin Designs captured the bursts of colors and blooming of Spring time. All proceeds went towards Doctor’s Hospital in Pakistan. The event had live food stations, performers, dinner, and dances. “It was truly an unforgettable night.”
Students at the event were also in attendance at Loyola’s incredible win! Cheers ran across the entire campus as all students celebrated the win and making it to the sweet sixteen! Clayton Custer’s jumper took a friendly bounce off the rim and in with 3.6 seconds left, and 11th-seeded Loyola beat Tennessee 63-62 in a South Region second-round game Saturday night. The Ramblers (30-5), who won the Missouri Valley tournament, broke the school record for wins set by the 1963 NCAA championship team.
Loyola will play the Cincinnati-Nevada winner in the regional semifinals Thursday in Atlanta.
Loyola is headed to the round of 16 for the first time since 1985, when it lost to Patrick Ewing and Georgetown.
That was also the last time the Ramblers made the NCAA Tournament.
Loyola University Chicago’s Pakistani Students’ Association presents to you the third annual Explore Pakistan. With this year’s theme of “Jashn-e-Bahara,” we are celebrating the season of Spring, bursts of color, new blooms, and Pakistan. Join us in the celebration of Pakistani culture with Pakistani food, music, colorful decorations, and more!
This event will have live food stations, performers, dinner, and dancing.
All attendees must have a ticket to gain entrance.
Loyola Students: FREE tickets w/ID
Non-Loyola Students: $10 [Non-refundable]
Tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis.
Dress to impress: Formal attire is required!
Dinner will be served at 7:30 p.m.
Open dance floor at 8:30 p.m.
Doors will close at 8:00 p.m.
All profits will be donated to Doctors Hospital in Lahore, Pakistan
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to a PSA Executive Board member.
***Do not bring and/or come under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If any issues occur, Loyola University Campus safety will strictly and promptly escort you out and will take legal action if necessary***
It’s crazy to think that 2018 is already here. It feels like just yesterday I was in high school with my 5 minute commute back home. One more year to graduation, deadlines approaching, anxiety rising, and one last year of my journey at Loyola.
Winter break was not as eventful as I thought it would be, not to say I didn’t enjoy it. Most of the time, I was trying new recipes, studying for the GRE, attending weddings and parties, volunteering at Community First Medical Center, and stalking LOCUS to check for open classes. It was the time I was able to actually reflect on my 3 years at Loyola and realize how quick things are approaching.
I was able to positively reflect on things as well. As stressed as I am about the graduate school deadlines, GRE exam, taking 19 credit hours, and my overall health this year, I am motivated to strive and do my best in all of these things; one thing for sure though, is that I must prioritize my health. A lot of times, we get so carried away with school or work that we forget to take care of ourselves or don’t really care at that point, but please, if there is anything I would like for all of my current/past/future Ramblers to do this year is to always prioritize your physical and mental health. It is something we don’t talk about often, and don’t realize until it is at toll. There will be moments where you stress, or are unhappy; that is not to say that everything will always go in the direction we don’t want them to, but when they do, let them. I have accepted that things do happen the way they are planned to happen, and rather than hurting myself or my health, do something fun. Get your mind off of it, and just go with the flow. I had many moments where I would start panicking and stressing, but instead of sitting there crying and looking at the thing that was stressing me out, I went out, bought myself some ice cream or went to the gym and got my mind off of it. Sometimes, I would just face time a friend too, as long as I find some sort of distraction.
Take care of yourself first; it won’t be worth it, trust me. I made the mistake before during my 1st and 2nd year of College where I wouldn’t take care of myself and just did whatever was needed to be done. I realized, in those moments, I wasn’t truly happy, nor was I myself. I was forcing and convincing myself to be something or doing something that wasn’t me, and in the end, all I got of it was MORE stress and complications as a consequence of not taking care of myself first.
Be smart, but in the sense that will benefit you first. Trust me, you’ll live a more experiential and happy life if you live life like Dory from Finding Nemo 🙂
In July, Senators Lindsey Graham (R–SC) and Richard Durbin (D–IL) introduced the Dream Act of 2017. If passed, this bipartisan legislation would:
Grant current DACA beneficiaries’ permanent resident status on a conditional basis and allow temporary protected status (TPS) beneficiaries, people without lawful immigration status, and people with final orders of removal the opportunity to apply for it.
Permit a conditional permanent resident (CPR) to obtain lawful permanent resident (LPR) status (sometimes referred to as getting a “green card”) if they go to college, have worked for a certain amount of time, or served in the U.S. military, in addition to meeting other requirements.
Provide a pathway to U.S. citizenship. A person would have to be a CPR for eight years before they could become eligible to apply for LPR status, and after about five years as an LPR, they could apply for U.S. citizenship.
Stay (stop) the removal proceedings of anyone who meets Dream Act requirements as well as young people over 5 years of age who are enrolled in elementary or secondary school.
Improve college affordability for undocumented youth and other immigrants by giving states the ability to provide access to in-state tuition or state financial aid programs like Monetary Award Program (MAP) grants.
This month, Loyola University Chicago encouraged students to send a message to their local U.S. Representative or Senator. These notes were pre-printed letters written on behalf of students who are directly affected by the fate of this program.
Over three days, 2,454 members of the Loyola community participated at the Lake Shore, Water Tower, and Health Sciences campuses. Most of them were students. In total, 7,362 letters were sent to 84 Senators and 297 U.S. Representatives—from a total of 43 states and territories.
As a Jesuit, Catholic institution, Loyola University Chicago firmly believes in the dignity of each person and in the promotion of social justice. The Loyola students and other undocumented immigrants who would benefit from the Dream Act were brought here as children and now represent a wealth of talent who are woven into the fabric of our communities. The Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops are among the many organizations who join Loyola in support.
Many Loyola Students have been affected, including Students Zarna Patel and Cristina Nunez. Patel has been able to pursue her dreams with her DACA status. She looks forward one day to starting her own nonprofit, promoting better health education and access to care for underserved communities, especially women and children. Nunez receives a Magis Scholarship from Loyola, a highly selective financial aid program for students with DACA status. She is a powerful advocate for social justice, seeking opportunities and justice on behalf of all undocumented people.
The most important and effective thing you can do is to contact your representatives in the U.S. House and Senate, and urge them to pass the Dream Act of 2017. Loyola University Chicago encourages everyone to contact their members of Congress and express their opinion on the legislation, whether you support or oppose it.
To do so, you can contact your congressperson or senator with the following links:
For more information about Loyola’s advocacy for the Dream Act of 2017, please contact Phil Hale, Loyola’s vice president for government affairs at phale@LUC.edu.
It seems as if just yesterday it was my time to commit to Loyola University as a senior in college. It was a stressful feeling to decide whether or not this was it. Some may be set, but it is okay if Loyola was not your only option. As for me, I was down between two, but I am so grateful Loyola was what I decided on. Although there are a few days left, don’t be afraid to trust your gut feeling. Loyola for me was a good feeling; it took a couple of visits and tours to be certain and that is okay. Even if you are not a senior in high school, make sure to take the opportunities to visit and experience your home for the next four years. It is not the easiest decision, but Loyola has shown me the past 2 years that you find yourself. The different organizations, the small class sizes, the scenery, the connection made among student and faculty is incredible and made my decision seem worthwhile. As the deadline comes closer, feel confident in the decision you make. Compare your options and imagine yourself in the university to see if it really is meant to be. Once this happens, this is it. Enjoy your summer, get a job, and prepare yourself for the next amazing four years of your life; make it worthwhile.
Tuition costs. Room and board costs. Dining plan costs. Textbook and supply costs.
It really does not matter what specific college (let alone Loyola) you choose to look into, money will always be the biggest factor in deciding what college to attend. Nationwide, higher education has become more expensive and has made it more challenging for people to do due to financial costs. For those like my family, who are either working families, minority, low-income, or who have first-generation children, getting a bachelors diploma can be a challenge or struggle for monetary reasons.
On top of that, if you live in Illinois, you may know of the MAP grant suspension in Springfield, Illinois. The MAP Grant is awarded to Illinois residents for higher education and to those who demonstrate financial need. For a couple years now, Loyola students have rallied down in Springfield to rally for MAP grant to be re-funded and we have worked hard for some action to be done.
Obviously, I write with the intention to HELP you guys be aware of things (that have helped me) keep costs down:
Do the FAFSA. This will help you get federal assistance. Especially if you are listed as dependent and depending on how many people live in your household, that will reflect how much aid you can potentially receive. Advice: Do it IMMEDIATELY when FAFSA becomes available. First come first serve. You will receive priority (which has helped me in many personal cases).
Do FEDERAL WORK STUDY. Needless to say, this keeps costs down because you earn money to help pay for your education.
SUBSIDIZED LOANS. Subsidized loans do not include interest as long as you are in school UN-subsidized loans include interest. With that being said, it is safe to take out the subsidized loan because you pay what you owe- straightforward. The value of the loan will depend on your income. Personally, I initially thought that loans were something scary and to avoid, but after understanding more about loans, I can give you my advice and reassure you that a loan is not so bad. Higher education is something people should really strive to get because it can only benefit you; you can pay off the loan when you get that high paying job (thanks to the college diploma)!
DO WELL IN YOUR ACADEMICS (in high school). Most definitely if you get good grades, you will surely get get impressions from your teacher which can help you get a fantastic recommendation letter. When you get your acceptance letter, you will see what Loyola academic scholarship you will be awarded (if you do apply), and that initial scholarship will be a reflection of your high school academic scores.
IF YOU GO TO A CATHOLIC SCHOOL within the Archdiocese of Chicago or the Diocese of Joliet, hooray, you automatically get a financial award. (Don’t I sound like Oprah giving free stuff?!)
DON’T MIND COMMUTING TO SCHOOL? You save the most money. Not only do you not pay for room and board fees, but dining plans and more. I have mentioned this in other blogs. I’m sure you guys don’t want me to repeat this here.
If something happened in your family that significantly impacted your income, whether if it is your parents who are divorced, there is a loss of benefit from your parent’s work, loss of one-time income, siblings who also attend private, Catholic school, or other circumstances, you may be eligible to fill out the SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE APPEAL. This may help bring costs even further down, but it is not guaranteed until the LUC Financial Office can thoroughly assess the situation.
EXTERNAL SCHOLARSHIPS. Personally, I have done countless applications for this. Especially at the end of my senior year of high school, I looked everywhere and signed up for everything. You must understand that external scholarships mean that potentially anyone and everyone may apply, which might not be in your favor (you may have less chances). The people that will select the winner of the scholarship will most likely look for the best person who fits their category, so you obviously have to meet specific qualifications.
A RAMEN DIET isn’t bad during your undergraduate years. Okay, this may be humorous, but I think it is true. Ramen is cheap; no question about that. I get my ramen from the Asian supermarket off of Argyle (only a couple of train stops away from Loyola), where each package only costs cents! There’s a variety of delicious flavors and noodle styles that are not that bad. Plus, it is so quick to boil hot water and make a hot meal.
BE SMART ABOUT YOUR MONEY. Prioritize your money. Where can you money be spent on the best? Can you save money? I have a savings account at my bank and I try to have a commitment to put a certain percentage of my earnings to my savings account. Hopefully when I need to pay off my loans (or anything), I have a good amount saved up to successfully pay it off.
Okay guys! These are my own ideas on how you can potentially save money to make the make-it or break-it factor to affording college. I am sure there are other ways to save money (those of which I do not know of, or it has not come to my mind when writing this post), so keep asking around and start to get familiar with college and college finance!
To end this post on an interesting [and humorous] note, I present to you this food pyramid (note that Ramen is toward the bottom of the pyramid and is the closest thing to Free food).
I remember when I got my acceptance letter from Loyola in the mail. It was during my winter break in December when I received a huge envelope from the university. It was thrilling because it was implied that getting an impressive and fancy envelope from Loyola meant getting accepted; there was no need to open the mail and read the letter to see whether or not I got to be a Rambler.
The anxiety of applying and waiting for a decision from colleges is over and now, you can finally breathe (a little better- the tedious part is over and complete). So you got admitted into Loyola, what next?
Of course, if you do consider on making the final decision to attend Loyola University Chicago (Decision Day is May 1st, 2017), you should be on the look out for emails and physical mail coming from us. There will be a series of administrative things to get yourself enrolled here, which will be quite simple and easy. Financially, the Financial Office will look on your FAFSA that you may have done, take into account any scholarships you have been awarded, and other contributing factors to determine what you owe the university. Personally, I believe this is important because money is earned through time and hard work; it does not grow on trees, as we all know. Keep track of certain dates and remember that there is a commitment fee to officially put your name into Loyola’s list of people enrolled.
Next step is to sort out living arrangements. Soon, LOCUS (your online Loyola Hub for everything) will be available to you to figure out which dorm buildings are available, what accommodations each building has (laundry room, living room, kitchen, etc…), and more. My best advice to those who plan to live on campus is to attend a tour and view the dorm rooms in-person to have a better idea. To those who live within good distance from Loyola and plan to commute instead, there is an “opt-out” option in LOCUS. Commuters, understandably have less to when figuring out living arrangements on LOCUS.
I know this may be a little bit far in advance, but a requirement for ALL freshman is to attend orientation. There are a variety of dates during the summer that you can pick, so it may be best to look at them and plan for the summer to make sure your vacation to wherever does not interfere with the orientation date session you have chosen. My advice would be to choose the earlier dates for a couple of reasons. (1) You get it done and out of the way. (2) You register for classes earlier than those who have orientation later in the summer (which means you may get the classes at the time you want and teacher that you need before they get filled up and closed). (3) It is not that hot in late May or in June… weather is quite nice, especially with the lake breeze and blue skies.
If possible, get acquainted with the campus and/or even meet some staff or students. The more you get in touch with LUC, the more comfortable you will be when it comes time to being an actual student. You will make the transition to college seamless if you start going around campus and know some people already.
Most importantly, I recommend you conclude your senior year of high school on a good note. Even though you got accepted to LUC, we still ask that you still do well in your studies and we will check to see if you ended this semester off on a good academic note. At the same time, have fun and enjoy your time as well. Create those memories because obviously, high school won’t be like college and college won’t be like high school. 🙂
If you have more questions, feel free to comment below or contact me at clam3@luc.edu.
I guess I should say the Rambler life chose me… but it was definitely the best decision I’ve made. I am also not just saying this because I go to Loyola, or else I would have not been here! I really wanted to go to Loyola all throughout high school and I don’t doubt that one bit till this day.
I love Loyola because the moment I had my first class, I felt so welcomed and comfortable in the environment I was learning in, which was one thing that was super important for me. The intimate class sizes make learning so powerful and that was definitely the moment I knew that I was the type of person who preferred small classes, where my professor knows who I am as a person and I know my professor as well. It is definitely a personal preference, but to my knowledge, a lot of other universities tend to have large lectures, which vary from about 200-300 students in one hall or even like 500-600 for the bigger core classes. Smaller classes are better for me because I like when the professor knows me and its a better chance of getting recommendation letters, more resources, easy participation points (so its not all dependent on exams sometimes) and asking questions in general helps with learning. In this way, if you are the type that is afraid to speak in big crowds, this would be a great chance for you to engage in an environment comfortable for you.
Also, Loyola is a popular school so a lot of students are from out of state, which I think is super cool to have friends from different states so you’re not stuck with the same people from high school intend on meeting new people. Not to mention, Loyola has made it to top universities many times throughout the years, so be sure to check out my older blog posts on that as well!
I don’t live on campus; I commute which is about 45 mins-1 hr, and it is honestly not that bad (to all my commuters). We get a Ventra card so I must say, it is quite tempting to go downtown all the time because of the Loyola campus on Michigan Ave, right by the Water Tower Place. It can be so much fun because not only do we have Ventra cards to take L, we have a shuttle service right on campus so we can go anytime and explore.
Most commonly known for is our lake, of course, but that wasn’t my decision maker. It definitely is a plus because studying there is THE BEST. Our library is so peaceful and aesthetic, which also includes The Harry Potter Room, and besides the library, Loyola has so many cool places to study and chill.
Loyola has lot of programs, whether they are the pre-professional programs offered (such as pre-physical therapy, pre-medicine, pre-dental, pre-law, etc.) and it is very easy to be involved with the hundreds of organizations, clubs, sports, etc. which can build an overall great reputation. Our success rate for careers and graduate schools are really high, so it is evident that our education is of great importance and it definitely pays off within the 4 years.
As a second year student reflecting on my two years at Loyola, I can say it proudly of how grateful I am to be a part of this institute. I’m majoring in Psychology right now with a minor in Exercise Science and not only are my classes so much fun, the professors are extremely helpful and caring. I did get a scholarship which helped a lot, and became involved with the Muslim Student Association and Pakistani Student Association. Through this involvement, I met a lot of my friends and connections and it’s an unforgettable experience.
The last things I would like to mention is that we get an Easter break as well as a mid semester break which not a lot of other schools have that so it definitely is a plus and bragging right (haha). There are many on campus job opportunities that are offered if you are interested in working as well!
I hope my experience is able to help many of you, and if you do have any questions, please let me know at hafzal@luc.edu and I would be glad to give you some more feedback based on my experience at Loyola!
