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Center for

Experiential
Learning
LE ARNING TO GETHER:
A Decade of Connecting Learning,
Teaching, and Research to Community

2016-2017 IMPACT ANNUAL REPORT


The Center for Experiential Learning
team at Loyola University Chicago

Center for Experiential


Learning Mission

Advancing Loyola's Jesuit Catholic


Letter from
“The real measure of
the Director
mission of "expanding knowledge
in the service of humanity through our Jesuit universities
learning, justice, and faith," the lies in who our students
Center for Experiential Learning is become.”
an undergraduate curriculum center
that collaborates with community, PE TER HANS I A M R E A L L Y I N D I S B E L I E F ­– Loyola’s Center for Experiential Learning is
staff, and faculty partners as co- KOLVENBACH, SJ
celebrating 10 years during the 2017 – 2018 academic year! During this period of time,
educators, to coordinate, develop,
support, and implement academic Loyola University Chicago has committed to embedding experiential learning into the
experiential learning for students. curriculum and engaging students, faculty, and staff with community to work toward
the common good. Thus, our theme for our 10-year anniversary celebration is “Learning
Together in Community: A Decade of Connecting Learning, Teaching, and Research to
Community.” Working as a team, collaborating with students, faculty, and community
members, building this work together has truly been a labor of love.
Reflecting on this past decade, while visioning forward, I look to the words of Pope
Francis in his address to the U.S. Congress: “Building a future of freedom requires love of
the common good and cooperation in a spirit of subsidiarity.” From serving at schools
and interning at social justice organizations, to conducting research in museums, medical
centers, and community agencies, Loyola students learn in community and work toward
the common good. They engage community deeply, embedded in organizations all over
Chicago, and especially in the communities around Loyola’s campuses, such as Rogers Park
and Edgewater. Loyola students put love into action.
In the 2016-2017 IMPACT annual report, you will find the narratives of students and

Contents
alumni from the past 10 years sharing how their learning experiences impacted their journey.
The Center for Experiential Learning, in working with faculty and community organizations,
facilitates high-impact learning experiences connecting classroom content with real-world
experience – a distinct element of the Jesuit education. As Fr. Kolvenbach stated in his
2–3 Student Narrative: Kajal Chokshi famous speech The Service of Faith and the Promotion of Justice in American Higher Education:
4–5 Service-Learning | Matthew French and Karen Aguirre “The real measure of our Jesuit universities lies in who our students become.” You will
6–7 Academic Internships | Julie Fontanarosa and Emmy Carragher find in the stories of Loyola students past and present how their experiences led
them down different pathways to find themselves – and how they continue
8–9 Community Partnerships
to put love into action in their communities and throughout the world!
10–11 Student Narrative: Alice Thompson

2007-
12–13 Student Engagement around Chicago In service,

14–15 Student Narrative: Shaniqua Mitchell

2017
16–17 Undergraduate Research | Nicholas Fogleman and Brian M. Swies
18–19 Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium | Laura Prieto Patrick M. Green, Ed.D.
20–21 Learning Portfolio | Patrick Gilsenan and Travis Olson Director, Center for Experiential Learning
Clinical Instructor of Experiential Learning
22–23 Social Justice Internship | Justin Hoch and Samantha Rivera
24–25 Timeline: Celebrating 10 Years
26–27 Student Narrative: Katey Lantto
28–29 Faculty Development | New Initiatives

2 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 1
Visit Kajal’s Portfolio
for her full reflections at: kajalchokshi.info

AS A SENIOR, KAJAL CHOKSHI ENGAGED


directly in the Rogers Park community, tutoring refugee children at
Madonna Mission, a non-profit organization providing education
and resettlement support programs for refugee families.
“Through experiential learning, I felt I was able to develop a
better sense of my own identity and gain a new perspective on the
Rogers Park community. Despite living in this neighborhood for
four years, I never took it upon myself to truly explore the streets
or to know the people. Through my service-learning course, I
was able to delve deep into the community and gain a better
understanding of the education system in Rogers Park.
“On my first day at Madonna Mission, I met Sandrina, a refugee.
At the age of 5, she was forced to flee from her home in Africa
because of a war. She is an artist, always coloring pictures of her
family and making cards for everyone at the service site. Sandrina
is smart and loves math and numbers and wants to work with kids
one day. She is more than each of these identities, but each of these
identities elaborate on her experiences. As her tutor, I reminded her
the importance of each of these. “My Jesuit education at
“I have had the privilege to mentor and tutor many young Loyola University has
students at Madonna Mission. Through teaching, I hope to spark the instilled in me a quest
interest of students for mathematics in the same way my professors to better the world.
have done for me, empower minority groups to consider STEM
With this degree, I can
fields, and implement teaching strategies on how math education
intermix my passion
is taught. My Jesuit education at Loyola University has instilled in
me a quest to better the world. With this degree, I can intermix
for research and the
my passion for research and the importance of social justice
importance of social
and contributing to society by working on datasets surrounding justice and contributing
systematic oppression and demographics.” to society . . .”

Kajal Service-
Learning,
MAJORS: MINORS:

Chokshi
Mathematics, Biology,
Learning Statistics Biostatistics
Portfolio
CLASS OF 2017

2 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 3


ALUMNI
30
different academic
departments offered
service-learning classes REFLECTIONS
MATTHEW FRENCH

Service-Learning
CLASS OF 2009
M A J O R : Economics
M I N O R S : English, International Studies

Students partnered with


T H E E N G A G E M E N T in my Experiential
over 300 agencies
Learning course was the first time I truly
felt able to practically apply my academic KAREN AGUIRRE

2930STUDENTS
learning to my social justice engagement. By
applying my economics background to the
international human rights I was supporting at
Service-Learning
CLASS OF 2015
M A J O R : Health Systems Management
Heartland Alliance, I was left feeling not only
he the
ar

M I N O R : Spanish
ye

e as though I was participating in something


ov t
r

par e d
ticipat of
that was extremely important, but also
course something that I was able to add value to. It is E X P E R I E N T I A L L E A R N I N G taught
for this reason that I find myself still working me how to practice cultural humility, especially
at Heartland Alliance eight years later. within communities that had a different ethnic
Students engaged in an estimated While my academic background allowed background. As a Latina, I served Asians and
102,550 hours of work with me to add value in bringing new perspectives African-Americans in their own communities,
to my team’s work, the topic areas of human so I always had to make sure I was respectful as
their community partners
rights and social justice were - as formal possible and took every opportunity to learn. This
service-l concepts - relatively new to me. Through the was important because my degree focused on
clas ea
se application of my skills, I worked with a wide non-clinical hospital roles; given that hospitals are
s
rn ffered

range of colleagues and grantees spread all very diverse settings, it was extremely important
ing

Service-
o

around the world; each and every one has, that I learn how to work with other individuals.
and continues to challenge my perspectives, I learned about inequities in housing,
OVER

150 Learning broaden my horizons, and raise new issues healthcare, and education in Chicago. This was
that make the work I do all the better. the most impactful because I grew up on the
South Side of Chicago. It was not until I left my
Service-Learning is a pedagogy and learning
community and visited others that I was able to
method that provides a community-based
understand how the lack of social mobility and
experience through which learning and critical
the lack of city funds kept our Black and Brown
reflection takes place integrated into traditional
communities in poverty.
academic coursework. These experiences become an
I decided to pursue a Master of Public Health
“integrated text” for the course and make learning
in Health Policy and Administration where I am
the subject matter even more dynamic and relevant.
“I took the plunge able to advocate for social justice issues at the
and shaped my state and federal level. This allowed me to stay
volunteering within the healthcare field but continue to learn
96% of students said they were experience into a career additional skills in research and community
able to better understand and apply . . . I really cannot work so that I can continue to receive the same
academic course content to their imagine what life would experience I got with service-learning at Loyola.
service experience in meaningful ways. have been like were it
not for this course.”

4 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 5


ALUMNI 1,244 students enrolled in
academic internship courses,
REFLECTIONS offered in 35 different disciplines

605
EMMY CARRAGHER

Academic Internship,

JULIE FONTANAROSA
Learning Portfolio
CLASS OF 2013
M A J O R S : International Studies,
70% COMMUNIT Y
PA R T N E R S
Academic Internship
Advertising/Public Relations
CLASS OF 2009 of students were
M A J O R S : English, Women’s Studies in non-profit or
THROUGH THE PLACEMENT INTO public service
25%
& Gender Studies
M I N O R S : Business Administration, SEVERAL INTERNSHIP POSITIONS internships
International Studies and the cultivation of real-world skills and
experiences, experiential learning was a key
R E L AT I N G M Y P R O F E S S I O N A L component in my education at Loyola University. of students received
compensation for their
Academic
I N T E R N S H I P E X P E R I E N C E with From the onset of my time at Loyola, I knew that
my educational framework proved to be the opportunity to attend this Jesuit city school internship work
coupled with the proximity to (and connection

Internships
an invaluable practice, as it required me to
be cognizant of my career goals and my with) so many city companies, organizations, and
professional objectives. The experiential learning associations would be pivotal in my development
program pushed me to correlate the work that as a student and as a young professional. Because Academic internships foster experiential
I was enjoying in the professional sector with of the guidance I received from countless learning that integrates knowledge and
the material that I was learning in the classroom; teachers, advisors, and staff members, I found theory learned in the classroom with
it encouraged me to process the sociological, myself aligned with experiences that not only practical application and skill development
philosophical, and political interactions between helped bolster my resume, but that led me to in a professional setting. Students receiving
what I was learning and what I was doing. graduate as a strong, well-rounded women for academic credit for internships enroll in a
Connecting my professional experience with others - personally and professionally. course that grounds the experiential learning
my education during my undergraduate studies through the involvement of Loyola University
has carried on through my work today in the Chicago. With community partner employers as
legal field. As an attorney, I am proud to be co-educators, students in academic internship
a continuing student of the legal profession. courses engage in real world professional
Experiential learning during my undergraduate experiences, allowing students to “learn by
education trained me to value my profession, doing” and reflect upon that learning.
regularly set professional goals for myself, and to
always connect life with learning.
“Each opportunity I had
through experiential 93% of students stated their
learning more deeply academic internship course
reflected my commitment to enhanced their understanding of
the inclusive, hard-working connections between academic
socially-minded values and knowledge and experiences in a
ethics of Loyola.” professional setting setting.

6 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 7


840 community
partner
organizations
hosted students in
93%
of partners said students built
service-learning,
academic internship, or organizational capacity
research experiences
“Loyola students
are eager to learn,
professional, and
flexible.”
“Loyola students
have consistently
stood out for their
commitment,
diligence, and hard
work from other
students that I have
supervised. “
88% of partners had
conversations with students
about their learning

50 site visits by CEL staff


members to engage community
Community partners in creating student
opportunities
Partnerships
97%
At the core of our work in the Center for Experiential Learning are
our reciprocal and mutually-beneficial relationships with community
partners. Thanks to our community partners, students have the of partners reported
opportunity to take their learning outside the classroom and apply satisfaction with
it in real-world situations while learning from the incredible staff of their Loyola students
our partners. In 2016-2017, Loyola students worked with 840 different
community partners for their service-learning, academic internships,
and undergraduate research.

8 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017


Shaniqua Service-Learning, MAJORS:
Psychology,

Mitchell
Academic Internship, Human
Learning Portfolio Services
CLASS OF 2017

IN ADDITION TO HER PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES


with service-learning, Shaniqua completed two academic
internships during her senior year at Loyola. She presented at the
2017 Undergraduate Research & Engagement Symposium about
her PSYC 390 internship with Children’s Research Triangle, a non-
profit organization that supports healthy development for children
and families.
“This experience will allow me to have a better understanding
of options for a future career path as well as preparing me to
utilize professional skills in related social service fields. I see myself
growing as not only a student but as an upcoming professional
with a newfound awareness and understanding of the needs of
underserved communities.
“In my professional career, I hope to provide support to those
from under-privileged societies by aiding them in their short-term
goals and advocating for changes that will help them achieve their
long-term goals. As an aspiring child and family therapist, I can do
my part in creating the future by using my passion for equality and
justice to support the neglected youth of our communities who
“My Engaged
need the understanding of their developmental needs.”
Learning experiences
Shaniqua’s internship supervisor at Children’s Research Triangle
helped me connect
shared that “she stood out among the team because of her warmth,
to the LUC mission by
extraordinary work ethic and inquisitive nature…It’s clear from her
using learned material
work products as well as her natural ability to network that she will
for growth and
be an asset to the field, and we’ve been proud to have her be a part
challenging myself to
of our team. “
stand up for injustices
Her professor, Dr. Maryse Richards,
and the effects on
concurs, “Shaniqua has gone above and
communities. “
beyond in her work at the Children’s
Research Triangle. She applies a social justice
mindset to her work, as evidenced by her
reflection journals.”

Visit Shaniqua’s Portfolio


for her full reflections at:
shaniquamitchell.info

10 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 11


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12 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017


“The classroom was an
important space to learn and
grow academically, but it was
the conversations with my
mentors, research participants
and staff members at NIJC
that really informed my
professional goals.”

Alice Service-Learning, MAJORS:

Thompson
Academic Internship, International Studies,
Undergraduate Political Science,
Research Spanish
CLASS OF 2017

A L I C E ’ S U N D E R G R A D U A T E C A R E E R embraced
multiple aspects of experiential learning. From her service-learning
and academic internship experiences, to her research fellowship,
Alice shares the connections she made on her journey.
“Throughout my time at Loyola, my experiential learning
opportunities challenged and guided me beyond what I thought
I understood about myself, my community, and our broader
world. Thoughtful dialogue with my peers and professors made
the classroom one of my favorite spaces to grow, but it was
experiences outside of that space, such as research fellowships
and internships, that encouraged me to reevaluate my own
perceptions and approach problems differently. By applying the “… my future plans were
theoretical frameworks and historical contexts that I learned shaped almost entirely by
in the classroom to my experiential opportunities, I was able to my experiential learning
negotiate the gray area between theory and practice. opportunities. Spanning my
“Beyond anything else, experiential learning teaches the research areas to my most
importance of flexibility and adaptability. In real world settings, recent internship, I learned
such as the National Immigrant Justice Center (NIJC), one must the most about what I wanted
be ready and willing to adjust expectations and skill sets to best to do and how I wanted
meet the needs of the organization— as part of a team that goes to affect change through
beyond the individual. In effect, actions have real consequences. It’s engaging with people.”
hard to recreate a situation like that in the classroom, which makes
experiential opportunities all the more important.”

14 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017


ALUMNI
Undergraduate 86 Faculty
Mentors REFLECTIONS
Research 12 Graduate
Student
The Loyola Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program Mentors NICHOLAS
(LUROP) includes funded fellowships for mentored research, FOGLEMAN
guides to external research opportunities, workshops
30 majors
represented
on research and presentation skills, and a symposium to Undergraduate Research
showcase undergraduate research. CLASS OF 2009
M A J O R : Psychology
M I N O R : Biology BRIAN M. SWIES

T H E L U R O P F E L L O W S H I P provided Service-Learning, Academic Internship,


Undergraduate Research,
me an opportunity to conduct an independent
Learning Portfolio
research study for my senior honors thesis. My
CLASS OF 2012
study aimed at identifying protective factors
M A J O R S : Biology, Psychology
262 students associated with healthy child development.
M I N O R S : Neuroscience, Philosophy
in funded LUROP Results from my study revealed that outside
fellowships
LUROP
FELLOWSHIPS
of immediate factors within a child’s home
environment, teachers played the single most
influential role in a child’s emotional and social
MY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH
projects with my mentors Dr. Lucas and Dr.
Morrison were invaluable to my education at
BY P R O G R A M development. This finding inspired me to pursue
Loyola. I learned skills complementary to what I
teaching following graduation. I joined Teach
was learning in the classroom, to depths much
for America and taught sixth-grade science to
deeper than what is found in a textbook, as
hundreds of wonderful students in North Carolina
well as skills that could never be taught in a
for three years.
classroom. Both contributed to my professional
The LUROP fellowship was my first
98 Provost Fellowship for Undergraduate Research and personal growth.
opportunity to conduct research. After teaching
80 Mulcahy Scholars Fellowship Being involved in neuroscience research
for three years, I decided to pursue a research
13 Biology Research Fellowship at Loyola equipped me with critical thinking,
career. I worked at the National Institute of
leadership, teaching, writing, and public speaking
12 Research Mentoring Program Mental Health, exploring ways to improve human
(RMP) Fellowship skills, and most importantly made clear to me
cognition. I then enrolled in a graduate program
12 McNair Post-baccalaureate Achievement Program what my passion is that I’ll spend the rest of my
for clinical psychology and am a doctoral student
9 Social Justice Research Fellowships career pursuing. That is something I am forever
at the University of Louisville. Much of my research
9 Center for Urban Research and Learning (CURL) grateful for and feel lucky to have discovered that
stems from my initial work during my LUROP
Fellowship early on in college...not everyone finds that!
fellowship, and I now investigate how children’s
5 Institute of Environmental Sustainability (IES) I’m currently entering year six of eight in the
Undergraduate Research Fellowship emotions affect their social functioning.
dual degree MD/PhD program directly continuing
5 Carroll and Adelaide Johnson Scholarship
my line of research from Loyola now at the
4 Social Innovation and Social Entrepeneurship
Fellowships
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. My career
4 Carbon Undergraduate Research Fellowship
plan is to pursue medical residency training in
neurology or psychiatry while actively building a
4 Women in Science Enabling Research (WISER) Fellowship
research and teaching platform.
3 Biology Summer Research Fellowship
2 The Joan and Bill Hank Center for the Catholic
Intellectual Heritage (CCIH) Research Fellowship
” Loyola equipped me with
2 Rudis Fellowship
critical thinking, leadership,
teaching, writing, and public
speaking skills, and most
importantly made clear to me
what my passion is . . .”
16 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 17
Visit Laura’s Portfolio
for her full reflections at: lauraprieto.info

E VA L UAT O R S

81 T O TA L

33 Faculty
23 Staff
19 Alumni
6 Community
Partners

T H E I M P O R T A N C E O F M O V E M E N T , especially dance, has


been the unifying theme of Laura Prieto’s experiential learning during
her time at Loyola. As an intern, a researcher, and a dancer, she worked
with a variety of populations—including people with Parkinson’s
disease and people with developmental disabilities—promoting
wellness and personal expression through the power of dance.
“I learned so much about different cultures and different
lifestyles than my own. At Misericordia, I learned about different
programs in which adults with disabilities have to build community. Undergraduate
I learned about the importance of treating everyone with dignity
regardless of any preconceived notions you may have when Research and
meeting other people. I learned of the ability of art to connect
different cultures when I traveled to Vietnam to perform. Overall, I Engagement
Symposium
learned that I have a responsibility to build a better community
“I learned so much with others, a community where we rejoice in each other’s
about different cultures uniqueness and strive to build a place for everyone.
The Center for Experiential Learning organizes the annual
and different lifestyles “I will be attending a master’s degree program in the fall where
Undergraduate Research and Engagement Symposium each
than my own.” I will work to research how to work with families that may have a
disability to become healthier and more fit. I hope to one day ensure year. Over 400 students showcased their research projects
that physical education and dance are available to all and that policy during Loyola’s 2017 Weekend of Excellence. In addition to
makers continue to advocate for our health as a community.” research posters and oral presentations, students presented
their learning portfolios, service-learning projects, academic
internship experiences, and performance-based research.

Laura Academic Internship,


MAJOR: 435 Student Presenters
Prieto
Learning Portfolio, MINOR:
Exercise
Undergraduate Science
Dance 30 O R A L P R E S E N TAT I O N S
Research 256 P O S T E R P R E S E N TAT I O N S
CLASS OF 2017

18 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017


2,626 first-year
students started ALUMNI
building their REFLECTIONS
Learning Portfolios

PATRICK GILSENAN

Service-Learning, Learning Portfolio


CLASS OF 2014
M A J O R S : Economics, History
M I N O R S : Business Administration,
International Studies
TRAVIS OLSON

I TOOK A SERVICE-LEARNING Service-Learning, Undergraduate


C L A S S my sophomore year. I worked with Taller Research, Learning Portfolio
de Jose in the Little Village neighborhood on a CLASS OF 2013

community-based research project. The Seminar M A J O R S : Sociology, Environmental Studies

in Community-based Research and Leadership


was very focused on not just doing community AS A SOCIOLOGY AND
service, but doing effective and positively E N V I R O N M E N TA L S T U D I E S M A J O R ,
impactful service. There was also an ePortfolio I spent a lot of time in the classroom learning
created for this class. The class taught me how to about social problems. Whether it was racism and
engage the world not through my lens, but the homophobia or the many complications with the
lens of the community. recycling stream, my coursework gave me a great
Chicago is a city with many different stories appreciation for how complex the world is and
and experiences. Experiential learning provided how difficult it is to maintain sustainable change.
me the opportunity to not only engage with the It was my work in experiential learning programs
city, but learn how to approach communities that helped me develop the skills, patience, and
that have vastly different experiences than my agency necessary to go beyond problems and to
own. Loyola’s emphasis on social justice and begin participating in solutions.
engagement is so ingrained into me that it is Participating in service-learning courses and
impossible to discuss my ambitions without the Provost Fellows research program taught

Learning acknowledging my drive to work in the service of


others. Experiential learning was at the heart of
me the practical skills that are necessary to be
successful in any career: how to research and

6,404 learning Portfolios that social justice and engagement; it gave us the
tools and challenged us to use them. I currently
support an idea, how to manage a team, and
how to communicate complex information
work in financial regulation, working to keep in accessible and engaging ways. Overall,
portfolios created A learning portfolio (ePortfolio) allows Loyola
markets fair and the public safe from fraud, and I experiential education taught me that it is not
by students through students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills,
enough to simply know content. There is a whole
find value in it all the same.
academic and co-curricular and values through a digital collection of their work
other realm of practical skills that can be difficult
courses/ programs to over time. Loyola students begin building a learning
to learn in a traditional classroom.
facilitate intentional portfolio in their first-year seminar course and
learning, reflection, continue documenting their learning and reflecting
Visit Travis’ Portfolio
on their Loyola experience. Loyola students build
assessment, and for his full reflections at:
learning portfolios in courses and reflect on their
professional development “Experiential learning was
travisolson.info
curricular and co-curricular experiences through the
Loyola Experience roadmap. at the heart of social justice
and engagement.”

20 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 21


ALUMNI
REFLECTIONS

SAMANTHA RIVERA

Academic Internship, Service-Learning,


JUSTIN HOCH Learning Portfolio
CLASS OF 2016

Academic Internship, Service-Learning, M A J O R : Advocacy and Social Change


Learning Portfolio M I N O R S : Education Policy Studies, Spanish
CLASS OF 2015
M A J O R : Theology THE EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
M I N O R S : Business Administration, C O U R S E S I took helped me go from simply
Catholic Studies, Pastoral Leadership informing myself about major social justice
issues or leadership development theories and
A S PA R T O F T H E S O C I A L J U S T I C E actually see them play out in the real world.
I N T E R N S H I P P R O G R A M , I interned with Some of the best advice I received while I was in
the Volunteer Relations department at Catholic college came from interviewing leaders at the
Charities. I helped to organize volunteers and organizations I worked with. One of the staff
serve clients at the Tuesday Night Supper, a members at Centro Romero told me that she
program that provides a hot meal to 130 men, approached teamwork in the same way as the
women, and children. famous “Stone Soup” tale: everyone contributes
As I engaged the Chicago community, I their best “ingredients” (talents, skills) to make
experienced firsthand social justice issues such as a delicious “soup” (community, service) that
homelessness and hunger; the encounters with everyone can enjoy. Listening to advice like this

Social Justice
clients challenged me to develop my ministry from one of Centro Romero’s longest serving
style in response to social injustice. Seeing the community leaders helped me take on the right

Internship
diversity and scope of the clients that Catholic attitude to be successful both during the service-
Charities serves forced me to think about my learning experience and in the future.
method of ministering and how I can be a My experiential learning classes went
presence or advocate for them. My experience beyond the classroom, and I could study the The Social Justice Internship Grant program
at Catholic Charities gave me background in world around me and reflect on the impact that provides academic grants for ten students to intern
nonprofit administration as well as a push to be my decisions have on the people around me. with either Misericordia or Catholic Charities for a
more civically engaged in combating the social Since I graduated, I channeled the mission-based full academic year. This experience—coupled with
injustices of society. work from my experiential learning classes into a a unique two-semester course offered through the
My experience with the Social Justice year of service as an English teaching fellow at a Center for Experiential Learning, gives the students
Internship was one reason I chose to do a year low-income public high school in Colombia. the opportunity to immediately apply their
of service. I spent a year serving at Cristo Rey learning while grappling with real-world issues of
Boston High School as a teacher’s assistant and service and social justice.
campus minister. I’m starting a graduate program
in Theology and Ministry at Boston College
beginning in the fall.
“As I engaged the Chicago
community, I experienced
firsthand social justice issues such
as homelessness and hunger.”
22 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017
Visit Katey’s Portfolio
for her full reflections at: kateylantto.info

“ . . . the Loyola experiential


learning curriculum truly engages
students in high-level thinking and
community participation . . . “

K A T E Y L A N T T O ’ S T I M E at Loyola featured a strong


involvement with some of society’s most vulnerable members. She
completed three different academic internship courses with refugee
service organizations, as well as a research course focused on
homelessness and access to resources. These courses offered Katey
an academic foundation for the experiences she was having out in
the community.
“The opportunities I have been provided through the Center
for Experiential Learning have allowed me to explore the issues,
become acquainted with populations and people, and spend time
in new work environments. I think the classroom component has
been crucial to how much meaning I have been able to derive
during my internships and research because critical reading,
thinking, and discussing leads to enhanced learning and greater
connections between academic theory, community impacts, and
personal reflection. In combination, these three features of the
Loyola experiential learning curriculum truly engage students
in high-level thinking and community participation that
classroom learning alone cannot provide.”
As Katey graduates and moves on from Loyola, she remains
drawn to service and the role it plays in making change. “This
coming year, I will be serving with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps in
“The opportunities I
New Orleans, Louisiana at a day center for people experiencing
have been provided
homelessness. My draw to JVC is of course very influenced by the
through the Center for
Ignatian values that permeate all aspects of the Loyola experience.
Experiential Learning
Direct service providers are in close proximity to the people they
have allowed me to
serve, meaning that relationships are at the center of service and
explore the issues,
that systemic work begins in the local community.”
become acquainted with
populations and people,
and spend time in new
work environments.”
Katey Academic Internship,
MINOR:

Lantto
Learning Portfolio, MAJOR:
International
Undergraduate Anthropology
Studies
Research
CLASS OF 2017

24 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 25


Launched EXPL 291 Seminar in
Community-based Research
Social Justice Internship
and Learning Portfolio Celebrating
10 years
Loyola named to the
programs launched
U.S. President’s Higher SPRING

2009
Education Community
Service Honor Roll
with Distinction
of the CEL FA L L

2017
FA L L

2011
LE ARNIN G TO G E THE R:
Loyola recognized as a A Decade of Connecting
Presidential Awardee of Learning, Teaching, and
the U.S. President’s Higher Research to Community
Education Community
Service Honor Roll

Center for
Experiential
Learning FA L L

FA L L
established
2010 Offered new LUROP

2007 fellowship – Social


Justice Research
Fellowship
Loyola again awarded the
SPRING Community Engagement

2014
Classification by the
Carnegie Foundation for
Facilitated inaugural the Advancement
Community Partner of Teaching
Gathering
FA L L
SUMMER 2014
SEPT
2009
Loyola awarded 2nd place

2008 for the Jimmy & Rosalynn


Carter Partnership Award
for exemplary campus
SPRING

2013 SPRING
community partnerships by
Illinois Campus Compact Center for Experiential
Learning received
2017
Good News Community Over 300 students
Kitchen (now A Just presented at the
Loyola awarded the Harvest) B’Yachad Award Undergraduate
DEC Community Engagement for Collaboration for Research and Funding from Loyola Plan 2020

2008 Classification by the


Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching
partnership Engagement
Symposium
strategic plan awarded to begin
place-based Communities in
Solidarity program

Worked with over 300 Over 1,600 students


organizations around Chicago participated in more
Center for Experiential Learning
than one Engaged
introduced two new courses: Supported the launch of the new
SPRING FA L L FA L L SPRING Learning experience

2008 2009 2016


Engaged Learning University

2012
Service-Learning course: EXPL 290 – Seminar in
Requirement Launched Community
Community-based Service and Leadership
Research Fellowship
Academic Internship course EXPL 390 – Seminar in Developed the Experiential and Interdisciplinary
Organizational Change and Community Leadership Learning Faculty Fellows Program Fellowship

26 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017


New Initiatives
I N C E L E B R AT I O N O F T H E G R O W T H A N D E V O LU T I O N
of Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Experiential Learning, we will
“I am so grateful for the
launch a number of new programs and activities for students, faculty and
tremendous support
community partners during the 2017–2018 academic year. Some of our
offered by the Center for featured programs to celebrate include:
Experiential Learning, The Communities in Solidarity program is funded through Plan
both to my students and 2020: Building a More Just, Humane, and Sustainable World, Loyola’s
to me as an instructor.” strategic plan for 2015-2020. This program consists of new initiatives
from the Center for Experiential Learning, focusing on immersing faculty
COLLEEN CONLEY, PHD,
and staff in Rogers Park and Edgewater more directly in order to deepen
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
OF PSYCHOLOGY Engaged Learning opportunities for Loyola students. This program
explicitly builds Loyola’s anchor institution identity into the curriculum
through the Engaged Learning University Requirement. This proposal
addresses many of Loyola’s anchor institution priorities, such as economic
development, health, and education, rooting our work in our surrounding
neighborhoods and communities through the variety of engaged learning
courses that exist at Loyola University Chicago. The program consists of
1) faculty immersion opportunities in the Rogers Park and Edgewater
communities, 2) funding for instructors of Engaged Learning courses
to support student immersion in the Rogers Park and Edgewater

Faculty communities, and 3) the launch of community courses co-facilitated


by community partners through the Center for Experiential Learning.

Development A new faculty development program will be launched for Loyola’s


faculty to build strategies for teaching experiential learning courses within
the Certificate in Experiential Learning. In collaboration
The Center for Experiential Learning provides faculty development
with Marquette University’s Center for Teaching and
programs to encourage teaching and learning strategies for high-
Learning, this educational development program
impact learning courses. In collaboration with the Faculty Center for
includes 10 workshops focused on integrated course
Ignatian Pedagogy, the CEL sponsors national speakers, facilitates
design, implementing experiential learning, and
lunch and learn workshops, and co-sponsors the bi-annual Focus on
facilitating critical reflection. Faculty will engage
Teaching and Learning faculty development programs.
in workshops, and, as a culminating project, share
During Fall 2016, the CEL hosted Dr. Laura Rendon, researcher,
a course syllabus that includes the elements of
educator, and author of Sentipensante (Sensing/Thinking) Pedagogy;
building an experiential learning course.
Educating for Wholeness, Social Justice, and Liberation. Her study of
sentipensante pedagogy emphasizes intellectual, social, emotional
and spiritual development of students designed to lead toward social
activism. She presented social justice approaches to teaching and
learning for Loyola faculty.

Facilitated 12 faculty development


programs focused on high-impact teaching and
learning strategies related to Loyola’s Ignatian
Pedagogy tradition

28 | IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 IMPACT REPORT 2016-2017 | 29


Center for Experiential Learning
1032 W. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60660
773.508.3366 | Experiential@LUC.edu
LUC.edu/experiential

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