The Welcome Pack: Diversity and Social Justice (Spring 2025)
Subject line: Embrace. Advocate. Be Yourself.
Send date: November 27, 2024
At Loyola, we pride ourselves on our commitment to intelligence, character, and inclusion. We don’t just talk about it—we live it. Every day. In fulfillment of our mission as a Jesuit institution, we welcome students of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. By incorporating our values into all that we do, we help prepare our students to be people for and with others.
Our rankings and stats reflect this:
- The Princeton Review ranks us #2 in the nation for the inclusivity of our campus environment and how well students from different backgrounds interact with each other.
- 49% of Loyola undergraduates identify as members of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
- 31% of all undergraduates are the first generation in their family to attend college.
- Our students represent 13+ different religious identities and come from 47 different countries.
But at Loyola, diversity is about more than our statistics alone. We strive to give every student the tools and resources to thrive, feel respected, and empower others.
Diversity in Action
Some of our student organizations to get involved and form connections, and be in community include:
- Black Student Union (BSU): Join one of the largest organizations on campus, dedicated to fostering inclusion through events, activities, and service to the community.
- Hispanic Alliance: An inclusive community where individuals of Hispanic descent, as well as those interested in the culture, can connect and share experiences.
- Ignatian Life Communities (ILCs): Meet weekly in small groups to reflect on your faith in all facets of your life, including groups for LGBTQ+ and Latinx students.
- International Student Association (ISA): Promote international cultures across campus and engage with students from around the world.
- Loyola Asian Student Association (LASO): Advocate for Asian cultures and cultivate unification of people of all backgrounds and ethnicities.
- Muslim Student Association (MSA): Foster interfaith and cultural understanding and create a safe place for dialogue that is open to Muslim and non-Muslim students.
- Plus+: Advance inclusivity at Loyola and advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.
For more ways to get involved, browse our student engagement platform HowlConnnect!
LOYNO Unidos
The Loyno Unidos: Celebrando Voces Latinas campaign celebrates the vibrant Hispanic community at Loyola. In the video below, eight Hispanic students, alumni, and staff members share why they chose to attend, teach, or work at Loyola. Check out our playlist to watch all of the videos in our Loyno Unidos campaign!
Connect to Your Faith Community
At Loyola, we welcome students from all faith backgrounds! If you would like to connect with a community of students who share your faith, please fill out this form. You will be contacted by the leader of the faith community of your choosing (choose however many communities you want). Thank you for offering the gift of your religious affiliation to the Loyola community! Please reach out to Associate Director of Ministry Ken Weber at kweber@jiejuzhongxin.com with any questions about getting connected spiritually.
You Belong Here
While we are proud of the steps our students, faculty, and staff have taken to help build an inclusive and informed campus, we also know the work is not done. Here are some of the offices and institutions on campus dedicated to helping us make meaningful change within our community.
- Loyola’s Multicultural Student Affairs leads university-wide efforts to promote understanding of and appreciation for diversity, equity, and inclusion. Special events, trainings, other educational programs, and advocacy resources foster a spirit of mutual recognition and support— a community where we all can thrive.
- The One Loyola Multicultural Resource Center provides a welcoming space for students to be their full authentic selves. The center is located in room 132 of the Danna Student Center and is a central hub of activity. Students can stop by for a study break or reserve the space for student-led meetings and events.
- The Loyola Women’s Resource Center (WRC) was founded in 1975 and was the first university women's center established in Louisiana. Today, the WRC advances intersectional feminism through programming, activism, and advocacy. It is open to all members of the Wolf Pack—because feminism is for everyone. Follow WRC on Instagram @wrcloyola to learn more!
- The Office for Accessible Education (OAE) works to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to education and campus life at Loyola. Through collaboration with the institution’s diverse community, OAE facilitates accommodations, discourse, and engagement to promote a universally accessible learning environment for all. If you had accommodations with an IEP or 504 plan in high school, or if you did not but may need accommodations at Loyola, please learn more about how to Register with Accessible Education or contact us at oae@jiejuzhongxin.com to request more information or an appointment.