I thought you might enjoying hearing from Dario Martinez, who is a Loyola graduate and a member of our admissions team.
Dario is a native of Honduras and he brings the experience of having been an international student to his work. So, he provides some great knowledge to all students. Here is our Q and A session:
Today we are having our first of three auditions for admission into our College of Music and Fine Arts. It’s not a bad way to spend a Saturday, welcoming families from all over the country to audition for spots in dynamic, engaging, and nationally celebrated programs.
New Orleans rarely sees snow–once every 15 or 20 years. Maybe.
For many parents, college is the first time that their children will be living away from home. We know that you want to be sure that the college selected is a safe environment with the best campus protection available. Our Department of Public Safety/University Police is committed to keeping the Loyola community safe through the implementation of educational programs and security services. In fact, their hard work and effort was recently recognized with an A grade and a ranking of #37 in the nation in Reader’s Digest College Safety Survey.
Happy Thanksgiving, one and all!
My mother and father tried every year to coax out of each of us what we were thankful for, as we all salivated around the table on the precipice of consuming the best meal of the year. By “us,” I mean grandparents to toddlers. And, we would normally go from oldest to youngest (well, at least that is what my memory is telling me; maybe that’s just how we were seated). So, first the octogenarians would opine about what family means to them and, eventually, my brother and I would be on the hot seat. Young kids love to sabotage these kinds of things, despite the heartfelt intentions of their parents, and there I’d be shouting out something like, “Football in the fall…..and food!”
One cannot avoid the daily headlines of bailouts and washouts, of economic strain and pain. As the person who oversees our admissions and financial aid offices, I pay a great deal of attention to what’s “out there” in terms of both fact and perception. No one would argue that these are easy economic times, and students are doing their research and thinking about where to pursue higher education in the context of some unique conditions, both personal and national.
I maintain several pieces of advise.
We hosted a very nice Jazz Brunch this past Saturday for prospective students and families. If you missed it, don’t worry. You still have many chances to visit, including our annual President’s Open House for accepted students on March 28. In fact, if you’ve already been accepted, please save the date now!
At our brunch, one of our great students, Patrick Tennant, delivered a truly masterful speech. I have included some excerpts from it here for your information. Enjoy:
Lilly at Loyola
New Orleans is where I grew up, and it is wonderful to be living here again. My wife Amy and daughter Lilly are enjoying the great mid-November weather (it’s 74 degrees right now), we still love our Saints despite their 4-5 start, and I am trying very hard not to gain any (more) weight from the amazing food here (it’s hard for me not to blog about food every day). The undercurrent of New Orleans’ brand of music is simultaneously familiar and seductive, and there is an energy and a passion for civic engagement here that rivals that of any city in the United States.
I really enjoyed the Loyola-Tulane men’s basketball game last night. The Wolfpack played with tremendous tenacity. They built an impressive 12 point first half lead, but were not able to stave off the Green Wave down the stretch. Final score: 74-61.
In New Orleans, we are fortunate to have not one but two outstanding public parks. Both of them are vital to the cultural and social life of the city. And both are thriving these days.
