James McBride

1. If you could give one piece of advice to a prospective student about the college application process what would it be?

Every person should visit the schools they are looking at before making a final choice. A university can give you a lot of statistics and facts about their colleges, send counselors and alumni to recruit you, and even show you pictures and videos of the campus; but, nothing compares to actually visiting the place and seeing it with your own eyes. Remember that you will be living there for the next four or five year of your life. The campus really does become your home. You wouldn’t buy a house with out inspecting it first. Think of universities in the same way. Look around. Talk to the people on campus.  Ask yourself if you feel comfortable and at home.  It is much easier to learn in an environment that you feel right in. 

2. What was your first visit to campus like?

My first visit to campus was when I was about thirteen. No, I was not a child prodigy and ready to begin my higher education when beginning puberty. My oldest sister was a junior in high school and my family was on a road trip looking at schools for both she and my other sister who was a year behind her. It turns out that all three of the kids in my family were sold on Loyola that day. Both of my sisters chose Loyola and, while they were attending, I stayed with them on campus at least once semester. In fact, the only semester I missed was due to Katrina. It was during those visits that I fell in love with the easy going and vivacious nature of the campus and by the time I started at Loyola I felt like I was moving onto familiar ground. Loyola has a habit of attracting siblings. Perhaps it is because the Loyola’s small campus community really does feel like a family.

3. What’s the best thing about Loyola University?  Why?

The best thing about Loyola University is its size. Because it is a smaller school, there is much less competition for attention from professors and administrators. My professors from my first semester of freshman year still remember my name and I am able to go to any of them from help and advice. The size of the school also allows for the school to change based on the interests and concerns of the students. This can be seen in the courses that are offered and the issues promoted on campus.

4. Where is your favorite place on campus or in New Orleans?  Why?

The streetcar is one of New Orleans’s most iconic symbols and happens to be my favorite place in the city. Weather you are looking to get around town or just wanting to pass a few hours, the streetcar is always available. There is no better way to observe New Orleans that out of a streetcar window. The smell of the wooden benches is particularly aromatic in the late summer heat. Locals and tourists alike use the streetcar as a mode of transportation, so you never know whom or what you will meet riding the St. Charles line. For just a Dollar and a Quarter, the streetcar is always cheap and easy fun and it stops right in front of campus.

5. What is your favorite Loyola or New Orleans event? Why? 

While many would say that Mardi Gras or Jazz Fest are their favorite New Orleans event, I would have to say my favorite event is White Linen Night. This occurs late in the summer, a few weeks before school begins, when the evenings are just as sweltering as the days and just the idea of wearing wool is enough to make anyone buckle from heat stroke. The city heads downtown to Julia Street wearing the most Southern of all textiles, the light and breathable—white linen. People walk from art gallery to art gallery and enjoy free music, food, drinks, and conversation.  This annual event is a celebration of New Orleans’s culture, people, and summers.

6. Tell us more about the organization(s) you participate in on campus? 

Greek Life at Loyola is quite different from most schools. To start, none of the Greek organizations have official Sorority or Fraternity houses with their letters on the front of the house. The effect of this is that members of Greek life remain active members of the Loyola Community. Sororities and Fraternities at Loyola are quite a bit smaller than the average school and many find that they are able to make close relationships with all the people in their organizations while still having friends outside of their organizations. I am very active in my Fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi, but I still have many good friends in other Greek organizations and those that are not involved in Greek life at all. Through affiliations with my Fraternity, I have had the opportunity to put into action many of the things I have learned in classes- including organizing large service events and concerts, assembling and analyzing a budget, putting together dynamic committees, testing out management styles, and traveling around the country and the world.

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