Magis Moment: October 2022

A Message from the Vice President of University Advancement 

One of my predecessors in the job of vice president of advancement at Loyola University New Orleans is Charlie Young '64. Charlie is retired now after a distinguished career in philanthropy in New Orleans. He and his wife, Sandy '66, still come to a lot of events at Loyola New Orleans. I most recently saw them at the Mass of the Holy Spirit last month.

Years ago, Charlie told me something like this: “There is nothing more exciting than higher education and your work supporting it.” At the time, I wasn’t sure exactly what he meant, or even that he was right. Having worked for 18 years now at Loyola New Orleans, I’m now sure Charlie was right.

Is grinding out hours in the classroom, the lab, the studio, the court, or the library exciting? At the time, of course not. Our students juggle studying, writing papers, practicing, working a part-time or full-time job, doing community service, and caring for children or grandparents. That’s stressful.

The excitement at Loyola New Orleans highlighted by Charlie’s remark is in the amazing mix of people doing the work that our mission demands. We attract musicians from Latin America, scholar athletes from the West Coast, international experts from Europe and Asia, future physicians from Baton Rouge. They confront, research, and discuss critical and difficult issues—immigration law, climate change, cultural preservation, life-and-death ethical issues. All of their work (even the historians' work!) ultimately is focused on the future—on the true, the good, the beautiful.

How can we not share some excitement about all that? Thank you, Charlie, for giving me something to remember on the less exciting days on campus or in my own work!  

AMDG, 

Chris Wiseman '88