Alumni & Donor Profiles

Alumni Profiles

Keeping Track of the Pack →

Robin Pittman '91, J.D. '96

College of Law

2020 Adjutor Hominum

Award Recipient

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Dominic Massa ’98

College of Music and Media

Shalanda Young '99

College of Arts & Sciences

Ylan Mui McClintock '02

School of Communication and Design

Victor Jones, JD '12

College of Law

2022 Adjutor Hominum

Award Recipient

Rana Thabata '20

College of Arts and Sciences

Amy Cyrex Sins '98

2023 Integritas Vitae Award Recipient

Alumni Profiles Continued

Keeping Track of the Pack →

Allison Plaisance '00

College of Business

Ty Lawson '00

College of Music and Media

Ashley Shabankareh '10, M.M. '12

College of Music and Media

Rosie Seidler '16

College of Arts and Sciences

Joe Picone '14, M.C.J. '17

Adjunct Faculty, Criminology and Justice

Donor Spotlight

Committed to the Mission →

The Connie and Elaine Jones Band Hall

Connie Jones H’12 said, “There are two types of music: good music and good music played badly.” In November 2022, Loyola’s College of Music and Media celebrated the blessing and official naming of the newly renovated Connie and Elaine Jones Band Hall. This space fosters love and appreciation for music in ways that benefit the Loyola community and beyond – not only current students, faculty, and staff but middle and high school students from around the country who travel to attend the university’s musical programs and campus in one of the greatest music cities in the world. Because of the generosity of Phyllis Jones Conces and the Jones family, individuals will continue to grow their musical talents and pursue their passions in a conducive and inspiring environment on Loyola’s campus.

The Jerome "Jerry" Friedrichs Hoskins Study Room

Jerome “Jerry” Friedrichs Hoskins '59, a dedicated engineer and physicist who embraced the wonders of the universe, generously named Loyola University New Orleans as a beneficiary in his estate. In his honor, Loyola’s College of Arts and Sciences dedicated the Physics Study Room in his loving memory in August 2023. A long-time resident of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Jerry often visited family and friends in his native New Orleans and remained closely connected to Loyola until his passing in April 2023. It is his family’s wish that his profound love for physics and aerospace continue to inspire the students, faculty, and staff who enter the study room, and his legacy illuminates the path of future generations in the pursuit of knowledge.

Dr. Bobby Savoie, M.B.A. '81, and Lori Kent Savoie and the Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development

The Center for Entrepreneurship and Community Development is a place where anyone in the Loyola community can come together to innovate and launch a better world. The Center and its programs are generously supported by Dr. Bobby Savoie, M.B.A. '81, and Lori Kent Savoie. The Savoies present both Wolf Pack LaunchU and the IDEAcorps M.B.A. Consulting Challenge. Through the Center and these programs, individuals can develop their skills and turn their ideas into profitable ventures, network with the next great startup founders, and experience why New Orleans is ranked one of the best cities in the country for young entrepreneurs.

Wayne Amedee and the Cornet Collection

A celebrated artist based in New Orleans with a career spanning over 40 years, Wayne Amedee is passionate about the Joseph-Aurélien Cornet, F.S.C., Collection gifted to Loyola by Frère Cornet, a Belgian Christian Brother who did extensive work in documenting Congolese art and culture while working for decades in Africa. While making his estate plans, Amedee designated Loyola as one of the beneficiaries of his donor-advised fund, which will ultimately support the Cornet Collection and create the Fr. Cornet Chair in African Art. Amedee was also a leader in the establishment of the Françoise Billion Richardson Professorship, which has provided resources for the digitization of the collection. His passion for art, creativity, love for Loyola, and Ignatian values have gone a long way in making the Cornet Collection a working part of what Loyola offers the world.

Dr. Vernon J. Gregson, J.D. '93

The late Dr. Vernon J. Gregson, J.D. ‘93 was a longtime member of the Loyola Religious Studies faculty. During the 2022-23 academic year, Dr. Gregson and Drs. Rachel and Stephen Kent established six new endowed professorships in the College of Arts and Sciences, allowing the university to recruit and retain exceptional faculty. Thanks to the support of Dr. Gregson, current and future faculty members will be able to advance their instructional programs, develop new research ideas, fund students’ work, and make innovative advances in their own portfolios of scholarly work.

Dipti Ravichandran '03

After moving from India with her family at 18 years old, Dipti Ravichandran ‘03 graduated from Loyola’s College of Business with a concentration in Finance. An active member of the Business Visiting Committee since 2020, she and her sister Anisha are generously funding the Sarojanam Naidu Scholarship for Entrepreneurs to encourage the practical use of their College of Business education to generate economic growth and development through entrepreneurship. In addition, Dipti founded the Gladys Mathias Scholarship for Science, named after her grandmother Gladys Mathias who wanted to study medicine but didn’t get the chance to follow her dream. The purpose of the scholarship is to promote excellence in the study of science and the pursuit of excellence in human and health services.

Rachel '74 and Stephen '73 Kent

In June 2024, Rachel '74 and Stephen '73 Kent celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by visiting Loyola’s campus, where they first met and married in the chapel in Thomas Hall. The Kents have also celebrated their union and Loyola connection over the years as donors and volunteers on behalf of the university. A Kent has served on Loyola’s Board of Trustees for the past 12 years – Stephen is a current member of Loyola’s Board since 2018, following Rachel, who served on the Board from 2012 to 2018. Eager to help kick off Loyola’s "Rise Together" capital campaign, the Kents recently committed to a lead, multi-year transformational campaign gift to Loyola’s College of Arts & Sciences. The generous gift includes an impactful current-use donation and an estate gift that will ensure that the Kents’ legacy will live on for the benefit of future generations of Loyola students.

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