Dear Loyola Faculty and Staff,
There’s a rumor (one that George Lucas refuses to deny) that the Jedi knights in Star Wars are based on the Jesuits. The years of careful training to learn how to trust “the Force.” The ability to outwit your opponent through intellect and lives of purpose. Courage. Discipline.
Much of the Jesuit “way of proceeding” was established by a single remarkable man. While it might seem rote to praise Loyola’s namesake, Ignatius really was stunning, in both his wisdom and his humanity. Centuries before the development of psychology or organizational strategy, Ignatius gave the most modern of guidance into how to live lives of purpose, how to make difficult decisions, and how to manage large organizations (specifically, universities).
Malcolm Gladwell has focused on some of these Ignatian insights in his popular podcast. While he normally mines ancient belief systems for mere kernels of modern relevance, Gladwell said that he found Jesuit discernment “breathtakingly relevant” to modern problems.
With that drumroll, I want to spend this Loyola Week talking about those insights in a way very particular to our work together. I want us to think about what Ignatius would have to say to us if he could jump in a time machine and visit. (If nothing else, we could at least impress him with our current level of technology). What would he teach us? With some help from colleagues, I want to explain some of the lessons I’ve found the most helpful – ways of thinking about the world far more profound and practical than any of the business literature I now study.
I’m also hoping you’ll join me to talk about it all on Friday at 12:30 p.m. for a brown bag lunch in the resurrected Faculty and Staff Lounge upstairs in the Danna Center (turn left up the back stairs near the St. Charles room).
Stay tuned…
Tania Tetlow
President
