Dear Loyola community,
Schools are fundamentally institutions of hope—but not necessarily perennial optimism. At Loyola, it seems to me that our hope comes not only from a grounding in a Catholic worldview, but also from the following:
- the belief and lived practice that truth is discoverable and knowable;
- that though there are many right solutions to problems, there are also even more numerous wrong solutions to problems—and that as people we can sort out better solutions from worse ones;
- that solidarity is better than the self-centered pursuit of pleasure;
- that forgiveness and reconciliation are better than alienation.
Hope does not demand that we look away from problems, suffering, and even evil. In our home city of New Orleans, Loyola students and faculty live with streets that don’t always treat our cars and bikes well, violent crime, a justice system that doesn’t always serve us well, and concerns that global warming may make living in south Louisiana a serious challenge in the coming decades.
A reactive optimist might just assume that things will get better. A Loyola campus rooted in hope has clear-eyed realists working on each of the challenges I’ve listed above—political science and sociology faculty and students working on solutions to city issues, law school faculty and staff working to graduate judges and other professionals who will make our justice system better, an environment program that trains students in a broad array of skills from basic science to environmental communication. I’ve only named a few problems and a few groups of people working on them. Other Loyola people offer so much more!
I get occasional questions about “young people today” from alumni and donors I meet. Loyola students truly do give me hope. They see the problems around us, and they show up on campus ready to tackle their studies and make each other (and us old guys on the faculty and staff) better and readier to make our city and world a better place.
In weak moments I’m worried about the future, and some of the “solutions” out there (and the tone of voice those proposing them) worry me even more. I take real strength, however, from working at a place that proceeds from hope (not always optimism). Loyola’s people and the work we do are very real ways forward for the world, solutions to the worst things that the world throws at us. Our campus is a true laboratory for discovery, a studio for practice. We work to build a small version of the world we seek to live in. I’m grateful to be here with you.
Christopher Wiseman
Vice President of University Advancement
