A Grateful Tribute

During nearly 20 years of working for Loyola, Brian Oakes has had the opportunity to meet many alumni who have served their country. Those veterans have spoken proudly of their time at Loyola and how their military service shaped their life after Loyola. Their stories have had a profound impact on Oakes.

“Sometimes in our conversations, alumni would mention that they were surprised Loyola had never found a way to honor their service,” said Oakes, Loyola’s vice president for advancement and a 1999 graduate of Loyola who earned his MBA in 2010. “I had the sense that it wasn’t that they wanted to be honored themselves, but that they wanted to see their fellow veterans recognized.”

Then Oakes participated in the Ignatian Colleagues Program (ICP), an 18-month opportunity offered through the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. ICP invites participants—leaders from Jesuit institutions throughout the network—to reflect on Jesuit values and consider how to bring them to life on their campuses.

“A lot of what we learned reinforced the teachings about Jesuit values and challenged us to consider how that relates to being a leader on a Jesuit college campus,” Oakes said. “One thing I was really struck by was how we are called to make sure we are accompanying the members of our community and making sure people feel seen and valued. During my time at Loyola, I’ve seen tremendous growth in trying to ensure that all members of our community feel included. However, our veteran community came to mind for me, and I started asking colleagues what we might do to honor them in a special way.”

The office of alumni engagement launched an effort to gather the names of alumni who have served in the United States Armed Forces. The goal is to ensure that Loyola veterans are recognized and honored on a Veterans Honor Roll, which will be published and maintained on the alumni website. From there, the idea for a physical space gained traction within the University community, and colleagues partnered with a design firm to create a concept for a physical tribute that would be placed on the Academic Quadrangle.

The veterans plaza that has been designed for the Quad includes a pedestal to represent each of the Armed Forces—Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, and Space Force. Settled between two existing oak trees, the plaza will feature special lighting and a flagpole. It’s designed to invite members of the community to pause, reflect, and remember—and think of those who have given so selflessly over the years.

Fundraising efforts are underway now, with the goal of completing the installation of the veterans plaza by 2028.

“In the past, I think Loyola has done a great job thanking veterans for their service one on one,” Oakes said. “But we are hoping this physical space on campus will offer us a way to show our gratitude clearly and publicly.”

Do you know a veteran who graduated from Loyola? Let us know through the Veterans Recognition Project page.