Loyola receives gift to honor memory of Angela Christman, Ph.D.

With a passion for early Christian writers and nature, Angela Russell Christman, Ph.D., a professor of theology, is remembered for her love for her students and those around her. To celebrate her life, colleagues and loved ones of Dr. Christman have raised more than $75,000 for the Angela Christman Memorial Endowment.

“Whether it be closely mentoring freshman in Loyola’s Honors Program or raising Monarch butterflies to bolster their declining population, Angela brought passion and energy to everything she did,” said Tom Christman, Angela’s husband, on behalf of his family. “She would be honored by the establishment of this endowment in her name and deeply touched by the continuation of her legacy at Loyola.”

During her tenure at Loyola, Dr. Christman served at various times as director of the Honors Program, director of the Catholic Studies Program, and chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. She began teaching at Loyola in 1994; she was tenured and promoted to associate professor in 2000 and then to professor in 2007. She was a strong voice and advocate for the central role of the humanities in education until her death in April 2020.

Funds from this endowment will be administered by the Catholic Studies program at Loyola and will support programs and initiatives that are reflective of Dr. Christman’s academic pursuits and interests. These programs will include a speaker series on topics related to the Catholic intellectual, literary, and artistic traditions and an environment-based initiative.

“Angela was deeply appreciative of the power of the liberal arts to transform one's experience of the world,” said Claire Matthew McGinnis, Ph.D., professor of theology and a close colleague and friend of Dr. Christman. “Angela passionately believed that the path to nurturing our humanity and our experience of the divine was found through a greater appreciation of the relatedness of different ways of knowing. The lectureship founded to honor her is intended to carry on her legacy at Loyola.”

Angela’s husband, two children, Sidney (Class of 2013) and Cecilia, sisters, and parents are deeply moved by the creation of this endowment and the preservation of Angela’s memory. Those close to her, especially her parents, have always been proud of her educational pursuits and her commitment to sharing the power of education with others.

“We are excited to see the initiatives that the endowment will sponsor and the way in which it will continue supporting Angela’s passion by contributing to the welfare of others and by supporting the next generation of thoughtful, engaged members of society,” said Tom Christman.

If you are interested in donating to this endowment, you can visit: Loyola.edu/give. In the designation line, please select other, and in the comments section you can note that your gift is for “Angela Christman Memorial Endowment.” If you have any questions, or would like any additional information, please feel free to contact Mary Mazzuca at 410-617-2797 or mlmazzuca@loyola.edu.