Dr. Hunter and first year student, Blake Erskin, participated in a panel discussion hosted by Loyola's Career Center on "Pathways to a Career in Counseling". Joining them was Morgan Faust, PLPC, a school counselor at Holy Name of Jesus School, and Rebekah Cianci, LPC, BCBA, the director of Crescent City Bloom Consulting. Thank you to Dr. Hunter and Blake for representing the Department of Counseling!
Faculty member, Dr. Sarah Stillwell, and third-year internship student, Sophia Bologna, traveled to Atlanta for the Chronic Illness Therapist Conference on March 6-7, 2026. They both presented, "A Clinician’s Guide to Getting Kinky with Chronic Conditions + Pain." This presentation explores the intersection of sexuality and chronic conditions. Congratulations to Dr. Stillwell and Sophia, we are proud of you!
Congratulations to second year counseling student Ellis Sather for authoring her article, "Persona-mediated dissociation: A new framework for understanding the work/self-split in sex workers", in Frontiers Public Health as a solo author. This theory paper explores the adaptive function of dissociation in sex workers. We are so proud of you, Ellis!
Congratulations to three second-year students, Ellis Sather, Logan Blouin, and Anna Bowlin, for publishing their research paper, “Risk and Resilience in the Red Lights: A Mini-Review on Sex Worker Lived Experiences and Mental Health Outcomes” in Frontiers Public Health. Their article was accepted after having only 20 days to prepare a manuscript for submission. Congratulations to these impressive students!
Dr. Francisco Castillo, professor of Pastoral Studies at the Loyola Institute for Ministry at Loyola University New Orleans, presented a workshop at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress in February 2026 titled "Más allá del RICA: La mistagogía como camino de esperanza y formación continua" ("Beyond RCIA: Mystagogy as a Path of Hope and Ongoing Formation").
We’re proud to celebrate Ansel Augustine, a Loyola alumnus whose recent article "On Mardi Gras, Catholics should celebrate the faith and resilience of the New Orleans Black Masking Indians" shines a powerful light on the living culture and faith of New Orleans.
At the annual conference of the Association of Graduate Programs in Ministry, held in Tucson in February 2026, Dr. Emily Jendzejec was named the recipient of the inaugural Pope Francis “Timbro Pastorale” Award for Best Ministry Publication. The newly established award recognizes exemplary scholarship that advances pastoral practice and theological reflection in service to the Church.
As Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the Lenten season, Tom Ryan is helping audiences reflect more deeply on the meaning behind the 40 days of repentance observed by many Christians.
Loyola Institute for Ministry Professor and University Chaplain Dr. Tom Ryan was featured on WWL-TV and WDSU-TV, offering insight on New Orleans’ new archbishop, James Checchio. He also appeared on the Newell Normand Show on WWL Radio to discuss an article he authored on Mardi Gras and spirituality.
Listen to Tom on the Newell Normand Show here.
LIM alumna Becky Eldredge, MPS, celebrated a major milestone in January 2026 with the release of her newest book, Encounter Grace (Loyola Press). In this heartfelt guide, Becky invites readers to discover God’s presence in the ordinary moments of daily life, offering reflections, prayer practices, and guidance rooted in Ignatian spirituality.