Loyola Institute for Ministry graduate Paula Atchley, M.R.E., is celebrating a major professional milestone as she steps into her new role as Executive Assistant to the President of Loyola University. Her journey to this achievement reflects not only personal perseverance but also the profound formation she experienced through the Master of Religious Education program at LIM.
Paula’s path to graduate study began with a spark of encouragement that she still remembers with gratitude. “When I began working at Loyola, I became aware of the LIM program and felt an immediate connection to its mission,” she shared. But it wasn’t until a colleague in Admissions, Tee Poplion, who sent an email introducing her to a LIM advisor, that she found the confidence to take the next step. His simple gesture made all the difference. “I will always be grateful to him for that gentle nudge.”
As a convert to Catholicism, Paula felt called to deepen her understanding of the faith that had changed her life. At the same time, she was accompanying individuals in her parish who were preparing to enter the Church. The LIM program offered the perfect fit: theological depth, spiritual formation, and real-world ministry application. She explained, “I realized how meaningful it would be to walk with them equipped with a stronger foundation of knowledge and spiritual insight.”
That foundation now underpins her service in the President’s Office. Paula describes her new role as a natural extension of what she learned through LIM. “The program helped me to view my work as a form of ministry, an opportunity to serve others with compassion and purpose,” she said. She credits LIM with helping her cultivate “discernment, active listening, and empathy”—skills central to the work of supporting leadership, building relationships, and fostering mission across the university. Just as importantly, she found that LIM’s emphasis on community resonates deeply with Loyola’s values. The experience, she noted, “taught me the importance of community and shared mission, which aligns beautifully with the values of Loyola.”
Her academic journey was not without difficulty. Paula completed her degree amid personal challenges and the global upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The world shut down during the time I was writing my thesis, which made it difficult to stay focused and connected,” she recalled. But the supportive environment of LIM helped her persevere. “My professors and classmates offered encouragement and understanding, reminding me that perseverance and faith would see me to the finish line.”
She also drew strength from the people closest to her. “I was blessed with incredible support from my adult children… Their belief in me gave me the strength and motivation to persevere,” she said. Paula remembers the LIM faculty with similar gratitude, describing them as “incredibly supportive, offering advice, understanding, and flexibility when life challenges arose.”
Now, as she embraces her new professional chapter, Paula celebrates with the same spirit of faith that sustained her throughout her studies. “The first thing I did was give thanks to God,” she shared. Surrounded by family and friends, she marked the moment with gratitude and prayer, acknowledging the loved ones—living and deceased—who continue to accompany her. For her, the experience was “a joyful reminder that when we trust in God’s timing, everything unfolds exactly as it should.”
To students considering the LIM program, Paula offers heartfelt advice grounded in her own transformation: “Trust the process and stay open to the ways God will work through your studies and your life during this program… You will come away stronger, wiser, and more grounded in your calling.”
Paula’s story is a testament to the power of spiritual formation, academic rigor, and a supportive community—hallmarks of the Loyola Institute for Ministry. Her success showcases the mission of LIM in action: preparing women and men not only to serve the Church and world, but to do so with wisdom, compassion, and deep faith.
As she begins her work in the President’s Office, Paula brings with her the very heart of the program that shaped her—a commitment to serve others with purpose, grounded in an education that integrates mind, heart, and spirit.