Reimagining what's possible

As I complete my first full year as dean of the School of Communication, I find myself reflecting on a period of remarkable transformation and growth. This impact report captures not just what we've accomplished, but how we've evolved as a community—and the exciting directions we're heading.

This has been a year of reimagining what's possible. Communication is about creating connections, and we've literally built new spaces that embody this principle. Where my office once was, there is now a studio space. The entire dean's suite has been transformed into "The Experience Center"—a hub that includes a green room, writer's room, and prop closet. These aren't just rooms; they're spaces for creativity and collaboration. Soon, we'll add a screening room and our groundbreaking Cognition and User Engagement Lab (CUE Lab), where students and faculty will use iMotions equipment for eye gaze tracking, facial coding, and other biometric measures. These spaces represent our commitment to hands-on learning and cutting-edge research.

But transformation isn't just about physical spaces—it's about people and programs. We've restructured to better serve our mission, adding a dedicated media producer, a director of media technology, and an assistant dean. These roles reflect our investment in the infrastructure that supports excellence. We've also reimagined our curriculum. Our Digital Media and Storytelling program is now a dynamic one-year program with a summer start, designed to meet the needs of today's students and employers. Communication Studies has expanded to include three focus areas—organizational communication, media and technology, and social media—giving students more pathways to pursue their passions. And our Advocacy program has been refined to prepare students for impactful careers in law and policy.

We're also reaching new audiences in exciting ways. This year, we launched our Media Fellows program and welcomed 27 students in our inaugural class. These fellows represent diverse backgrounds and perspectives, and they're already making their mark. I can't wait for you to learn more about them in the months ahead (and pages in the report).

Yet even as we celebrate growth and innovation, we pause to honor those we've lost. The passing of a faculty member and a student this year has left an ache in our community that we continue to carry. They reminded us that behind every achievement, every program, every transformed space, there are people—individuals whose presence enriches us and whose absence is deeply felt. We remember them not just with sadness but with gratitude for the time we shared and the legacy they leave behind.

As I look around our school today, I see a community that has embraced change while staying true to our core values. Our alumni continue to lead with integrity across industries. Our students challenge us daily with their creativity and conviction. Our faculty and staff invest their expertise and care into every interaction, every class, every mentoring conversation.

Last year, I invited us all to look up and look around. This year, I invite us to look forward—not away from our foundation but building upon it. The spaces we've created, the programs we've launched, the people we've welcomed—these are investments in a future where communication serves as a force for understanding, innovation, and positive change.

Thank you for your partnership in this transformative year. Together, we're not just adapting to change; we're actively shaping it. And I couldn't be more excited about what we'll create together in the year ahead.

With gratitude and optimism for what we will achieve together,

Virginia McDermott, PhD
Dean
School of Communication

Adaptable by Nature, Anchored in Industry

Evolving World, Unbreakable Core

At Loyola’s School of Communication (SOC), change isn’t a disruption—it’s the environment we’re built to thrive in. As the world evolves at every turn—from technology and media to culture and society—our students meet the moment with confidence, creativity, and conviction.

Rooted in Jesuit values and guided by faculty mentors, SOC students embrace transformation through experiential learning that’s deeply connected to Chicago’s leading industries. Whether crafting campaigns, producing films, reporting stories, or shaping public narratives, they’re doing the work—right now, in real time.

Like the Chicago River cutting through the city’s dynamic architecture, our community flows with intention; flexible, forward-moving, and fully engaged with the world around us. Our students don’t just study communication; they live it. Side by side with alumni, experienced faculty, industry professionals, and peers, they gain the insight and agility to adapt enriched with the experience and networks to lead.

Because at SOC, adaptability isn’t just a response. It’s a mindset. And it’s how we stay not only relevant, but unstoppable.

Programs & Portfolios

At Loyola’s School of Communication, undergraduates are immersed in a world where ideas take shape fast and every class moves with purpose. This is a place where students don’t wait to get started. They pitch, produce, design, and report in real time, building a portfolio that reflects today’s talent for tomorrow’s world.

Classrooms double as studios. Labs feel like newsrooms and production houses. Every space is built to connect students with the tools and challenges of the industry. Faculty bring decades of field experience, pushing students to think sharp, move ethically, and work smart. The OWL Lab, powered by our partnership with Canon, puts high-end gear in students’ hands from day one.

Internships are required in every program and tailored to each student’s path. Agencies, networks, creative firms, nonprofits, startups—Chicago becomes part of the curriculum. And when students take their work global through one of six SoC-led study abroad programs, they carry that same momentum into new markets, cultures, and industries.

This is more than preparation. It’s motion. It’s learning shaped by doing, supported by experience, and grounded in Jesuit values that keep students clear-headed as they step into a world that never stops moving.

Student-powered. City-connected.

Advertising at Loyola’s School of Communication

At Loyola, advertising is more than a major—it’s a launchpad. From the first brainstorm to the final pitch, students learn to think critically, create boldly, and collaborate like professionals. Industry-experienced faculty guide every step, helping students turn ideas into campaigns and campaigns into careers.

At the heart of it all is Inigo Communications, the first student-run agency of its kind in the City of Chicago. Inigo gives students direct experience working with real clients on branding, advertising, and integrated communication projects that make an impact.

Student Work That Hits Different

From concept to execution, our students know how to bring bold campaigns to life. Whether it’s a full rebrand, a social campaign, or a creative pitch that wins real-world recognition, the work speaks for itself.

These projects come straight from our classrooms, studios, and student agency. They're smart, strategic, and built with intention. Each one reflects a student's voice, vision, and ability to adapt to a fast-moving industry.

Here are a few of our favorite things...

View more from our student-run communications agency, Inigo Communications

Lights. Camera. Story.

In every corner of the city, our students are documenting life as it unfolds. They film. They report. They edit. They shape stories that reflect the world around us.

From independent films to breaking news and live sports coverage, each project captures what it means to be both a creator and a communicator in motion.

Experience their work here:

• Rambler Report
• Rambler Sports Locker
• Rambler RoundUp Chicago
• WLUW 88.7 FM

Introducing the SOC Media Fellows

Where Vision Meets Experience

This fall, Loyola’s School of Communication launched the Media Fellows Program, a new academic experience designed to put students at the center of media innovation from day one.

The program reimagines what hands-on learning can be—immersive, personal, and deeply connected to Chicago’s media industry. Fellows collaborate with professionals, create content that makes an impact, and explore how storytelling, technology, and social responsibility intersect in real time.

From producing campaigns for local organizations to studying media production abroad in Rome, Fellows gain global perspective and professional depth that prepare them to lead wherever the industry evolves next.

It’s learning that moves, connects, and transforms.

Follow the Fellows’ journey on Instagram.

Evolving with Purpose. Leading with Voice.

The future is always in motion — so are our alumni.

In a world defined by change, Loyola School of Communication alumni stand out for their ability to adapt, innovate, and lead with purpose. They’re journalists uncovering new truths, filmmakers reframing perspectives, strategists redefining how brands connect, and advocates giving voice to those who need to be heard.

Their work spans industries and continents, but their impact is united by one constant: a commitment to communication that creates understanding and moves people to action.

Rooted in Jesuit values and strengthened by real-world experience, our alumni turn change into opportunity. They embody the resilience, creativity, and conviction that keep Loyola’s mission alive in every story they tell and every industry they touch.

These are the communicators shaping what comes next.

Communication in Action. Connection in Motion.

Empowering storytellers to serve, connect, and create change where it matters most.

At Loyola’s School of Communication, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. It extends into the heart of Chicago, where students and faculty use their skills to serve, engage, and connect. Guided by Jesuit values, SoC continues to foster the next generation of communicators who see storytelling as both a craft and a calling.

Through hands-on experiences across the city, students build relationships that strengthen communities and spark change. Whether they’re mentoring high school students, collaborating with local organizations, or exploring Chicago’s cultural landmarks, every encounter deepens their understanding of communication as a force for good.

CENTER FOR DIGITAL ETHICS AND POLICY

Fostering dialogue. Advancing research. Informing practice.

At the intersection of technology and the human experience.

In an era defined by rapid technological change, Loyola’s Center for Digital Ethics and Policy (CDEP) helps shape how we think, act, and relate to the evolving world of AI and technology. Founded through the School of Communication, the Center fosters interdisciplinary collaboration on the ethical, social, and policy questions that emerge in our increasingly digital lives.

Led by Dr. Florence Chee, a newly named Fulbright Specialist and internationally recognized scholar in gaming and digital culture, the Center brings together researchers, practitioners, and students to explore the relationship between people and technology—and how that relationship is reshaping communities, industries, and communication itself.

Guided by Jesuit discernment, CDEP bridges theory and practice, translating research into insight that informs real-world decision-making. Through its annual symposia, collaborative projects, and community partnerships, the Center continues to advance critical conversations that matter at the intersection of ethics, technology, and society.

Explore key works, research, and symposium highlights from the Center and beyond.

Adapting. Advancing. Leading into the Future.

At Loyola’s School of Communication, our graduate programs prepare professionals and scholars to lead in a world that never stops evolving. Grounded in Jesuit values and powered by real-world experience, our programs combine advanced learning with hands-on application, helping students translate knowledge into impact across industries.

Here, learning is immersive and innovation is constant. Students engage with top faculty mentors and industry partners, building the skills, portfolios, and networks to thrive in an era defined by technology, transformation, and global connection.

Whether mastering the tools of digital advertising, shaping stories that move audiences, or leading communication strategy across borders, our graduate students don’t just keep up with change—they lead it.

Fast-Tracked. Future-Focused.

Loyola’s Accelerated Bachelor’s/Master’s programs allow full-time students to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in just five years. Designed for motivated communicators who want to advance quickly and strategically, these programs blend academic rigor with real-world experience to prepare students for leadership in dynamic, evolving industries.

Our accelerated pathways build on Loyola’s tradition of adaptability and innovation—helping students deepen expertise, expand professional networks, and graduate ready to lead change on both local and global stages.

Where Creativity Meets Capability

Loyola’s graduate students don’t just study communication—they create it. From high-impact campaigns to award-winning storytelling, their work reflects the blend of creativity, strategy, and technical mastery that defines the School of Communication experience.

Each project tells a story of innovation in motion—crafted through collaboration, guided by expert mentorship, and powered by industry partnerships that keep our students ahead of the curve.

Through Loyola’s partnership with Canon USA, students gain hands-on experience with professional-grade 4K equipment, learning to produce content that meets the highest standards of today’s media landscape.

See their work come to life.

• Student Work YouTube Channel
• Canon USA Testimonial Video

INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS

Rooted in Chicago. Ready for the World.

Where education meets industry — and ambition meets opportunity.

At Loyola’s School of Communication, Chicago isn’t just our backdrop — it’s our classroom, our network, and our launchpad. Surrounded by some of the most influential media agencies, global brands, and creative firms in the country, our students learn from industry leaders who shape how the world communicates.

For more than a decade, SoC faculty have built and nurtured these partnerships — bringing professionals into our classrooms, securing internships that turn into careers, and creating experiences that prepare students to lead with confidence. These connections make the difference between learning about the industry and living it.

From agency boardrooms to broadcast studios, our students collaborate, innovate, and grow alongside professionals who are defining the future of media. The city challenges them to think faster, create smarter, and adapt with purpose — and they rise to meet it every day.

This is what it means to be Chicago-made and world-ready.