Congratulations, Class of 2023!

School of Law graduates get ready to set the world on fire

On Saturday, May 13, 2023, the School of Law celebrated its 2023 graduates during the commencement ceremony in Gentile Arena. Dean Michèle Alexandre greeted the audience members, and keynote speaker Vincent Rougeau, president of the College of the Holy Cross, received an honorary degree from the University. In addition to his other impressive credentials, Rougeau served on the faculty of the School of Law in the 1990s.

The student speaker was Suet Lee, president of Loyola’s Student Bar Association. “Let us go out into the world and embrace the possibilities that the future holds,” Lee said.  

There was a moment to recognize Aréanah Preston, who was scheduled to graduate with a Master of Jurisprudence in Children’s Law and Policy. Preston, a Chicago police officer, was killed during a robbery on May 6. The School of Law and the University were honored to welcome Preston’s family, who walked across the stage to receive Preston’s degree. 

“We pray for Aréanah, her family, and will continue to honor and remember her in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead,” said Loyola University Chicago President Mark C. Reed.

“The pursuit of justice requires commitment, labor, and perseverance in the face of opposition,” Dean Michèle Alexandre said in her remarks. “It is a practice of perseverance that you have honed so well. Your Loyola degree has prepared you to give voice to the voiceless and those weary from the entrenchment of systemic injustice.”

Congratulations, Class of 2023! Learn more about three of our amazing 2023 grads.