Adrian De La Cruz
Hometown: Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Major: Bachelor of Arts in Management
Expected date of graduation: 2020
Adrian has become a leader in the School of Continuing and Professional Studies community, inspiring his fellow students with his work ethic and serving as a student ambassador volunteering to help new students and support the school community and its events.
His leadership qualities are recognized by his instructors and reflected in his appointment as a student ambassador at SCPS. He demonstrates leadership in his professional life, as operations manager leading national and international teams for a digital displays and signage company, and in his personal life as a leader of a men’s Bible study group. His recent induction into Loyola’s Alpha Sigma Nu honors society is also a reflection of his outstanding scholarship, leadership, and service.
In addition to being selected as a President’s Medallion recipient, Adrian was also chosen by Dr. Jo Ann Rooney as Loyola’s student laureate for the Lincoln Academy of Illinois. This extremely prestigious honor recognizes “individuals whose contributions to the betterment of humanity have been accomplished in or on behalf of the State of Illinois, or whose achievements have brought honor to the State because of their identity with it.”
Here, Adrian talks about how St. Ignatius of Loyola has set an example for him at school and as he plans his future.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from your Jesuit education?
By far the greatest lesson is that God honors our efforts. I admire St. Ignatius of Loyola for the sheer amount of hard work he put into his faith and his education. It’s through his hard work that we all now benefit from our beloved LUC. I can’t help but be inspired by that to put in my best effort, not only to honor the blessing of being able to go to school but also to see in just what way God can use those efforts for His greater glory.
Have you received any scholarship support? If so, how has it impacted your experience at Loyola?
I’ve been a part of the SCPS Fellows program from the very start. Because it is merit-based, it required that I have a work sponsor nominate me for it. That, combined with the academic requirements, added a degree of accountability that helped me excel. And it has helped to keep my education costs low and graduate with no student loan debt at all.
What do you hope to achieve after college, and how has Loyola prepared you?
For certain, I’d love to return to volunteering more and use my education to expand the programs that help all those that are marginalized throughout Chicagoland. Professionally, I’m looking forward to what new doors my degree will unlock. CEO perhaps? It sounds rather lofty, but if I consider all that my Loyola education has instilled in me, it doesn’t seem out of reach. St. Ignatius of Loyola never could have imagined that what God taught him on his journey would gain him sainthood. Compared to that, being the head of a company seems very achievable now.
