The Influence of Mentorship with Eilene Edejer

Meet Eilene Edejer, Clinical Assistant Professor and Institutional Senior Research Associate at the School of Education at Loyola University Chicago. Before joining the ranks of Loyola’s outstanding faculty, she was an #SOCRambler. Learn more about her journey from being an undergraduate in pursuit of her calling to a proud alumna changing the world through research. 

Recalling her days as a student at Loyola, Edejer shared, “I had wonderful mentors in the SOC. [I specifically remember how the late] Dr. Bren Murphy inspired me to really value the communication process.” The influence of the hands-on mentorship Edejer experienced at the School of Communication fostered a passion to continue her education at Loyola after earning her B.A. in Communication Studies in 1991. 

She went on to pursue a PhD in Research Methodology in the School of Education.  Edejer says, “Fast forward through a high school counseling position and a research leadership role with Chicago Public Schools’ (CPS) Office of Early Childhood [Education], I made my way back to Loyola University Chicago as an assistant professor and researcher with the School of Education (SOE) and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.”  

Reflecting on how Loyola University Chicago's School of Communication prepared her for her career, Edejer emphasized the role faculty guidance and mentorship played in nurturing her interest to become a world-changer and advocate for others. “[Faculty] took the time to guide my interests and show me the world of possibilities with my education. These [interests] allowed me to partner with the university and the community. The access to faculty and variability of the curriculum during the early years of my student career was eye-opening to me... I still recall the courses I took at the time.”