Alumni Spotlight: Diane Ativie
Alumni Spotlight: Diane Ativie
When Diane (Smith) Ativie transferred to Loyola University Chicago in 1978, she was seeking a fresh start in college after spending her first two years at Illinois State University.
The 21-year-old Bronzeville native made the decision to leave Normal, IL after experiencing racist treatment from students on campus. Ativie went on to major in both social work and secondary education during her time as a Rambler; she even made an incredible and tedious one-hour commute to her classes at the Roger’s Park campus from home by taking the red line L train. This daily routine exhibited her strong dedication and commitment to excellence.
Ativie was born and raised in the formerly Ida B. Wells Housing Projects with five siblings and two parents. Ativie's father worked for the United Postal Service and the Chicago Housing Authority; her mother was an audio-visual technician for the Illinois Bell Telephone Company as well as Ameritech. By the time she arrived at Loyola, she was already the second sibling in her family to attend college. Her tremendous passion for helping those who were underserved, underprivileged, and underappreciated led her to social work.
Ativie found the opportunity to unwind and socialize with her peers in fun activities when she took breaks from studying; she was a member of the school’s bowling club. This was also a period when she was baptized as a Presbyterian and later became a parishioner at Edgewater Presbyterian Church.
Ativie became the first member of her family to graduate from college on May 28, 1983, and received two bachelor's degrees of science in social work and secondary education from Loyola. She eventually moved to Edgewater and commenced her career as an assistant for Children’s Home & Aid until 1987, and later a mental health counselor with Thresholds for almost four years. After two years, she was able to use her social work degree and skills when Children’s Home & Aid promoted her to take on foster care and adoption cases. Four years later, Lincoln West Hospital (now Kindred Healthcare) hired Ativie to fulfill an inpatient psychiatry and medical social worker role. North Shore Evanston Hospital (now Endeavor Evanston Hospital) subsequently welcomed Diane as their new coordinator of protective services and outpatient case manager. It was a significant role she held for 25 years until 2021.
Her last job was a case managing role for Centene Corporation from 2021 until Spring of 2024. During this time, she fought through a horrific battle of ovarian cancer which she was first diagnosed with in March of 2020. Unfortunately, after a four-and-a-half-year battle, Diane Ativie died on January 4th, 2025 at the age of 66. However, her legacy and beautiful soul and spirit will never die.
Loyola shaped her to be the successful social worker she eventually became, including being a prominent role model and public figure in Black communities in Chicago and greater areas. Many of her colleagues and co-workers were geninuely grateful to work with Ativie as she unequivocally touched their hearts with her sweet and hard-working spirit. Prior to her death, she took a lot of pride and joy in being a Loyola University graduate. Her story will inspire many students who are interested in devoting all of their energies to the social work field and work incredibly hard because anything is possible.
By Isi Frank Ativie
