Excellence Awards

The 2015 Award is named for the year of the founding of Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago. The 2015 Award is presented to a student who embodies the spirit of transformative education, who has used their gifts and talents to persist through adversity, and who has contributed significantly to building and advancing the Arrupe mission.

Loyola University Chicago's Athletics department presents awards to outstanding student athletes each year. Awards include the PNC Student Achiever Award, which is presented to a female student athlete, and a male student athlete.

The Damen Award is named for Loyola University Chicago's founder, Arnold Damen, S.J. It seeks to honor undergraduate students who have committed themselves to Jesuit ideals by being a true source of inspiration and leadership to the Loyola community throughout the year. These students are people who have led other students in spirit, motivation, and purpose. 

The Center for Diversity & Inclusion is honored and excited to organize the Diversity Awards to showcase key students, alumni, faculty, and staff members who have contributed to the success of our diverse student population academically, spiritually, culturally and professionally. Awards also highlight outstanding individuals who have committed themselves to embracing diversity and social justice at Loyola. Award criteria can be found here. 

Outstanding GPA Student Leader Award  

This Award recognizes a Graduate, Professional or Adult (SCPS) [GPA] student that has demonstrated outstanding leadership in a student organization. They have transcended the duties of their role and embodied the principals of Magis.

Outstanding GPA Student Organization Award  

This award recognizes a student organization that is either a graduate student organization or a student organization with majority Graduate, Professional, & Adult students that promotes and embodies the organization’s mission and has shown a commitment to the university’s mission. 

Outstanding GPA Program of the Year

This award recognizes and group or student organization that has produced an outstanding program/event/lecture that made a significant contribution to the Loyola University Chicago community.

Loyola University Chicago established the Maroon & Gold Society during the 2011-2012 academic year to recognize 25 rising seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to leadership, academic excellence, and service to others. Members represent a cross-section of undergraduate communities and leadership paths at the university. 

The Maroon & Gold Society intends to honor students who personify the promise of Loyola University Chicago: Preparing People to Lead Extraordinary Lives. In doing so, Society members embrace the Jesuit ideal of Magis (the pursuit of excellence).

Members of this group are invited to participate in various activities, committees, and discussions. This also includes participating in university functions that enhance school spirit and campus pride. More information can be found here. 

The Sorority & Fraternity Life Awards recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our organizations within and outside of Loyola University Chicago throughout the past year. There are two categories of nominations which are Individual Member awards and Organizational Council/Chapter award. An individual member or council/chapter can be nominated multiple times, but it will be reviewed as one submission for the one member or council/chapter. Please contact the Center for Student Engagement for information about these awards. 

Student Development partners with the Office of Sustainability to recognize students expressing leadership on Loyola’s value of sustainability. As a key aspect of Loyola’s mission of social justice, we award two to four students each year during the Celebration of Student Achievement, Scholarship, and Creative Works. Attention is paid to efforts that address the social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainability and embrace the ‘integral ecology' framework called for in Pope Francis’ Encyclical on Ecology, Laudato si’.

Sustainability in Service – This recognition rewards students for their efforts to implement sustainability on campus or in community.

Sustainability in Learning – This recognition rewards students for their efforts incorporating sustainability into their academic experience through research, publication, or coursework advancing sustainability knowledge.

Hundreds of students and more than a dozen organizations received awards at the Weekend of Excellence for their outstanding work throughout the school year. Nominations open January 13, 2025 and close on February 3, 2025. A separate nomination must be submitted for each student for the individual awards. 

The Student Organization Awards honor and celebrate the accomplishments of our Recognized and Sponsored Student Organizations. Our student leaders work tirelessly to plan and implement a wide range of programs over the course of the academic year. The award categories include three recognition groups: program recognition, individual recognition, and group recognition. Please contact the Center for Student Engagement for information about these awards.