Alumni Spotlight: Meghan Anzelc
The promise of a Jesuit-inspired, liberal arts education at Loyola University Chicago’s College of Arts and Sciences is that it provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation to navigate the complex wider world through a socially just lens.
Meghan Anzelc (BS ’03) is proof of that promise.
Anzelc is currently the president and chief data and analytics officer at Three Arc Advisory, a consulting group that guides companies on their data and AI (artificial intelligence) journeys. She is an accomplished and experienced executive and has a track record of driving positive business impact through the use of data, artificial intelligence and technology.
Her career path has been anything but traditional. She received her PhD in experimental high-energy particle physics from Northwestern University before spending a decade in the property/casualty insurance industry.
Summed up, Meghan Anzelc is a modern-day Renaissance Woman. She has combined her wide range of interests, experiences and passions to forge her own path – one she hopes that others will follow her down.
How did all this come to be? Her college decision.
“I chose Loyola because of the family atmosphere,” said Anzelc, who grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. “The students, staff, and faculty were all connected and it was clear that Loyola valued providing students with a quality and well-rounded education.”
Just like in every journey, there were road blocks. Her first was deciding on a major, which was particularly difficult for her given her variety of interests.
It was not until speaking with a professor that she decided to expand on her knowledge of physics.
Anzelc’s first year studying physics was challenging; she felt behind compared to her classmates, who had taken AP physics in high school and already knew the areas they wanted as their focus.
Following her second year on campus, Anzelc joined a research internship through the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership’s Women in Science Enabling Research (WISER) Program, where she studied atmospheric chemistry with Dr. Martina Schmeling.
“That experience convinced me to pursue research and the physics major, and the other research internships I had at Fermilab and Argonne led me to then pursue a PhD in physics,” reflected Anzelc.
That experience sparked an interest in science and research, but she remained committed to exploring a variety of interests in college.
On top of being a physics major, Anzelc pursued a double minor in math and music, contributed as a staff writer for the Loyola Phoenix, taught undergraduate physics labs, and actively participated in several student clubs on campus.
Yet, one experience held particular significance. Her semester studying abroad at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland. Anzelc found it especially meaningful because she knew some local students who had previously studied abroad at Loyola. Embracing her deep involvement in research on campus, Anzelc chose to extend her undergraduate studies to five years to pursue her passion for studying abroad and complete her minor in music.
Meghan Anzelc (BS '03) at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland early 2002.
Anzelc’s passions for the arts and sciences seamlessly intertwined during her time at Loyola. As part of a small research team in the physics department, Anzelc and another student, both with decades of experience in Irish dance, studied the physics of dance, using this unique perspective as the foundation for their data collection.
“Academically, these research experiences gave me real-world experiences of using the physics and math I was studying in courses and seeing it applied to answering fascinating questions about the world around us,” said Anzelc. “The fulfillment I got from these research experiences provided me with tenacity and drive to learn more about the field and push through the challenging coursework of my classes.”
Anzelc attributes much of her success in life to her Loyola experience.
“My academic preparation at Loyola was very strong, and it was enriched by the wide range of experiences, subjects, and people I was exposed to during my time there.
“I learned how to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, how to work on a global and distributed team, how to get things done and collaborate successfully without formal authority and started developing my skills in communicating my work to others. These skills have been hugely impactful to my later career success.”
While Anzelc’s post-graduate path has taken a few different turns her passion for being a person and advocate for others has been a constant. A value fostered during her time at Loyola.
"I wanted to give back to the university that had given me so much,” said Anzelc when asked why she likes to remain connected to the Loyola community. “We need more women, people of color, and others from underrepresented groups studying STEM fields and pursuing careers in STEM. I feel a responsibility to do what I can to smooth the path for others and show that careers like mine are possible.”
Anzelc has always had a passion for diversity, equity, and gender initiatives. Reflecting on uplifting women’s voices in a male-dominated industry.
“I’ve worked hard to do what I can to help level the playing field and positively impact the lives and careers of women and other under-represented groups in STEM and corporate leadership more broadly.”
The path Anzelc has carved out for herself stems from several trails, but they all can be traced back to one common starting point, her decision to attend Loyola University Chicago.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest of Loyola University Chicago’s 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. More than 150 years since its founding, the College is home to 20 academic departments and 37 interdisciplinary programs and centers, more than 450 full-time faculty, and nearly 8,000 students. The 2,000+ classes that we offer each semester span an array of intellectual pursuits, ranging from the natural sciences and computational sciences to the humanities, the social sciences, and the fine and performing arts. Our students and faculty are engaged internationally at our campus in Rome, Italy, as well as at dozens of University-sponsored study abroad and research sites around the world. Home to the departments that anchor the University’s Core Curriculum, the College seeks to prepare all of Loyola’s students to think critically, to engage the world of the 21st century at ever deepening levels, and to become caring and compassionate individuals. Our faculty, staff, and students view service to others not just as one option among many, but as a constitutive dimension of their very being. In the truest sense of the Jesuit ideal, our graduates strive to be “individuals for others.”
The promise of a Jesuit-inspired, liberal arts education at Loyola University Chicago’s College of Arts and Sciences is that it provides students with an interdisciplinary foundation to navigate the complex wider world through a socially just lens.
Meghan Anzelc (BS ’03) is proof of that promise.
Anzelc is currently the president and chief data and analytics officer at Three Arc Advisory, a consulting group that guides companies on their data and AI (artificial intelligence) journeys. She is an accomplished and experienced executive and has a track record of driving positive business impact through the use of data, artificial intelligence and technology.
Her career path has been anything but traditional. She received her PhD in experimental high-energy particle physics from Northwestern University before spending a decade in the property/casualty insurance industry.
Summed up, Meghan Anzelc is a modern-day Renaissance Woman. She has combined her wide range of interests, experiences and passions to forge her own path – one she hopes that others will follow her down.
How did all this come to be? Her college decision.
“I chose Loyola because of the family atmosphere,” said Anzelc, who grew up on the northwest side of Chicago. “The students, staff, and faculty were all connected and it was clear that Loyola valued providing students with a quality and well-rounded education.”
Just like in every journey, there were road blocks. Her first was deciding on a major, which was particularly difficult for her given her variety of interests.
It was not until speaking with a professor that she decided to expand on her knowledge of physics.
Anzelc’s first year studying physics was challenging; she felt behind compared to her classmates, who had taken AP physics in high school and already knew the areas they wanted as their focus.
Following her second year on campus, Anzelc joined a research internship through the Gannon Center for Women and Leadership’s Women in Science Enabling Research (WISER) Program, where she studied atmospheric chemistry with Dr. Martina Schmeling.
“That experience convinced me to pursue research and the physics major, and the other research internships I had at Fermilab and Argonne led me to then pursue a PhD in physics,” reflected Anzelc.
That experience sparked an interest in science and research, but she remained committed to exploring a variety of interests in college.
On top of being a physics major, Anzelc pursued a double minor in math and music, contributed as a staff writer for the Loyola Phoenix, taught undergraduate physics labs, and actively participated in several student clubs on campus.
Yet, one experience held particular significance. Her semester studying abroad at Mary Immaculate College in Limerick, Ireland. Anzelc found it especially meaningful because she knew some local students who had previously studied abroad at Loyola. Embracing her deep involvement in research on campus, Anzelc chose to extend her undergraduate studies to five years to pursue her passion for studying abroad and complete her minor in music.
Anzelc’s passions for the arts and sciences seamlessly intertwined during her time at Loyola. As part of a small research team in the physics department, Anzelc and another student, both with decades of experience in Irish dance, studied the physics of dance, using this unique perspective as the foundation for their data collection.
“Academically, these research experiences gave me real-world experiences of using the physics and math I was studying in courses and seeing it applied to answering fascinating questions about the world around us,” said Anzelc. “The fulfillment I got from these research experiences provided me with tenacity and drive to learn more about the field and push through the challenging coursework of my classes.”
Anzelc attributes much of her success in life to her Loyola experience.
“My academic preparation at Loyola was very strong, and it was enriched by the wide range of experiences, subjects, and people I was exposed to during my time there.
“I learned how to work with people from different cultures and backgrounds, how to work on a global and distributed team, how to get things done and collaborate successfully without formal authority and started developing my skills in communicating my work to others. These skills have been hugely impactful to my later career success.”
While Anzelc’s post-graduate path has taken a few different turns her passion for being a person and advocate for others has been a constant. A value fostered during her time at Loyola.
"I wanted to give back to the university that had given me so much,” said Anzelc when asked why she likes to remain connected to the Loyola community. “We need more women, people of color, and others from underrepresented groups studying STEM fields and pursuing careers in STEM. I feel a responsibility to do what I can to smooth the path for others and show that careers like mine are possible.”
Anzelc has always had a passion for diversity, equity, and gender initiatives. Reflecting on uplifting women’s voices in a male-dominated industry.
“I’ve worked hard to do what I can to help level the playing field and positively impact the lives and careers of women and other under-represented groups in STEM and corporate leadership more broadly.”
The path Anzelc has carved out for herself stems from several trails, but they all can be traced back to one common starting point, her decision to attend Loyola University Chicago.
About the College of Arts and Sciences
The College of Arts and Sciences is the oldest of Loyola University Chicago’s 15 schools, colleges, and institutes. More than 150 years since its founding, the College is home to 20 academic departments and 37 interdisciplinary programs and centers, more than 450 full-time faculty, and nearly 8,000 students. The 2,000+ classes that we offer each semester span an array of intellectual pursuits, ranging from the natural sciences and computational sciences to the humanities, the social sciences, and the fine and performing arts. Our students and faculty are engaged internationally at our campus in Rome, Italy, as well as at dozens of University-sponsored study abroad and research sites around the world. Home to the departments that anchor the University’s Core Curriculum, the College seeks to prepare all of Loyola’s students to think critically, to engage the world of the 21st century at ever deepening levels, and to become caring and compassionate individuals. Our faculty, staff, and students view service to others not just as one option among many, but as a constitutive dimension of their very being. In the truest sense of the Jesuit ideal, our graduates strive to be “individuals for others.”