Staff Spotlight: Joyce Knight
Joyce Knight, Associate Dean of Student Academic Affairs & Advising, reflects on 41 years of service at Loyola and beyond
Joyce Knight, DMin, joined Loyola University Chicago in 1981 as a clerk in the registrar’s office. Forty-one years since her first day on the Lake Shore Campus, Knight has become a linchpin of student life and academic success in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). As the Associate Dean of Students Academic Affairs & Advising in CAS, Knight’s day-to-day consists of meeting with students, overseeing a team of academic advisors, and collaborating with members of the College’s leadership to ensure students’ needs are understood and met. But Knight is known, respected, and loved for going above-and-beyond in support of her colleagues and student advisees. It’s what has earned her multiple awards during her time at Loyola, including the Kay Egan Staff Member for Others Award, the Dux Mirabilis Award from the Board of Trustees, Staff Member of the Year, and the Got Your Six Award from Loyola’s Rambler Battalion and Veterans.
“Joyce Knight truly exemplifies the Jesuit mission of cura personalis, or care for the whole person,” said Peter J. Schraeder, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago. “Her steadfast devotion to supporting the College’s diverse student communities throughout their academic journeys and beyond is just one facet of her extraordinary legacy defined by her commitment to service, advocacy, and Ignatian spirituality.”
Read on to learn more about Knight and what makes her an invaluable voice in the College of Arts and Sciences.
How did you begin your journey at Loyola University Chicago and the College of Arts and Sciences? What made you stay all these years?
I was looking for a local job at the time and I lived right down the street from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. I never thought that I would end up with a career and stay for 41 years. I started as clerk in the Office of Registration and Records. A decade later, I came to the College of Arts and Sciences’ Office of the Dean as the Senior Evaluator processing graduation applications. I soon discovered that the graduation process should be coupled with sitting down and meeting with students. So, I started meeting with seniors, which is how the College’s academic advising services came to be. Since then, I’ve led and grown our practice into a team of ten advising both juniors and seniors to meet students’ needs and support their success far beyond just graduation applications.
There are many reasons why I’ve stayed at Loyola, but it really comes down to the phenomenal people who work alongside me and the University’s Jesuit mission. Loyola’s Ignatian values really resonated with me and connected with my studies in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries.
How has your role and approach to advising changed over the years?
My role, at its core, is about shepherding students through all of the advising processes and getting them what they need to succeed academically. But, the pandemic has caused a shift in what our students expect and need from our advising team. Many of our current students experienced their first years of college in a remote setting, which didn’t lend itself to helping students build connections and resiliency. They need more time, support, and TLC than ever, beyond just academic advising. In response, we’ve shifted our approach to help connect students with the resources and care they might need, particularly when it comes to mental health. This is especially true with juniors and seniors, who are starting to think about their lives beyond Loyola. That’s why I’m so grateful that our advising team is includes sociologists, psychologists, and social workers, because our students need those extra skillsets right now.
Overall, I think students are feeling stuck, but they also really want to be unstuck. They are eager to succeed and achieve some sense of normalcy. There’s just a gap that we need to help them jump over. We want to help them get ready to take flight and do great things.
In what ways have you become involved with service and advocacy within Loyola’s community?
I’ve been able to serve on a few committees throughout the college. One example that’s really important to me is my work on the Dreamer Committee, which meets to see how we can support Loyola’s undocumented students. We’ve done some activism, such as letter writing, asking our legislators to support students impacted by DACA. In addition to that, I encouraged the entire academic advising team, myself included, to gain Ally training to better support our undocumented students.
I have also been part of a few Ignatian committees to try and turn Loyola’s Jesuit mission into something concrete for people, like who St. Ignatius is, what his story means, and why we should care. I’m also involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus. More recently, I’ve become involved with Loyola’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which were kicked off earlier this semester. I’m on a few committees to integrate DEI values and practices throughout the institution. Something that I loved doing was the Diversity Abroad Committee, which worked with the Office of International Programs to encourage more of Loyola’s students of color to study abroad. These efforts have been impacted by the pandemic, of course, but that’s something I’m really interested in reviving in the future.
Every advisor in the College has a “special population,” or focus area of students with common studies or backgrounds. One of my specialized populations is Loyola’s ROTC and veteran students. Their needs are very different from a traditional student, so I try to provide personalized support within and outside of work hours, like additional help with registration to ensure they are on track and meet the government’s requirements. If they have an event or an award ceremony, I try to attend or promulgate it for them. I also wanted to find a way for the College to honor and thank them for their past and future service. So, alongside college leadership, we created a red, white, and blue cord for these students to wear at graduation.
What motivated you to become so involved in Loyola’s communities beyond your 9-to-5 role?
To me, a 9-to-5 is boring, for one. I’m more interested in a vocation than a job. A vocation has more to it. As far as my involvement with mission, Dreamers, and DEI, it’s personal. This work is important to me because it speaks to a person’s basic rights as a human being. And it’s something I try to do outside of Loyola, too. Some years ago, I became involved with an organization called ONE Northside, which focuses on community activism. I wanted to bring this dimension of community activism into the workplace.
As far as my involvement with ROTC and veteran students, I have a special place in my heart for them. That comes from my parents, who were both World War II veterans. My mom was a lieutenant and my dad was a sergeant, so my mom had higher rank and reminded my dad of that all the time. I was an army brat growing up and I wanted to be in the military myself, but my parents wouldn’t let me go. But, my son went on to join the military and he’s a Desert Storm veteran. From Bosnia to Afghanistan to Iraq, I was his point-of-contact and his main support when something happened to him. And when he came home from his tours, he would tell me everything. It was really scary to experience as his mom, but I’m just glad I could be there for him. Being both a child and mother of veterans helped me understand what those in the military go through. They have unique needs and, especially because of the service they provide, they deserve the extra attention and support.
What has been the most challenging part of your time at Loyola?
Honestly, the pandemic was a giant kick in the head. I think that the whole world has some level of post-traumatic stress from experiencing the pandemic, but it’s been especially challenging for our students. It’s left a lot of scarring and I don’t think it’s over yet. In many ways, my team and I are responsible for trying to help put those pieces together for our students while dealing with our own trauma and struggles, too. We all made it through the horrors of the initial stages, but lately, there has been a societal shift back to “normal” when it isn’t normal yet. We’ve all been encouraged to move on and forget, but how can we forget? Eventually, I think we will all come away better for it, but it’s going to take a lot of work.
What has been most rewarding?
My opportunity to connect with people from all over the world and from different backgrounds and challenges. What’s been very rewarding is seeing students who, for whatever reason, such as if they grew up poor or are people of color, have been told that they would never make it then go on to really succeed. One of those students, who keeps in contact with me, is the U.S. ambassador to a country in Latin America. Several have gone on to become doctors. One such doctor has kept in touch with me for years and I just went to his child’s baptism. It’s been so exciting to see these students defy the limits that were put on them, grow during their time at Loyola, and go on to really thrive.
What is on the horizon for you that you are excited about?
One thing I’m really excited for that I think will help me be better in my role and as a person overall is my upcoming year-long internship program in Spiritual Direction with Loyola’s Campus Ministry and Jesuit Community. I will be back in class with tons of readings, which will give me an idea of what the college experience is like for students these days. On top of that, part of the internship includes working with clients. One of my clients is a social work graduate student, one is an undergrad, and another is a layperson in my church. It’s just a great opportunity to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the souls and hearts of people at Loyola and in my local community. And I’m excited to, hopefully, make a difference one person at a time, to help them make life better, connect more with God, and connect with themselves and their communities.
Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for those who may be looking to be more connected to their community?
My advice for students and staff is to get involved. For students, I wouldn’t suggest getting overly involved, like joining 50 clubs. Try out a few at the beginning of an academic year, see how it feels, and try to stick with one for the rest of the year. Explore something that you really like to do, particularly something that isn’t connected to your major.
As far as staff, there are so many opportunities to connect with our community. I recommend exploring groups like University Senate, Staff Council, or Campus Ministry. I also recommend looking at organizations outside of Loyola in your local area, like soup kitchens, clothing drives, community activism, or teaching English as a second language. There’s so much possible – I taught English for ten years through ONE Northside.
All in all, just put yourself out there. You don’t get a do-over, so take that risk. You’d be surprised what could come of it.
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.”
Joyce Knight, Associate Dean of Student Academic Affairs & Advising, reflects on 41 years of service at Loyola and beyond
Joyce Knight, DMin, joined Loyola University Chicago in 1981 as a clerk in the registrar’s office. Forty-one years since her first day on the Lake Shore Campus, Knight has become a linchpin of student life and academic success in the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS). As the Associate Dean of Students Academic Affairs & Advising in CAS, Knight’s day-to-day consists of meeting with students, overseeing a team of academic advisors, and collaborating with members of the College’s leadership to ensure students’ needs are understood and met. But Knight is known, respected, and loved for going above-and-beyond in support of her colleagues and student advisees. It’s what has earned her multiple awards during her time at Loyola, including the Kay Egan Staff Member for Others Award, the Dux Mirabilis Award from the Board of Trustees, Staff Member of the Year, and the Got Your Six Award from Loyola’s Rambler Battalion and Veterans.
“Joyce Knight truly exemplifies the Jesuit mission of cura personalis, or care for the whole person,” said Peter J. Schraeder, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Loyola University Chicago. “Her steadfast devotion to supporting the College’s diverse student communities throughout their academic journeys and beyond is just one facet of her extraordinary legacy defined by her commitment to service, advocacy, and Ignatian spirituality.”
Read on to learn more about Knight and what makes her an invaluable voice in the College of Arts and Sciences.
How did you begin your journey at Loyola University Chicago and the College of Arts and Sciences? What made you stay all these years?
I was looking for a local job at the time and I lived right down the street from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. I never thought that I would end up with a career and stay for 41 years. I started as clerk in the Office of Registration and Records. A decade later, I came to the College of Arts and Sciences’ Office of the Dean as the Senior Evaluator processing graduation applications. I soon discovered that the graduation process should be coupled with sitting down and meeting with students. So, I started meeting with seniors, which is how the College’s academic advising services came to be. Since then, I’ve led and grown our practice into a team of ten advising both juniors and seniors to meet students’ needs and support their success far beyond just graduation applications.
There are many reasons why I’ve stayed at Loyola, but it really comes down to the phenomenal people who work alongside me and the University’s Jesuit mission. Loyola’s Ignatian values really resonated with me and connected with my studies in pastoral counseling and specialized ministries.
How has your role and approach to advising changed over the years?
My role, at its core, is about shepherding students through all of the advising processes and getting them what they need to succeed academically. But, the pandemic has caused a shift in what our students expect and need from our advising team. Many of our current students experienced their first years of college in a remote setting, which didn’t lend itself to helping students build connections and resiliency. They need more time, support, and TLC than ever, beyond just academic advising. In response, we’ve shifted our approach to help connect students with the resources and care they might need, particularly when it comes to mental health. This is especially true with juniors and seniors, who are starting to think about their lives beyond Loyola. That’s why I’m so grateful that our advising team is includes sociologists, psychologists, and social workers, because our students need those extra skillsets right now.
Overall, I think students are feeling stuck, but they also really want to be unstuck. They are eager to succeed and achieve some sense of normalcy. There’s just a gap that we need to help them jump over. We want to help them get ready to take flight and do great things.
In what ways have you become involved with service and advocacy within Loyola’s community?
I’ve been able to serve on a few committees throughout the college. One example that’s really important to me is my work on the Dreamer Committee, which meets to see how we can support Loyola’s undocumented students. We’ve done some activism, such as letter writing, asking our legislators to support students impacted by DACA. In addition to that, I encouraged the entire academic advising team, myself included, to gain Ally training to better support our undocumented students.
I have also been part of a few Ignatian committees to try and turn Loyola’s Jesuit mission into something concrete for people, like who St. Ignatius is, what his story means, and why we should care. I’m also involved with diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts on campus. More recently, I’ve become involved with Loyola’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, which were kicked off earlier this semester. I’m on a few committees to integrate DEI values and practices throughout the institution. Something that I loved doing was the Diversity Abroad Committee, which worked with the Office of International Programs to encourage more of Loyola’s students of color to study abroad. These efforts have been impacted by the pandemic, of course, but that’s something I’m really interested in reviving in the future.
Every advisor in the College has a “special population,” or focus area of students with common studies or backgrounds. One of my specialized populations is Loyola’s ROTC and veteran students. Their needs are very different from a traditional student, so I try to provide personalized support within and outside of work hours, like additional help with registration to ensure they are on track and meet the government’s requirements. If they have an event or an award ceremony, I try to attend or promulgate it for them. I also wanted to find a way for the College to honor and thank them for their past and future service. So, alongside college leadership, we created a red, white, and blue cord for these students to wear at graduation.
What motivated you to become so involved in Loyola’s communities beyond your 9-to-5 role?
To me, a 9-to-5 is boring, for one. I’m more interested in a vocation than a job. A vocation has more to it. As far as my involvement with mission, Dreamers, and DEI, it’s personal. This work is important to me because it speaks to a person’s basic rights as a human being. And it’s something I try to do outside of Loyola, too. Some years ago, I became involved with an organization called ONE Northside, which focuses on community activism. I wanted to bring this dimension of community activism into the workplace.
As far as my involvement with ROTC and veteran students, I have a special place in my heart for them. That comes from my parents, who were both World War II veterans. My mom was a lieutenant and my dad was a sergeant, so my mom had higher rank and reminded my dad of that all the time. I was an army brat growing up and I wanted to be in the military myself, but my parents wouldn’t let me go. But, my son went on to join the military and he’s a Desert Storm veteran. From Bosnia to Afghanistan to Iraq, I was his point-of-contact and his main support when something happened to him. And when he came home from his tours, he would tell me everything. It was really scary to experience as his mom, but I’m just glad I could be there for him. Being both a child and mother of veterans helped me understand what those in the military go through. They have unique needs and, especially because of the service they provide, they deserve the extra attention and support.
What has been the most challenging part of your time at Loyola?
Honestly, the pandemic was a giant kick in the head. I think that the whole world has some level of post-traumatic stress from experiencing the pandemic, but it’s been especially challenging for our students. It’s left a lot of scarring and I don’t think it’s over yet. In many ways, my team and I are responsible for trying to help put those pieces together for our students while dealing with our own trauma and struggles, too. We all made it through the horrors of the initial stages, but lately, there has been a societal shift back to “normal” when it isn’t normal yet. We’ve all been encouraged to move on and forget, but how can we forget? Eventually, I think we will all come away better for it, but it’s going to take a lot of work.
What has been most rewarding?
My opportunity to connect with people from all over the world and from different backgrounds and challenges. What’s been very rewarding is seeing students who, for whatever reason, such as if they grew up poor or are people of color, have been told that they would never make it then go on to really succeed. One of those students, who keeps in contact with me, is the U.S. ambassador to a country in Latin America. Several have gone on to become doctors. One such doctor has kept in touch with me for years and I just went to his child’s baptism. It’s been so exciting to see these students defy the limits that were put on them, grow during their time at Loyola, and go on to really thrive.
What is on the horizon for you that you are excited about?
One thing I’m really excited for that I think will help me be better in my role and as a person overall is my upcoming year-long internship program in Spiritual Direction with Loyola’s Campus Ministry and Jesuit Community. I will be back in class with tons of readings, which will give me an idea of what the college experience is like for students these days. On top of that, part of the internship includes working with clients. One of my clients is a social work graduate student, one is an undergrad, and another is a layperson in my church. It’s just a great opportunity to keep my finger on the pulse of what’s happening in the souls and hearts of people at Loyola and in my local community. And I’m excited to, hopefully, make a difference one person at a time, to help them make life better, connect more with God, and connect with themselves and their communities.
Do you have any words of wisdom or advice for those who may be looking to be more connected to their community?
My advice for students and staff is to get involved. For students, I wouldn’t suggest getting overly involved, like joining 50 clubs. Try out a few at the beginning of an academic year, see how it feels, and try to stick with one for the rest of the year. Explore something that you really like to do, particularly something that isn’t connected to your major.
As far as staff, there are so many opportunities to connect with our community. I recommend exploring groups like University Senate, Staff Council, or Campus Ministry. I also recommend looking at organizations outside of Loyola in your local area, like soup kitchens, clothing drives, community activism, or teaching English as a second language. There’s so much possible – I taught English for ten years through ONE Northside.
All in all, just put yourself out there. You don’t get a do-over, so take that risk. You’d be surprised what could come of it.
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.”