Latest news with #LoyolaUniversityMaryland
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Top graduates return to Lakeland High School class of 2025
Lakeland High School has two designated top graduates for the first time in six years. The school board agreed to reinstate valedictorian and salutatorian last summer. The designation begins with the class of 2025. The board eliminated the naming of top graduates and class rankings in 2016; the policy became effective with the class of 2019. Officials said at the time they got rid of the rankings to produce well-rounded students who care for challenging themselves more than taking easier classes to improve their grade point averages. Senior Faith Wormuth is this year's valedictorian and fellow senior Evan Berlinski was named salutatorian, the first top graduates with the designations since 2018. Faith, 18, said she found out the designation returned earlier in the school year. 'That's when I learned that I was first in the class,' the Mayfield resident said. 'I was obviously very surprised but … it's an honor.' Faith, who graduated with her identical twin sister Deanna Wormuth, said the top designation shows how hard she's worked and how dedicated she is. The twins plan to attend Loyola University Maryland in the fall, with Faith majoring in nursing and Deanna studying forensic science. * Faith Wormuth, valedictorian, Lakeland High School class of 2025 (SUBMITTED) * Evan Berlinski, salutatorian, Lakeland High School class of 2025 (PATRICK CARRUBE/SUBMITTED) Show Caption 1 of 2 Faith Wormuth, valedictorian, Lakeland High School class of 2025 (SUBMITTED) Expand 'It's just gratifying to see that my work is noticed,' Faith said. Evan, 18, also said he was honored to be named one of the school's top graduates. While he was aware he was one of the top students in the class, the Greenfield Twp. resident didn't expect he would be named salutatorian. Evan, who plans to study computer science and play soccer at Elizabethtown College, said the designation shows how hard he has worked, as he balanced academics with playing soccer and participating in track and field. 'I feel like my hard work paid off,' he said. Prior to the designations being reinstated, Lakeland was the only school district in Lackawanna County to not name valedictorian and salutatorian. Board members reinstated the class rank policy in October. Under it, students in grades 9-12 are ranked by grade point average, with the ranking entered on the student's records. Students who have the same GPA are ranked together. Class rank does not appear on transcripts. If a higher-education institution requests a student's rank, the district will communicate it directly to the institution, according to the policy. The board began discussing reinstating the designations last spring after a parent advocated for them to be brought back. The high school also grants Lambda Eta Sigma status to seniors. Students who wish to earn the designation have to meet a number of academic, extracurricular and attendance requirements. Eleven seniors, including Evan, earning the designation this year, Principal Carmella Bullick said. Superintendent Marc Wyandt, Ed.D., said the return of a valedictorian and salutatorian is exciting for the district and community. 'We are fortunate to enjoy tremendous community support, and naming a valedictorian and salutatorian is a point of pride that I think everyone shares in,' he said. Bullick said it feels great to have the designations return. 'I think it definitely honors the academic accolades of our highest-achieving students,' she said. Lakeland's top graduates were among 102 seniors who graduated on Friday at the Scott Twp. school.
10-05-2025
- Politics
Pope Leo XIV must carefully thread needle between Catholic Church's mission, US politics: Experts
In an instant, Cardinal Robert Prevost became the most powerful and influential American Catholic when he was selected to be pope and rechristened Pope Leo XIV on May 8. But with the United States' standing in the world on edge with President Donald Trump in office, experts say many will be watching the first American to lead the Catholic Church to see how he walks the tightrope between Western politics and his papal duties. Vatican experts told ABC News that Leo must thread that needle effortlessly, with a focus on leading from a global perspective. "I suspect he will be scrupulous and careful to avoid the thought that he is an American and not a Christian view," the Rev. Stephen Spahn, an assistant teaching professor of theology at Loyola University Maryland, told ABC News. "He is going to be a bridge builder and build relationships with world leaders broadly." At the same time, experts predicted Leo will not hesitate to speak out on American matters from his seat when needed. Spahn said cardinals have always come to their decisions knowing that the man who becomes pontiff will have to work within the geopolitical environment in pushing forward the Catholic Church's mission. "It's definitely going to trail him. How could it not?" he said of the pope's Americanism. "But the cardinals have said they chose him without any regard to his nationality." David Gibson, the director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University who has been in Rome all week, told ABC News that cardinals whom he spoke with do not see him as solely American, given his experience as a priest and missionary in South America. He noted Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis rarely traveled outside of their home countries when they were cardinals and that Leo's expertise on international relations will be beneficial during his tenure. "I think he does not want to be seen as an American pope," Gibson said. Both experts said Leo made a telling move when he delivered his first speech from the balcony in St. Peter's Basilica. The speech, which stressed the message of unity and building bridges, was in Italian and Spanish, and he did not publicly speak in English until his homily the next day. "He made no shoutout to his countryman. We will see more of that," Spahn said. However, experts said Leo will have to address the issues coming from his homeland at some point. Gibson said the cardinals he talked to noted that one of the decisions in Leo's selection was not Trump but the growing populist and nationalist movement sweeping the globe. "In that way, it is an irony that, frankly, the rest of the world was looking to an American as a sign of hope, as someone who can speak for them in an American register rather than act against them," he said. "They looked at him and said, 'OK, you know America, you know how to deal with this particular strong man.'" Trump, who was vocal against Francis' stance on immigration and the environment, offered congratulatory remarks to Leo after his election, saying the pope's election was a "great honor for our country." Leo has not immediately talked about the Trump administration since he was elected to the papacy. However, while he was a cardinal, he appears to have reposted articles that were critical of Vice President JD Vance and Trump's policies. Gibson said Leo will likely be more judicious with his communications, including social media posts, but will likely still have a voice in international affairs. "He will be like Francis, where he will message the Vatican's voice," he said. "[The Vatican is] certainly ready for it. They have been dealing with Trump for years. They don't get into back-and-forths. They will just make their position clear." Spahn agreed and likened Leo's relationship with American leaders to the one he has with his students. "As a professor, I want to build bridges with my students. I want to communicate that, but when they submit a paper, I'm taking out a red pen and I'm critiquing them," he said. At the same time, the Trump administration will likely maintain a friendly relationship with Leo during his "honeymoon" period as a matter of respect and to keep controversy down, Spahn argued. In one of his last actions, Francis wrote a letter to bishops that rebuked Vance's interpretation of the Latin phrase "ordo amoris." Vance contended in a Fox News interview that the idea meant that one must love his or her family first before the community and said he disagreed with Francis. Vance congratulated Leo's election on X, posting, "I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church." "I thought that the vice president's congratulatory statement was generous and warm, and from his vantage point, there is no point in picking a fight," Spahn said. Gibson and Spahn both noted that Leo has been pushing that message of building bridges since his appointment and will offer guidance with no judgment. "One thing he made clear is he keeps repeating peace," Gibson said. "Every pope tries to do that and wants to do that. But if there is an opportunity to engage with the U.S. administration in peace, he will do that. The pope's door is always open."
CBS News
27-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Maryland Catholics celebrate life of Pope Francis on first Sunday after his death
Catholics in Maryland and nationwide attended their first Sunday Mass without Pope Francis leading the church. At Loyola University Maryland, the late pontiff was celebrated at every service. Patrons told WJZ they are remembering what they loved about Pope Francis and honoring his legacy. The "People's Pope" The 11 a.m. Mass at Loyola University Alumni Chapel started like it always did. However, those attending saw a picture posted up at the front. It was Pope Francis's smile. Rev. John Conley, during his homily, talked about some of Pope Francis's last moments. "'Thank you for taking me back to the square,' these were the last words of Pope Francis on Easter Sunday, just a week ago, a day before his death," Conley said. Conley went on to talk about how relatable Pope Francis was and how he truly earned the title of being the "People's Pope." "I'm the one Jesuit here at Loyola who does not drive, so I'm often at the mercy of the 51 bus traveling along Charles Street," Conley said. "I heard by a commentator...[Pope Francis] preferred to take the bus and the subway. So, I said, 'Now there's a pope after my own heart on the mysteries of public transit.'" Pope Francis was the first Jesuit to lead the church. It's why John Bruce Schmitt of New Jersey attended Mass at Loyola, which is a Jesuit Catholic university. He said Pope Francis is his favorite pope. "He was a man for others, very inclusive, very humane, and he was for the poor," Schmitt said. "Just a great man, I almost feel like crying talking about him." Honoring Pope Francis's legacy Jessica Morrison, a Loyola alumna who teaches at an all-girls Catholic school, said Pope Francis inspired her to fully live her faith. It's something she tries to teach her students now. "You didn't have to kind of say, how are people going to respond to this? He gave us the courage to be able to just say this is how we live the gospel message in our own lives," Morrison said. "Really showing us what that can look like."
Technical.ly
01-04-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
Microbusinesses, major impact: Baltipreneurs demo day highlights cooperation between a university and its community
Reliable entrepreneurial support programs and accelerators grow champions — among participants, startup hires, mentors and ecosystem participants. That's why a whopping 300 people showed up to Loyola University Maryland for the Simon Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship's (CIE) 2025 Baltipreneurs demo day. Tied in with UpSurge Baltimore's 191st Equitech Tuesday, the event was part pitch series and part community celebration for the new cohort. The Baltipreneurs program, now in its sixth year, supports a diverse group of early-stage founders with a $2,000 stipend, cohort-based learning and hands-on mentorship over four months. Its notable graduates include the restaurant chain Ekiben, children's engineering kit manufacturer FutureMakers, youth mental wellness-focused Clymb and affordable housing initiative Smalltimore Homes. Its participants need not be drawn from attendees or alumni of the Jesuit university. The energy in the room came from a mix of neighbors, students, donors, mentors and alums — people who weren't there just to clap, but to vote, cheer, connect and invest. Audience members took notes, knowing they'd vote for a $5,000 audience choice award, while cohort members had already selected four peers to receive $5,000 each. Community infrastructure for microbusiness growth The crowd included the usual ecosystem faces, but also many new ones. Beyond the pitches pitches, the attendees provided a glimpse into how a community could support its own. Loyola students DJed and captured photos for social media. Faculty and staff came through. Various local businesses 'This is what community looks like,' said Wendy Bolger, director of the CIE, as she introduced a slide listing donors, mentors, faculty members and advisors. 'This is what it takes, folks. These are volunteers.' She went on to explain why a program like Baltipreneurs matters. 'We are here tonight because Loyola is committed to job creation and wealth creation in Baltimore,' she said. 'It's about supporting the people making it happen.' She reminded the crowd that ' 96% of US businesses are microbusinesses,' or companies with fewer than 10 workers. Small but mighty, 'they employ nearly a quarter of the US workforce,' she continued. The CIE recognizes the potential for local entrepreneurship to fuel economic development — and do so inclusively. According to Shannan Herbert, CEO of Washington Area Community Investment Fund and an advisor to the accelerator, Baltipreneurs alumni have raised over $11.6 million, created 65 jobs and maintained a 100% business survival rate two years after graduating, compared to the national average of 69%. Bolger also highlighted how the program builds symbiotic relationships between cohort members, colleges and communities. 'These students are supporting and learning from the Baltipreneurs, who, in turn, are hiring some of these students as interns,' she said. 'These students, in turn, are helping the company scale so that more jobs are created, and [sustaining] a virtuous cycle that generates returns for the city and for the people who live here.' Meet the newest Baltipreneurs This year's cohort featured ventures across a variety of industries, including fashion, mining exploration, AI in healthcare, STEM education, and food and beverage. Most ventures sought to solve problems rooted in lived experiences. Notably, 10 of the ventures were led by women. Canopy Minerals uses leaf samples to detect underground mineral deposits – reducing the need for unnecessary drilling. Nu Momish is building out 'a village on demand' by offering in-home support for mothers to lighten the burden for even just a moment. NovvaCup, a 2024 RealLIST Startup, is designing period care products to be more sustainable than current offerings. Creative Representation Empire creates coloring books and programs that are culturally representative and support youth in building socioemotional skills. Modelus and NeuroBarr are two separate companies, both leveraging AI, that pitched together. Modelus uses AI to improve clinical trial assessment and accuracy, while NeuroBarr uses AI and machine learning to assess intracranial pressure. REAL DigitizED uses gaming and e-sports to equip youth with skills and resources to build meaningful STEAM careers. The Queens Sisterhood Society is an investment club and community specifically designed to support women in building wealth. City + Sea Boutique is a clothing brand that brings together coastal motifs and city fashion. Solsis Beauty sells conflict-free and vegan beauty products that center women of color, particularly Latinas. Sunday Morning Coffee brings its principles into catering and community education around the coffee supply chain. Yelé, which did not pitch at the demo day, aims to bring African fashion to the luxury market with hand-drawn Afrofuturist designs. Demo days as mirrors to the ecosystem Nichole Sullivan, founder of Keppel + Kismet and a member of Baltipreneurs' 2022 cohort, spoke to the audience about her experience with the accelerator, emphasizing the power and intentionality of its design. 'Even though you're in an accelerator, this is still time away from your business,' she said. 'Loyola shows it respects the entrepreneur and their time.' The event wrapped up with awards for $5,000 non-dilutive grants. Solsis Beauty received the Peerless Award; Modelus and Neurobarr took home the Greyhound Award; REAL digitizED won the Impact award; and Nu Momish earned the Audience Choice and Hustle awards.
