of low-income neighborhoods around me. My desire to learn drove me to seek a college degree, but given my family’s financial constraints, attending a four-year university wasn’t going to be an option. Instead, I began my college career at the Community College of Philadelphia, where I began to study history. After graduating from community college—and thanks to a financial aid package that included an invaluable transfer scholarship—I was able to continue my journey at Loyola. I arrived at Loyola in January 2012,


and when I did, my life took a new turn. The questions that drove me to study history at community college found support in a department that is home to some of the premier urban historians in the country. The City of Big Shoulders also provided an engaging site for my studies, one that differed from New York and Philadelphia in terms of urban culture, race relations, and the built environment. Chicago inspired me to continue my search for what made cities function as they did. My professors at Loyola opened


my eyes to new opportunities and ways of thinking. Elizabeth Shermer revealed to me the rigorous craft of writing. Kyle Roberts trained me in how to direct those skills while embarking upon the journey of the research paper, showing me that writing history is a communal pro- cess. Yet, it was Michelle Nickerson’s seminar “Rebels and Reformers” that instilled in me a passion for thinking with historical perspective. Professor Nickerson masterfully


demonstrated history’s deeply con- tingent nature, rarely obvious and always volatile. My research on the city of Camden, New Jersey, which grew out that seminar, was guided by these perspectives. Along my journey of conducting oral histories, scanning decades-old newspapers, and attempting to piece my sources together to tell a compelling story, Professor Nickerson’s mentorship was essential. She taught me—and still does—the broad definitions of justice, and I owe any success in the future to her.


“Loyola’s historians helped me to historicize my life’s own twists and turns, and to learn how to make a positive change in the world.” —PEDRO A. REGALADO (BA ’13)


Loyola had helped me take the


next step, and with the integral guidance of the McNair Scholars Program I explored the possibility of going even farther by pursuing my PhD. In the spring of 2014 I re- ceived a phone call telling me that my journey, which had begun back in those tenements of Washington Heights, would next take me to the Ivy League as a doctoral candidate at Yale University. Today, I use the tools that I


learned at Loyola to understand the history of urban places. Loyola’s historians helped me to historicize my life’s own twists and turns, and to learn how to make a positive change in the world. My road to Yale wasn’t easy, but with the lessons I learned at Loyola, I now realize the skyline in those television images I remember see- ing as a child really was us. “Go forth and set the world


on fire;” I have not taken that call lightly. I now dedicate my days to telling stories of power, immigra- tion, and capitalism with the most- marginalized groups at its center. I could not do that without


Loyola and their investment in the success of low-income urban communities—both in Chicago and beyond. L


_____________________________


Pedro Regalado (BA ’13) is currently pursuing his PhD in American Stud- ies at Yale University.


Do you have a story to tell? Alumni interested in writing about their ex- periences at or after Loyola can send their ideas to salessi2@LUC.edu.


STATUS UPDATE FROM PAGE 41


Sullivan, the part that hung over the rocks.


Beautiful scenery. —Jenny Schinleber Fleming (BA ’97)


Used to love to study in the library—the


area that had the single desks with green shaded reading lamps 30 years ago. Just went back for a visit with my daughter, and they removed all the desks from this area of the library. My daughter will have to find her own spot to study when she attends next fall. —Sheri Bochniak (BA ’86)


The JesRes lawn or the basement of


Cudahy. —Santiago Aranda Avalos (JFRC Spring ’04, BA ’06, BS ’06) @SantAranda


The cafe between the IC and the library,


especially really early in the morning to watch the sun rise. —Jenna Gales (JFRC Fall ’09, BASC ’11)


It depended on the subject: Lewis


Library for tough core classes, the IC for my viscom work—the lake view was inspirational! — Monica Burciaga (BA ’11) @mburci_design


My dorm room at Fordham Hall junior


and senior year. I had a fabulous lake view on the 12th floor. —Kenya Kidder- Reiff (BA ’05)


D’Arcy Gallery on the south face of Cudahy


Library was a faculty study lounge in the late ‘70s. We could smoke in there, too . —Kathleen Burke (BA ’68, PhD ’79) @kgburke3


Any of the old Cudahy stacks would do, but


the best would be the top deck, level “E” since few people went to that level. —David Kantor (BS ’13)


Basement of Chamberlain Hall.


—Janet M. DiCosola (BSN ’86)


The reception room at the top of 25 E.


Pearson. It was always empty, quiet, and had an awesome view! —Mark Snelling (BBA ’96)


An armchair off the Cudahy Library reading


room overlooking the lake in early 2000s. —Benjamin Pietrzyk (JFRC Fall ’03, BA ’05, MA ’06) @benpietrzyk


Join the conversation Twitter: @Loyola_Alumni Facebook.com/LUCalumni


SPRING 2017 43


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