Author Ron Hansen to speak at Commencement
Sara Cesky
Issue date: 4/28/09 Section: News
"Ron Hansen is one of the country's leading contemporary Catholic writers, and much of his fiction explores themes of spirituality in the modern world that I believe are very relevant to our students," Fr. Linnane said.
The Commencement Committee, which included students as well as deans and administrators from various parts of the Loyola community, decided to recommend Ron Hansen to Father Linane as the speaker for this year's graduation.
After weeks of discussing thirty possible speakers, which were selected out of a pool of hundreds of names recommended by students throughout the year, the committee decided Mr. Hansen would be a good choice.
It is believed that because of Mr. Hansen's expertise in Gerard Manley Hopkins and his education in Jesuit institutions, he will be able to offer this year's graduating class a unique perspective on Loyola's mission as a Jesuit college and give students a meaningful message as they leave Loyola to begin the next phase of their lives.
"He reflects Jesuit and Catholic values that the college promotes," said David Sears, vice president of advancement and head of the commencement committee. "He can speak to our students in a variety of ways. He is an author and ordained speaker. He is almost the renaissance man of today," continued Sears.
One of the ways the class of '09 will be able to connect with Mr. Hansen is through his well-known book, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which inspired the movie written and directed by Andrew Dominic, released 2007 and starred Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. Hansen also wrote his own screenplay for the 1996 adaptation of his novel, Mariette in Ectasy.
In addition to delivering the commencement address, Mr. Hansen will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree, a formal tradition practiced by colleges and universities across the country, to honor him as a part of the Loyola Alumni family.
Mr. Hansen's speech will follow a trend of well-known, accomplished people speaking at the college in previous years' graduation ceremonies.
Journalist Lesley Stahl spoke to the class of 2008, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham spoke in 2007, and sports broadcaster Bob Costas delivered the address to the class of 2006.
About 800 undergraduate degrees and over 800 graduate degrees will be presented during the commencement exercises, set to begin at 11:00 a.m., May 16.
The Commencement Committee, which included students as well as deans and administrators from various parts of the Loyola community, decided to recommend Ron Hansen to Father Linane as the speaker for this year's graduation.
After weeks of discussing thirty possible speakers, which were selected out of a pool of hundreds of names recommended by students throughout the year, the committee decided Mr. Hansen would be a good choice.
It is believed that because of Mr. Hansen's expertise in Gerard Manley Hopkins and his education in Jesuit institutions, he will be able to offer this year's graduating class a unique perspective on Loyola's mission as a Jesuit college and give students a meaningful message as they leave Loyola to begin the next phase of their lives.
"He reflects Jesuit and Catholic values that the college promotes," said David Sears, vice president of advancement and head of the commencement committee. "He can speak to our students in a variety of ways. He is an author and ordained speaker. He is almost the renaissance man of today," continued Sears.
One of the ways the class of '09 will be able to connect with Mr. Hansen is through his well-known book, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, which inspired the movie written and directed by Andrew Dominic, released 2007 and starred Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck. Hansen also wrote his own screenplay for the 1996 adaptation of his novel, Mariette in Ectasy.
In addition to delivering the commencement address, Mr. Hansen will also receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree, a formal tradition practiced by colleges and universities across the country, to honor him as a part of the Loyola Alumni family.
Mr. Hansen's speech will follow a trend of well-known, accomplished people speaking at the college in previous years' graduation ceremonies.
Journalist Lesley Stahl spoke to the class of 2008, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham spoke in 2007, and sports broadcaster Bob Costas delivered the address to the class of 2006.
About 800 undergraduate degrees and over 800 graduate degrees will be presented during the commencement exercises, set to begin at 11:00 a.m., May 16.
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