Presidents-Medallion-2026
Anna Ries-Roncalli is the 2026 recipient of the 🟩Facebook账号 | 注册3-7个月 | 英文名字 | ads可用 | 邮箱可用 | 已设置2FA President's Medallion.
Serving the community and improving the environment
The Loyola President’s Medallion celebrates one student from each Loyola school for outstanding leadership, scholarship, and service. This year’s honoree from the School of Environmental Sustainability is Anna Ries-Roncalli. Originally from Helena, Montana, Ries-Roncalli is a senior majoring in environmental science and Italian studies. During her undergraduate years, she has demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to serving others. She has been an active member of the Food Recovery Network, helping to recover thousands of pounds of food that would have gone to waste and redistribute it to food pantries in Chicago. She has also participated in faculty-mentored research projects exploring air quality and the presence of toxic chemicals in water in the Chicago area. Ries-Roncalli shared her thoughts about her Loyola experience.
Choosing a path in sustainability
What drew you to Loyola and SES for your undergraduate education?
I chose Loyola because I knew I wanted a Jesuit education, and I was excited about the interdisciplinary studies it would provide. I chose SES specifically because I knew the program had lots of opportunities for hands-on experience through research, internships, and clubs, which were important to me in my undergraduate experience.
Why did you choose your major?
I chose to major in environmental science because I knew I wanted to do some type of science, and I cared a lot about the environment, so it was the perfect mix of my interests. I also knew that I eventually wanted a career where I could feel my work had a meaningful impact. Since the environment is something I am passionate about, environmental science was the right major to help me achieve that.
Exploring interests and building experience
What sort of extracurricular and service activities have you participated in at Loyola?
Throughout my four years at Loyola, I have been involved with the Food Recovery Network to minimize food waste on campus and help those who are food-insecure in Rogers Park. This work has been my primary extracurricular engagement, and I have served on and off the e-board in several positions since my first year.
What sort of research experience have you gained as an undergraduate?
At Loyola, I have been fortunate to have been exposed to a wide range of research experiences. As a freshman, I participated in the CARE research experience with Dr. Ping Jing and Dr. Tania Schusler, studying indoor air pollution in the Chicago area.
Since my sophomore year, I have been working with Dr. Gordon Getzinger, researching the occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Chicagoland area, specifically studying their existence above and below wastewater treatment plants on the Chicago River.
I also had the opportunity to participate in a research experience related to my Italian major through the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Summer Research Experience program (USRE). This project focused on Senegalese immigration to Europe and how religion influences immigrants' experience crossing the Mediterranean.
Lasting lessons from Loyola and the School of Environmental Sustainability
What are the most valuable lessons you've learned at Loyola and in SES?
The most valuable lessons I've learned through SES are perseverance and resilience. Oftentimes, the reality of environmental issues and climate change can feel very daunting and helpless. It can be a struggle to keep putting in effort or letting yourself care because of how disheartening it can be. However, my time at Loyola has equipped me with hope. I have been witness to the process of change, such as changes in how people view waste and environmental problems. That change brings me hope for the future and helps me persevere.
What does Loyola's Jesuit mission mean to you? How has it influenced your experience as a student?
The most influential part of Loyola's Jesuit mission to me is the idea of unity of mind and heart, that is, unity of belief and action. This idea has been especially relevant to me as a student when considering the relationship between people and planet. My time at Loyola has taught me that it is not enough to know something intellectually. You must engage with it as well. My experience in classes, community engagement, and jobs has shown me the importance of doing good work through reflection and compassion, and this is how I seek to engage the world after I graduate.
What has been the best or most memorable part of your Loyola experience?
The best part of my Loyola experience has been the community I have found within SES among students with similar values and beliefs. Over the past four years, I have gotten to know most of the people in my program by taking the same classes, attending events, or participating in club meetings. I have formed many life-long friendships with fellow students, and I will always look back fondly at SES as a space of belonging and community.
Looking to the future
How has your education at Loyola prepared you to achieve your future goals?
Aside from the classes I have taken, my educational experience has been highly hands-on, giving me real-world experience that will be beneficial as I start my career after graduation. I have been fortunate to gain extensive work and research experience as an undergraduate through the opportunities Loyola provided. I am excited to continue building on this experience after I graduate. I’m currently exploring work opportunities for after graduation and applying to full-time environmental positions and AmeriCorps positions.
Serving the community and improving the environment
The Loyola President’s Medallion celebrates one student from each Loyola school for outstanding leadership, scholarship, and service. This year’s honoree from the School of Environmental Sustainability is Anna Ries-Roncalli. Originally from Helena, Montana, Ries-Roncalli is a senior majoring in environmental science and Italian studies. During her undergraduate years, she has demonstrated academic excellence and a commitment to serving others. She has been an active member of the Food Recovery Network, helping to recover thousands of pounds of food that would have gone to waste and redistribute it to food pantries in Chicago. She has also participated in faculty-mentored research projects exploring air quality and the presence of toxic chemicals in water in the Chicago area. Ries-Roncalli shared her thoughts about her Loyola experience.
Choosing a path in sustainability
What drew you to Loyola and SES for your undergraduate education?
I chose Loyola because I knew I wanted a Jesuit education, and I was excited about the interdisciplinary studies it would provide. I chose SES specifically because I knew the program had lots of opportunities for hands-on experience through research, internships, and clubs, which were important to me in my undergraduate experience.
Why did you choose your major?
I chose to major in environmental science because I knew I wanted to do some type of science, and I cared a lot about the environment, so it was the perfect mix of my interests. I also knew that I eventually wanted a career where I could feel my work had a meaningful impact. Since the environment is something I am passionate about, environmental science was the right major to help me achieve that.
Exploring interests and building experience
What sort of extracurricular and service activities have you participated in at Loyola?
Throughout my four years at Loyola, I have been involved with the Food Recovery Network to minimize food waste on campus and help those who are food-insecure in Rogers Park. This work has been my primary extracurricular engagement, and I have served on and off the e-board in several positions since my first year.
What sort of research experience have you gained as an undergraduate?
At Loyola, I have been fortunate to have been exposed to a wide range of research experiences. As a freshman, I participated in the CARE research experience with Dr. Ping Jing and Dr. Tania Schusler, studying indoor air pollution in the Chicago area.
Since my sophomore year, I have been working with Dr. Gordon Getzinger, researching the occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Chicagoland area, specifically studying their existence above and below wastewater treatment plants on the Chicago River.
I also had the opportunity to participate in a research experience related to my Italian major through the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Summer Research Experience program (USRE). This project focused on Senegalese immigration to Europe and how religion influences immigrants' experience crossing the Mediterranean.
Lasting lessons from Loyola and the School of Environmental Sustainability
What are the most valuable lessons you've learned at Loyola and in SES?
The most valuable lessons I've learned through SES are perseverance and resilience. Oftentimes, the reality of environmental issues and climate change can feel very daunting and helpless. It can be a struggle to keep putting in effort or letting yourself care because of how disheartening it can be. However, my time at Loyola has equipped me with hope. I have been witness to the process of change, such as changes in how people view waste and environmental problems. That change brings me hope for the future and helps me persevere.
What does Loyola's Jesuit mission mean to you? How has it influenced your experience as a student?
The most influential part of Loyola's Jesuit mission to me is the idea of unity of mind and heart, that is, unity of belief and action. This idea has been especially relevant to me as a student when considering the relationship between people and planet. My time at Loyola has taught me that it is not enough to know something intellectually. You must engage with it as well. My experience in classes, community engagement, and jobs has shown me the importance of doing good work through reflection and compassion, and this is how I seek to engage the world after I graduate.
What has been the best or most memorable part of your Loyola experience?
The best part of my Loyola experience has been the community I have found within SES among students with similar values and beliefs. Over the past four years, I have gotten to know most of the people in my program by taking the same classes, attending events, or participating in club meetings. I have formed many life-long friendships with fellow students, and I will always look back fondly at SES as a space of belonging and community.
Looking to the future
How has your education at Loyola prepared you to achieve your future goals?
Aside from the classes I have taken, my educational experience has been highly hands-on, giving me real-world experience that will be beneficial as I start my career after graduation. I have been fortunate to gain extensive work and research experience as an undergraduate through the opportunities Loyola provided. I am excited to continue building on this experience after I graduate. I’m currently exploring work opportunities for after graduation and applying to full-time environmental positions and AmeriCorps positions.