Shelby Walchuk '05 Named Director of Annual Giving

What activities were you involved in as a student at Loyola? Any favorite LA memories? 
I was a Dumbach Scholar and editor-in-chief of The Prep student newspaper. I had a monthly column called the "Prep Profiles," which gave me the opportunity to interview members of Loyola's faculty and staff. One of my favorite interviews was in the spring of 2002 with the late Coach Frank Amato. I'll never forget how kind and thoughtful he was in answering each of my questions and waiting as I carefully jotted down his responses. One of my signature questions, at the end of every interview, was: If you could have lunch with any person, who would it be and why? Coach Amato's response was humble and endearing: Loyola alumni. "It gives me great satisfaction to hear about their success in business and their families," he said. "I like to have lunch with them and continue to have them [be] a part of my life." It was a wonderful conversation—well before email and iPads—with a Loyola legend, a true servant-leader. I also ran track & field and participated in Life! Be in it!, National Honor Society, Insignis, and Kairos 134. In 2005, I was the Rebarchak '79 Memorial Award recipient.

What were some of your favorite classes? 
There are so many that standout: Scripture with Dr. Tim Martin; Beginning Dance with Ms. Debbie Henslee; Honors World History with Mr. John O'Loughlin '59; AP Art History with Mrs. Lesley Shifrin; AP Chemistry with Mr. Wally Pape; AP Literature and Composition with Mr. Mark Flinchum; AP Latin IV with Mr. David Mathers; and AP Psychology with Mr. Kenneth Kupczyk.

What's something people might not know about you?
My undergraduate degree is in Classics. I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to study Latin here at LA with incredible teachers like Mr. David Mathers, Mrs. Becki Wick, and Mr. Michael Schulte. They are master educators who introduced me to Vergil, Caesar, and Ovid, and they instilled in me a deep appreciation for nuance, detail, and the creative process of translation. I taught high school Latin for several years, modeling much of my pedagogy on their fine example, before moving into the nonprofit sector and eventually coming back to Loyola in 2015.

Why do you stay connected to LA?
For the past eight years, I've had the privilege of serving Loyola's communications and public relations team—crafting press releases for major school news, fostering media relations, producing LOYOLA magazine and the annual report, publishing web stories & interviews, managing our social media accounts, and more. My job was storytelling, messaging, and relationship building. And now, as I settle into my role as director of annual giving, my day-to-day looks different, but in many ways I am still storytelling, messaging, and relationship building. I love putting the spotlight on all the incredible things happening here at Lake and Laramie everyday, and I love connecting alumni back to Loyola. While the Loyola Academy I experienced as a student between 2001-2005 is different from the Loyola of the 1970s, for example, and it's different from the Loyola of today, there is absolutely a common thread of tradition and a shared experience of excellence that unites generations of Rambler alumni. I stay connected to LA to celebrate what unites us and to foster meaningful connections between Ramblers and the Academy.

In your role as director of annual giving, what are you most looking forward to?
I'm excited to build a culture of giving at Loyola that champions our community and reflects the incredible support of our alumni, parents, and friends. At its core, annual giving is about community—it's about who we are and what we do to ensure that Loyola flourishes today and into the future.