Loyola Academy Inducts 171 Students into Honors Programs
9/4/2026
On Sunday, August 30, Loyola Academy inducted 171 students into its three Honors Programs during a special Mass celebrated by Loyola Academy President Rev. Gregory J. Ostdiek, SJ. The ceremony welcomed 93 Clavius Scholars, 55 Dumbach Scholars and the inaugural class of 23 Ricci Scholars.
Through deeper inquiry, interdisciplinary learning and opportunities for reflection and discovery, Loyola’s Honors Programs help students explore their interests, develop their gifts and take another step toward finding their calling.
The Dumbach Scholars Program focuses on the humanities and arts, inviting students to engage in thoughtful discussion and approach their studies as Renaissance learners. The Clavius Scholars Program serves students interested in math and science, fostering a critical appreciation of scientific inquiry and discovery.
The Ricci Scholars Program, Loyola’s newest Honors Program, brings together students interested in social studies and world languages. Through global and intercultural study, the program prepares students to become informed, responsible and active global citizens.
During the Mass, seniors Juan Carlos Chiwah (Dumbach) and Yianna Drossos (Clavius) reflected on their experiences and encouraged the newest scholars to embrace curiosity, uncertainty and discovery.
“Chase layers of curiosity, not finality. Chase expansion, not conformity to success according to the gradebook,” Chiwah shared. “Chase your own vision, but do it in a way that explores and incorporates the world around you. This is what Dumbach emphasizes, what our school teaches and what all learning requires.”
His message reflected the spirit of the Dumbach experience: meaningful learning comes not simply from completing an assignment or arriving at a final answer, but from allowing questions to lead somewhere new.
Drossos challenged the new Clavius Scholars to step outside their comfort zones and explore subjects that inspire them.
“I invite you to find a topic in the math or science range that sparks your interest on a deeper level,” she said. “Intellectual curiosity drives independence, critical thinking and community leadership.”
Ricci Scholars Program Director Erica Nathan-Gamauf welcomed the program’s inaugural class and introduced its three-year structure, inspired by Pope Francis’ vision of an education that speaks the three human languages: the languages of the head, heart and hands.
During their first year, Ricci Scholars will develop “Great Minds” by learning to think with clarity. In the second year, they will form “Great Hearts” by striving to feel with empathy. Their final year, “Great Hands,” will call them to lead with service and integrity. Together, these stages reflect the harmony among learning, feeling and serving that is central to Jesuit formation.
“We are proud of you for your curiosity and your commitment to becoming informed, compelled, responsible and active global citizens,” Nathan-Gamauf told the scholars. “Ricci is a way of being, of living our faith and of committing in solidarity to be men and women for and with others.”
The inaugural Ricci Scholars join Ignatian Global Scholars from 52 other Jesuit institutions across North America, as well as Jesuit students around the world.
Following Mass, students and their families gathered in the Ignatian Lobby for donuts and coffee. Loyola Academy’s Honors Programs are led by Ms. Valerie Galloway (Clavius), Ms. Lesley Shifrin (Dumbach) and Mrs. Erica Nathan-Gamauf (Ricci), whose leadership provides scholars with meaningful opportunities to pursue their interests, deepen their understanding and discover how their gifts can serve the world around them.
To learn more about the many ways Loyola Academy helps students explore their interests and find their calling, visit the Programs of Distinction web page.
