The Helen V. Brach Foundation was established in 1974 and supports many causes, including animal welfare, music, arts, theater, and academic and educational initiatives. For the past 35 years, the Brach Foundation has been a steadfast partner of Loyola Academy supporting excellence in education. The Foundation’s first leadership gift was a significant investment in the sciences at the Academy, in a space now recognized as the Brach Biology Center. Since then, the Foundation’s generosity has allowed Loyola to advance its technological infrastructure, including upgrades to our Global Communications Center (GCC), tablet PCs, interactive whiteboard projection systems, enhancement to the school’s A/V systems and modernization of classroom technology to facilitate teacher-to-student and peer-to-peer engagement. The Foundation also invested in capital projects, including wetlands at the Munz Campus and the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center. We are grateful to the foundation for their leadership gift to name The Brach Biology Center at Loyola. 

Loyola graduate parents Karen and Gary Gardner made a leadership gift to create a chemistry lab for the students of Loyola. The Gardners were resolute in their desire to support the development of a stronger math and science curriculum—including facilities— for Ramblers. Their children, Laura Gardner Connelly '11 and Daniel J. Gardner '13, both pursued engineering degrees in college. Laura graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Daniel earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.   

Louise and Robert Sanborn are parents of twins, Sean R. Sanborn ’13 and Maura A. Sanborn ’13, and throughout their children’s Rambler years, they gave generously of their time and resources to support Loyola Academy. In 2012, the Sanborns made a leadership gift to support the development of a multipurpose science lab, which was formally dedicated in March 2013.  As the Sanborn twins headed off to college, their parents remained active and committed members of the school community. In 2014, Louise joined our Board of Trustees and has shared her wisdom and insights with Loyola leadership as a member of the Board’s Executive Committee and chair of the Board’s Ignatian and Catholic Identity and Advancement Committees. In 2016, Robert and Louise made another gift to the Second Century Campaign, this time to support our Pool Initiative, the Piazza, and our Theater Initiative. This exceptionally generous gesture was rooted in an ongoing commitment to the Jesuit values that had made such a deep impression on the Sanborns during their twins’ years at Loyola.

Loyola graduate parents Sue and Tim Sullivan made a leadership gift to support the development of a new STEAM lab and think tank, named in honor of former Loyola biology teacher Rev. Peter W. Breslin, SJ. The lab opened for student use in January 2019 and is home to a state-of-the-art chemistry lab and think tank—paving the way for creative, collaborative learning in the STEAM disciplines for classes like Robotics, Digital Electronics, and Intro to Engineering Design. The space has empowered Ramblers to think more broadly about these and other real-world problems, address issues of social justice and, ultimately, serve a world in need of their talents. These skills are familiar ones to the Sulllivans, who both hold engineering degrees. Sue and Tim are parents of Peter J. Sullivan ’07, Matthew T. Sulllivan ’09, and Shannon E. Sullivan ’12. 

Friends and family made a leadership gift to name a physics lab in memory of Loyola graduate parent and Science Initiative Committee Chair the late Dr. Alan W. Yasko, former chief of musculoskeletal oncology at Northwestern University’s Lurie Cancer Center. The physics lab was formally dedicated in May 2014, and his family was present at the physics lab dedication in May 2014. Dr Yasko is survived by his wife, Mrs. Laura A. Yasko, current Loyola Academy library aid, and their children, Jason A. Yasko ’11, Nathan W. Yasko ’13, Aaron M. Yasko ’15, and Alexandra J. Yasko ’16.