Through a Rambler’s Lens: Summer Service Photography Exhibit
9/25/2026
View Exhibit Opening Day Photo Gallery
Student and faculty photography featured in The Best Photographs from Summer Service 2026 captures moments of service, reflection and kinship from 18 immersion trips completed by Loyola Academy students during the spring and summer of 2026.
Nearly 200 members of the Class of 2027 traveled to 11 locations across the United States, where they encountered new communities, participated in meaningful service and reflected on how God calls them to respond to the needs of the world.
Selected from photographs taken by students, faculty members and chaperones, the exhibition captures the breadth of these experiences, including striking landscapes, South Dakota sunsets, Ramblers working alongside community partners and friendships built over late-night card games. Images of flowers, barbed wire, shared meals and service in action offer an intimate glimpse into experiences that challenge students to see the world and their place within it with new eyes.
“The photographs in this exhibition represent impactful moments from the eighteen immersion service trips,” said Fine Arts Department Chair and exhibit curator Pat Patterson. “Some were selected for the magical landscapes they captured, while others were chosen for the way they portrayed Ramblers at work.”
Loyola Academy’s Summer Service Immersion Program forms students to become women and men for others whose faith is expressed through service and a commitment to justice. During the five- to seven-day experiences, students immerse themselves in diverse communities, listen to those most affected by injustice and learn from those working for social change. Their service includes home repair, community gardening, visiting older adults and working with children.
Students also live simply, build community and participate in prayer and daily reflection. Upon returning to Loyola, they are encouraged to consider how they can continue acting in solidarity with others and contributing to a more just world.
The exhibit also referenced A Community of Kinship, by Rev. Greg Boyle, SJ, and his vision of overcoming the perceived division between “us” and “them” and recognizing the shared dignity that unites all people.
For many participants, the experience was transformative.
“Summer Service truly shifted my mindset on so many things—it was one of the best weeks of my life,” one student reflected.
Another student described the lasting impact of the experience: “I have learned how to communicate with others who are different from me, how to appreciate the small acts of God, how to deepen connections with those I do not know well and, most importantly, so much about myself and what I want to become.”
The exhibition celebrates both the photographers who documented these moments and the students, educators and community partners who made them possible. Special thanks go to Service Immersion Coordinator Megan Kennedy-Farrell, Melissa Krein, Leslie Ann Yatabe, Matthew Leonard ’89, Alice Kearney-Alwin ’98, Colleen Aufderheide LdM ’85, and Geoffrey Arndt for their assistance in gathering and reviewing the photographs, preparing the images, hanging the frames and supporting the project.
The Best Photographs from Summer Service 2026 will be on display through October 22 in the McGrath Family Performing Arts Center Gallery. Parents and other visitors who would like to view the exhibition should contact Pat Patterson at ppatterson@loy.org to arrange a visit.