The Hank Center, in support of the Catholic Studies Minor, funds a year-long fellowship to undergraduate students who are currently enrolled in the Catholic Studies Minor program. This fellowship supports undergraduate students to work on research projects in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. Undergraduate fellows can apply either to work as research assistants for faculty-led projects, or may apply to work on their own project, mentored by a faculty mentor of their choosing. The fellowship includes a $2500 award (applied to fellows' student accounts), and up to $500 in travel funding and/or research supplies.

Eligibility and Application Information

To be eligible for this Fellowship, students must be enrolled in the Catholic Studies minor at Loyola University Chicago. Applications are completed online through the Loyola Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (LUROP) by March 1 of each year. As part of the application process, applicants will be required to submit an application, a summary of proposed project, and a letter of support from a faculty mentor. For more information, please contact Hank Center Associate Director Joe Vukov at jvukov@luc.edu.

Current Undergraduate Research Fellows

Charles Chengary Advisor: Derrick Witherington

My intent for research will be focusing on the pontificate of Pope Pius XI, especially his encyclicals and how they respond to globalization, modernization, liberalism, and political radicalism. Using the context of these documents I hope to see how his legislation interacts with the broader context of proto-social justice and its relation to Catholic social teaching and the Eucharist. Specifically, regarding the Eucharist tying in the devotions of the Sacred Heart and Christ the King and how such devotions fleshed out in Papal documentation help to respond to modern problems. I will use this time period and this Papal response as a depiction as how the modern Church can respond from the Chair of Peter with the faith in Christ.

Grant DeRaedt Advisor: Matthew Dunch, SJ

With a broad interest in Trinitarian philosophy and the Thomistic scholarly tradition, this project seeks to visit the Trinity through the lens of Aquinas’ virtue. Initially, the goal of the project was to work with Trinitarian philosophy, pointedly with the relationship between the Father and the Son. The life of Christ and His relationship to His Father have many areas of study, but this project will focus on the virtue of Christ and the distinction between acquired and infused virtue. There is an ever-present debate in trying to understand the meaning and distinction between St. Thomas Aquinas’ acquired and infused virtue. Some scholars believe that the two types of virtue can exist together, while others believe the acquired virtues are engrossed with the infused virtues. The scholars that this project will predominantly use are Angela Knobel, Eleonore Stump and Brandon Dahm.  In order to understand the nature of the life of Christ, this project will look at the virtue of Christ and what either perspective implies for His nature. By developing an understanding of the nature of Christ, implications of the relationship of the Father and the Son will follow.

Past Undergraduate Research Fellows

Mark Gomez (2023-2024)
Advisor: Paddy Gilger, S.J.

Matthew McKenna (2023-2024)
Advisor: Jeffrey Fisher

Grace Shallal (2023-2024)
Advisor: Paula Tallman

Sarah LaVanway (2020-2021)
Majors: Theology, Global and International Studies
Minor: Catholic Studies

Frances Rafferty (2020-2021)
Major: Environmental Policy
Minor: Catholic Studies

Joseph I. De Larauze (2018-2019)
Majors: Economics, English
Minors: Business Administration, Catholic Studies

Sarah Miklius (2018-2019)
Major: International Studies
Minors: Catholic Studies, Peace Studies

Sylvester Francis Alonz (2017-2018)
Majors: Religious Studies
Minor: Catholic Studies

Jenna Meyers (2017-2018)
Major: Economics
Minors: Business Administration, Catholic Studies, Theatre

Jay Egan (2016-2017)
Majors: Philosophy
Minor: Catholic Studies

Michael Malucha (2016-2017)
Major: Philosophy
Minors: Catholic Studies

Gustav Roman (2015-2016)
Major: English
Minors: Catholic Studies, History, Theology

Katie Dubielak (2015-2016)
Major: Social Work
Minor: Catholic Studies

Zac Davis (2014-2015)
Majors: Philosophy, Theology
Minor: Catholic Studies

Caley Terry (2014-2015)
Majors: English, Theology
Minor: Catholic Studies

Evan Thompson (2014-2015)
Major: History
Minor: Catholic Studies

Sarah Balas (2013-2014)
Major: English
Minor: Catholic Studies

Steven Patzke (2013-2014)
Majors: Theology, Philosophy
Minors: Catholic Studies, Pastoral Leadership

Mario L. Cuttone (2012-2013)
Majors: Accounting and Sport Management
Minor: Catholic Studies

Martha Ligas (2012-2013)
Majors: Psychology and Sociology
Minor: Catholic Studies

Gerard James Luisi II (2012-2013)
Majors: Philosophy and Political Science
Minor: Catholic Studies

Zachary Hugo (2011-2012)
Majors: Philosophy, Theology
Minor: Catholic Studies

Courtney Clark (2011-2012)
Majors: Religious Studies, Global and International Studies
Minors: French, Catholic Studies

Past Hank Center Undergraduate Research Assistants

2018-2019: Joseph De Laurauze and Emily Kate Marticello

2017-2018: Amy Christenson & Sarah O'Hanian

2016-2017: Angelo Jesus Canta & Gustav Roman

2015-2016: Ron Amiscaray, Gustav Roman, & Guy Valponi

2014-2015: Angelo Jesus Canta & Zac Davis

2013-2014: Paul Jentz, Samantha Ropski, & Alicen Schade

2011-2012: Lucia Wiley-Kellerman

2010-2011: Nuria Martinez

2009-2010: Daniel Wood