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Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J. to Receive 2016 Holstein Award

BY ISN STAFFMarch 9, 2016

The Ignatian Solidarity Network will honor Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J., with the Robert M. Holstein Faith Doing Justice Award on Wednesday, April 27, at an evening cocktail reception at Loyola’s Water Tower campus in Chicago, IL.

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Fr. Michael Garanzini, S.J. will be honored with the 2016 Holstein Award for his longstanding commitment to social justice as a university administrator, professor, and author.

The Holstein Award honors individuals nationally each year who have demonstrated a significant commitment to leadership for social justice grounded in the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). The award’s namesake, the late Robert (Bob) M. Holstein, was a former California Province Jesuit, labor lawyer, fierce advocate for social justice, and one of the founders of the Ignatian Family Teach-In for Justice (IFTJ)–the precursor to the Ignatian Solidarity Network.

A celebrated university administrator, professor, and author, Father Michael Garanzini, S.J. has a long history of bringing together higher education and social justice. 

Fr. Garanzini served as the 23rd president of the Loyola University Chicago from 2001-2015, stepping down last year to assume the role of chancellor. During his eleven years as president, he spearheaded a major plan to make Loyola one of the nation’s most sustainable universities.

Over his career, Fr. Garanzini has modeled a commitment to making Jesuit education accessible to underserved populations. During his tenure, Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine became the first medical school in the U.S. to admit undocumented immigrant students.

Fr. Garanzini’s passion for a just model of education can also be seen in Arrupe College, which opened its doors in August 2015 as the world’s first Jesuit community college. As president and chancellor, Garanzini has played a key role in creating Arrupe’s revolutionary model of education in which underprivileged students can attend college on a work-study basis and graduate debt-free in two years.

In June 2011, he was appointed by Adolfo Nicolás, S.J., the superior general of the Society of Jesus, to serve as the secretary for higher education for the Society of Jesus, championing Jesuit higher-education issues around the world.

Prior to leading Loyola, Garanzini was a full professor of psychology at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where he had been special assistant to the president for two years. He also spent many years as a professor and administrator at Saint Louis University.

Earlier this year, Garanzini was selected by Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel to serve on the board of Chicago Public Schools. He also serves on a number of other boards, including: the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU); the Archdiocese of Chicago, Board of Catholic Schools; the Flannery O’Connor-Andalusia Foundation; and LIFT-Chicago.

Fr. Garanzini is known for his community service work on behalf of children and families. He is a frequent speaker and has published many books and articles on issues such as child and family therapy, moral development, and Catholic education.

Previous recipients of the Holstein Award include Catholic Health Association CEO Sr. Carol Keehan, past U.S. Jesuit Conference president Fr. James Connor, S.J., and anti-death penalty advocate Sr. Helen Prejean, C.S.J.

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