LMU is set to host the 11th annual IgnatianQ conference from April 3-6, 2025, marking the first time LMU will host this student ministry conference, and the third time this conference has been hosted on the West Coast. IgnatianQ at LMU is a joint endeavor, organized by a team of students who have attended the conference over the past two years, along with the LMU divisions of Mission and Ministry, Student Affairs, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Every year, the IgnatianQ conference is hosted by a Jesuit institution to build community, foster spirituality, and affirm the humanity of LGBTQIA+ students. Founded in spring 2014 at Fordham University, it has since been hosted twice by Fordham. Other host institutions include Georgetown University, Seattle University, Santa Clara University, Loyola University Maryland, and the College of the Holy Cross.

The 2025 conference theme is "Queera Personalis" which aims to create a space where students can connect personally with the care of God. This theme involves envisioning a broader Ignatian value of cura personalis, which means "care for the entire person." Ignited by Ignatian spirituality, the organizers are dedicated to curating a diverse array of enriching and contemplative retreat-like activities.

As the hosting institution, LMU plans to draw from a vibrant network of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the local community to create an engaging conference program. The conference will not only benefit the attendees but also the surrounding Los Angeles communities, providing them with a unique opportunity to engage with LGBTQIA+ students and learn more about the issues they face. Through workshops, discussions, and shared experiences, the conference will cultivate a supportive and inclusive environment, fostering collective learning and growth for all participants.

As a student-led initiative, past LMU IgnatianQ attendees and student organizations will be taking the lead on planning the upcoming conference. One of those groups is Somewhere Under the Rainbow (SUR), which is a passionate student organization representing queer identities and allies forming a community at LMU. The goals of SUR align with LMU's mission and the goals of the IgnatianQ experience by celebrating queer joy and creating spaces that make students feel safe, seen, and comfortable being their authentic selves.

LMU is fully committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, and campus leaders have expressed their enthusiasm for hosting this conference. Vice President of Mission and Ministry, John Sebastian, Ph.D., emphasized the importance of this moment as a Catholic institution, stating, "It is increasingly important for Catholic colleges and universities to declare unequivocally that we are places of welcome, acceptance, and love for all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, because of our commitment to Gospel values as a Jesuit and Marymount educational institution." Emelyn A. dela Peña, Ed.D., vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, highlighted the opportunity to showcase the institution, the city of Los Angeles, and LMU's commitment to inclusion and a sense of belonging for all members of the community. Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Kawanna Leggett, Ed.D., believes "Hosting this event reinforces LMU's commitment to fostering inclusivity and creating spaces where all students are celebrated."

LMU is excited to introduce new elements to this year's conference, including student panels where peer-to-peer communication is at the forefront, a service component where attendees have the opportunity to give back to local nonprofits that support queer identities in L.A., and a queer clothing drive where attendees can give away clothing to help align gender identity and expression. Attendees will stay at two local hotels in Marina del Rey for the duration of the conference, with bus transportation provided to and from our campus. A more detailed schedule and information about keynote speakers will be provided in spring 2025.

Students and staff have regularly attended the IgnatianQ conference, most recently taking a cohort of eight students and six staff members to the 2024 conference held at St. Louis University. The decision to have LMU host the following year was met with great excitement and support from all the areas involved in the planning process.

Grant Cokley '25, an accounting and finance major and president of the Residence Hall Association was one of the students who joined the LMU cohort at St. Louis University last spring. Cokley described the experience as transformative, being in community and in spaces with people he could identify with. "I was able to relate to myself and having this experience helped me understand myself much better because I was surrounded by people who were like me," said Cokley. "I was able to pick apart those differences that I always felt. It kind of clicked for our entire group that we were in a privileged space to be around people just like us, queer people and queer people of faith, and just be able to understand each other and have conversations."

During one of the 2024 conference breakout sessions, students were asked to go to a space that defined their school's level of acceptance or affirmation of their queer community. And without speaking to one another, all of the LMU students in attendance went toward the acceptance space. "We just sat down and it was amazing to realize we had seen the school in the same light that they accept us, but there's still a need for affirming spaces and advocating spaces for us," said Cokley. "This moment helped me realize I want to create those affirming and advocating spaces for students on campus. I want the campus to be aimed more at experiencing yourself fully, and experiencing other people fully. It's one thing to learn and teach about someone or something, but to truly experience and put yourself in that environment is a completely different aspect because I want to bring that to campus. IgnatianQ gave me the experience of being surrounded by queer people and not feeling like an outsider in my own community. So, I want to be able to bring spaces like that on to campus and experience other people fully without judgment or fear to be able to learn about themselves."

Two of the staff members who served as advisors also shared their experiences from attending the conference at SLU last spring. The 2024 conference was one of many that Chris de Silva, D.Min., associate director of Campus Ministry, had brought students to and he expressed how this conference allows LMU to embody its mission in today's world, which is filled with so much conflict. "Amidst the ongoing conflicts in the world, hosting this conference will provide a space on and off the bluff for reconciliation, celebration, and healing," de Silva remarked. "It will demonstrate to the world that LMU values dialogue, embraces diversity, and truly exemplifies the gospel message of love. IgnatianQ gives us this space to completely engage in 'the service of faith and the promotion of justice' where one element folds into the other in a way that brings us closer not only to each other but to our own selves and what we truly believe in as members of this campus community writ large."

Stuart Moskovitz, director of LGBT Student Services, also has served as a staff advisor, taking LMU students to IgnatianQ for the past two years. He shared the profound impact the opportunity to host will have on his work with students in the LGBTQIA+ community. "Hosting IgnatianQ 2025 is a significant opportunity for us," said Moskovitz. "It allows us to provide better access and opportunities for our students to gain valuable lessons, make memorable impacts on others, and create friendships beyond our institution. Typically, due to travel constraints, we can bring about 10 students annually to this conference. By hosting the conference this year, I can offer this opportunity to many more LMU students, significantly expanding our reach and impact." Moskovitz served on a panel about Queerituality, where panelists shared insights into queer Jewish and interfaith identities. "I was able to connect with a lot of students who attended and it was a rewarding experience knowing I was able to provide to so many students and to see the benefit of getting to be in the community," said Moskovitz. "The conference is so nourishing because you get to be your authentic self in a space that surrounds you with queer joy."

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