NEW ORLEANS — Loyola University New Orleans will host its 2026 commencement ceremonies on May 9 at the Smoothie King Center, with the Rev. Thomas P. Greene, S.J., provincial of the Jesuits’ USA Central and Southern Province and a Loyola undergraduate and College of Law alumnus, delivering the commencement address at both the undergraduate and graduate ceremony at 10 a.m. and the College of Law ceremony at 5 p.m. He will also receive an honorary degree recognizing his leadership and service to Jesuit education.
Greene has spent his career in Jesuit education and leadership, overseeing ministries across the region and supporting institutions focused on faith, justice and academic achievement.
The university will also award honorary degrees to several additional honorees. Percy Pierre will be recognized for his contributions to engineering and defense research and development, as well as his efforts to expand access and equity in STEM education.
Isaac Toups and Amanda Toups, co-owners of Toups Meatery, will also receive honorary degrees. The couple founded Toups Family Meal during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide meals to out-of-work hospitality workers. The initiative has since expanded into a broader effort addressing food insecurity through disaster relief, summer meal programs and community outreach across Orleans Parish.
Loyola Workforce Pipeline on Display
Among this year’s graduates are several students whose academic and professional trajectories reflect key workforce trends across the region’s legal, healthcare and business sectors.
While most students his age are completing high school, 18-year-old James “Jimmy” Chilimigras will graduate from Loyola’s College of Law, where he ranks in the top 2% of his class and is projected to become one of the youngest law graduates in Louisiana and widely considered among the youngest Certified Public Accountants in the country. He will continue his studies in taxation at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, highlighting a growing pipeline of highly specialized legal talent.
In healthcare, Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate Manal Azer has been selected to help lead a nationwide Alzheimer’s initiative, underscoring the increasing demand for advanced nursing leadership. Amanda Braham, a graduate of Loyola’s accelerated nursing program, will continue her career with Ochsner Health, reflecting the role of local academic programs in supporting the region’s healthcare workforce.
Business and data-focused talent is also represented, including Daniela Mogollon, a business analytics and economics graduate recognized for academic research and achievement, as well as adult learners such as Clifford Myatt, who completed his degree through Loyola Online while working full-time.
Regional Workforce Partnership
Loyola has also expanded its role in regional workforce development through new academic partnerships. In April, the university announced agreements with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Fletcher Technical Community College that guarantee transfer of up to 60 credits into Loyola’s online Bachelor of Applied Science program, enabling students to enter as juniors and accelerate degree completion, a model increasingly used to address regional workforce shortages.
The Fletcher agreement also emphasizes in-state talent retention and affordability, offering a structured two-plus-two pathway and reduced-cost online coursework for working adults. Loyola has established similar partnerships with Delgado Community College and Baton Rouge Community College.
