JOHN WEETENKAMP III '65 RETIRING FROM LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD

John Weetenkamp is set to retire after a 48-year career at Loyola Blakefield. During his time at Loyola, he has affected the lives of countless young men and served as an inspiring mentor and friend to colleagues.

 

Weetenkamp graduated from Loyola in 1965 and attended Loyola University and Johns Hopkins. He returned to Blakefield in the fall of 1969 as an English teacher. Over the course of his career, he has also served as Registrar, Assistant Headmaster for Academics, Headmaster, and Director of Ignatian Mission & Identity. In 2012, he served as Interim President. Most recently, he has been assisting the Office of the President and Office of Ignatian Mission & Identity on a part-time basis.

 

“John is a model Ignatian educator,” said Anthony Day, President. “He has been a steady and influential presence here at Loyola and serves as a mentor, confidant, and friend to all."

 

In addition to his time in the classroom, one of John’s most significant legacies at Loyola is the establishment of the Office of Ignatian Mission & Identity in 2002. As Director, he implemented programs aimed at adult members of the Loyola community (teachers, staff, trustees, parents, and alumni) that provided opportunities to explore the depths of Ignatian spirituality.

 

Longtime colleague John Stewart ’60 has witnessed Weetenkamp’s dedication firsthand. “In all that John has done here at Loyola, the one title that suits him best will always be teacher,” said Stewart. “Whether in the classroom, in leadership to the school, or by example, he has always been a teacher of others.”

 

As a student at Loyola, Weetenkamp served as a member of the student council and was a member of the varsity baseball team. Voted “Best Personality” by his classmates, he has left an indelible mark upon the Loyola community. “John was always a very good teacher and possesses a genuine world view,” said Rev. Lloyd George, S.J. “He was the perfect person to help carry on the Ignatian identity of Loyola because when he speaks about Jesuit values, he’s speaking from a genuine personal experience in terms of what has made him the person he has become.”

 

Looking back at his time as a student and staff member at Loyola, Weetenkamp reflected on the many people he has formed relationships with over the years. ”Loyola has been such a blessing in my life, one for which I am extremely grateful," said Weetenkamp. "It is a humbling experience to have been so gifted by the relationships with so many wonderful people: classmates, students, faculty and staff, parents, and alumni. As St. Ignatius certainly understood: all in one’s life is indeed gift from God. Most certainly for me, Loyola has been and will always remain an incredibly special gift."

 

In 2006, Weetenkamp received the Rev. Joseph M. Kelley, S.J. Medal, the highest form of recognition given to a Loyola alumnus. In 2013, his legacy at Loyola was honored via the naming of the pathway traversing Blakefield's Hollow as "Weetenkamp Way." Additionally, an annual award was created in his name. It is presented to a graduating senior who has been caring to his peers, demonstrates dedication to the mission of Loyola, and embodies the words of St. Ignatius by his actions and service to others.