A metal tree sculpture behind the chapel memorializes Kendall Daigle, a former Loyola English student, artist, and poet who passed away in 2014 at age 19.
In 2019, Daigle’s parents approached Loyola about doing a memorial for their daughter, said design department chair Daniela Marx. The design department created a class for the project and decided on a sculpture to honor Daigle’s legacy, called The Kendall Collective. Loyola’s design students spent a semester trying to figure out a way to keep this memorial intact for years to come.
This iteration of the memorial was on Loyola’s campus for two years but could not withstand the weather conditions. Marx shared that it was then brought to another design class in 2021 where they came up with the idea of a metal tree for sustainability.
“The idea was that it could live forever in this environment,” said Marx.
Built into the metal tree, built by local artist David Rockhold, there are two compartments that will hold Daigle’s poetry and any other works that Loyola students want to add. President of Mission Identity at Loyola, Father John Cunningham spoke about Daigle’s collection of poetry found after her passing, titled “Soul Under Construction.”
“She was very literary and after her passing, they found a collection of her poetry,” said Cunningham.
Along with the metal tree honoring Daigle, there will be an annual event called The Bloom Festival. This event is put on by the design department and it is meant to honor Daigle and bring awareness to Mental Health. The festival will take place on March 31, 2025.
“There will be films projected, music students playing, and lots of creative tablings set up,” said Marx.
This event will also give Loyola English students an opportunity to share their writings. Daigle’s parents have donated money to give scholarships to two English students who study abroad each year. Past recipients of the Daigle scholarship will also share their work.
“We will have this bloom festival every year,” said Marx. “It will always be around Kendall’s birthday, and we will celebrate mental health awareness and creativity. That’s what the whole thing is about.”
Marx wants to give everyone the opportunity to participate. There was a blessing of the tree on Nov. 11 to acknowledge the tree on campus and honor Kendall. The tree is located in front of Monroe Hall and the plan is to turn this area into an arts quad.
“We have been calling it ‘Kendall’s Courtyard’ because it is a place for people to come and be creative and feel Kendall’s spirit,” said Marx.
Cunningham, who did the blessing of the tree, also added that this space is meant to be a place for all students to reflect.
“They really want that quad to become a place where students can celebrate art and feel peace and tranquility, and maybe even for students who are struggling with mental health to come and find some peace,” said Cunningham.
