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Sweet-n-Greet brings a sense of community Ministers give students a place to unwind and to explore faith Photo of Beiver Hall Residence. Beiver Hall remains closed as it prepares for the next phase of renovations.

By Ana Lukes aclukes@my.loyno.edu

Are you looking for a campus event to sweeten your day? Loyola New Orleans Resident Ministers host weekly Sweet-n-Greet traditions in their residence halls, passing out cookies and greeting students with a goal of meeting them where they’re at, but they also serve as spiritual counselors and are an avenue for direct communication between students and staff here at Loyola. The “Sweet-n-Greet” tradition started with Ken Weber as a way to build a community in the residence halls and check in on students outside of the classroom, inspired by post-church service events like donuts and coffee on Sundays. This practice has since been adopted by Loyola resident ministers and is now hosted every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings. While the Sweet-n-Greet events themselves take place in the residence halls, resident minister of Uptown Halls’ fourth floor, Judy Fontenot Lavergne, said the “Sweet-n-Greet” events are open and encouraged for everyone in the

Loyola moves forward with Biever renovations By Aron Covin ajcovin@my.loyno.edu

Resident Minister Ken Weber sets out a fresh plate of cookies and a warm smile, putting the finishing touches on the inviting Minister Sweet ‘n Greet on Tuesday, Sept, 8, 2026. Riddick Winter/ The Maroon

Loyola community to come and grab a cookie. “I can engage in or at least hear conversations had by students, which gives me insight into the kinds of things that are on their minds and how they communicate,” Webber said “As someone older than most of their

parents at this point, it is vital to my ability to minister among them that I know what is important to them.” He added Lavergne also highlighted why having a minister in the halls can be helpful in times of need, like the blackout on Aug 21, 2026. She recalled being able to reassure worried students and serve as an

open line of communication between students and the school in times of need; she stated that “To be able to offer that kind of support was really affirming”. You can find more information on the “Sweet-n-Greet” schedule on the Loyola website for student affairs.

Film culture realizes that Gen Z is here to stay By Amari Winchester abwinche@my.loyno.edu This year is a big time for movies; the summer already proved that with box office hits like “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” and “Obsession”. We also have films to look forward to later in the year like “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping ” and “Avengers: Doomsday”. With all of the conversations about the films of this year, one thing is clear to me. Generation Z is the people leading the charge in how we now watch, talk about, and create modern-day films. According to a study made by Fandango, 87% of Gen Z adults have seen at least one movie in theaters this year. Compared to Millennials with 82%, Gen X with 70%, and Baby Boomers with 58%. The reason why the percentage of Gen Z is so high is a result of several things. The study states that this generation values having third spaces and social interactions with other people. It also states that this generation appreciates having a selection of good movies to choose from. The film “Obsession” is one of those

choices. The director of the film, Curry Barker, got his start by creating videos on YouTube. Then, with a 750,000 dollar budget, he created a film that grossed up to 509.9 million worldwide. This is not the only Gen-Z filmmaker who had hits at the box office; there was also Kane Parsons, who is the mind behind the 2026 film “Backrooms”. That grossed 394 million dollars worldwide in its own right. These Gen-Z filmmakers show that younger people want to have an impact on the media being created today. And how the media we see now can change for the better When asked in an interview with IGN Entertainment about what Gen-Z wants to see in film, Barker had this to say “We want good movies back. People are still hungry for original movies without some big IP, as long as the story is good.” These two horror films caused a large amount of discussion online, but they are not the only ones. From adaptations like “The Odyssey” to superhero films like “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” they have developed their own corners of the internet where people are discussing them and making content surrounding these movies too. They are called fandom spaces.

Left - ticket office outside of the Prytania. Right - Popcorn buckets filled up at the Prytania theatre located on Prytania street. Sophia Renzi/ The Maroon

Fandom spaces have been around since the internet was a thing, and with the social media landscape now, fandoms have evolved into a big part of pop culture. According to Variety, fandom spaces are not one-dimensional. “Today’s fans have different levels of engagement and modes of discovery, interaction, participation and purchase behavior related to their franchises of interest.” Being the generation that grew up

with the internet, Gen Z has been a leader in fandom culture. The Fandango study states that one of the top five ways for Gen Z to build excitement for new content is through discussions on TikTok or Instagram Reels. Today, this generation is at the forefront of film culture. Between creating and talking about films, Generation Z is bringing on a new change to film, and with how things are going, I think that change is going to be a good one too.

Loyola has begun phased renovations of Biever Hall. While the university has begun work on the building, officials say the renovation will take place in phases and have not announced a timeline for its full completion. Loyola first announced plans for a “years-long renovation of Biever Hall” in January 2024. The university reiterated its plans for improvements in a September 2025 article about its facilities department. During his presidential convocation, President Cole said the university remains committed to completing the project, but that renovations will be staged according to the university’s housing needs. “We will finish Biever eventually,” Cole said in the address. “This is very intentional staging on how we renovate the floors that we need when we need them. Not to renovate a building and then not be able to fill them up.” Cole described Biever as an “early priority” while discussing the university’s housing capacity. Aaron E. Johnson, Loyola’s associate director of housing operations, said the first round of renovations is expected to be completed in mid-to-late September. That phase includes a renovated residential life office on the first floor, a new accessible entrance, improvements to the first-floor lobby, two renovated model rooms, and a renovated community bathroom. Johnson said the phased approach will allow Loyola to address both the building’s infrastructure and areas that directly affect students, including community bathrooms, common areas, kitchens, laundry facilities and building systems.

See BIEVER HALL, p.2