Crimson Circle

The Crimson Circle is an all-male service organization composed of thirty five sophomore, junior, and senior men from Loyola Marymount University and follows Jesuit principles. The Crimson Circle has served the university and surrounding communities in Los Angeles since its founding in 1929. Their crimson sweaters have been passed down from member to member for over seventy five years.

History

The Crimson Circle was established at Loyola University in 1929 to assist the Jesuit Dean of Students with the enforcement of the Student Conduct Code at student assemblies and athletic events by administering punishment on infractors and interpreting the ASLU Constitution.

The first group of Crimsons included the top upper classmen of Loyola University with honorary positions held for the President of ASLU, the editor-in-chief of the Loyolan (the campus newspaper), and the president of the no longer existing Block L Society. In this group was Will Von Der Ahe ('31) who took over for his father Charles in running the Vons corporation. The library of LMU bears their name.

For decades the Crimson Circle was the judiciary branch of the school. It held public trials and inflicted punishment on the students who violated the rules of the school. The Circle was also in charge of interpreting the ASLU Constitution and holding ASLU officers in check. Up until the early 1980s, Crimsons were voted into the organization by the student body.

During the 1960s, the Crimson Circle began to resemble the organization it is today. It became the first service organization on campus and committed itself to promoting programs of ASLU, the President's Office, University Relations, and Admissions. After the merger in 1973, Crimson began working more in tandem with the Belles to be the face of the university for public relations.

Crimson began emphasizing the service aspects of the organization during this time as well in order to better serve Loyola and the areas around Los Angeles.

The Crimson Circle experienced its most controversial years in the late 1970s and early 1980s when several women attempted to join the Circle. The Loyolan was filled with editorials and letters to the editor from faculty, students, Crimsons, and then moderator Alfred Kilp, S.J. about the all-male aspect of the organization. The Crimson Circle would allow the females to interview, but did not select them for final membership. Following the controversy, the co-ed Ignatians service organization was created to balance Crimson, the Belles, and Gryphon Circle.

In 1994, the Circle celebrated its 65th anniversary with a Mass and banquet led by then-LMU President Thomas P. O'Malley, S.J. The event included members from all the way back to the 1940s to remember the tradition of the Circle. When O'Malley left the university, he had Crimsons serve as the color guard in the Mass.

The Crimson Circle continued its mission by winning Service Organization of the year back-to-back years to begin the new millennium. Within the last decade, Charity Ball was created in 1999 and later made in conjunction with the Belles to raise money for local charities. In 2007, Crimson raised over $8,000 for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, CA with the event.

Today, service to Loyola Marymount University and the surrounding communities of Los Angeles has become an essential part of the stated mission of the Crimson Circle.

Moderators of Crimson Circle have included: Fr. Al Kilp, SJ (Former Vice President for Student Affairs and Director of Alumni Relations); Fr. James Erps, SJ (Former Prefect of Sacred Heart Chapel); Fr. Richard Rolfs, S.J. (Former Vice President for Student Affairs and Professor of History), and Fr. Wayne Negrete, SJ (Former Prefect of Sacred Heart Chapel). Fr. Richard Robin, SJ, (Assistant to the President) has served as moderator since 1995.

The uniform colors remain crimson and grey, reflecting the school colors of Loyola University. The Crimson Circle is composed of 35 sophomore, junior and senior men.

Service and Members

The Crimson Circle currenly serves both the LMU and greater Los Angeles Communities. The LMU Center for Service and Action manages on campus requests for Crimson Circle. The Circle prides itself on its commitment to the LMU community as on campus service is a prominent part of its rich tradition. The Crimson Circle is also very active in LMU's annual Special Games and its members are among some of the campus' most distinguished student leaders. The recent tradition of organizing and facilitating Charity Ball with the Belles has raised money for St. Columbkille Elementary School in Watts, St. Joseph's Center in Santa Monica, and victims of Hurricane Katrina. The Circle's off campus service includes tutoring students at St. Columbkille Elementary School, preparing inner-city eighth grade students for their High School Entrance Exam to Loyola High School (Loyola Projects), annually cooking and delivering a meal for the Downtown Women's Center on Skid Row, work with the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, and service trips to Tijuana, Mexico.

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