Saint Louis University to Host Ignatian Q Conference April 18-21

ST. LOUIS – Saint Louis University will host the 10th Ignatian Q conference on April 18-21, becoming the first university in the Midwest to host the annual Jesuit conference.

Ignatian Q is a conference creating community, developing spirituality, and affirming humanity for LGBTQIA students at Jesuit schools. Since its founding at Fordham University in the spring of 2014, Ignatian Q has been held at Jesuit universities across the country.

The conference theme is “Queerly Beloved: An Intersectional Celebration of Queer Spirituality.”

SLU sent students to Fordham in 2023 for the first in-person conference since the COVID-19 pandemic started. It was there, organizers say, that they realized Saint Louis University should play host for the next conference.

“We were looking around and we realized the advantages we have here and the ways in which SLU supports our students,” said Aubra Ladd, program coordinator for the Center for Social Action and a planning team member.

SLU has several groups and programs that demonstrate the strong presence of and support for the LGBTQIA community on campus, including one of the oldest Rainbow Alliance student organizations at a Jesuit university and the faculty-led Transgender Health Collaborative. 

Planning for the event has been led by a group of LGBTQIA student leaders, with assistance from staff in the Divisions of Diversity and Innovative Community Engagement (DICE) and Mission and Identity.

They say they are excited to network with students from other Jesuit institutions and share their experiences. The conference will feature panel discussions, breakout sessions and a “Pride in the Pews” ball.

A SLU tradition of “Java with the Jesuits” will also be a part of the weekend. The conference will close on Sunday, April 21, with a drag brunch and the Queerly Beloved Mass on Sunday.

Rhett Schlabach, a 2023 SLU alum and planning team member, said the strong faith component and Jesuit values of Ignatian Q are a strength of the conference.

“Sharing and supporting all of our faith traditions was a real highlight of last year and one of the things I’m looking forward to this year,” he said.

Nicoli Donohue, a sophomore on the planning committee, said he feels a sense of community at SLU. He is looking forward to sharing that with other Jesuit students.

“I’m really excited for the panels where we will talk about our experiences and intersectionality,” he said. “I hope that sharing stories can make it easier for others.”

Patrick Cousins, director of pastoral formation in Mission and Identity, said the SLU student leaders are eloquent advocates for themselves with a strong sense of mission.

“Many of our students, coming from the Midwest, have had to advocate for themselves from a much younger age than some of their counterparts who grew up in other parts of the country,” Cousins said.  

When planning began, Cousins said he and Ladd were heartened by the support they received for the conference, finding quiet helpers and loud supporters across campus.

For the student leaders, highlighting that support is one conference goal.

“I think we want to show people that SLU is changing, and St. Louis is an okay place to be,” Donohue said. “Queer people exist here, and we are supported here.”

The planning committee for the event also includes Lane Hartman, Abby Hericks, Samiha Khan, Erald Murati, Abby Prible, Lear Rose, Beautiii Smith and Ryan Tisdale. More information about the conference can be found on the Ignition Q website and Instagram page.

Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,200 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.