LMU Magazine: Winter 2026— A Lot of Hope and a Little Flex
Reading Time: 5 minutesAs we were celebrating President Thomas Poon’s inauguration and the theme “Hope, Made Here,” I kept thinking about where that hope actually shows up in …
Commencement: Three Ceremonies. One Bluff. Once and For All.
Reading Time: 3 minutesFor the foreseeable future, LMU’s Commencement Weekend will be hosted right here on our Westchester campus—on the bluff—where this milestone belongs.
Facilities Management, University News
Lion’s-Eye View: LA’s New Roar
Reading Time: 3 minutesIn the short time it’s been up, the Spirit Mark has become an instant gathering point—one of those places that naturally pulls people together. The photo with this post is a perfect example. We were out there taking pictures for an LMU This Week piece when a group of students wandered over to see what was going on. We invited them in, and suddenly it turned into one of those very LMU moments.
CBA at 100
Reading Time: 5 minutesBecause in a world that desperately needs value-aligned leaders—leaders with competence and conscience—LMU CBA has been (and will continue to be) part of the solution. For 100 years, the college has built a reputation for developing leaders who combine academic rigor with ethical grounding, who are ambitious and accountable, and who understand that business can be a force for good in Los Angeles and beyond.
Momentum Blog: Less Guesswork. More Clarity.
Reading Time: 3 minutesIf you’ve ever thought, “I wonder who’s working on this—and why it’s taking so long,” you’re not alone.
Welcome to the COO Blog. I’m John Kiralla, and I’m grateful and excited to serve as LMU’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. I’ve wanted to create a simple channel where I can share what we’re working on—on our campuses and across Los Angeles—in a way that I hope you find clear and helpful.
What do COOs do? (And Why It Matters at LMU)
Reading Time: 3 minutesLet’s start with a fair question.
Most people have a general sense of what a university president does. Many people can describe the duties of a chief financial officer. But the COO role is newer in higher education than it is in the business world—until something breaks, a process stalls, or a big moment comes up, and suddenly everyone wants to know who’s responsible.
Facilities Management, University News
The Escalators
Reading Time: 4 minutesYes—we’re fixing them.
None of us like those stairwells in the back of University Hall. And the delays aren’t due to a lack of effort. Context is key to understanding this issue.