Portage High School senior Kiley Jones signed with Loyola University for the one sport she loves the most: softball. Jones was a player on the girls’ softball team at the high school and played with them as they accomplished many athletic goals.
Jones wanted to attend Loyola University because of a plethora of reasons. She likes that the school is in a big city and on the lake. Additionally, Jones loves Chicago in general.
“I visited Loyola and I loved it,” Jones said. “It’s right on the lake. My dorm is literally the beach.”
On top of location, Jones chose Loyola because of their academic and sports programs. She wanted to attend a school where academics and athletics were equally important, and she felt that Loyola best offered that for her.
Jones said that Loyola was one of the few schools she could find that offered a major in the field of study that she wanted to major in, which was social work. Jones also felt that the school had a very well renowned program for that major.
The Loyola softball team is in Division 1 for that sport, and that is something Jones has looked for, being very committed to playing her sport.
“They [the softball team] are a very close knit group,” Jones said. “I was able to meet them, and I love them. I felt so accepted.”
Originally, Jones had looked at going to Harvard, but ultimately decided against it. She said that after visiting Loyola, she found that she really liked the location, academics, and teachers, among other aspects, and felt that Loyola was really the only school that offered her the full package.
Jones’ father, Scott Jones, was very happy with the school his daughter chose and the accomplishments she has achieved.
“It is a great compliment to her that she’s worked so hard in class and on the athletic field for many years,” Scott Jones said. “A lot of nights, she would be up until 1 a.m. doing homework and then need to be up at 6 to go to the gym or weight room so I’m very proud of her.”
Scott Jones also likes the location of Loyola.
“I think it’s the perfect school academically. We like their softball program and that they’re in a big city,” Scott Jones said. “No doubt we will miss her, but we hope she will want to stay at school on the weekends and we will come to visit her.”
Although Jones signed with the school, she has not actually officially been accepted. She was made a sports offer at the end of her junior year and made the verbal commitment to attend Loyola early in June. She plans to attend next fall.
Jones was offered a partial academic scholarship and a partial athletic scholarship, ultimately offering her a full scholarship when combined.
“If all goes well, I’ll be able to graduate with no student debt,” Jones said. “It’s an incredible feeling, it brings me to tears. It’s a huge blessing and I feel so blessed that I’ve been given that opportunity.”