Seminar Information
One weekend at a HOBY Illinois-North unlocks a student’s leadership potential and helps them gain the confidence to make a positive impact on the world around them. We are so excited to welcome student leaders across the state to this life-changing experience!
Dates
Location
Packing List
- Pants, shorts, skirts
- 1 casual outfit
- 1 dressy outfit
- Comfortable, sturdy footwear
- Socks
- Undergarments
- Pajamas or sleepwear
- Shower shoes
- Cardigan, sweater, or light jacket
- Rooms are air conditioned
- Hat, visor, cap, sunglasses
- For outdoor activities
- Identification and/or passport
- Prescription medications
- Must be in its original container with your name, DOB, and dosage, and placed inside a plastic bag labeled with your name.
- Toiletries:
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- deodorant
- shampoo/conditioner
- soap/body wash
- lotion
- any other toiletries/bath items
- menstrual products
- Sunscreen
- Phone & phone charger
- Reusable water bottle
- Bag or backpack
Sample Schedule
TBD
Directions
- Loyola University Chicago’s Lake Shore Campus is the host for the HOBY ILN Seminar.
- Specific instructions for drop-off and pick up will be available closer to the seminar. Short term parking is available in the parking garage and bus loop at 1110 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660. Put the address for this garage into your phone or GPS, and signs and volunteers will be waiting to direct you from there. Just follow the HOBY Logos!
Drop Off / Pick Up Information
When is Friday’s check in/where should we arrive to?
7am-9am on Friday the 9th at our dorm building San Fransisco Hall.
Some street parking is available in the neighborhood just south of the dorm, and there is nearby parking structure with a bus loop for temporary parking nearby. We suggest heading directly to that parking garage for arrival: it is located at 1110 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660
Our location is also convenient to several bus lines and the Loyola L stop.
When is Sunday’s check out/where do we pick-up from?
You are invited to attend a ‘friends and family program’ on Sunday at noon in the Damen Student Center, followed by a brief Closing Ceremonies. Check-out is at 12:30 Sunday.
The parking garage at 1110 W Sheridan Rd, Chicago, IL 60660 is free on Sundays and is right next door to the Damen Student center.
Your student’s luggage will be packed and ready to go, so you will leave directly from the Damen Center after checkout.
Key Deposit Information
TBD
FAQs
Facilities
- We will stay in Loyola University dorms. Loyola provides basic linens (sheets, a pillow, a basic blanket, a towel) and our dorm has community bathrooms. Students will be assigned a HOBY roommate.
- Our activities throughout the weekend will take place in the Marvin Center, the Simpson Building, and various outdoor spaces across campus. Please bring layers, since we will routinely move between warm outdoor activities and air conditioned indoor spaces.
Dietary Needs
- We will eat our meals in the Loyola Dining halls, which have a variety of self-service stations. Each meal features a rotating selection of menu items, along with a salad bar and a ‘grill station.’ At breakfast you can expect bacon and eggs, fruit, cereal, and a rotating daily option. At lunch and dinner you can expect burgers and fries, salad bar, soup, and a rotating daily option. Water, juice, pop, and coffee are available in the dining hall. Additional snacks will be provided throughout the day.
- We’re prepared to meet your dietary needs! Your pre-seminar forms have detailed questions about allergies, dietary needs, and preferences. Many of our volunteers have their own food allergies and dietary needs—and everyone wants to make sure you’re well fed and comfortable in the cafeteria. Please reach out if you would like to talk about dining at HOBY—we can even get you menus and ingredient lists if you need them!
Prayer Spaces
Prayer and meditation spaces are available to our group by advance reservation. If you’ll need to step out to pray during the event, please let us know in advance so we can plan to get you access!
Attire
- Friday: Please wear comfortable clothes when you arrive to HOBY on Friday. If possible, wear something that represents the community you are representing at HOBY.
- Friday Examples
- 1) Tennis shoes, jeans, and a t shirt from your favorite club or team
- 2) Tennis shoes, shorts, and a school t shirt, with a hoodie available for when we’re inside
- Saturday: Please pack comfortable clothes, and closed toe shoes for Saturday! You’ll be given a HOBY T-Shirt to wear this day.
- Saturday Examples
- 1) Tennis shoes, jeans, and the provided HOBY T-Shirt
- 2) Tennis shoes, shorts, and the provided T-Shirt, with a zip up available for when we’re inside
- Sunday: On Sunday we have our closing ceremony. The attire is business casual, but comfy shoes are a must! In general this Sunday attire is meant to be classy, yet comfy! Don’t feel like you need to arrive with your homecoming formal wear—this event is more like you’re headed out to dinner with your family, or representing your varsity team at an away game.
- Sunday Examples
- 1) Dark wash jeans and a polo
- 2) Khaki pants and a button up
- 3) Summer dress
- 4) Jumpsuit
- Please note that all attire must be appropriate for an educational setting: no profanity or obscene logos are permitted.
What to expect at HOBY
- From arrival to departure, you’ll have a full schedule of activities designed to help you:
- Develop your leadership skills from an individual, group, and community perspective
- Identify your personal values and set goals
- Experience dynamic speakers from across the state, representing a variety of career paths and interests
- Make new friends, and build a network of other students, volunteers, and leaders outside of your own school and town
- Participate in community service projects
- Discover how you can make a positive impact in your school and local community
- In general, you should come to HOBY with an open mind, ready to try new things, and meet new people!
What if I am unable to attend the seminar?
If circumstances arise that prevent you from attending the entire seminar, including overnight, we would like to give another student the opportunity to attend. Please notify the HOBY contact at your school, and follow up with an email to Celeste Harrison at celesteharrison94@gmail.com
Does my student need spending money?
This is entirely up to you! There will be a HOBY Store as well as a Loyola Store where some students like to grab souvenirs.
What can you expect from the HOBY experience?
Students joining us for our seminar will be provided with the tools they need to understand what kind of leader they are, and how to take those skills home with them to accomplish their goals.
What are the facilities and accommodations like?
- Participants will be assigned to dorm rooms with 2 participants per room in San Francisco Hall. Our group is housed on floors reserved exclusively for our seminar. Each floor of the dorm has several “community bathrooms” with semi-private facilities: this means each community bathroom has several private fully enclosed bathrooms and several private fully enclosed shower stalls surrounding a large communal sink area.
- Basic linens (sheets, a thin blanket, a towel, a wash cloth, and a pillow) will be provided by Loyola for each participant.
- Students are expected to eat breakfast ahead of arriving at Loyola on Friday for check in. During HOBY we have our meals in the Loyola Dining hall in the Damen Student Center. In the Pre-Seminar Materials you fill out there is a section to indicate any allergies and dietary needs. If you report any complex dietary needs/allergies/preferences a HOBY team member may reach out to talk through them and make sure we are ready to accommodate onsite.
- In addition to the all-you-can eat meals in the dining hall, students will have snacks provided each day. Families may also choose to send extra treats to your ambassador’s group time or dorm room, those optional extra treats may be purchased at check-in from the HOBY Store.
What if I need to take medication while I am at the seminar?
Please provide information about your medication and health needs in the Medical Information section of your pre-seminar forms. Make sure to read and comply with the Policy for Use of Medication During a HOBY Event. The Policy for Use of Medication is available in the pre-seminar forms as you fill in your medical information, and for quick reference here.
Are there religious services or prayer opportunities in the schedule?
Students will not have access to formal religious services while onsite at HOBY ILN, but arrangements can be made for students to step away from the program to pray and observe religious traditions.
Loyola has a dedicated space for us to use for prayer and meditation, which requires advance reservations. Please reach out to us as soon as you can so we can arrange this.
What if my birthday is during the seminar?
HOBY will arrange a birthday treat delivery for any small groups that have an ambassador celebrating a birthday during our seminar! We will already have your birthday and dietary needs from the Pre-Seminar Forms, so no further action is needed for this to happen.
My student isn’t responding to their phone during the event, are they ok?
We have long, busy days at HOBY! Your students are asked to keep their phones on silent or do-no-disturb during our program. If you ever need them right away reach out to their small group facilitator or give Leadership Seminar Chair, Celeste Harrison a text/call at 815-343-4308.
What if my question isn’t on this list?
Additional questions or concerns can be directed to Leadership Seminar Chairperson, Celeste Harrison at celesteharrison94@gmail.com