Mary Loftus, 25 Years

Tell us about your career at Emory.

Mary is the editor of the Emory Health Digest in Communication and Marketing.

I’ve spent the past 25 years writing about Emory for Emory Alumni Magazine, Emory Medicine, and Emory Health Digest. I’ve had the privilege of accompanying the team that returned a royal mummy to Egypt from the Carlos Museum; traveled to the West Bank, Jordan, and Israel with Emory's Journeys of Reconciliation; and joined the Emory Global Health Institute's team in Mozambique as they supported public health efforts there.

What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Emory?

Among my favorites are the lifelong friendships I’ve made and the incredible work I’ve had the opportunity to help amplify. For example, the courageous efforts of our Ebola doctors and nurses and the historic breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS drug development. Covering Emory’s faculty and researchers has been an amazing "beat" for a former journalist like me, every bit as exciting and deeply meaningful.

Mary interviewing Ambassador David Welch in 2004.

What are some of the most significant changes you have witnessed over the course of your career?

The explosive growth, not just of buildings on campus, but also of programs, centers, and Emory’s national research presence. Health sciences research has expanded to the point that Emory is now one of the top recipients of NIH funding. At the same time, I’ve watched with concern as higher education and scientific research have come under increasing scrutiny, even as researchers dedicate their lives to discoveries that save and improve lives.

Is there anything you miss from back in the day?

I miss the small-town feel of campus. Everybody’s Pizza. Gary Hauk as university secretary and beloved campus historian. The therapy dogs that lived with students on the Oxford campus. And the old marketing, communications, and publications houses along North Decatur Road.

Mary's kids, Adam and Sarah, at Sarah's graduation from Oxford College.

What do you hope for the future of Emory?

That it holds on to its history and quirky charm while forging ahead with a “wise heart” into an increasingly high-tech, AI-driven future.

Anything else you would like to share?

My two kids grew up spending their summers at Emory, attending sports camp, Camp Carlos, and roaming the campus. Years later, both went on to attend Oxford and Emory, making it their alma mater too. I was one proud mama.