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  • March 3, 2021

President Lovell announces several new initiatives at Presidential Address

January 24, 2019

Photos by Jesse Lee.

Nearly 450 faculty, staff and students packed the AMU Monaghan Ballroom on Jan. 23, 2019 to hear President Michael R. Lovell deliver his fifth Presidential Address. President Lovell spoke about the state of the university and implementation of Marquette’s strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries, and also announced several new initiatives and three Difference Maker Award winners. At one point, he brought up the student entrepreneur behind Headphones+, the first product invented in the 707Hub to be available on Amazon, for an audience giveaway. The full address is available online.

Campus to celebrate 50th anniversary of EOP during the 2019-20 academic year
During the 2019-20 academic year, Marquette will honor the Educational Opportunity Program’s 50th anniversary with a yearlong series of events. Marquette’s EOP program was established in 1969 in response to racial unrest and student concerns, and was so successful that it became the model for the federally funded TRiO program.

President Lovell announced the creation of an EOP 50th Anniversary steering committee, co-chaired by Rana Altenburg, vice president for public affairs; Dr. William Welburn, vice president for inclusive excellence; Dr. John Su, vice provost for academic affairs; and Maureen Hoyler, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education. Watch Marquette Today for updates on the steering committee and celebratory events during the 2019-20 academic year.

$5 million gift will establish research-based Institute for Women’s Leadership
Building upon its historic role as the first coeducational Catholic university in the world beginning in 1909, Marquette will establish a research-based Institute for Women’s Leadership. The institute is expected to launch in summer 2019, and will focus its efforts on research, leadership development programming and networking opportunities related to women’s leadership topics and gender equality in education and the workplace.

The new Institute for Women’s Leadership will help Marquette develop cutting-edge research to influence the national discussion on gender inequality, as well as enhance leadership and career development programming for women on campus and in the community. It will be overseen by Marquette’s Office of Research and Innovation, led by Dr. Jeanne Hossenlopp.

The creation of the Institute for Women’s Leadership was made possible by a generous $5 million gift from the Thomas J. Rolfs Family Foundation. A faculty director will be named, and a to-be-determined space on campus will be designated for the institute.

$250,000 President’s Challenge grant awarded to team of faculty and community organizations
Developed in partnership with the Johnson Controls Foundation, the President’s Challenge provides a $250,000, two-year grant for one interdisciplinary, collaborative proposal that seeks to change the trajectory of lives in our community.

The winning proposal, led by Dr. Amy Van Hecke, associate professor of psychology, along with Marquette nursing, education, counseling psychology, computer science, communication, psychology, and speech pathology and audiology faculty members, is titled, “Next Step Clinic: A Partnership Targeting Mental and Developmental Health for Milwaukee’s Underserved Children and Families.”

The Next Door Foundation, located in the Metcalfe Park neighborhood of Milwaukee, has an empty space that will be transformed into the Next Step Clinic to serve Milwaukee children and families struggling with mental health and developmental concerns. The clinic will seek out and serve Milwaukee families adversely impacted by racial and socioeconomic health disparities, with an additional focus on families who have been affected by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), trauma or chronic toxic stress and developmental delays. View this video to learn more.

Marquette is first major conference NCAA Division I institution to add a varsity esports program
After speaking about the increasingly competitive landscape of higher education, President Lovell announced the creation of a Marquette varsity esports team, which will be the first in the nation to be run by a major conference Division I athletics program. Esports — the world of competitive online video gaming — is one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with an estimated global audience expected to increase to 580 million people by 2020.

Marquette’s new varsity esports program is expected to positively impact student engagement and enrollment. Faculty from computer science, physics, mathematics and other disciplines throughout the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences will collaborate closely with Intercollegiate Athletics to help connect students who have an interest in esports with relevant academic content and hands-on learning opportunities.

Marquette’s new varsity esports team will be managed by the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, in close collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs, the Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, and the Office of Admissions. When it launches in fall 2019, Marquette’s varsity esports team will be run like any other varsity sport — there will be tryouts, a coach will be hired, regular practices will be held and the team will represent Marquette at esports tournaments.

Marquette has had an esports club team since 2015. About 40 students currently participate in the club team, which represents Marquette at BIG EAST-sponsored esports tournaments. More information about esports is online.

Difference Maker Awards
In addition to the new initiatives, President Lovell gave out three Difference Maker Awards to faculty, staff and students who have gone above and beyond the call of duty to positively impact an individual, group or community organization. This year’s recipients were:

  • Katie Simet, assistant director for academic services in Intercollegiate Athletics, along with student-athletes who travelled to Costa Rica to build a basketball court for underserved kids, in partnership with the nonprofit Courts for Kids.
  • Angela Schultz, assistant dean for public service at Marquette University Law School, for her leadership of the Milwaukee Justice Center, a collaboration among Milwaukee County Clerk of Courts, Milwaukee Bar Association and the Law School. The Milwaukee Justice Center addresses unmet legal needs of low-income individuals through court-based programs and legal resources.
  • Malaina Moore, a junior in the Diederich College of Communication and the playwright behind “White Privilege,” a play about how the color of one’s skin can lead to a very different experience of the world. The play was selected for the regional Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival in Madison.

Filed Under: For Faculty/Staff, For Students, Home - Top Stories, News

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