President Michael R. Lovell today announced that the Offices of Community Engagement and Corporate Engagement and Partnerships will unite under one office to be named the Office of Economic Engagement. Dr. Maura Donovan will lead the office as vice president for economic engagement. Dr. Dan Bergen, executive director of community engagement, will remain in his role within the new office, located on the third floor of Zilber Hall.
According to President Lovell, the office will amplify Marquette’s vision to develop more holistic off-campus collaborations and partnerships for community impact. The office’s name, he says, reflects the university’s commitment to positively impacting the community by forging strategic external partnerships for the greater good.
“Our vision statement as a Catholic, Jesuit university calls on Marquette community members to reach beyond traditional boundaries, embrace collaborative approaches and create an inclusive environment,” President Lovell says. “By unifying our community and corporate engagement activities, Marquette can more effectively help address the economic disparities in our community.”
“I am excited to formalize the strong relationship between the Office of Corporate Engagement and Partnerships and the Office of Community Engagement by uniting us as one office with a likeminded approach and a shared set of goals,” Donovan says. “Increasingly, corporate entities looking to engage with universities like Marquette are doing so because we add value beyond career preparedness and applied research, and they are asking to work together to impact the communities we serve. As a Catholic, Jesuit university, Marquette is in a unique position to bring together all the pieces — corporate, nonprofit, civic and university — to better serve our city and our region.”
Bergen added that merging the two offices is a smart long-term strategy for how Marquette will engage in external partnerships. “Our offices understand and value the power of partnership, so it’s only fitting that we forge our own strategic partnership that can truly be a gamechanger for the university and our community,” he says. “We are at our best when we are inclusive.”
The name change and unification of the offices are effective immediately; however, Donovan stresses that there will be a logical transition period over the coming months.
“We will involve campus stakeholders to help further inform our vision and refine our strategies and goals,” Donovan says.
Watch Marquette Today for updates on the Office of Economic Engagement.