Marquette Today

Campus News and Events

Submit news

Menu

  • Campus News
    • Top News for Students
    • Top News for Faculty & Staff
    • Magazines at Marquette
    • Campus Alerts
  • Archives
  • Submit news
    • Editorial Guidelines
    • Contacts
  • @MarquetteToday
  • University Calendar
  • Topics
    • Community Engagement
    • Diversity
    • Innovation
    • Master Planning
    • Marquette Momentum
    • Research
    • Strategic Planning
  • May 18, 2022

Alumnus Marcus Lemonis donates $15 million to create Lemonis Center for Student Success

February 26, 2022

Marquette President Michael R. Lovell announced on Saturday, Feb. 26 that alumnus Marcus Lemonis, star of HGTV’s The Renovator, CNBC’s The Profit and chairman and CEO of Camping World, and his wife Bobbi have donated a $15 million gift to create the Lemonis Center for Student Success.

The Lemonis Center for Student Success will provide wraparound services for students across all majors, academic abilities and backgrounds to enrich and expand student opportunities — a primary objective in the university’s Time to Rise fundraising campaign. Lemonis is a 1995 Marquette alumnus of the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, and he competed in javelin on the Track & Field team from 1991 to 1995.

In his Presidential Address last year, President Lovell announced the university’s new Student Success Initiative as a top strategic priority. Lemonis has generously stepped forward to enhance and scale Marquette’s efforts to drive this priority forward in the most visible way possible. In recognition of this leadership gift, Marquette will rename Memorial Library to the Lemonis Center for Student Success and house the new center in the highly visible, centrally located space on West Wisconsin Avenue and 13th Street.

“It is always important for Bobbi and me to create a clear path to success for every individual, no matter where they are from or what they are studying,” Lemonis said. “As an alumnus who got the most out of my experience, it was paramount for me to highlight the things that worked and to strengthen the things that could get better. This initial gift is the start of building the road for others.”

“This gift is life-changing as it will help all students succeed and thrive on campus,” President Lovell said. “We are incredibly grateful to Marcus and Bobbi for their leadership and passion to help Marquette become a national leader and rise in new and innovative ways.”

Lowering student debt, improving retention and graduation

The Lemonis Center for Student Success will build on Marquette’s Catholic, Jesuit tradition by helping students engage in thoughtful discernment that is infused in Ignatian education, emphasizing a deep sense of connection and meaningful engagement. The center will connect students with a network of advisers, mentors and resources from the moment they step on campus until they graduate. In addition, the center will employ innovative technology and groundbreaking research to support students as they develop the skills and resilience to overcome challenges that can range from lack of connection and mental health crises to academic or financial setbacks.

Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Kimo Ah Yun noted the “sense of belonging” that all students will feel when they enter the inclusive new center. “We are sincerely grateful for this generous gift from Marcus, which will dramatically elevate the student experience,” Provost Ah Yun said. “The Lemonis Center for Student Success will be a major step forward to help ensure that all students thrive beyond initial access and scholarship support.”

On Feb. 23, as part of his $15 million donation, Lemonis also announced a $5 million challenge to inspire others to join him in the student success movement. He called on alumni, parents and friends to give to the “gamechanger” who helped them succeed at Marquette. Funds from the challenge will support Marquette’s Student Success Initiative, which ranges from advising to internships, career counseling, high-impact learning, first-generation initiatives, peer mentoring and pre-orientation opportunities.

President Lovell shared that the additional funding from Lemonis will fund the “transformational facility upgrade that will drive Marquette to fully reimagine student success into a physical space that will serve as a new home for comprehensive support services.”

“We encourage our Marquette community to meet this challenge from Marcus and raise another $5 million dedicated to student success,” President Lovell said.

Provost Ah Yun emphasized the importance of continually improving graduation and retention rates, as well as the potential to reduce costs for students.

“We now have an opportunity to take a lead role in significantly lowering student debt by reducing the time it takes students to graduate,” Provost Ah Yun said. “Our Student Success Initiative is shining a light on ways to substantially improve retention and graduation rates. The support services housed in the Lemonis Center will elevate those initiatives.”

About Time to Rise: The Marquette Promise to Be The Difference

The university’s Time to Rise campaign has surpassed $565 million in funds raised toward its $750 million goal. The campaign has already secured more than 53,000 donors with more than 23,000 of these donors (44%) making their first-ever gift to Marquette. The university has raised $232 million in scholarship funds, growing its founding mission to provide an accessible education. In addition, more than 600 donors have given $100,000 commitments, and 110 donors have given $1 million or greater.

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

More news

Marquette signs transfer partnership with Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe College

May 18, 2022

Marquette online education surges

May 18, 2022

Recognizing MUPD during National Police Week

May 18, 2022

Employees who did not complete diversity, equity and inclusion program re-enrolled over summer

May 18, 2022

Register for Ignatian Humanism Summer Book Groups by May 23

May 17, 2022

Outcomes of ‘Finding Our Future’ Mission and Ministry Symposium

May 17, 2022

Education student Stephanie Boedecker to deliver 2022 graduate Commencement address

May 17, 2022

Deadline for academic appeals, May 25

May 17, 2022

More news

Quick Links

  • Faculty/Staff News
  • Student News
  • Magazines at Marquette
Submit news

Featured Stories

Marquette online education surges

Marquette online education surges

Marquette University is continuing to expand its online education offerings to meet the evolving needs of students, particularly within the Graduate School. The Graduate School boasts several new online degree programs that empower students to earn their masters or doctorate degrees in a way that is conducive to busy schedules that require flexibility. Here in […]

Dialing in the frequency

Dialing in the frequency

With the goal of improving therapy for a rare speech disorder in children, Dr. Jenya Iuzzini-Seigel is studying how often treatment should be administered. By Alex Nemec Parents Adam Stout, Comm ’09, Grad ’15, and Jennifer Gaul-Stout were like other new parents as they waited and waited for their son, Alex, to begin hitting developmental […]

A fuel switch for future farms

A fuel switch for future farms

A new combustion system for engines allows heavy-duty farm equipment normally powered by diesel fuel to run on gasoline and ethanol, without sacrificing performance. By John Blum Having grown up working on his uncle’s farm and in his father’s concrete business in northern Illinois, Dr. Adam Dempsey knows a few things about agricultural and construction […]

Read more featured stories.

Safety

Last call: Safety Task Force idea submissions

Common campus safety questions answered

New Safety Task Force action steps announced

Human Resources News

Walk this Way Step Challenge: My Wellness points and weekly giveaway available

Marquette University 2022 One-Time Employee Payment Information and FAQ

Stress Less Challenge: My Wellness points and weekly giveaway available

Research

When workers are also caregivers

Dialing in the frequency

A fuel switch for future farms

Awards & Accomplishments

Marquette University Alumni National Awards start May 13-14

Interdisciplinary faculty team receives 2022 Way Klingler Teaching Enhancement Award 

2022 faculty promotions announced

Marquette UniversityCopyright 2022 by Marquette University
MARQUETTE.EDU // CONTACTS // A TO Z