Marquette’s renowned Marquette Mentors program will now be able to provide powerful mentorship connections among students and alumni in perpetuity thanks to a $1.5 million gift from alumnus and Marquette University Alumni Association President Bill Krueger, Eng ’87. Beyond Krueger’s gift, several additional Marquette Mentors have stepped forward and committed gifts to drive the program’s growth, access and professional development opportunities for mentee students.
“Marquette Mentors enhances our students’ success by connecting them to the legacy of our accomplished graduates,” President Michael R. Lovell said. “It embodies the spirit of passing on our Marquette values from alumni to students and offers students invaluable real-world lessons and networking from our great alumni.”
Marquette Mentors matches students with one-on-one opportunities to learn from Marquette alumni mentors in approximately 25 states and Europe who have similar majors or career interests. Throughout the academic year, mentees receive professional and career insights.
“This inspiring gift will create life-changing bonds for both Marquette students and alumni who serve by mentoring the next generation,” said Vice President for University Advancement Tim McMahon. “We are grateful for Bill’s generosity in growing our Time to Rise campaign momentum and for his steadfast leadership in guiding our Alumni Association.”
The gift endows the Robert H. Radtke Marquette Mentors Directorship in honor of Krueger’s personal Marquette gamechanger. Radtke, Eng ’60, made a profound difference in Krueger’s life, bridging their 20-plus-year generational difference and demonstrating how deeply alumni can impact fellow Marquette colleagues long after graduation.
“I learned and benefited so much from Bob’s expertise and generosity,” Krueger said. “He mentored through his example and personal values, wanting simply to pay forward the life-changing difference his education made possible. It seems only fitting that his name and work live on through this directorship and a program that impacts so many Marquette students.”
Marquette Mentors emerged in 2013 as a pilot with 30 mentor-mentee matches in response to growing student interest about engaging with alumni for career discernment, professional development and networking. It has been recognized as the “gold standard for mentoring initiatives” by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. Since the program’s founding, more than 900 mentees have benefited, and more than 200 alumni have participated as mentors. This academic year includes 145 mentor-mentee matches. Students from all of Marquette’s undergraduate colleges, the Graduate School and more than 25 campus partners have participated in the program.
“This extraordinary gift embodies Bill’s commitment to help ensure that current and future Marquette students will have a chance to learn, grow and develop professional and career discernment through Marquette Mentors,” said Dan DeWeerdt, senior director for Marquette Mentors and alumni engagement.
Time to Rise: The Marquette Promise to Be The Difference
Marquette’s $750 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, which is the most ambitious in Marquette’s 140-year history, is elevating resources to advance the university’s mission and pillars of excellence, leadership, faith and service. The university has raised more than $575 million to date, amounting to 77% of its goal. More than 55,000 donors have already supported Time to Rise, including 45% of donors making their first-ever gift to the university.