In ways large and small, Marquette faculty bring their extensive knowledge and unique talents to bear on some of the most important issues facing members of Milwaukee’s diverse communities. That includes meeting the medical needs of people experiencing homelessness, offering culturally relevant care for diverse populations or helping those with disabilities find new ways to recreate.
Applying their knowledge in service of others isn’t just beneficial for the community. Generations of Marquette students have benefited by seeing firsthand the impact they and their instructors have on their community.
These five faculty members are far from the only ones taking their skills into the community, but they offer an introduction to the impactful work Marquette faculty members are doing in our community.
Dr. Paula Papanek
If you’re a man in the United States, you have a one in eight chance of getting prostate cancer at some point in your life. It’s usually treatable — but the odds aren’t favorable for everyone. Studies show Black men are nearly twice as likely as white men to get prostate cancer, and more than twice as likely to die from it. But those stark statistics may not be inevitable. Read more.
Joshua Knox
When Joshua Knox takes his physician assistant studies students to the weekly free clinics he oversees, they focus on patients’ basic medical needs: back pain, diabetes, vision problems, blood pressure and myriad other common complaints. But the medical clinics at the homeless resource organization Repairers of the Breach serve a purpose beyond the physical, Knox says, for patient and caregiver alike. Read more.
Dr. Albojay Deacon
If you plot the locations of Milwaukee physical therapy clinics on a map, it’s clear that some areas of the city have easier access to care. It’s a theme that recurs at all levels of our health care system: It’s harder for some people to get the care they need. Read more.
Dr. Tina Stoeckmann
At the Adventure Rock climbing gym in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a climber moves steadily up the wall, feeling for hand- and footholds as he unlocks the sequence of moves that will take him to the top. On each side, roped-up assistants provide encouragement, while below, Dr. Tina Stoeckmann keeps a hand on the rope as she belays. Read more.
Kristine Fleis
When Kristine Fleis’ sister hurt her back, she asked Fleis for a list of exercises she could do to feel better. But Fleis, Arts ’96, a physical therapist at Marquette, told her such a list didn’t exist. Treating even something as common as back pain is different for every patient, and the right regimen requires knowing the patient’s history, circumstances, personality and other things.
“People are unique. That’s why there’s not a list,” says Fleis, who is the main physical therapist at the Gerald L. Ignace Indian Health Center. Read more.
