It’s that time of year!
I hope you all have had incredible summers. I love this time of year in Wisconsin and the Gift of Time — and getting ready for our new students is always exciting. I trust that you share the same anticipation that I am feeling.
Like any new year, there are key dates ahead. We will welcome around 60 new faculty the week of Aug. 11 for orientation and a series of activities to help them learn about the Marquette culture and campus.
Move-In Day for new students is Wednesday, Aug. 20. It’s one of my favorite days — despite the seemingly guaranteed hot or stormy weather — because so many Marquette staff, faculty and returning students will be on hand to help the newest members of our community get situated in their new home away from home as they begin their Marquette journey.
That evening, Family Mass will be celebrated at 6 p.m. in the Varsity Theatre (Church of the Gesu remains under construction) and Convocation will be held in the Al McGuire Center at 7:30 p.m. Everyone in our community is invited to attend these special events.
New Student Orientation continues through Sunday, Aug. 24, and undergraduate, graduate and professional classes start Monday, Aug. 25.
The Mass of the Holy Spirit, a wonderful Jesuit higher education tradition dating back to the mid-16th century, will be celebrated Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 4:30 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union Ballrooms, followed by a picnic on Ray and Kay Eckstein Common. All are invited to participate in this tradition.
Another fall date to save is Wednesday, Nov. 12. I will deliver the 2025 Presidential Address at 10 a.m. in the AMU Ballrooms and will express my gratitude for the incredible work you do and the many ways you help make Marquette strong, celebrate highlights from the past year, and share what’s on the horizon for 2026. Moving forward, I plan to hold the Presidential Address during the second half of the fall semester.
Connecting with deans this summer
One summer project I have been looking forward to is spending time with our deans by meeting with each of them to talk about whatever is on their minds. We formed close relationships during my time as provost, and I miss the opportunity to catch up with them personally and professionally on a regular basis.
Our conversations will be beneficial as I share our Marquette story locally, regionally and nationally.
Telling our story has never been more important, as higher education continues to be questioned about the value we provide our students and the broader society. Some good news: A recent Lumina Foundation-Gallup education survey showed the first increase in public confidence in higher education in the last decade, although these numbers are still lower than in 2015. We can all continue to tell the story of the value of a Marquette education and explain what sets us apart from other colleges and universities.
Haggerty Museum exhibit running through early August
If you’ve walked around campus this summer, chances are you’ve seen a fascinating exhibit in the gathering space between the Haggerty Museum of Art, Law School and the College of Nursing (Straz Hall). Artist Roy Staab’s “Whirling Tennure” features saplings from the Lynden Sculpture Garden and roadside reeds and will be on display in and around the museum through Aug. 2. Staab is one of five recipients of the 2024 Mary L. Nohl Fund Fellowship for Individual Artists.
I hope you have plans to enjoy more of our beautiful Wisconsin summer!
We are Marquette!
Dr. Kimo Ah Yun
President
Marquette University
