Marquette University facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Marquette University

Former names	Marquette College (1881–1907)
Motto	Ad maiorem Dei gloriam (Latin)
Motto in English	For the greater glory of God
Type	Private research university
Established	August 28, 1881; 143 years ago (August 28, 1881)
Founder	John Martin Henni (first Bishop of the diocese of Milwaukee)
Religious affiliation	Catholic (Jesuit)
Academic affiliations	ACCU AJCU CUMU NAICU WAICU
Endowment	$916.8 million (2023)
Provost	Kimo Ah Yun
Academic staff	1,200
Students	11,200
Undergraduates	7,600
Postgraduates	3,600
Location	Milwaukee, Wisconsin , U.S. 43°02′21″N 87°55′57″W / 43.03917°N 87.93250°W / 43.03917; -87.93250
Campus	Urban, 93 acres (37.6 ha)
Alma Mater song	Marquette University Anthem
Fight song	Ring Out Ahoya
Colors	Blue & Gold
Nickname	Golden Eagles
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – Big East
Mascot	Iggy the Golden Eagle

Marquette University is a private university in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is run by a group called the Society of Jesus, also known as the Jesuits. The university started as Marquette College on August 28, 1881. It was founded by John Martin Henni, who was the first Catholic Bishop of Milwaukee.

Marquette was first a school only for boys. But in 1909, it became the first Catholic university in the world to allow both boys and girls to study there. Today, Marquette is one of the biggest Jesuit universities in the United States. It is also the largest private university in Wisconsin.

The university has 11 different schools and colleges. These offer programs in many subjects like liberal arts, business, communication, education, engineering, law, and health sciences. Most students are working on their first college degree. However, Marquette also has many advanced degree programs. These include over 68 master's and doctoral programs, a law school, and a dental school. The dental school is the only one in Wisconsin.

Marquette's sports teams are called the Golden Eagles. They compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Big East Conference. Many famous people have studied or taught at Marquette. These include scholars, governors, and U.S. Senators.

A Look at Marquette's History

Father Jacques Marquette, the university's namesake

How Marquette College Began

Marquette University started on August 28, 1881. It was first called Marquette College. John Martin Henni, the first Catholic bishop of Milwaukee, founded it. He got help from a Belgian businessman named Guillaume Joseph DeBuey. The college was named after Father Jacques Marquette. He was a missionary and explorer from the 1600s.

The main goal was to offer affordable Catholic education. This was for the growing number of German immigrant families in the area. The first five students graduated from Marquette College in 1887. They earned their Bachelor of Arts degrees.

Becoming Marquette University

Marquette College officially became a university in 1907. This happened after it joined with a local medical school. The university also moved to its current location. Johnston Hall was the first building built on the new campus. It now holds the College of Communication.

In 1908, Marquette opened an engineering college. It also bought two law schools. These became the start of its current law program. Marquette University was originally only for men. But in 1909, it made history by admitting its first female students. This made it the first Catholic university in the world to be coed. By 1916, 375 women were studying there. Many other Catholic schools started to do the same in the 1910s and 1920s.

Marquette grew quickly in the 1920s and after World War II. It opened a new library, sports facilities, and dorms. The number of students also grew a lot. New buildings were built for law, business, dentistry, and liberal arts. Marquette was the first in the U.S. to offer a degree in hospital administration. However, due to money problems, the School of Medicine left Marquette in 1967. It became the Medical College of Wisconsin. Marquette's football team was stopped in 1960. Basketball then became the main sport.

In the 1960s, an old French chapel was moved to the campus. It was from the 15th century and was said to be linked to Joan of Arc. This chapel, St. Martin de Seysseul, is the oldest building in Wisconsin.

Recent History: 1970s to Today

Johnston Hall, the oldest academic building at Marquette

Alumni Memorial Union

In the 1970s, new advanced degree programs in liberal arts and sciences began. In 1977, the men's basketball team won the NCAA Championship. They beat the University of North Carolina.

In 1994, the university decided to change its sports team nickname. It used to be "Warriors." This was because of concerns about using Native American symbols. Many alumni and students were upset. But the university eventually chose "Golden Eagles." The mascot issue came up again in 2005. The name was briefly changed to "the Gold," but then went back to "Golden Eagles" a week later.

In the 1990s, Marquette invested a lot in the area around campus. It also opened a study center in Washington, D.C. This center, the Les Aspin Center for Government, is for students interested in public service. The university also started MBA programs and adult education programs. In 1996, Robert A. Wild became the university's president. He started a big fundraising effort. This led to campus improvements and new buildings, like a new dental school. Student enrollment also increased.

Marquette continued to grow in the early 2000s. New dorms, a library, and sports facilities were built. In 2003, the men's basketball team reached the Final Four. This helped the university gain national attention. By 2006, fundraising efforts raised over $357 million. This was the largest fundraising campaign in Marquette's history.

Marquette received its two largest donations in the same school year. An anonymous couple gave over $50 million to the university over time. In 2006, they donated $25 million to the College of Engineering. In 2007, Raymond and Kathryn Eckstein gave $51 million to the Marquette University Law School. This was the biggest gift ever given to a Wisconsin university.

In 2014, Michael Lovell became president. He was the first president who was not a Catholic clergyman. On February 28, 2022, Marquette changed its university seal and motto. The new seal shows rivers and wild rice. This represents the local Native American nations. The new motto is "Ad majorem Dei gloriam," meaning "For the greater glory of God." This is a traditional Jesuit motto. On June 9, 2024, President Michael Lovell passed away.

What Students Learn: Academics at Marquette

Marquette University has 11 main schools and colleges. These include the College of Arts and Sciences, Business, Communication, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Nursing, and Professional Studies. There are also the Graduate School, the School of Dentistry, and the Law School. The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest.

How to Get In: Admissions Information

Admissions statistics
2022 entering classChange vs. 2017
Admit rate	87.2 ( −2.1)
Yield rate	14.3 ( −3.2)
Test scores middle 50%*
SAT Total	1180-1350 (among 17% of FTFs)
ACT Composite	26-31 (among 30% of FTFs)
*Among students who chose to submit

Marquette University is considered "more selective" by U.S. News & World Report. For the class that started in fall 2022, Marquette received over 15,800 applications. It accepted about 13,800 students, which is about 87% of applicants. Of those accepted, about 1,980 students chose to enroll.

About 89.5% of freshmen return for their second year. And 82.5% of students graduate within six years. For students who submitted test scores in 2022, the middle 50% of ACT scores were between 26 and 31. The middle 50% of SAT scores were between 1180 and 1350.

How Marquette Ranks Among Universities

U.S. News & World Report ranked Marquette 83rd among national universities in 2023. It was also ranked 12th for "Best Undergraduate Teaching." The university was tied for 41st for "Most Innovative Schools." It was also 52nd for "Best Value Schools."

Forbes ranked Marquette 83rd among research universities in 2016. Princeton Review named Marquette one of the "Best 386 Colleges in the U.S." in 2020. It also called it one of the best Midwestern schools.

Rankings for Specific Programs

Marquette Hall, which houses the College of Arts & Sciences' offices

Eckstein Hall, home to the Marquette University Law School

• College of Arts & Sciences: In 2023, U.S. News & World Report ranked Marquette's graduate statistics program 86th. Its English program was 108th, history 113th, and psychology 122nd.
• College of Business Administration: Marquette's part-time MBA program was tied for 53rd in 2023.
• College of Education: The graduate degree program was tied for 112th in 2021.
• College of Engineering: The undergraduate engineering program was tied for 142nd in 2021.
• College of Health Sciences: The physical therapy program was tied for 13th best in the nation in 2023. The physician assistant program was tied for 26th.
• College of Nursing: Marquette's undergraduate nursing program was 29th best in the country in 2023.
• Law School: The Marquette University Law School was ranked 71st in 2023.

Exploring the Campus

John P. Raynor Library

Marquette's campus is about 93 acres. It is located near downtown Milwaukee. Lake Michigan is about one mile east of the campus. The campus stretches 12 blocks east to west and 5 blocks north to south. Wisconsin Avenue, a main road, cuts through the campus. Academic buildings are on the south side, and dorms are on the north side.

Marquette also has a sports facility called Valley Fields. It has stadiums for track and field, lacrosse, and soccer. This facility is about one mile south of the main campus. The university also owns property in Washington, D.C. This is home to its Les Aspin Center for Government. This program is for students interested in public service.

In 2017, the university shared plans for a $600 million project. This project aims to improve the Milwaukee campus. It includes new facilities for science, innovation, recreation, and sports research.

Life as a Student at Marquette

Who Are the Students?

Marquette has about 11,749 students. They come from all 50 U.S. states and over 65 countries. About 8,293 are undergraduate students. The rest are graduate and professional students. About 29% of undergraduate students are from Wisconsin. Another 37% are from Illinois.

About 53% of students are female. And 68% identify as Catholic. Most students (about 90%) return for their second year. Marquette also has a program called Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). This helps students from low-income families or those who are the first in their family to go to college. It provides support, counseling, and financial aid.

Where Students Live: Residence Halls

The M. Carpenter Tower

Marquette has used many existing buildings in the area as residence halls. For example, Charles Cobeen Hall and M. Carpenter Tower were once hotels. Glenn Humphrey Hall was once a children's hospital. David Straz Tower used to be a YMCA. Mashuda Hall, a dorm for sophomores, was once a motor inn. The Beatles even stayed there in 1964!

Of the nine current dorms, only three were built by the university. McCormick Hall was replaced by The Commons. Dr. E. J. And Margaret O'Brien Hall was also built at the site of the former McCormick Hall.

Marquette Sports: The Golden Eagles

The Golden Eagle is Marquette's mascot. The school colors are Marquette blue and Marquette gold. Marquette is a Division I member of the NCAA. It competes in the Big East Conference. The university has 11 varsity teams. These include basketball, cross-country, golf, soccer, track & field, tennis, and volleyball. In 2013, men's and women's lacrosse teams were added. The football team was stopped in 1960 due to money reasons.

Since joining the Big East in 2005, the Golden Eagles have won many conference championships. These include men's basketball, men's golf, women's soccer, and lacrosse. Marquette's sports rivals include Syracuse, Cincinnati, DePaul, and Wisconsin. In 2009, CNN named Milwaukee one of America's great college basketball towns because of Marquette.

Mascot and Nickname History

Marquette's sports teams were called the "Warriors" from 1954 to 1994. The name was changed to the "Golden Eagles" in 1994. This was because of concerns that the "Warriors" nickname and related logos were disrespectful to Native Americans. Many alumni and fans were unhappy about the change.

In 2004, there was talk of changing the name back to "Warriors." Instead, the university briefly changed the nickname to "the Gold." But students, faculty, and alumni strongly disliked this. So, after more discussions, "Golden Eagles" was brought back in 2005. In 2020, the Golden Eagle mascot was named "Iggy." This name honors St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Clubs and Student Groups

Gesu Church, a Jesuit church on campus

Marquette University has over 230 student organizations. These groups cover many different interests. There are academic honor societies like Phi Beta Kappa. There are also groups focused on community service and social awareness. Examples include Big Brothers Big Sisters and Engineers Without Borders.

The university has its own security team called the Department of Public Safety. Students also help with safety through the Student Safety Program. One service they provide is the LIMO program. This is a transportation service run entirely by students.

Greek Life at Marquette

Marquette University has 23 Greek organizations. As of 2009, about 10% of undergraduate students are part of Greek life. Sororities (for women) are a bit more popular than fraternities (for men). The international engineering sorority Alpha Omega Epsilon was founded at Marquette in 1983.

Performing Arts Groups

Acting and Comedy

Marquette has several stage performance groups. The Studio 013 Refugees is a student improv comedy group. They perform free shows throughout the year. They also offer workshops on improv comedy. The Marquette University Players Society (MUPS) performs in a traditional theater setting.

Singing and Dancing

The Marquette University Chorus is the oldest singing group on campus. It is a mixed choir of about 50 to 60 men and women. There are also Men's Choir, Women's Choir, and Chamber Choir. Marquette has a Gospel Choir and a Liturgical Choir.

There are three special a cappella groups: the coed Gold 'n Blues, the all-male Naturals, and the all-female Meladies. These groups perform concerts on and off campus.

Pure Dance is a group for lyrical and jazz dance. Dance, Inc. allows members to perform in showcases. Hype Dance company focuses on hip-hop, contemporary, and jazz dance styles.

Playing Instruments

The Marquette University Symphony Orchestra lets students share their musical talents. There are also several band groups. The Symphonic Band is for students who want to keep playing music in a relaxed setting. The new Wind Ensemble performs advanced wind band music. There are also two jazz bands.

Students in the Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble can join the MU Pep Band. The Pep Band plays at all men's and women's basketball home games. They also travel with the teams during tournaments.

Student Media Outlets

The Marquette Tribune is the official student newspaper. It started in 1916. It is printed on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. The paper has won awards for its quality. Most of its staff are journalism students, but others also write for it.

The Marquette Journal is a student-produced magazine. It comes out every three months and focuses on student life. It has also won awards.

Marquette Radio and MUTV are the student radio and TV stations. They started in the late 1960s and mid-1970s. MUTV shows student-made programs, including news, sports, and entertainment. Marquette Radio also has student-made shows about music, sports, news, and talk.

Hilltop was Marquette's university-wide yearbook from 1915 to 1999. It had over 30,000 pages in 82 volumes. In 2006, Marquette's librarians created a digital collection of Hilltop.

Marquette's School Songs

Marquette University spirescape

Marquette has two main school songs: "The Marquette University Anthem" and the "Marquette University Fight Song." Students and alumni usually sing these songs during basketball games. The pep band plays along. "The Marquette University Anthem" is also called "Hail Alma Mater." Its tune was written by Liborius Semmann.

The Fight Song is more commonly known as "Ring Out Ahoya." The meaning of "Ahoya" is debated. One idea is that sailors on the Potomac river would call out "Ahoya" when passing Georgetown University. This cheer might have been passed between the two Jesuit universities. The pep band's long tuba makes a ship's signal sound during "Ring Out Ahoya."

Notable People from Marquette

Famous Alumni

As of 2013, there were about 110,000 living alumni of Marquette University. Alumni are people who have graduated from the university. Many Marquette alumni have achieved great things. Some have won Pulitzer Prizes, Fulbright Scholarships, and Academy Awards.

• Arts and Media: Famous alumni include comedian Chris Farley, actor Danny Pudi, journalist Gail Collins, and Academy Award-winning production designer Adam Stockhausen.
• Business: Alumni in business include former Sears chairman Edward Brennan and Texas Instruments co-founder Patrick E. Haggerty. Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World, also studied at Marquette.
• Politics: Notable politicians include U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy and U.S. Representative Gwen Moore. Two governors of Guam, Felix and Carlos Camacho, also attended Marquette.
• Athletics: Many professional basketball players went to Marquette. These include Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, and Maurice Lucas. Current Milwaukee Bucks coach Glenn "Doc" Rivers also graduated from Marquette. Olympic medalists like track and field athlete Ralph Metcalfe are also alumni.

University Presidents

Images for kids

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  Marquette University seal

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  Marquette University logo

See also

• List of Jesuit sites
• List of Jesuit educational institutions