Lab instructors looking to fill gaps
biological sciences department will have to work with the equipment and facilities currently available.
By Mia Thurow mia.thurow@marquette.edu
Marquette University included a BioDiscovery district in their 2017 $600 million campus master plan. In 2025, it’s the only capital project in the plan that hasn’t been completed.
In an August interview with the Marquette Wire, University President Kimo Ah Yun said he hopes to create a definite plan this academic year.
But in the meantime, students and faculty in the
Faculty cite outdated equipment, a lack of air conditioning and inefficient teaching space as some issues that impair their ability to conduct labs and classes.
Students work on new research in Wehr Life Sciences
In the Wehr Life Sciences building, Marquette students are often working to make novel scientific discoveries, but some faculty are unsure if the building can keep up with the demand for what’s inside.
Wehr Life Sciences houses two types of laboratories, said Martin St. Maurice,
professor and chair of the Department of Biological Sciences. The upstairs labs serve as research spaces for graduate students while the labs on the first floor are designed to accommodate larger classes.
Students in the biological sciences department aren’t just doing step-bystep labs, St. Maurice said, they’re working on “cutting-edge” research. He said students find their passion through the process of scientific discovery.
“I think that’s so critical to our mission,” St. Maurice said.
Take, for example, a cell biology lab class that focuses on generating yeast strains and conducting re-
search experiments and analysis on their results.
Emily Sontag, assistant professor in the biological sciences department, teaches the class and said her upper-level students are doing hands-on work that has never been seen before.
“This is a totally new discovery,” she said.
Sontag’s students also focus on writing about their research to prepare for future scenarios in the workplace.
Overall, the Wehr Life Sciences building is successful in preparing students for the future and offers adequate resources, St. Maurice said. But, he added, the Department of Biological Sciences is always thinking
about both limitations and potential for the future. Lack of equipment, outdated features can limit students Sontag’s lab has enough state-of-the-art microscopes for a full class of students. Not all biological sciences professors are so fortunate. Sukanya Lodh, teaching assistant professor, instructs an introductory lab class. She teaches more students than professors who teach upper-level and graduate labs but doesn’t always feel she has the ideal space or budget to do so.
Lodh’s classroom is split — literally — by a wall, meaning she has to constantly
Brunner's lawyer attended MU Law School
By Sophia Tiedge sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu
Abigail Ruckdashel is listed as the attorney representing Amandria Brunner, the 41-year-old woman from West Allis who has been charged with two counts of homicide by intoxicated use of the vehicle that killed Marquette students Scott Michaud and Noah Snyder in a Sept. 5 car crash.
According to Cleghorn
Jones’ website, Ruckdashel’s law firm, she graduated from Marquette University Law School and received a bachelor’s in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. According to Ruckdashel’s LinkedIn, she graduated from law school in 2024.
She specializes in criminal defense work.
Brunner didn’t have an attorney ahead of her Sept. 18 preliminary hearing date, so the hearing was delayed
until Oct. 2. Ruckdashel said in a statement to the Marquette Wire that she plans on entering Brunner’s not guilty plea at the Oct. 2 preliminary hearing.
Ruckdashel declined to comment on representing Brunner while having academic ties to Marquette.
Four other students sustained non-life-threatening injuries from the crash, which happened at the intersection of North 27th and West St. Paul Avenue.
According to a criminal complaintreleased Sept. 10, Brunner had a blood alcohol level of 0.133, nearly double the legal limit.
An officer reported in the complaint that Brunner had “bloodshot and glassy” eyes, slurred speech and couldn’t keep her balance.
They requested Brunner perform Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and placed her under arrest after she failed. Brunner had one prior OWI charge in 2003.
There is a $75,000 cash bail for her pre-trial release.
The complaint said Brunner told police there was alcohol in her vehicle and she’d had two drinks prior to the crash. The officer found an opened can of Miller High Life behind the passenger seat, saying the can “did not appear to be opened by crash forces.”
Jack Albright contributed to this report.
Biological sciences faculty cite outdated equipment, lack of air conditioning and inefficient teaching space as issues that impair their ability to conduct classes.
Photos by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
Acting provost discusses college restructuring
An exclusive interview with MU leadership
By Sophia Tiedge sophia.tiedge@marquette.edu
Acting Provost Sarah Feldner’s proposed timeline for possible academic college and department restructuring received criticism at a Sept. 15 University Academic Senate meeting.
The recommendation was issued in Sept. 2024 by a steering committee in charge of leading Marquette’s goal to cut $31 million by 2031. Feldner has been tasked with presenting a restructuring model to University President Kimo Ah Yun this December for a final version to seek approval from the Board of Trustees next April.
Models for possible restructuring were supposed to be submitted by Feldner in July 2025, but it didn’t happen, she said. However, Gasser and Feldner continued discussing the changes over the summer.
To further discuss the process, The Wire sat down with Feldner and Chair of Academic Senate, Paul Gasser, on Sept. 17.
History behind the changes
The steering committee created to lead Marquette’s budget reduction issued a total of nine recommendations last September to generate cost savings or make cuts — college restructuring was just one of them.
UAS Chair Paul Gasser said this isn’t the first time restructuring was proposed.
“Around Covid, there was a big financial crisis and there were discussions about big changes like this,” he said. “At that time, those weren’t all-university discussions. Those were work groups.”
Work groups and listening sessions
The steering committee recommended creating work groups in a 2024 report as a way for faculty to have a voice in how the restructuring happens, but Feldner is taking a different approach, saying the steering committee gave her a “direction to go.”
Instead, the university will hold seven listening sessions over a three-week period for faculty to attend and share ideas. Feldner said she’s also prioritizing speaking individually with chairs of departments and senior faculty members.
Gasser said he hopes faculty come to meetings and listening sessions with “skeletons” of ideas or models.
“I think there are some positive things that could happen out of this,” he said. “Whether they’re
just financial benefits, but also maybe improving how we serve students or recruit students.”
In the recommendation from the steering committee, the College of Arts & Sciences, which houses the humanities, and the College of Engineering were both named as colleges that don’t have favorable financial trends, and were used as examples for colleges that could be reorganized.
Depending on how the final models look, Gasser said faculty will then be able to get a better sense of how their department or college would fit into the larger picture.
“Let’s say we have one fewer college, that’s a whole list of departments that have to be in a new home,” Gasser said. “That doesn’t mean
"It's big. It's complicated. But I'm looking forward to what we learn."
Sarah
Feldner Acting Provost
we’re slicing them off, it means we’re putting them in different places.”
Timeline for cost savings
Feldner said during the Sept. 15 academic senate meeting that the plans wouldn’t look to cut faculty, but rather revise hiring in the long term. When questioned further, she said hiring, promotion and tenure would be reevaluated as part of restructuring.
But cost savings wouldn’t be immediate. Feldner said the actual restructuring process would take a year, and the university wouldn’t see significant cost savings
for another five years. If the Board of Trustees approves a plan, restructuring would start as early as this summer.
Feldner said she understands that this isn’t going to be like “flipping a switch” and hard decisions will need to be made between now and April 2026 to decide which model, if any, would generate significant savings.
“If we get to the end of this and the board says, ‘This is not the way to go,’ or we say, ‘It’s not the way to go,’ there will be no implementation,” she said.
Changes to timeline, concerns over timeframe
Feldner has laid out a plan, detailing that prospective models would need to be revised between now and April.
After faculty voiced concerns about the tight timeline, the university added another step, announcing Sept. 16 that shared governance bodies would give feedback on the final models before they are sent to the Board of Trustees.
These governing groups include University Academic Senate, Faculty Council, University Board of Undergraduate Studies, University Board of Graduate Studies and the Committee on Research.
The April date for Board approval stayed the same.
Some faculty were concerned that the listening sessions and consulting shared governance was happening too late in the game, citing the fact that Gasser and Feldner had been discussing the process in the summer.
“It is not a secret,” Feldner said. “I think that there are models out there. They were announced, they were discussed. There are models that were discussed in 2021. There are models
people have put into a portal. So those do exist.”
Feldner said those models haven’t yielded any permanent decisions, but she was supposed to have a proposal for restructuring completed in July. Nothing concrete was accomplished then.
“It just didn’t get done. And I did not have time to fully think about it,” she said.
Rather, Feldner said she wants faculty to know this semester is about brainstorming, and she’ll be asking “Do we need to restructure?”
Despite some opposition, Gasser said the attitudes
"There is real desire to be involved in the conversation."
Paul
Gasser Chair of University Academic Senate
from faculty haven’t been overwhelmingly negative.
“There is some excitement about it,” he said. “There is a real desire to be involved in the conversation.”
Other faculty raised concerns that the listening sessions felt like an afterthought, but Feldner said she hopes even if someone’s idea doesn’t get adopted, they still feel like they were heard. Feldner hopes by sitting with chairs of departments and faculty, their ideas will start to shape the way she sees the restructuring.
“You may have an idea that does not become the idea,” Feldner said. “That’s an upshot of when you have this many different perspectives and different ways of coming at it.”
Leadership changes and provost search
In the past two years, after the university announced it was facing a budget shortfall in 2023, there’s been a feeling of mistrust among some faculty, which was reflected in the 2025 campus climate study, where faculty reported concerns about communication with university leadership.
University Academic Senate voted no-confidence in former Provost and now-President Kimo Ah Yun in November 2024, and Feldner said she’s learned from faculty’s discontent with prior leadership.
“I’m in such an interesting position relative to that,” she said. “And so what I can say is for me, [the vote of no-confidence] informed how I approach the acting role.”
Ah Yun sent out an update on the provost search in June 2025 saying the search committee had a final candidate selected, but the individual declined the offer. Moving forward, he wrote in the update that he’s putting “no mandatory timeline on concluding the search,” but hopes to have someone selected by the end of the calendar year. Feldner said in the meantime, she’s looking forward to having meaningful conversations about the restructuring to better understand where faculty stand.
“It’s big,” she said. “It’s complicated. But I’m looking forward to what we learn.”
This story is part of an ongoing series from the Marquette Wire regarding the university’s budget cuts and fiscal situation. If you’re interested in discussing your thoughts or program, please reach out to the Managing Editor of the Marquette Tribune at sophia. tiedge@marquette.edu.
Marquette Wire Stock Photo
Acting Provost Sarah Feldner will hold listening sessions for faculty to voice opinions on possible models over the next three weeks.
LABS: Ah Yun hopes for final plan this year
walk back and forth during class sessions to check on the 16 students in each separate room. She joked that she loses weight during the semester from all the steps she takes during class.
Also, Lodh said, it’s hard to provide proper equipment, like microscopes, with the budget the department is given. She said not all students get to work with their own equipment during class, and if something breaks, money goes toward fixing it instead of buying new instruments.
“Having a better space and better budget for the lab courses are really important, because students will take that experience wherever they are going,” Lodh said.
St. Maurice said introductory lab classes like Lodh’s don’t need the highest-grade equipment, but it would be ideal if they had it.
Sontag also mentioned a lack of air conditioning in the labs. While some
general building concerns may seem trivial from an outsider’s perspective, St. Maurice said, temperature control issues can affect experiments’ results. Biological sciences department strives for integration
St. Maurice said the biological sciences department is physically limited by a split between the upstairs research labs and the downstairs teaching labs. He said some faculty want these spaces to be more integrated.
Faculty already do a lot on their own to blend the research and teaching work, St. Maurice said, but the Wehr Life Sciences building and its layout present certain limitations.
“A building or district that brings a more integrated approach between teaching and research benefits everybody,” St. Maurice said. “It brings the research much more directly into the lab space for the students that are taking the class.”
St. Maurice’s vision for a
collaborative space includes cross-discipline integration, where students studying topics like ecology and biology can come together to discuss their findings. But, he said, this space would have to come with thoughtful consideration.
“If we build a building that is primarily dedicated to innovative teaching, I think that’s tremendous,” St. Maurice said. “But if it comes at the cost of creating a space where cutting edge research can be happening at the same time, then we’re sort of cutting off one hand to strengthen the other.”
BioDiscovery district has been proposed in the past
Some majors in the College of Arts & Sciences include biological sciences, chemistry and physics, and Wehr Life Sciences is one of three buildings where science courses are taught. The proposed BioDiscovery District would serve departments in all three.
But the project can’t be presented to the Board of Trustees until funding
sources are solidified, University Spokesperson Kevin Conway said in a statement. Moving forward, Ah Yun said the university might need to start thinking about the district differently.
“We’ve been talking about BioDiscovery or a science district. As I get further into that, it’s clear that we need to start thinking about this in smaller chunks and figure out what the most important chunk is that we need to go after first,” Ah Yun said in February.
St. Maurice said there have been rounds of
conversations between different science departments, as well as acknowledgement from university administration that such a building is a priority. However, he’s still waiting for a real, final vision to emerge.
“It’s a complicated process, but it’s one that should involve conversation across levels to develop the vision that is going to best support student success and research success,” St. Maurice said.
Until then, faculty in the sciences will have to wait.
A year in review: Recovery at MU's coffee bike
By Lance Schulteis lance.schulteis@marquette.edu
Marquette’s soundscape is usually built from chatter, car engines and church bells — but every so often, there’s the pumping and hissing of a nitro cold brew machine on wheels.
That’s the Recovery at Marquette coffee bike, which is celebrating its first birthday on Sept. 23. Through the mobile cold brew stand, the program has spent the past year giving out free coffee to Marquette students, faculty and staff. The giveaways serve as an opportunity to promote the program, which supports students and community members in their recoveries from substance use.
Since its campus debut in September 2024, the Ferla bike has been used to give away nearly 5,000 cups of coffee, complemented by milk — dairy or vegan — and self-serve syrups. Even with students away for the summer, the bike was still on campus during SPARK orientation events to welcome the next wave of Golden Eagles.
“Students love it,” Timothy Rabolt, director of Recovery at Marquette, said. “It’s getting more traction [as] something on campus. We’ll get students that come out and then they’ll call their roommate and be like, ‘The bike is back.’”
In the winter, the bike goes into hibernation. But its spirit stayed alive in February 2025 by inspiring the Pink Pony Cafe, where the recovery program served coffee out of its third-floor
space at Wellness + Helfaer Recreation. With an estimated 150 people in attendance, the event will make a return in 2026, Rabolt said.
“You can actually see this joy when [students] realize they can get this free cup, and they’re having fun crafting it on their own,” Rabolt said. “Just making people’s day better and that outward expression of joy and excitement, I think that’s probably the best compliment that we get around what we’re doing.”
For those stopping by for a treat at the bike, it’s not just a grab-and-go system.
Students wait in line before their turn at the tap, and Recovery at Marquette hopes they will spend the interval time reading signs and scanning QR codes with information about the program.
Though some inevitably spend the time on their phones, the messaging remains for patrons to make a mental bookmark.
“It’s a good seed to plant because you never know when someone might need us,” Rachael Halby, a graduate student and program assistant, said.
Finally, the cup of nitro cold brew — with a choice of milk — is filled and handed over, complete with a handwritten positive message lining the plastic. With messages like “progress, not perfection,” each cup is a reminder that no one is alone in recovery, a message the program often emphasizes.
“We get a lot of alumni that come by, and for the bike and our program, they
always say that they wish that was around when they were on campus,” Hilda Valencia, a graduate student and program assistant, said.
The celebration of the coffee bike’s anniversary in September also falls within National Recovery Month, a nationwide effort to support those in recovery and the programs they lean on.
That’s why Recovery at Marquette partnered with The Phoenix, a local recovery center chapter, to host Milwaukee’s “Largest Sober Tailgate” before the Milwaukee Brewers’ MKE Recovery Night game Sept. 16. The alcohol-free event at Helfaer Field included a
kickball game, free buffet and music. Over 500 people attended the tailgate while Recovery at Marquette gave away 1,000 tickets to the game — a 9-2 Brewers win.
“It was just a good energy,” Michael Diaz, program assistant, said. “We would call it fellowship; you’re able to connect with people who you otherwise probably would never have met, and you have something immediately in common that’s pretty profound.”
To close out National Recovery Month, Recovery at Marquette will host the Recovery Day Fair on Sept. 30, featuring food trucks, games and, of course, the
coffee bike.
With 5,000 cups of coffee, 1,000 baseball tickets and hundreds of people at events, Recovery at Marquette is expanding its scope every day. But recovery will never be a numbers game — it’s a search for the program to build the deepest connections that it can.
“It’s way more about depth than it is how wide a reach it’s [going to] be,” Rabolt said. “Because even just transforming and saving one life is worth it.”
And for some of those relationships, it all starts with the pump and hiss of a nitro cold brew machine.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
Recovery at Marquette Program Assistant Michael Diaz serves cold brew to students at the bike.
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Students camp out at Renee Row
By Elena Metinidis elena.metinidis@marquette.edu
A trail of lawn chairs, blankets and tired college students lined the outside of Renee Row apartments the night of Sept. 17, awaiting the 2026-27 lease signings that opened at 9 a.m. the next day.
Fueled by a variety of snacks and energy drinks, students sprawled across the courtyard hoped to stay awake all night, keeping each other entertained by studying, playing cards and watching TV.
Because some current tenants will be renewing their leases, students waited in line to ensure they could sign whichever apartments became available, per tradition for the last decade.
“When the leasing office opens, it’s a first-come, firstserve basis and you have to bring a deposit check,” Sami Greenfield, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said.
When Greenfield camped out in the past, she got in line around 8 p.m. the previous night and signed a lease around 11 a.m.
“I couldn’t even go to my class. I just went home to nap and when I woke up, I felt a giant relief — a weight off my shoulders that I didn’t need to worry about finding an apartment anymore,” Greenfield said.
For some students, finding a lease can be stressful. Signing at Renee Row, some of the students said, would be an early accomplishment in the search for housing, just four weeks into the 2025-26 school year.
Jonah Kaufman, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, even said he sat outside Renee Row since 3 p.m. in the afternoon of Sept. 17 because he wanted one of the three available two-bedroom apartments.
Renee Row was constructed in 1990 for the purpose of serving Marquette University students. It is located at 927 N Renee St. Milwaukee, WI 53233 and offers 53 2–4–bedroom ranch and townhouse-style apartments.
The complex has a variety of amenities that some students may be seeking, including furnishing, spacious floor plans, private patios and decks, parking, laundry and 24hour maintenance.
The monthly rent for an apartment ranges between $1,670-$3,020, depending on the number of bedrooms, and can be split between roommates.
“It’s a really nice apartment and just a great place to be,” Lauren Ambrose, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said. Ambrose hoped to sign a lease after visiting her friend’s unit.
Kim Schroeder, a managing partner of the apartment owners, Rouse, said 20 leases were signed by the afternoon of Sept. 18, citing its high demand for being locally managed and a family-run business.
“This has been something we’ve looked at since freshman year, and we haven’t looked at anywhere else to live,” Juliana Russo, a junior in the College of Business Administration, said.
While some future Renee Row tenants have now
signed their leases, the apartment hunt continues for many sophomore and junior students.
Marquette University requires undergraduate students to live in university dorms for two years, leaving students with the freedom to search for apartments or houses for their remaining years.
Some factors that students are taking into consideration are price, safety, location, furnishing, parking and overall quality.
“A lot of places I’ve seen do line up with what I’m looking for, but it takes some time to sort through which ones actually fit my needs and budget,” Matilde Pecora, a sophomore in the College of Nursing, said.
The process of finding an apartment can involve looking online, communicating with management and scheduling a tour — potentially over and over again until students find the right match. And for some students, that hunt for housing is already well underway.
“Searching for a lease has been tough, especially when everything feels rushed,”
Jenan Halawa, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “It requires a lot of planning.”
Marquette owns six apartment buildings: Campus Town East and Campus Town West, Frenn Building, Gilman Building, McCabe and The Marq. Sophomore and junior students received an email the morning of Sept. 19 from Marquette University Apartments & Off-Campus Services breaking down the timeline and features of the six buildings.
The university-owned apartment selection process begins once $300 deposits are collected between Oct. 13-27. Returning residents can reselect their current apartment between Oct. 17-20, or choose a different apartment on Oct. 29. Prospective tenants are randomly assigned selection times between Oct. 31-Nov. 3. While also balancing being full-time students, sophomores and juniors will continue to hunt for housing throughout the fall semester.
College Republicans host non-political vigil
Students gather following Charlie Kirk's death
By Sahil Gupta sahil.gupta@marquette.edu
Dozens of Marquette University community members gathered on the Central Mall outside of Lalumiere Hall on the evening of Sept. 17 for a peace vigil to stand against violence and promote peace worldwide.
The service came amidst a backdrop of several instances of political violence in recent months, including the recent assassination of popular conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kirk, 31, who was shot dead while headlining an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
The suspect, 22-year-old Tyler James Robinson, faces multiple felony counts including aggravated murder, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.
Utah prosecutors have announced that they intend to seek the death penalty against Robinson.
The campus vigil was organized by the Marquette College Republicans; however, chair Elliot Sgrignuoli, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said the event was designed to stand against violence and for peace.
“The goal of the event is to be apolitical; is to honor and remember the lives of all victims of political violence on both sides of the aisle,” Sgrignuoli said. “This is not intended to be a Charlie Kirk funeral.”
Nick Gross, a sophomore in the College of Communication, gave opening remarks.
“A lot of events have left many people feeling shocked, angry and even hopeless,” Gross said. “We see so much anger and division around us, and too often, not enough true conversation, respect or understanding.”
The mood was somber, yet reflective. The lights of glowing candles, reciting of Biblical verses and singing of gospel songs could not be missed from anywhere in the Central Mall.
The desire to see an end to violence was echoed by other attendees. Andrew Dobek, a junior in the College of Health Sciences, said he wants to see togetherness in an increasingly polarized environment.
“I came out tonight in support of unity and an end to violence in our world,” Dobek said.
Marquette is not the first university to host a vigil.
Local chapters of Turning Point USA, an organization founded by Charlie Kirk, held vigils and events that packed venues beyond capacity at the University of South Carolina and Arizona State University.
National leaders from both parties are navigating an increasingly hostile political environment in the aftermath of the Kirk
assassination and other incidents, including the assassination of Minnesota State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark this past June.
In April, a man allegedly set ablaze the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence while Gov. Josh Shapiro and his family were asleep. President Donald Trump faced two assassination attempts during the 2024 election campaign, and nearly 9,500 threats or concerning statements were made against members of congress in 2024, according to data from the U.S. Capitol Police.
Former President Barack Obama, speaking at a fireside chat event in Pennsylvania on Sept. 16, emphasized the importance of being able to have spirited debate in a democratic society.
“There are no ifs, ands or buts about it,” Obama said. “The central premise of our democratic system is that we have to be able to disagree and have sometimes really contentious
debates without resorting to violence.”
Similar sentiments were provided by Utah’s Republican governor, Spencer Cox.
Following the Kirk assassination, Cox emerged as a leader of calls to turn down the temperature in American political discourse, specifically highlighting the danger that social media has when it comes to spreading violent rhetoric.
“Social media is a cancer on our society right now,” Cox said. “And I would encourage people to log off, turn off, touch grass, hug a family member, go out and do good in your community.”
Amidst these increasing tensions, Sgrignuoli said it is important to look to faith during uncertain times.
“We’re all at a religious institution,” Sgrignuoli said.
“You’re here for a reason at [Marquette], so let’s use faith — something that everyone has some form of — to bring us together and move forward.”
Some students lined up outside as early as 3 p.m. the day before.
Photo by Lily Wooten lily.wooten@marquette.edu
Oliver Farrell reaches his 'Masters'
Former Marquette golfer competed in the 153rd Open
By Trevor Hilson trevor.hilson@marquette.edu
It was at the 134th Open at St. Andrews that former Marquette golfer Oliver (OJ) Farrell watched Tiger Woods complete his second career grand slam and win his 10th Major title.
He realized then, in 2005 at nine years old, that, like Tiger, he could see himself playing golf's biggest test on the biggest stage.
Nearly 20 years later, on July 1, at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club in Burnham-on-Sea, United Kingdom, Farrell competed in the longest day of golf and qualified for the 153rd Open after scoring 68-68 to shoot 6-under-par over 36 holes and secure the fifth and final spot for Royal Portrush.
It brought him full-circle from his memory with Tiger.
"This is his Masters," said Marquette head coach Steve Bailey, who made the trip to Northern Ireland to watch Farrell. "This is the pinnacle of his sport, and to aspire to do it your whole life, and to watch and see his game stack up with the best in the world, it was a great affirmation for him to know his game belongs."
Farrell became just the
second Marquette golf alumnus to compete in a Major, joining Mike Van Sickle, who golfed at MU from 2005-09 and qualified for the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. He also joined Van Sickle as the only other M Club Hall of Fame honoree this summer.
"It makes me proud [to be the second]," Farrell said. "I have the Marquette logo on
How water skiing changed Harry Connors' life
The sport brought a first-year Brit to Marquette at 22
By Ben Ward benjamin.ward@marquette.edu
Marquette club water skier Harry Connors is not your average Marquette first-year.
Rather than being 18 years old, he's 22. Instead of growing up in a Chicago suburb, like seemingly everyone else at the school, he hails from across the pond, in Guildford, England.
Connors graduated during the pandemic in 2020. In the United Kingdom, students graduate from high school at age 16.
“My friends were in a bad place mentally, trying to complete all of the
assignments online," Connors said.
Connors “fell behind” many of his friends who successfully graduated and began their careers while he continued to struggle to find an opportunity to do something he truly loved.
He landed a couple of bar jobs straight out of high
"I found my sense of independence and more of a sense of identity..."
school but had to leave them. Without work, he was desperate to reignite his motivation.
At age 17, he began training in water skiing in Guildford and his passion for the sport grew.
While visiting a Red Bull event at Canary Wharf, a business and financial district in East London, Connors witnessed the exhilarating jumps of fellow water skiers which opened his eyes to the local scene of water sports.
Connors decided to browse international opportunities involving water sports. He landed a couple of agency opportunities in the U.S., offering him the option to go to Maine, Oregon, upstate New York or Wisconsin.
Connors says Wisconsin
Former Marquette men's golfer and Big East GOTY Oliver "OJ" Farrell (left) competed in the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland in July.
Harry Connors Member of Marquette waterskiing club
Photo courtesy of Steve Bailey
Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics CLUB SPORTS
Connors began training in water skiing in Guildford, England.
Photo courtesy of Harry Connors
Jennifer Wandt is still finding ways to play
MU coach using past experiences to mold goalies
By Benjamin Hanson benjamin.hanson@marquette.edu
When you walk past Valley Fields during any of the four practices that Marquette women's soccer holds during a given week, you'll see goalkeeping coach Jennifer Wandt in net blocking shots. And it's not easy getting one past her.
Traditionally, time in net during practice is for student goalkeepers.
No one has told Wandt that.
Center stage in the cage is her home. And that spot has molded how she coaches, leads and plays as an acolyte of the sport.
"She brings a lot to the table," sophomore goalkeeper Elise Krone said. "She understands what it's like firsthand, and she's been able to help prepare us through her training. Not just on
our individual needs but also understand what the Big East demands."
Wandt's soccer insight was accrued long before joining the Golden Eagles as an assistant and goalie coach in January.
Before coaching at Indiana, Illinois State and now Marquette, Wandt played for the Trelleborgs FF Swedish football team, and was one of the most accomplished goalies in Baylor University's storied soccer program.
In her four years as a Bear, she played in net for two NCAA Elite Eight appearances, a Big 12 Conference Tournament Championship victory and 31 shutouts including a program-record 12 her sophomore year. During her senior season, she posted a .869 save percentage and .506 goals against average.
She also had an impact off the pitch that statistics can't measure.
"Jen was great about pouring into her other players," said Paul Jobson, Wandt's
coach at Baylor. "She was there — she was reliable if there was a player in need. Jen was there to step up and be there for them if they were having a hard moment.”
Wandt's empathy is the one thing that's always stayed the same, despite many jersey changes.
Wandt has one-on-one weekly meetings with an assigned handful of Marquette players. Naturally, goalies Krone and sophomore Hailey Wade are on the list of weekly visits — those a bit more relatable. Wandt is a self-proclaimed talker. With the goalkeepers, she'll chat about anything from music and hairstyles to emotions and struggles, all while walking Emme (Wandt's mut) around campus or getting coffee.
"There's so much love there," Wade said. "She understands the game, and she understands the mental side of it. So, she does a really good job of pushing us but also showing us that she cares about us as a person too."
This care allows Wandt, Wade and Krone to connect on the field.
"She shows up every day and is able to ask how we're doing because she personally invests in each one of us and is there for us in training, however we need to be," Krone said.
With a big smile, Wandt shares that Allen gives her as much time as she wants with the keepers.
The trio work together on goalie-specific training for about five hours a week and then Wandt tailors specific daily training to the two players.
For their practices and play on the pitch, Wandt uses a word for the trio to embody that defined her time in Waco: uncompromising.
"Whatever our values are and whatever we believe in, we're uncompromising in that," Wandt said. "We're going to do what we believe is right and we're going to do it our way.
"Whatever team comes on this field, it doesn't matter. Whatever their formation is, whatever their game plan is — it doesn't matter because we're going to do us, and we know that doing us is going to take us to get wins and championships."
Wandt has a style of leadership and play learned while at Baylor, which drives the way she coaches now. It helped her command the field and encourage her teammates to championships, in addition
to making clutch saves, of which coach Jobson said there were plenty.
"Accountability on the field was huge for her and the way she communicated with her team," Jobson said. "If she's able to teach her goalkeepers how to do that, they're going to be great, great goalkeepers."
There are many places in the soccer world that need Wandt's knowledge, philosophies and character. But she didn't hesitate when head coach Chris Allen called to offer her the job. She didn't ask many questions because she was raised only ten miles away from Milwaukee in Brookfield and was a ball girl for the Marquette women's soccer team at Valley Fields when she was in 5th and 6th grade.
"I love it here," Wandt said. "Getting the opportunity to not just come back home... and then be with these players is just — it's special."
For Wandt, some things never change.
HIS: 'OJ' second MU golfer to be in a Major
Continued from page 5
my bag and on my yardage book cover. To get to represent them at The Open was pretty special."
Farrell represented the university amongst the world's best players. The 2018-19 Big East Player of the Year played with J.J. Spaun, Tony Finau, Sergio Garcia and Jason Day among others during his practice rounds.
"[Marquette] was a massive part of how I've been able to be successful as a professional. Having teammates to compete against every day and a coach who is always trying get the best out of me helped me develop as a player."
Farrell's relationship with Bailey was a key contributor to Farrell's commitment to the university. It didn't take long for Bailey's trip to Portrush this summer to come together.
"He called me right away and said he had a badge for me and wanted me to
be a part of it," Bailey said. "It was really special to get to spend the week with his family and some friends, too."
Farrell knew he would save an inside-the-ropes badge for Bailey.
"Coach Bailey was the reason I became a Golden Eagle," Farrell said. "He wasn't just a coach; he's like a family member. To come out and support me, it was a special moment for the both of us."
Farrell missed the cut at Royal Portrush by three strokes, located in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, after posting rounds of 3-0ver par 74 and 1-over par 72. Even while having to play the last two holes in darker conditions on day one, Farrell still believes his tournament was proof that he can compete at the highest level.
His first nine on Thursday and second nine on Friday were both under par.
"On a major championship venue I may not have
put whole rounds together, but over 36 holes there's so much [good] in there," Farrell said. "Everything's there. My game is as good as these guys, it's just little bits and pieces that makes a difference."
Farrell had two birdies and a bogey in his opening nine of the tournament for a first nine of 1-under par 35, and he closed out his tournament with two birdies on the back nine Friday for 2-under par 33.
"[Portrush] is a different kind of links," Farrell said. "All the greens are elevated, and with links courses being firm, you can't run the ball up there. The fairways are quite narrow, so the course was demanding, and you have to step up and hit your shots."
Bailey said that having Marquette represented on the Major stage was special and could have the same impact on the current Marquette team like Tiger had for OJ back in 2005.
"When it happens and
you see one of your guys on that stage, you look back and think of all the special things that made it possible," Bailey said. "You look at what helped get him there and he said a lot throughout the week that he wouldn't be here without his Marquette experiences."
"Those guys on the current team or are in the professional ranks that played here look and say that they could do that too and like their chances of making it to that level," Bailey said. "It was a proud moment for our program, and I was overjoyed for him, too."
Photo courtesy of Steve Bailey
Farrell is the second Marquette golfer to compete in a Major.
Jennifer Wandt joined Marquette as a goalie coach in January.
Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics
Jennifer Wandt appeared in two NCAA Elite Eights at Baylor.
Photo courtesy of Baylor Athletics
MEN'S GOLF
From Max to Mateo, MU runs in Stoka blood
Son of soccer star followed in his father's footsteps
By Sofie Hanrahan sofia.hanrahan@marquette.edu
Soccer has taken Mateo Stoka all around the country. Now, it's brought him home to Milwaukee.
His father began a similar journey to Valley Fields first: almost 30 years prior.
Immigrating to the United States at 6 years old, Maximiliano Stoka didn't kick a soccer ball until he was close to 10. When he did, it was clear he was always meant to.
“It was my parents, me, my brother and a suitcase,” Max said. “Being an immigrant I’m a 'take nothing for granted' type person.”
Without English-speaking parents, Max embarked on his recruitment journey solo, garnering interest from major programs like Notre Dame and Duke.
Marquette's head coach at the time, Steve Adlard, had coached Max on both regional and national teams. That connection
and proximity to home ultimately pulled him to join the Golden Eagles.
It wasn't long before Max had made the Stoka name a household one at Marquette. After serving as a three-year captain and winning USA Defensive Player of the Year in '97, he was drafted by the Chicago Fire.
“We created a bond there that I think to this day still lives on,” Max said. “I don’t know how I ended up in Milwaukee, but in hindsight I think Marquette was perfect for me.”
During his time playing professionally in Chicago, Max met Mateo's mother Cheri: An All-American at UW-Madison, who was also playing at a professional level.
Naturally, the senior midfielder was born with soccer embedded into his DNA.
“I guess I was kind of destined to play,” Mateo said. “Soccer was always home, and it was something I did since day one. It just felt natural.”
With Max's professional career coming to an end and two sons to raise, the family moved back to Wisconsin, where he took on the new role of father and coach.
"I wasn't crazy. And I think that's why he's gotten so good is because Cheri and I never really pushed him, we didn't want to be those parents," Max said.
He still acknowledged his son's talent and potential from as young as five. Mateo then became a student of dedication to the sport, a class he would come to master.
From nine years old to junior year of high school, he commuted two hours each way from Fox Point, WI to Chicago to play for Sockers FC.
Max would constantly ask his son for reassurance: are you sure you want to do this?
It was never anything but absolute confidence from his son. And the dedication started to pay off after Mateo led the team to the 2017 National Cup Championship and 2019 DA Cup Finals.
Another pin on the map was dropped in Miami, where Mateo finished high school at Cypress Hill: scoring two goals, earning six assists and ten points. The team brought home state and regional championships.
So where would the pin be dropped for college? In a day and age where many players skip college and head straight to professional leagues, education reigned the top priority for the Stokas.
“Unfortunately, it’s not football, so it doesn’t pay
the bills,” Max said. “I’ve always stressed education because you can always fall back on that.”
Mateo played at Pitt for the first three years of his collegiate career.
He suffered an ACL tear sophomore year, and an older Panthers roster made it difficult to see action on the pitch. But it wasn't discouraging.
“My experiences throughout that time were crucial and kind of made me the player, the person I am today,” Stoka said. “So extremely thankful
for that.”
When the transfer portal opened after his junior season, Mateo began searching for a place to be valued as not just a player but as a person.
“What better place to do it than where I grew up and where I was born," Mateo Stoka said. "Coming back to Milwaukee in that way was huge.”
Max hearing that Marquette was in the picture of possible schools, he was hands off. No phone calls made or strings pulled, just letting his son's hard work speak for itself.
“It's almost weird, like a dream that he's back at Marquette,” Max said.
While the second generation Stoka still has time left in the Marquette kit, he has sights set on a professional career. With an education to back it up, of course.
From Chicago, to Miami, to Pittsburgh and now Milwaukee. No matter how far a Stoka goes, the road always leads back to Wisconsin.
Welcome home Mateo, Milwaukee is happy to have you.
LIFE: First-year became ski teacher in WI
Dells gave the best pitch. It also provided him with the opportunity to network with many other international students. In June 2023, Connors and several international students met in Chicago and then traveled up to Wisconsin Dells for three months to teach kids and adults how to water ski.
Connors enjoyed his time teaching water skiing in Wisconsin, which led him to decide to stay in the U.S.
“Free accommodations, free food, being able to teach something that I love for three months every year," Connors said. "It was a no-brainer to stay.”
While still in Wisconsin, Connors decided to explore Milwaukee, enjoy nightlife in Madison and go to concerts in Alpine Valley
— all of which led him to discovering Marquette.
“Discovering student life, school pride and the legendary movement of Marquette, I loved the spirit," Connors, who's studying in the College of Communication said. “Back in the U.K. you don’t see anybody walking around colleges in merchandise tagged with their university.”
Connors sees a huge difference in the U.S. and where he is from in terms of college life. His travels throughout the U.S. helped him gain a new appreciation for academics and goals for his future.
“Seeing the difference completely flipped my perspective on what university could be and what I could get out of it,” Connors said. “I found my sense of independence and more of a sense of identity through
water sports and the Marquette lifestyle."
The Marquette water ski club team mirrors these same goals.
“We focus on engagement and support to all members of our team, no matter the level of skiing,” said Club President Lindsey Bickelhaupt, a senior in the College of Nursing.
Connors plans on heavily improving his water-skiing skills while competing with the club team. After Marquette, Connors plans to continue utilizing his networking skills to land job opportunities.
“My focus is more about meeting individuals around the world, networking professionally and finding my foundations through networking,” Connors said.
Bickelhaupt wants to continue to make impacts
like Connors.
“If every skier said they were proud to call themselves a member of the Marquette
in my book," Bickelhaupt said.
Connors moved to Wisconsin in June 2023 to teach waterskiing.
Photo courtesy of Harry Connors
CLUB SPORTS
Max Stoka served as a three-year captain of MU men's soccer.
Photo courtesy of Marquette Archival Collections
Waterski Club and enjoy making our team better ... that is a win
Max Stoka coached his son Mateo after his pro career ended.
Photo courtesy of Maximiliano Stoka
Photo courtesy of Maximiliano Stoka
VOLLEYBALL
Theis bested by former team in return to Al
Mendoza earns first signature win against old coach
By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu
Tom Mendoza stood frontand-center on the court, hair slicked wet, his gray Marquette-branded quarter-zip jacket visibly soaked in water. Not sweat, to be clear. College athletics' version of champagne. He exuberantly shook hands with athletic director Mike Broeker. Fielded congratulations from everyone who saw him. FS1 broadcasters Anna Connelly and Elise Woodward pulled him aside to tell him, off-camera, not-for-show, just how impressive his team was. He was the moment.
Ryan Theis stood tucked away, barely out from under the bleachers, dry as a bone from head-to-toe, his white Florida-branded windbreaker unblemished. He caught up with former players and people he knew from his 11 years in charge in this building, all who came to watch his long-an-
ticipated return. Hugs were reminiscent, not jubilant. Handshakes were purely professional.
He was the moment. Was Not anymore.
The former just swept the No. 15 team in the country in his first ranked win of the season and tenure as Marquette volleyball head
coach, only two days removed from being swept himself by 7th ranked Wisconsin. The latter was on the receiving end of that sweep in his first match back at the Al McGuire Center since leaving the Golden Eagles for Gainesville's Florida Gators.
"This is one of the reasons why I was excited to come to Marquette."
of the team," new man Mendoza said with water dripping down his face. "I couldn't be more proud of the last 48 hours of the way the team handled processing Wednesday and getting ready for Friday."
After six months and nine games under his belt in the blue & gold, Friday felt the day he was here. Wholly at Marquette. A full-fledged Golden Eagle. Like after leaving the Al he was off to get his mug at Caff's before housing a Marquette Special at Real Chili while wearing a Murph's 21st birthday shirt.
(Marquette) to play their best volleyball against the Gators, with me coming back, and they did that," Theis said. "And hats off to them."
When Natalie Ring killed the ball into the taraflex for the 14th time, and the Golden Eagles had officially offed the mighty Gators, the Al McGuire Center was lit ablaze blue and gold.
On one side of the net, the entire team — comprised largely of people Theis recruited and coached — sprinted onto the court, jumping and hugging and cheering all at once. Mendoza turned around and made a beeline to his longtime assistant Ethan Pheister, bumping chests and high-fiving. Past Golden Eagles, from Jenna Reitsma to Aubrey Hamilton to Carsen Murray to Sarah Kushner, joined in the ballyhoo.
On the other, Theis put two hands behind his back and walked slowly down the sideline before shaking hands, turning around and heading down the tunnel to the away locker room.
Most of his volleyball head coaching life has been spent like Mendoza. After leading Marquette to its first and second Sweet 16s (2018 and 2022). After winning four-straight Big East regular season titles. After clinching any of the 10 NCAA tournament berths. He was always on the side of jumping and hugging and cheering.
Tom Mendoza Marquette women's volleyball
head coach
It was a stark comparison. One the victor, the other the loser.
On this Friday night in Milwaukee, the new man at the helm gave his predecessor a broom as a parting gift in the match circled on Marquette volleyball players and fans' calendars since May's nonconference schedule release.
"I was incredibly proud
"We're thrilled," he said. "This is one of the reasons why I was excited to come to Marquette. The Al McGuire Center is phenomenal. Marquette puts on phenomenal volleyball events."
And after seven months and eight games into his post-Marquette life at Florida, Friday felt almost like Theis' reckoning. He spent 11 years getting the Golden Eagles banner wins in the Al, now he was their latest — and most notable — victim. He, in a way, got a taste of his own medicine.
"You expect them
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This was the first time he experienced this in a volleyball match on 12th street, and it came in his first goaround as the enemy.
"I don't really have a comment on that," Theis said in reference to being rooted against instead of cheered for.
It was a first for Mendoza as well — a first, not last, signature win in what he's hoping is a long time spent in Milwaukee, with many more of these nights to come.
Florida head coach Ryan Theis spent 11 years coaching Marquette before leaving in February.
Friday's sweep marked Tom Mendoza's his first ranked win.
Photo via Florida Athletics
Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics
Isabela Haggard
Milwaukee is not a walkable city for citizens Opinions
By Bella Gruber isabella.gruber@marquette.edu
There are many exciting places to explore around Milwaukee, but they often require some form of transportation. With many neighborhoods and suburbs expanding outwards from the heart of the city, the metropolitan area has become unwalkable.
Other walkable cities have been proven to benefit social well-being, but the reliance on vehicles in Milwaukee is detrimental to social health.
A study by researchers from Texas A&M University found that cities with pedestrian-centered neighborhoods have a greater sense of community and higher overall social cohesion compared to automobile-centered neighborhoods, which limit social interaction.
High reliance on automobiles can reduce people’s chances of socializing while walking outside, leading to a sense of isolation and anomie.
In terms of crime, some communities are disadvantaged in their ability to walk from place to place, as it is unsafe. A study conducted in Louisville, KY found that denser, more walkable neighborhoods facilitated greater civic engagement, resulting in lower rates of property crimes, murders and violent crimes.
Aside from social disadvantages, frequent use of motor vehicles emits an excessive number of harmful emissions that can lead to health issues. Many pollutants are produced by combustion in vehicles, but particulate matter (PM) is the most harmful in Milwaukee due to the city’s reliance on vehicles and large industrial areas.
PM consists of minuscule particles made of toxic chemical compounds that can easily enter the lungs and bloodstream. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains that frequent inhalation of PM can cause heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks and increased coughing or difficulty breathing.
These risks disproportionately impact lower-income communities, as many are near parts of Milwaukee that surround industrial sectors such as Menomonee Valley, the Brewery District or Butler. Considering that 60% of PM emissions come from heavy vehicles, low-income households near industrial areas are at high risk for health issues.
If Milwaukee’s neighborhoods were more walkable, there would be less disparity between low-income communities in high-risk areas and those without high PM concentrations.
Along with health consequences, an unwalkable city structure is not sustainable for financial reasons. One might think that this can be easily solved with public transportation or rideshare services, but these are not accessible to all.
The cost of basic transportation needs, such as getting to work, school or running errands, can add up over time. A Milwaukee bus pass costs $2 for a daily pass or $75 for a monthly pass. This may not seem costly, but someone could save $75 a month walking to and from essential locations.
Conversely, using a rideshare service such as Uber or Lyft to commute daily can become costly. By spending $10-$20 a day to commute, this adds up to hundreds of dollars a month, which is not a sustainable price for everyone.
For low-income communities, the World Economic Forum claims that the lack of affordable housing and homelessness is greatly induced by scarce “walkable urban land, coupled with exclusionary drivable suburbs.”
Consequently, if Milwaukee does not address the matter of walkability, housing insecurity and unemployment rates will continue to rise.
While some Milwaukee-
ans may be comfortable with their reliance on automobiles, they must consider how it burdens other citizens. If Milwaukee does not try to create safe, accessible ways to walk around the city, there will continue to be detrimental repercussions on the city’s standard of living.
To accomplish this, Milwaukee must create more pedestrian-friendly sidewalks that are in both neighborhoods and downtown areas. The city must also develop safer bike lanes that are easily recognizable to drivers. By doing this, people will feel more comfortable walking or biking, and they will find an appeal in walking over driving.
It is unrealistic to entirely remove cars from our roads, but other U.S. cities
have adapted their roads to become pedestrian-centered. Portland, OR is notorious for this, as the city has focused on the development of smaller roads with downtown areas containing anything that the average person would need to walk to—from grocery stores to dry cleaners. For the sake of Milwaukeeans, the city must put people first when developing the city. Milwaukee must prioritize walkability within its neighborhoods in order to create a more sustainable future for the city’s health and communities.
Statement of Opinion Policy
The opinions expressed on the Opinions page reflect the opinions of the Opinions staff. The editorials do not represent the opinions of Marquette University nor its administrators, but those of the editorial board.
The Marquette Tribune prints guest submissions at its discretion. The Tribune strives to give all sides of an issue an equal voice over the course of a reasonable time period. An author’s contribution will not be published more than once in a fourweek period. Submissions with obvious relevance to the Marquette community will be given priority consideration.
Full Opinions submissions should be limited to 600 words. Letters to the editor should be between 150 to 300 words. The Tribune reserves the right to edit submissions for length and content.
Please e-mail submissions to: rachel.lopera@marquette. edu. If you are a current student, include the college in which you are enrolled and your year in school. If not, please note any affliations to Marquette or your current city of residence.
Marquette Wire stock photo
Taking a stroll on the RiverWalk is a fun way to explore Milwaukee.
Bella Gruber is an opinions columnist. She is a sophomore studying public relations.
Fun & Games
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Family Weekend
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15 of 15 words placed.
1. Marquette's mascot
5. Marquette's annual September acapella concert
6. Largest Jesuit university in Wisconsin
10. Famous root beer company
2. Marquette's teams are the ___
3. Outdoor mass held outside St. Joan of Arc
4. Milwaukee's baseball team
8. America's Dairyland
9. Historic Milwaukee neighborhood
Arts & Entertainment
Tote bag painting helps students destress
By Elise Emery elise.emery@marquette.edu
As college students, the hectic bustle of everyday life can become a stressor. Caring for one’s mental health can be neglected as students’ minds are continuously filled with looming deadlines and concerns over grades.
Nevertheless, expressing those emotions is essential, and art can be a powerful tool to do that — especially for college students. It’s important for students to take the time to recognize those feelings and have an outlet to share them.
The Center for Health Promotion hosted a tote bag painting event on Tuesday, Sept. 16, to raise awareness for Suicide Prevention Month — a way to not only gather the Marquette community in a shared activity but also allow students to destress through a
creative outlet.
Jenan Halawa, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and a Wellness Peer Educator, sees the impact that creative events like these can have on mental health.
“It’s really cool when you walk around and see everybody’s tote bags that they are painting with these positive and inspiring messages,” Halawa said.
Additionally, she said that participating in the event benefits the mental health of students, and seeing the messages around campus on people’s bags can make an impact.
Beyond painting, students can utilize other creative outlets to benefit their mental health. Olivia Stanley, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and a Wellness Peer Educator, explained how other activities can help process emotions.
“I think a lot of the time the point of art is to describe emotions we can’t really put into words ourselves,” Stanley said.
Art is something everyone can partake in, regardless of skill level, making it accessible for anyone to enjoy.
Katherine Fisher, a junior in the College of Business Administration, shared how art as an emotional outlet is beneficial for all kinds of people.
“I think even if you don’t consider yourself a very creative person, there’s a lot of opportunity for you to express yourself, your ideas [and] what you believe in through the art that you create,” Fisher said.
Making time to focus on yourself is especially crucial during this time, and partaking in art is a healthy way to do that. For students wanting to use art to
help improve their mental health, here are some relaxing options to partake in during off-periods.
Listen to music
Whether it be classical, rap or pop, listening to music is a great way to refocus yourself on a different mindset when going through a difficult time.
Listen to inspirational or uplifting music to help bring yourself out of a rut. You can also listen to music that validates what you’re going through, something that conveys that you’re never alone in how you feel.
Make a craft
Paint, sew, crochet or color. Find an enjoyable and relaxing outlet that works best for you. Do something that helps you focus only on the activity, giving your brain a break from outside stressors.
Cook or Bake
Nothing heals a bad spirit better than a delicious meal or sweet treat, and it’s even more rewarding when you’ve made it yourself. Find a new recipe that seemed too challenging in the past. It will prove that you are capable of overcoming things that you may have thought were too hard. Another option is to make a comfort meal, a meal you may have had a hundred times before but that has always made you feel better. If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, head to Marquette University’s Counseling Center, where they provide outlets such as individual counseling or crisis services.
In case of a mental health emergency, dial 988 or consult the 988 Lifeline website.
Gold 'n Blues plan to compete in ICCA
By MaryKate Stepchuk marykate.stepchuk@marquette.edu
Marquette University’s co-ed a cappella group is ready for a jam-packed year.
Gold ‘n Blues—one of three a cappella groups at Marquette—plans on being more competition-focused for this school year. Specifically, they have their sights set on the International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella—ICCA—which will take place during the spring semester (dates have not been announced).
Varsity Vocals hosts ICCA over nine regions. The competition consists of three rounds: quarterfinals, semifinals and finals.
Groups apply to compete in quarterfinals, and then six to ten groups are chosen to compete at a quarterfinal in their respective region (three to five quarterfinals occur in every
region). The top two groups advance to the semifinals.
One semifinal occurs in each region, and the winner from each semifinal advances to the finals in New York City.
The anticipation for ICCA has been growing for over two years, as the Gold ‘n Blues did not participate in 2024 and had to withdraw from the competition in 2025 due to it overlapping with National Marquette Day.
Charlie O’Neill, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences and president of Gold ‘n Blues, spoke on how the group first began competing in 2022, but due to a rushed 2023 season, they decided to step away from ICCA for a year and attend a smaller competition—Acapocalypse.
Acapocalypse is a college competition hosted by Port Washington High School in Port Washington, WI.
“Going up to Acapocalypse, competing at a high level and putting our best foot forward showed everyone how competition does not need to be about being better than everyone else,” O’Neill said.
With this new attitude towards competing, the Gold ‘n Blues are ready for the 2026 ICCA. They have begun planning arrangements for the competition earlier than they have in past years.
Maggie Gnorski, a senior in the College of Engineering and the public relations chair for the Gold ‘n Blues, shared her excitement about expanding the group beyond performances and showcases.
“In the last couple of years, we have been taking competitions more seriously,” Gnorski said. “Our younger members have more experience with doing a cappella in
high school, so they are guiding the group to be more competitive.”
The Gold ‘n Blues added four new members from the 39 people who auditioned, expanding the number of younger members and bringing the group’s total to 18.
Now that the group has been finalized, it is time to begin performances.
The annual Acatoberfest will take place on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 pm in Varsity Theatre. It will feature all three of Marquette’s a cappella groups—The Naturals, The Meladies and Gold ‘n Blues—along with guest appearances from Fundamentally Sound (from UW-Madison), Pitches & Notes (from UW-Madison) and Public Hearing (from UW-Milwaukee).
Acatoberfest will be the first time that Gold ‘n Blue’s newcomers will take the stage with the group.
London Downey, a firstyear in the College of Communication, shared his excitement about becoming a member of the Gold ‘n Blues ahead of Acatoberfest.
After his Marquette acceptance, Downey immediately researched the potential singing-based groups he could join. After his research, he was drawn to what the Gold ‘n Blues had to offer.
“They [Gold ‘n Blues] had this amazing photoshoot from the group last year,” Downey said. “The feeling of community that picture gave me made me know that I could surround myself with likeminded people.”
The welcoming community within Gold ‘n Blues has set them up for an exciting season to come.
More information about the Gold ‘n Blues can be found on their website.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
The event offered complimentary Ian's Pizza and tote bags in honor of Suicide Awareness Month.
Photo by Clay Ellis-Escobar clay.ellis-escobar@marquette.edu
Event attendees paint creative designs on their tote bags.
Student-Made MU vendors host pop-up
By Allison Scherquist allison.scherquist@marquette.edu
Some college students spend their days crammed in lecture halls, jotting down notes and scrambling to keep up with an already hectic workload. For them, the idea of being a business owner is only a far-off dream. However, for several student-entrepreneurs, Student-Made Marquette (SMM) has made this dream a reality.
In 2023, Marquette launched its partnership with Student-Made, a company that operates as a digital marketplace for students to create and sell handmade products. With over a dozen Marquette student business-owners providing services, SMM offers nearly everything from custom dress tailoring to ear warmers.
Student-Made established its Marquette chapter last semester with the help of the 707 Hub. Student-Made is known nationally for supporting student entrepreneurs by giving them a platform to launch and grow their businesses.
SMM hosts several popup events throughout the year where creators can sell their products directly to other students on campus.
Their first event of the semester was on Sept. 6, at the bridge under Raynor Library.
Businesses showcased at the event included Kreative Jewelry, Little Artsy Aloe and Lady’s Garden. The vendors were selling a variety of handmade goods, including keychains, crocheted bouquets and baked treats.
Savannah Korte, a
sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, has been selling homemade jewelry with SMM since her sophomore year. For her, joining the Marquette Chapter of Student-Made was the perfect way to give her business.
“I was really scared of putting myself in front of people,” Korte said. “So, this was a way to force myself out there, and it’s great to do it with a community with me. I can talk to people my age and be like ‘how do I do this?'”
Korte has found that collaborating with other business owners at Marquette has helped her build stronger connections within the Marquette community, something she struggled to do on her own.
“It’s nice that people recognize me now, and they come up to me outside [of
when I’m selling something] and start talking [to me],” Korte said.
Bella Drewek, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, works as the campus manager. She shared that working with SMM is a great way for student creators to build a supportive community around business ownership and learn entrepreneurial skills from peers.
“With SMM, you have a community of people who are going through the same thing as you,” Drewek said.
“The manager team plans and organizes events for creators to sell at, which provides them with opportunities they may not otherwise have had. Our finance team also handles all taxes, which is always a plus!”
Drewek highlighted that students do not need to
have an established business to get involved with SMM. The organization provides resources to help students begin developing their ideas and supports them as they move toward launching their businesses.
Along with hosting events for creators, SMM’s finance team offers help on budgeting and tax filing.
Whether someone is just starting out or already has entrepreneurial experience, SMM welcomes business owners at every stage. They plan to have another pop-up event next semester and are hopeful to participate in the Milwaukee Art Festival as well. Those interested in buying from SMM should visit their website, where they can browse a variety of student shops and services.
A Wisconsin staple: The butter burger
By Joey Schamber joseph.schamber@marquette.edu
The butter burger is a midwestern monstrosity that originates right here in Wisconsin. It may be a greasy assault on your arteries, but it is delicious.
The oldest example of the butter burger we know today can be found at Solly’s Grille on 629 N Port Washington Road in Glendale.
Kenneth “Solly” Salmon opened the original restaurant in 1936 as Solly’s Coffee Shop on Green Bay Ave., and they have been selling their legendary butter burger for 83 years. When he passed away in 1978, his wife, Sylvia Fieber, took over the
restaurant and later sold it to her son, Glenn Fieber.
Fieber is the current owner of Solly’s Grille but is looking to retire. His children work in different industries, so the restaurant is leaving the family.
Fieber has no intention of closing Solly’s, but an outside buyer could bring changes to the food and atmosphere. If things start to change at Solly’s, and you find yourself missing the way things used to be, you are still in luck. You can recreate the classic Solly’s butter burger at home.
Starting with the patty, you can use a leaner ground beef. I find the leaner
ground beef, around 85/15, or 90/10, also tends to get a nicer crust. With all that butter, you will not miss the extra beef fat.
A good bun can make or break a butter burger. You need something that will not fall apart but is sweet and plush enough to absorb all that butter. Solly’s does not toast the buns either, which means the structural integrity of that bun will be very important.
Solly’s uses brioche buns for their classic butter burger and pretzel buns for some specialty burgers. Either would work well with this recipe, so it is up to your personal preference.
Butter burgers do not need many accoutrements. Lettuce and tomato are just too healthy for a burger of this caliber. Solly’s does not use pickles, but I think their tang can cut through the richness of the burger, so leave them off if they aren’t your thing.
One of the keys to recreating the restaurant’s classic burger is the onions.
Solly’s makes stewed onions, of which the recipe is a closely guarded secret. My best guess is the onions are finely diced and then cooked in white wine and chicken stock. They probably use even more butter and let it stew for about twenty to thirty minutes until the stock reduces, and the onions are soft and jammy.
Finely diced grilled onions also work great if you don’t want to spend the time stirring a pot of onions and stock. American cheese is the best kind of cheese for a burger, there’s no question.
Finally, measure the butter with your heart. At least three tablespoons are enough for me before I need to get a cardiologist involved.
Now that you know how to recreate the flavor of a Solly’s butter burger, the recipe below can help you fulfill that craving.
Classic Butter Burger
Recipe:
What you will need:
Sauce pot
Parchment paper
Heavy-bottom pan or flat-top
Spatula or Turner
Stewed onions:
1 tbsp butter
1 yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup white wine
1.5 cups chicken stock
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
In a pot on medium-high heat, melt butter and add onions, stirring until they begin to brown.
Deglaze the pan with white wine and stir until reduced. Add chicken stock, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 to 30 minutes, or until stock reduces and onions are soft. Reserve onions to top the burger.
Burger:
1/3 pound ground beef
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp stewed onions
1 slice American cheese
Brioche bun
About 3 tbsp of softened salted butter
Optional: Ketchup, mustard, pickles.
Preheat a pan on high for 5-10 minutes.
Form a 1/4-inch-thick patty onto a square of parchment paper and leave a little divot in the center so the burger cooks evenly. Season just one side with salt and pepper.
Lay the patty onto your preheated pan and gently remove the parchment paper. Cook until it forms a hard sear, around 3-4 minutes. Using a sturdy spatula or turner to scrape the patty from the pan and flip it. Lay a slice of American cheese and stewed onions onto the patty while in cooks for another 3-4 minutes.
Swipe a thick layer of softened butter on your top bun and any condiments or pickles you want on the bottom bun.
Place the cooked patty with the cheese and onions onto the bottom bun and close up the burger. Enjoy quickly as the butter melts.
Photo by Joey Schamber joseph.schamber@marquette.edu
The famous Wisconsin butter burger recipe is originally known from Solly's Grille in Glendale.