The Milwaukee Post

September 26, 2014 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 Post Staff MILWAUKEE – President Michael R. Lovell was officially inaugurated Sept. 19 as Marquette University's 24th and first lay president at the Al McGuire Center. He told Marquette community members and university delegates from across the country, "I feel so humbled to be named the 24th president of Marquette University." After thanking family, friends and the Marquette community, President Lovell announced a series of new university ini- tiatives that aim to propel Marquette for- ward and further position it as a leader in Milwaukee and beyond. Future multimillion-dollar Center for Advancement of the Humanities In his largest major gift announcement since arriving at Marquette, Lovell announced a planned gift to create a future Center for Advancement of the Humanities. The news comes after Lovell this week received a multimillion-dollar legacy commitment from an anonymous Marquette alumna and renowned research scholar. The center will bring top scholars in the humanities from around the world to Marquette to estab- lish the university as the leading human- ities institution in the Midwest. "Even though I'm an engineer, I have a great passion and value for the liberal arts and humanities," he said. Upon receiving the legacy commitment earlier this week, Lovell said, "Most importantly, I am fully committed to deep- ening and enriching the study of the humanities in the Jesuit tradition. With the foundation provided by this commit- ment, we will become a beacon for schol- ars both nationally and internationally to teach, research and exchange ideas along- side our talented students and highly respected faculty." $5 million strategic innovation fund Lovell unveiled a new strategic innova- tion fund, which will start with $5 million to invest in innovative ideas and entre- preneurial initiatives that align with the priorities of the university's strategic plan, Beyond Boundaries. Similar to a venture capital fund, the strategic inno- vation fund will provide seed funds to stu- dents, faculty and staff to explore entre- preneurial ventures. University leader- ship designated $2 million in its budget, and Lovell raised an additional $3 million for the fund in just his first two months as president. Noting that innovation is in every cor- ner of campus, Lovell said, "I saw how many great ideas were waiting to take hold in this community." He noted that the fund was made possible through the generous support of many friends who share Marquette's vision, particularly the Kern Family Foundation, and Donna O'Rourke and her late husband and long- time Marquette trustee, Jerry. In addition to providing seed money, Marquette will invest a portion of the funds to develop a universitywide infra- structure for interdisciplinary initia- tives, as well as support discipline-specif- ic innovation and entrepreneurship edu- cation across campus. The university also plans to develop a dedicated innovation space on campus to provide a collabora- tive environment, technology and faculty support. Proposals from faculty, staff and stu- dents will be reviewed in spring 2015, with funding beginning July 1. Lovell has championed innovation and entrepre- neurship as a key priority for Marquette, as well as southeast Wisconsin. In late August, he hosted an academic summit of presidents and senior academic leaders from 20 colleges and universities across the region to foster collaboration around student innovation and entrepreneur- ship. The summit resulted in a new ini- tiative called The Commons, which will bring together students and support them in pursuing ideas for startup companies and projects that help existing companies innovate. Forging new regional partnerships Lovell also announced that Marquette will expand its role in the growing water sector and have a significant presence in the Global Water Center on Freshwater Way in the Fifth Ward. The Global Water Center, which opened in September 2013 and features a 100,000-square-foot, seven- story building, is located in Milwaukee's Walker's Point neighborhood. It houses water-related research facilities for uni- versities, existing water-related compa- nies and accelerator space for new, emerging water-related companies. "This will allow our faculty, staff and students unprecedented opportunities to develop water technologies that will change the world," Lovell said. He's pre- viously shared his desire for Marquette University to use its talents and resources to help make Milwaukee a destination for solving the world's water problems. Later in his address, Lovell revealed that the university is exploring options for a presence at Innovation Campus, a 71- acre public-private research park in Wauwatosa, that opened in spring 2014. Lovell, who has been lauded for his emphasis on collaboration, shared that Dr. Kristina Ropella, interim Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering, will launch a joint bioengineering department with the Medical College of Wisconsin. When he first arrived on campus, President Lovell said, "I'm going to be in a unique position to create academic part- nerships that no one else has even thought of before because I know the aca- demic institutions so well." The universi- ty plans to hold a campuswide discussion to take place Oct. 2 for Marquette faculty and staff to further define its role in both initiatives. Neighborhood collaboration on safety Lovell emphasized the importance of campus safety, saying, "Safety has been at the front of all of our minds." He described the need for transforma- tional changes in the Avenues West neigh- borhood in the near west side of Milwaukee and shared that he and Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell are partnering to establish a new safety ini- tiative that will include all of the neigh- borhood anchor institutions. "The real solution to solving safety on this campus is developing a neighborhood that can be a destination where people want to live and work," he said. Marquette purchases seven acres of property Near the completion of his inaugural address, Lovell announced that Marquette has purchased approximately seven acres of land adjacent to its eastern edge of campus in the 800 block of West Michigan Street, just south of Straz Tower. Lovell called the agreement a "once-in- a-lifetime opportunity" for Marquette and the city. The new property will allow Marquette to enhance the student experi- ence and expand its footprint to the east. In comparison, three city blocks encom- passes approximately seven acres. "We look forward to working with the campus community in the coming months to develop the best uses for the land," he said. In his closing remarks, Lovell said, "Clearly it is a new day for Marquette University. My commitment is to relent- lessly pursue excellence and success so this university truly will be the differ- ence. In the spirit of James Foley, we are going to focus on creating future citizens — men and women — who live their lives for others." New Marquette president makes inaugural address Post Staff Boy Scout Troop 594 is seeking car own- ers or community groups to help with its annual Trunk and Treat event Oct. 11 at Nathan Hale High School. Organizers of the family-friendly, safe event for children in West Allis and neigh- boring communities are encouraging car owners to bring in their cars for the Halloween fun, and for community groups to partner with Troop 594 to raise money for their organization. The group has drawn car owners and attendees from Milwaukee and Waukesha counties. Car owners are encouraged to bring their car, dress up the car —or even dress up them- selves. Children will trick-or-treat car to car while owners hand out candy donated by local groups or paid for through donations. It's open to all makes, models and styles of cars and truck. "It's a lot of fun for the car owners, the children — and their parents," says Scoutmaster and Trunk and Treat chair- woman Amy Kansaku. "Several hundred children and their families are expected to attend the event at our new, very visible site of Nathan Hale High School." "We encourage owners to come as you are or dress for the park and partake in the fes- tivities and decorate your car." Cost is $10, which goes toward costs for the event and Troop 594. There will be prize for the best-dressed car, car owner and trick- or-treater. Groups will have a space in the carnival area to run a game. Children buy tickets to play the game — and the community group can keep the proceeds as a fundraiser for their group. Kansaku notes that for those not register- ing but wishing to help out, candy or mone- tary donations are welcome and appreciated. For more information, or to reserve your space, please contact Kansaku at Troop0594@gmail.com, 414-465-2697; P.O. BOX 44012, West Allis, Wis. 53214 Lovell is Marquette's 24th president Boy Scout Troop 594 seeking help for Trunk and Treat event Oct. 11 at West Allis Hale

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