Marquette Tribune I April 30, 2024

The Marquette Tribune

Defying the odds: Lovell strong

Continuing treatment while leading MU

By Julia Abuzzahab julianna.abuzzahab@marquette.edu

When University President Michael Lovell was first diagnosed with sarcoma, a rare form of cancer, his doctors predicted he had two years left to live. But today, Lovell is coming up on year three.

“As my doctor says, ‘It doesn’t look like I’m going anywhere soon,'” Lovell said.

And as Lovell approaches three years, he’s realized how important it is for him to check goals off of his bucket list. One is walking El Camino de Santiago or “The Way of St. James.”

Lovell said that him and his wife will be traveling to Portugal this June to do this hike through the countryside until they reach the end at the Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

“It’s always something I’ve wanted to do,” Lovell said.

“If I wasn’t sick, I’m not sure I would have done that right now at this point in my life. And it’s so important for me to do things like that when I’m healthy.”

Lovell’s currently treating his cancer with the drug

trabectedin, otherwise known as yondelis, and has been on this drug since last June. Trabectedin attempts to slow and/or stop cancer cell growth in the body and is used to treat liposarcoma or leiomyosarcoma.

“The good news is it’s working and it’s continued to keep my cancer at bay and I handle it pretty well,” Lovell said.

Lovell receives chemotherapy once a month for 24 hours and said he feels fatigued and nauseous for around six to seven days afterwards. However, the upside of his treatment he said is that he gets three weeks of feeling good.

“Unlike the first chemotherapy I was on— I was on a 21–day cycle and I would get progressively worse

Class of 2024 students

This year events will happen after commencment

By Trinity Zapotocky trinity.zapotocky@marquette.edu

A decades long tradition known as “Senior Week” is looking different for Marquette’s class of 2024. Typically, after finals, students were given a week planned by the university to enjoy themselves and their last moments with friends before graduation the following weekend. The university has made the decision to push graduation upwards by one weekend instead of hold-

ing off, putting this tradition to a halt. For the Class of 2024, graduation will be immediately after finals, falling on May 11 or 12, depending on the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff schedule.

This year’s graduating class was also the Class of 2020, who did not get a high school graduation or prom due to the pandemic.

Eric Titze, owner of Caffrey’s Pub and Marquette Alum of ’07, said before this year, nobody had to “put on” Senior Week, it just existed as the time between finals and graduation.

each day for the first 10 days and then I start to feel better each day … at least with this one (trabectedin) it actually hits me hard right away (and then starts to feel better),” Lovell said. When it came to navigating the chemotherapy, Lovell said it took some time to figure out. Initially, he said he would try to do things on the weekend after

“It was a designated time where students could do whatever they wanted… hang out with friends, clean out of your apartment and finish your lease. Marquette always ran a bunch of these events to kind of

fill it and be like ‘Hey, we’re going to do these fun things together,'” Titze said. “They would do a senior ball at

receiving chemotherapy, but after contracting COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, and the flu on separate occasions, he noticed he had to be careful being around crowds for the first three days after treatment.

“If you spike a fever when you’re getting treatment,

some of the coolest venues in the city, like the Harley Museum, Art Museum and Potawatomi.”

All hope hasn’t been lost, as Titze took matters into his own hands and decided to plan events for the Seniors for the week after graduation. He said he has been in communication with some seniors to organize events so everyone can participate.

In terms of what is planned so far, Titze said his business has taken the lead on sending cruises out in the river, partnering with companies such as Edelweiss and the Milwaukee Brewers for a traditional

Photo

STRONG: Three years battling sarcoma

you have to go to the hospital which is not something I want to do,” Lovell said. The good news with Lovell’s current treatment, he said, is that unlike previous forms of chemotherapy he’s received, he’s able to continue with trabectedin as long as his body is responding to it. Lovell has also received immunotherapy and t-cell therapy at different times in the past two years.

But largely, Lovell is still able to do the things he loves to do despite his sarcoma.

“I’m still able to run and I still bike too,” Lovell said. “I would say the biggest thing is that … because I’m going through treatment my blood count is low, my hemoglobin is low, my red cell count is low so I’m anemic, and my ability to go fast or far is not there, but I’m still able to run three or four miles.”

On July 13 there will be a 5k

Continued from page 1 Continued from page 1

“Race to Cure Sarcoma” in Milwaukee that Lovell said he will be participating in again. Last year, Lovell said he celebrated after the run with the community at his house and plans to do the same this year.

“My family, my friends, people from work etc. they did the race and we had everybody in the house right after,” Lovell said. “The course is — it’s really hilly out there. It’s a hard course and I remember how hot it was last year. Hot, but really fun.”

Over the course of battling sarcoma for three years, Lovell said his relationship to God has only improved. “Relationships are often the most important thing in your life,” Lovell said. “When you face your own morality, you realize that your relationship with God is right, because you don’t know when your last day is going to be and when it comes you want to make sure that you’re prepared

spiritually for what lies next.”

And although Lovell is still able to do the things he loves, he said due to his sarcoma, he has had to do things differently. One of which being placing more of an emphasis on his birthday.

“I celebrate my birthdays differently because I actually celebrate my birthday — this was another year,” Lovell said.

And throughout his journey with sarcoma, Lovell said he’s noticed how supportive the Marquette community has been to his recovery. “I feel that (support), and I don’t take that for granted. I really appreciate the prayers and well wishes I get to this day, and it’s not just from campus but the broader alumni network I hear for all the time,” Lovell said. “I think people are what make Marquette special, so it’s been really good for me to see the great people we have in our commu-

SENIOR: Caffrey's Pub owner plans events

tailgate. He said there are two cruises booked, and a noon tailgate planned for the Wednesday home Brewers game.

Last year, right after graduation Marquette announced that Commencement Weekend will be held immediately after exams, for students to start their post-graduation degree plans sooner in alignment with other universities.

“Shifting the undergraduate and Graduate School Commencement date in this way brings Marquette into alignment with other local universities and many schools within the Jesuit network that do not have a week between the end of finals and Commencement,”Provost Kimo Ah Yun said.

Dani Murillo, a senior in the College of Nursing, said she is trying to make the most of her last few weeks before she begins her nursing job after graduation. She said her and her friends are staying a

week after graduation to attend the Brewer’s game and house parties.

“I loved my Marquette experience, but I was expecting Senior Week to make it even better. It was very disappointing because it’s such an anticipated senior event,” Murillo said.

In terms of Marquette making this decision, Titze said they [Marquette] didn’t ask the right questions when considering the community. He said when Marquette announced last year that they were getting rid of the Senior Week time period, there was a lot of people really disappointed.

“There’s nobody that I can think of that would have said, ‘Oh yeah, it’s not that big of a deal.’ Anyone that’s been at Marquette that’s gone through a Senior Week knows what it does for your opinion of the school,” Titze said. “Senior Week is probably the most admired Marquette tradition out there, like no other school ever did it.”

As a graduate of Marquette himself, Titze wanted to provide people the same

opportunity to participate in these events. He said that even though the events will take place after graduation, it is important to carry on the tradition because the students deserve a true Senior Week.

“We want to drive those memories and drive those things that people really look back at when they finally do leave Milwaukee… and If it means that we can facilitate those even better, because then there is less planning that the seniors have to do, so they can just sign up and take part,” Titze said.

As far as what the future holds, Titze said it’s important to him to keep the tradition alive and continue this for Marquette seniors.

“Even being 15 years out of Marquette now, that Senior Week really remains as the last time all of my friends were together, so if we can offer that experience for people, I’d love to keep it going,” Titze said.

Fire set to a garbage can in the 707 building

MUPD arrested subject after student tip

By Julia Abuzzahab and Sophia Tiedge

Marquette University Police Department and the Milwaukee Fire Department responded to

a fire set to a garbage can in the lobby of the 707 Building Monday morning around 10:45 a.m. The fire was extinguished and there were no injuries. After sending out a “Report if Seen” alert to Marquette students through email, MUPD received a tip, and a suspect was

brought into custody. The suspect is not affiliated with the university.

Jeff Kranz, MUPD assistant chief of police, said a student called MUPD alerting them that the suspect was getting on a Milwaukee County Bus. Kranz said MUPD responded immediately with dispatchers finding

the suspect on camera and tracking him. Kranz said MUPD stopped the bus at 16th and Wisconsin. There is currently an investigation underway. Kranz said as part of the ongoing investigation, MUPD is looking for people to come forward with any additional information regarding

other incidents involving the subject in the emailed photos.

“I’m just very happy that he’s in custody and I would like to thank our very observant student for the help,” Kranz said.

This story is developing

Photo courtesy of Marquette Univesity

University President Michael Lovell with Iggy at his birthday bash.

Photo courtesy of Marquette University Archives Marquette graduating seniors at senior week festivities in 1992.

THIS MONTH

Mental Health Awareness Month

THIS WEEK

National Small Business Week

News Briefs

Weinstein conviction

Harvey Weinstein’s sex crime conviction was overturned by The New York Court of Appeals last Thursday. The judge in the case was found by the court to have allowed testimonies against Weinstein with contents that weren’t relevant to the case.

Although his New York case was overturned, he still has to serve 16 years in prison for rape and sexual assault charges in Los Angeles.

Weinstein, a powerful

Hollywood director, was convicted in 2020 to 23 years in prison for criminal sexual acts and third-degree rape. Since then, he’s maintained his innocence.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office said they are expecting to retry the case.

Although he’s been taken to Bellevue Hospital Prison Ward in Rome, New York for medical reasons, he is still expected to be in Manhattan Supreme Court next Wednesday for the beginning of his new trial.

Candace Parker

After 16 seasons, twotime Olympic gold medalist, Candace Parker, announced her retirement from the WNBA.

After her season-ending foot injury last year, she said she hasn’t been able to get back to how she was playing prior.

Parker graduated from the University of Tennessee with two NCAA titles and the first woman to slam dunk in a collegiate game.

Parker went on to be the first WNBA player in history to be named Rookie of

the Year and Most Valuable Player in one season. She’s won national titles with the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky and the Las Vegas Aces.

“I promised I’d never cheat the game & that I’d leave it in a better place than I came into it. The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it’s time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it,” Parker said in an Instagram post announcing her retirement.

MPS face staff cuts

Milwaukee Public Schools passed a referendum to improve funding for the district April 2, and the proposed budget was released on Friday. Included in this budget was a cut in 288 staff positions.

Most of the cut positions are from the Central Services Staff and 149 teacher positions will be cut.

The cuts point to high inflation and the termination of federal pandemic relief funds as to why they’re facing cuts.

The budget plan hasn’t been approved yet, and there will be opportunities

over the next month for the public to voice their opinions before the budget will be up for voting at the end of May.

Along with the cuts, the total budget has fell from $1.61 billion in 2023 to now $1.47 billion in 2024.

The MPS communications director, Nicole Armendariz, said the 288 positions consist of positions that are already vacant, and the individuals’ positions in the plan to be cut have the option to be relocated somewhere else in the district.

UW schools protest

Today, students are protesting at UW-Milwaukee and UW-Madison to demand their universities cut financial ties with Israel and show their opposition to the war in Gaza.

UW-Milwaukee started their protest outside the Golda Meir Library, which was named after Israel’s first female prime minister who attended the teachers college which later became UWM. The protesters then set up an encampment outside the graduate school.

“UWM’s legacy is deeply rooted in the free discussion, debate and research of ideas. Recently, we’ve

been reminded of just how passionate and emotional these exchanges can be,” UW-Milwaukee said in a letter to the campus.

At UW-Madison, students protested outside on Library mall and then set up an encampment. They led chants showing their opposition for the war in Gaza and urged the university to divest from the state of Israel.

UW-Madison administration handed out guidelines on campus protests throughout the morning, as setting up an encampments are prohibited by the university.

MU receives donation

Marquette received a $1.5 million dollar donation from Bob and Kim Eck through the Eck Family Foundation. The gift will go to funding projects in the College of Health Sciences and expansion of Athletic and Human Performance and Research Center.

The Donation to the College of Health Sciences will fund new technologies, therapies and research to look at substance abuse disorders.

The other portion of the donation will fund the new men’s basketball practice

facility and academic resources for student-athletes in the expansion of the AHPRC.

Bob and Kim are both Marquette Alumni. Bob was chair of the Marquette’s Board of Trustees from 2020-2023.

“We are grateful for this remarkable, mission-focused gift from the Eck family. Their generosity will make a major impact on a pressing societal issue,” University President Michael Lovell said in Marquette Today.

Nebraska tornadoes

A series of tornadoes in parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Oklahoma this weekend killed at least five people and left at least 100 people injured.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt declared a state of emergency in 12 counties. In Iowa, the National Weather Service reported 6 tornadoes as EF-2 (111135mph winds.)

Sulphur, Oklahoma was a city that saw a significant

amount of damage from the tornadoes.

“I’ve seen a lot of damage. But what I saw in downtown Sulphur – it’s unbelievable. It seems like every business in downtown has been destroyed,” Gov. Kevin Stitt told KOCO.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has communicated with Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa to offer support from the agency.

May 1 Cobeen and Carpenter Block Party

Details:

- 4-6 p.m.

- Outside Cobeen and Carpenter Halls

Graduate and Student Heath Professionals Support Group

Details:

- 5-6 p.m.

- AMU 157

May 2

Destress with Multicultural Greek Council

Details:

- 5:30-7 p.m.

- O'Brien Hall 150A

Finals Study Jam

Details:

- Sigma Gamma Rho

Sorority

- 6:30-9:30 p.m.

- Coughlin Hall 125

May 3 Arrupe Breakfast Collection: Study Break

Details:

- 11-12 p.m.

- AMU 137

Design Day

Details:

- Opus College of Engineering

- 10-5:30 p.m.

- E Hall 136

Weekend

Marquette Naturals 2024 Spring Concert

Details:

- Saturday May 4 - 7 p.m.

- Varsity Theatre

Cinco De Mayo Live Music

Details:

- Sunday May 5 - 3:30-9 p.m.

- Zócalo Food Truck Park (636 S 6th Street)

'Move out for Hunger' to collect donations

Students are able to donate food in residence halls

By Mia Thurow mia.thurow@marquette.edu

As students move out from their residence halls and university-owned apartments for the summer, they have an opportunity right in their lobby to donate food for those in need.

Christine Little, Manager of Food Recover and Assistance at the Neighborhood Kitchen, said she has been holding the “Move Out for Hunger” event for the five years she has been at Marquette in order to care for the community as the need for food rises across the country.

“It’s a great way to reduce food waste, and all the items that we get in go to support the Backpack Program, our on-campus food pantry,” Little said.

Little said that this event, in collaboration with the Food Recovery Network, is a big end-of-the-year food collection straight from students who are moving out of their dorms with leftover nonperishables. She said easily accessible donation bins will be set

up in the lobbies of each residence hall starting the Monday of finals week through May 10.

“As students are moving out, they can just toss in whatever they don’t want to take back with them,”

Little said.

Little said food items eligible for collection for the on-campus food pantry are nonperishables like canned items, ramen noodles and box mac and cheese. She said that whenever the Backpack Program uses its funds to purchase food, they try to buy the healthiest items as possible like granola bars or trail mix, but students are welcome to donate whatever nonperishable food they have available.

Little said that while “Move Out for Hunger” only lasts for about a week-long period in May, the amount of food donated by students can have a much longer lasting impact on the community.

“One year, we got enough mac and cheese and ramen that it lasted us all the way through the next summer,” Little said. She said that the Backpack Program has typically received plenty of food during past “Move Out for Hunger” events, as long as donation bins

are easily accessible and visible in the dorms.

Little said that holding a donation event is so important because there has been a rising number of students who are looking for food and need extra support. She also said providers like Feeding America have less resources available to give to the Backpack Program because of the current need for food everywhere across the country.

“As school related costs and tuition go up, housing is going up. Food is just

expensive and it’s harder to access because it’s too expensive for a lot of people,” Little said.

Along with providing greater access to food for students in need, Little said the “Move Out for Hunger” event is fulfilling two parts of Marquette’s new strategic plan by caring for both the community and the world overall. “It’s just a way to help reduce that impact on our climate and get us engaged with thinking about being more mindful and intentional with our choices

around food, and not just throwing it out because we think that’s the easiest thing,” Little said.

Little said that reducing the carbon footprint and making mindful choices by donating during “Move Out for Hunger” allows people at Marquette to be the difference in the lives of those around them who require food assistance. “We’re part of a community and this is a great way to support our students,” Little said.

MUSG hosts sustainability farmer's market

Bublr Bikes and Valentine Coffee were present

By Ellie Golko ellie.golko@marquette.edu

Tables of food, plants, clothes and other items filled SHAMU, the lawn between the Alumni Memorial Union and Schroeder Hall — on April 25, for the Marquette University Student Government and Marquette Sustainability’s farmer’s market.

The market included educational vendors like Plastic Free Milwaukee, the Urban Ecology Center and Milwaukee Riverkeeper. There were also plants from Bayside Garden Center and Riverwest Grown, free stickers from Bublr Bikes, student-made jewelry from Krie A Tive Jewelry, and raw honey from The Cook Lab. Local businesses including Junior’s Smoked Barbeque and Valentine Coffee were present. Additionally dietary-restriction-friendly food vendors like Hooch Milwaukee, as well as food stands familiar to Marquette Campus like OzDogzz and

Pete’s Pops were present. Ashley Tan, a senior in the College of Engineering and MUSG Sustainability coordinator, said the purpose of the market was to engage students with local and sustainable businesses as well as introduce them to farmer’s market culture.

“Some people can’t go to a farmer’s market every weekend. A lot of people would love to but it’s just not accessible for everyone. So it’s sort of bringing that to their doorstep and then encouraging them to buy local. A lot of the people that are coming are straight up coming for the educational programs, so it’s just sort of a way to educate yourself [on sustainability] for free,” Tan said.

“Our goal for MUSG Sustainability has always been to create these spaces and events where a sustainable lifestyle becomes very accessible to the student body,” Tan said.

Tan said that this is the first time she can remember MUSG holding a farmer’s market.

“MUSG sustainability has been building up throughout the year because its a relatively new program,” Tan said.

farmer’s markets in the Milwaukee area and assigned members of the sustainability committee to reach out to them. Out of the ones who replied, she said she chose the ones that would fit the Marquette community best.

Carmen Litzau, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she works with Rewear It Marquette, which

had a booth at the market. This organization hosts events for students to swap clothing for free.

“It’s a great way to renew your closet without participating in fast fashion and it’s also a great way to build community and get to know other people who are interested in things like sustainable fashion,”

Litzau said.

Abbi Thompson, a first-year student in the College of

Arts & Sciences said she was excited that the Urban Ecology Center had a table at the market.

“They have a center that I think is west of here where the Hank Aaron trail is and we got a chance to hike there, its a very accepting and great center,” Thompson said. Tan said she hopes there are more sustainable events or farmers markets like this in the future.

Tan said to research the different vendors she looked at who catered other

Marquette Sustainability regularly hosts events. They were part of an informational session last fall. Photo by Jack Belmont john.belmont@marquette.edu

The event has been held for five years to collect food for students in need of extra help in the summer. Marquette Wire Stock Photo

Going from Charlotte to Marquette

McChester hired as new WBB assistant coach

By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu

Marquette women’s basketball head coach Cara Consuegra isn’t the only coach making the trip from Charlotte to Milwaukee.

Deont’a McChester – who

spent last season under Consuegra with the 49ers — will be joining Consuegra’s staff at Marquette as an assistant coach, Marquette athletics announced Thursday in a release.

“I am thrilled to continue my coaching journey with Deont’a and welcome him to Marquette,” Consuegra said in the release. “Deont’a is an elite recruiter and developer of people first. He takes great pride

in mentoring student athletes and preparing them for life after basketball.

His exceptional knowledge of the game and high energy will also have a positive impact on the program. I am confident in Deont’a’s abilities and believe he will help us win and move this program forward.”

McChester, a Flint, Michigan native, brings over 16 years of coaching and

WOMEN'S LACROSSE

recruiting experience to the Golden Eagles.

“I am really honored that Cara has trusted me to join her at Marquette,” McChester said. “I am a true believer in Cara and her vision she has for Marquette women’s basketball. This is a great opportunity for us to represent the Marquette brand and compete for championships in the Big East Conference.”

The end of a 'learning season'

By Sofie Hanrahan sofia.hanrahan@marquette.edu

One team would advance to the Big East Championships, the other’s season season would end.

These were the stakes for Marquette women’s lacrosse’s do-or-die matchup against Villanova.

Both teams came into Saturday’s matinee 2-3 in Big East play, and a win secured the final spot and with it the No. 4 seed in the conference tournament.

Although the Golden Eagles (6-11, 2-4 Big East) performed resiliently throughout the first half, a stronger second half by Villanova meant the Wildcats won, 17-14.

“We knew it was going to be a close game, we’re pretty evenly matched,” Marquette head coach Meredith Black said. “I think we

did everything we could, made a few mistakes, but you always make mistakes.

“We had each other’s backs, and at the end of the day just didn’t quite score one more goal than them.”

Clear skies

The energy throughout the first half was electric. Marquette came out striking with three straight goals by Meg Bireley, Leigh Steiner and Tess Osburn.

The Golden Eagles held Villanova scoreless until the last five minutes in the first period, when the Wildcats would score their own three and tie it up.

Marquette would then out score Villanova 7-4 in the second period, a lot of goals coming as a result of free position shots.

In the first, the Golden Eagles only made one of their four given. While in the second, they improved to four goals off five shots and took a 10-7 lead going into the break

Unraveling a storm

However a Wildcat storm rumbled in.

Villanova had four critical goals throughout the third to bring them within one (12-11), and Marquette struggled in an area it normally dominates, the draw control, getting beaten 6-1.

The Golden Eagles then started to unravel in the fourth, allowing Villanova to go on a 4-0 run in the first six minutes of the period, while it was held to not even a single shot.

Marquette’s only glimmer of hope would come from their microwave scorer Meg Bireley, who put two into the net at the 8:01 mark, but it wasn’t enough.

A ‘learning season’

It was always going to be hard for the Golden Eagles to recreate their 2023 successes when they were without many of last year’s leaders.

Program greats like Mary Schumar, Lydia Foust and Shea Garcia had left

Marquette fails to repeat Big East Tournament title No repeat

By Trevor Hilson trevor.hilson@marquette.edu

Marquette men’s golf returned to Riverton Pointe Golf and Country Club looking to defend its team and individual Big East Tournament title.

But the Golden Eagles, who were without reigning individual champion Bhoom Sima-Aree, were unable to crowned repeat champion, shooting 17-over-par to finish fourth.

A key player for Marquette, Sima-Aree’s injury kept him off the tee box for a significant part of the spring season.

The Seton Hall Pirates won the tournament, shooting eight-over-par as a unit. St. John’s junior Peicheng Chen won the individual title, firing two-under-par, including a three-under-par score of 69 in the opening round.

First on Friday

The Golden Eagles held the lead after day one of the tournament on Saturday, shooting three-overpar as a unit.

Graduate students Josh Robinson and Aidan Lafferty led the Golden Eagles, making 11 birdies combined and scoring under par.

and younger players took their spots.

The inexperience was evident all season.

Marquette opened the year with an 18-12 win over Cincinnati, but that was the only time it was over .500.

The Golden Eagles finished non-conference play 4-7, five of them coming on the road.

Once Big East began, the road struggle continued as they dropped another two away games — at UConn and Denver — to finished 2-7 outside of Valley Fields.

“I think the season was a massive learning season for our team and for our program. We had a newer team, just an inexperienced team on the field the whole season,” Black said.

“I think the future is bright. We were able to get a lot of experience to our less experienced kids and I think we had a really strong culture this season as well.”

Robinson had the individual lead after the first 18 holes, shooting a four-under round of 68 with six birdies, and Lafferty had five red numbers, finishing with a two-under-par 70.

Robinson and Lafferty both finished the tournament in the top ten individually. Robinson was the team’s best, placing third and shooting even-par over the three-round weekend, earning him All-Big East Tournament honors.

Shaky second day

Lafferty was the only

Photo by Forster Goodrich forster.goodrich@marquette.edu

Alum returns to lead Brazilian jiu-jitzu

Chris Martin has been coach of club for seven years

By Mikey Severson michael.severson@marquette.edu

It was a social media post that led Chris Martin to find the Marquette club Brazilian jiu-jitsu team.

“Somebody in the club had posted ‘We need a coach,’ I don’t remember if it was Craigslist or LinkedIn, but a friend of mine sent that over to me,” Martin said. “I called up the club right away, introduced myself, we hit it off and it’s been a great time working with the club.”

Martin, a Marquette alum who graduated in 2001, has been the head coach of the club since 2017. Before that he served as a manager of Nova Gyms, a company of martial arts fitness centers

Wade and Diener host three-day golf charity event

By Jack Albright jack.albright@marquette.edu

Travis Diener remembers a lot from the first installment of the Wade vs. Diener charity outing, which took place last July.

Nine months later, he recalls raising money for youth literacy initiatives, running a girls’ basketball camp and hosting a tailgate party with friends and family.

But he took extra time to mention his win over former Marquette men’s basketball teammate and lifelong friend Dwyane Wade on the golf course.

“Easily,” is the word Diener used to describe his victory.

He elaborated.

“(Wade’s) not a good general manager,” Diener said. “There’s draft at the (party). And you draft teams and every group that enters the outing, you draft, and he just didn’t do a good job drafting.

“So not only is he individually horrible at golf, he didn’t draft well, so his collective team didn’t really have a chance.”

The win on the course was — for Diener — the perfect way to cap off the inaugural Wade vs. Diener weekend.

It is a 3-day charity event that aims to raise money for the Tragil Wade-Johnson Summer Reading

in Milwaukee.

Martin said the club has “the best training partners” because everyone is of similar age and experience.

“The group has the best training partners, for the most part, everyone’s the same age and experience.

“Compared to if you start your jiu-jitsu journey at a random gym, you may be the only white belt there for two or three months, and then somebody else shows up,” Martin said.

“But here, everyone’s a white belt from day one, they learn and grow together, and it’s a very fast learning and achieving environment. Because of that, we’ve fared well in competitions.”

The team meets three times a week in the basement of Schroeder Hall. They practice on Mondays from 8:00-9:30 p.m., additionally on Tuesdays and Thursdays from

7:00-8:30 p.m. Typically, the club introduces a new technique at the start of practice, they get a feel for it and they perfect what they learned at the end of practice.

“Often times we’ll start out the day with a new move, we’ll start doing a lot more live drilling toward the latter half of practice,” Ian Hansen, a first-year student in the College of Arts & Sciences, said. “At the end of practice, we’ll go up through the line, then we do some live round-robin at the end where you get to pick whomever you want (to go up against).”

The main difference between jiu-jitsu and other forms of martial arts is that in jiu-jitsu, the combatants are ground fighting, using leverage to defend themselves against their opponent, rather than utilizing striking motions such as punches and kicks.

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Club president Benny Gustafson, a junior in the College of Business Administration, says that there is a lot more strategy in jiu-jitsu compared to wrestling, a sport he did in high school.

“Wrestling is a lot more fast-paced and explosive, jiu-jitsu is like a game of chess, there’s a lot more defenses and counters to each move,” Gustafson said. “While strength still matters, what we learn in jiu-jitsu is using the opponent’s momentum against them.”

First-year in the College of Business Administration, P.J. Wisniewski, joined the team because of his interest in mixed martial arts, and he said he cherishes the new community he is now a part of.

“I have a little bit of grappling experience, I didn’t wrestle in high school, but I’m the biggest mixed martial arts fan in the world,”

Supporting youth literacy

Program, a foundation created by Wade that works to improve youth literacy rates in Milwaukee. Wade also recently donated $3 million to Marquette to help grow its youth literacy foundation as well as the men’s basketball program.

“As I’ve gotten older, I’ve understood even more the power of it (youth literacy), the importance of it, especially in an inner-city community,” Wade said last year ahead of the event.

“Being able to provide this for a community that doesn’t have resources was something that’s important to me. To encourage, to inform our youth on getting a better understanding and a deeper understanding on this world we live in.”

This summer, the two former Golden Eagle guards are running it back on June 15-17.

“You want to give back to try to give ways where these kids have the opportunity to get better and grow and develop,” Diener said. “It’s incredibly important for Dwyane, for myself and people that have been around the Milwaukee area for a long period of time, which I have.”

The event is set up the same as last year: it starts with a camp for youth girls basketball players, followed by a tailgate party later that night. Then on the final day, June 17, they’ll play an 18-hole round of golf.

“(The event) gives a

Wisniewski said. “I found this club at O-Fest, and instantly I was hooked. First practice, I was here, and I try to go to every practice I can.

“It’s fun having a group of guys outside your dorm, seeing these guys across campus, it’s fun seeing them outside of the mats.” Martin said the skills that the students learn from the club and organization are extremely valuable at this stage of life.

“Most importantly, the team, leadership and business building aspects of this club,” Martin said.

“You’re going to learn a lot of everyday tactics you’re going to need to open any small business if you’re on e-board.

“From an everyday person standpoint, enjoying time with the club and getting away from schoolwork is most rewarding,”

chance for Dwyane to come back and spend a few days in Milwaukee,” Diener said. “To be around him and ultimately to raise awareness and raise money for children’s literacy throughout the southeastern Wisconsin area is something that’s dear to me but obviously very dear to Dwyane.

“It was a fun weekend last year and we thought ‘why not try it again and try to improve on some things and just keep making it better and better and just go from there?'”

The girls’ basketball camp will be held again at The Facility, a gym Diener owns just north of Milwaukee in Mequon.

Both Wade, who bought

an ownership stake in WNBA team the Chicago Sky last year, and Diener, a father to three daughters, want to help the women’s game continue to grow.

“Last year’s camp was awesome. The girls had such a good time. And I only think that this year will be better,” Diener said. “And it’s just good to keep on growing this game, and giving these young girls and young hoopers a chance to get better and be around a guy like Dwyane.

“Just giving them every opportunity to see greatness, to be around it, and so that they can grow their passion and love for the game.”

Later that night will be the Tee Off Party. Last year, members from the 2003 Final Four Team were in attendance, which Diener said “is just in the works” of who will come this year.

And then it all culminates with the golf outing at North Shore Country Club. There, a winning group will have the opportunity to play with Wade and Diener.

“The 17th is always great competition between Dwyane and myself,” Diener said. “And everyone who’s involved in the golf outing gets a chance to be a part of the competition, hear the trash talk and just have a very fun-filled day.”

Diener said he might give Wade some pointers to help him, but it won’t matter.

“I expect a very similar result this year,” he said.

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Dwyane Wade (right) and Travis Diener host the Wade vs. Diener charity event for youth literacy.

MLAX misses second-straight Big East Tourney

By Matthew Baltz matthew.baltz@marquette.edu

There was a mix of veteran leadership returning for one last ride and a plethora of young talent eager to make an impact for Marquette men’s lacrosse.

This was the group that head coach Andrew Stimmel was hoping would lead the program back to the Big East Tournament after failing to qualify last year.

After getting out to a 3-0 start, it started to look like the Marquette might be on its way to its first winning season since 2016 — when it went to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history under former head coach Joe Amplo.

But from then on, it was another season full of shortcomings for the Golden Eagles.

Big East struggles continue

Playing a rigorous non-conference schedule featuring four teams coming off an NCAA Tournament berth — including the reigning national champi-

A season of shortcomings

ons in Notre Dame — provides you the opportunity to see how your squad stacks up against some of the best teams in the sport.

Marquette took advantage of those opportunities early on, as it did have moments where it was competitive with then No. 1 Notre Dame and then No. 13 Michigan. Ultimately, the game that looked the most promising for the Golden Eagles was the eventual 9-8 loss to Utah March 2.

Despite the result, the Golden Eagles were in the game until the very last possession, and proved to themselves that day that they could compete with tournament-caliber teams.

The tough non-conference schedule didn’t seem to have as much of an impact as it would have hoped though, as Marquette went winless in the Big East for the first time in program history this season while again missing the conference tournament.

The Golden Eagles are now just 6-19 in Big East play under Stimmel.

A record breaking spring

The record books look a bit different now than they did before the season started in February.

Despite the team struggles, there were three Golden Eagles that set new program records this spring, with the first of them coming in just the second game of the season.

Graduate defenseman Mason Woodward broke the career ground ball record in a 16-5 win over Lindenwood Feb 9. The Townson, Maryland native will finish his career with 262 ground balls picked up. Woodward — who is soon to be a fourtime All-American — will undoubtedly be remembered as one of, if not the greatest player to ever wear a Marquette lacrosse uniform.

In the Golden Eagles’ third contest of the season, graduate midfielder/attack Jake Stegman passed former attacker Conor Gately’s program record of 63 assists in a 22-8 win over Detroit Mercy Feb. 13. Stegman finishes his Marquette career with 80 assists.

The record that garnered the most attention came Feb. 24 against Michigan in a 20-12 loss. Junior attacker Bobby O’Grady etched his name in Marquette history forever, passing former attacker Ryan McNamara’s alltime record of 102 goals.

“It’s really cool,” O’Grady

MEN'S GOLF

said. “My family was very happy for me, the guys around me were very happy for me.”

As the season comes to an end, a new challenge presents itself as Marquette prepares to see 19 seniors and graduate students move on from the program.

“Just an incredible group, they’re a coach’s dream,” Stimmel said about his departing group after a 12-6 loss to Villanova on senior day. “Incredibly grateful to them and all the work they’ve put in, they’ve definitely left their impact on this place.”

The Golden Eagles are set to welcome 15 new recruits to the program in the fall, which includes four-star defensive specialist Connor Schoenwetter.

“We are excited to add a large group of talented student-athletes for next year,” Stimmel said in a release from Marquette Athletics last fall.

“We feel that there is a good mix of athleticism and skill in this signing class, and all are impactful, winning players. We can’t wait for them to start their journey in blue and gold next fall.”

SEQUEL: Golf falls short in final round

AWARDS

Continued from page 5 Golden Eagle to shoot even-par or better on the second day, which vaulted him to the top of the individual leaderboard.

Robinson and first-year Mason Schmidtke had the next best rounds for Marquette, shooting four-overpar 76 each.

The team shot 14-overpar as a whole in the second round and dropped down to fourth place behind Seton Hall, Butler and Villanova.

Marquette was unable to

beat the course on Monday, firing even-par as a team.

Juniors Max Lyons and Patrick Adler, on his birthday, finished under par shooting two-under-par 70 and one-under-par 71, respectively.

Lyons finished tied-13th overall at six-over-par across the tournament, and Adler played his only round on Monday.

Robinson earned All-Big East Tournament team honors for his performance.

STANDINGS

Photo courtesy of Marquette Athletics

Graduate student Josh Robinson earned All-Big East Tournament team honors for finishing even.

Photo by Forster Goodrich forster.goodrich@marquette.edu

Arts & Entertainment Marquette Radio hosts Spring Concert

Event included Chicago-based band Rotundos

By Sofía Cortés sofia.cortes@marquette.edu

Marquette Radio’s Spring Concert took place on April 25 at what many students like to call the “SHAMU,” the grassy area in between the Alumni Memorial Union and Schroeder Hall.

After MUR’s fall concert “Radio Roulette,” the judges determined Chicago-based band Rotundos would co-headline the show with Marquette student band, Beauty Filter.

Because Indie-Soul artist *Aya received the most audience votes during Radio Roulette and artist NileXNile was the MUR staff’s pick, both were chosen to return to campus to perform as well.

The show was faced with some cold weather, but as the different acts kept playing their music, more and more students trickled in to see the different performances.

There were no judges for the Spring Concert, only the chance for the public to enjoy music of various different genres for free.

Ellie Nelsen-Freund, junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, said she appreciated seeing different bands performing original music.

“It’s really fun to see these up-and-coming bands

perform original music, it’s really exciting,” NelsenFreund said.

Taking the stage first was *Aya who said that since Radio Roulette, she has been working on writing new music, finding inspiration and trying to maintain creative motivation.

“My music is really for people who want relatability and who have a lot of growing to do, for young adults mostly. College students are the perfect audience for that,” *Aya said. “I made a couple of new buddies and enjoyed a few sets.”

Since his last performance on campus, NileXNile said he has been working on a second album and booking shows for the summer. NileXNile took the stage second and performed some classics from his discography as well as some new, unreleased music to test out the crowd’s reaction.

“Creating new experiences with listeners is always amazing to me. You never know who likes your music,” NilexNile said.

NileXNile also said he wasn’t sure how informed the student body was at first of the concert, but after a while, people started rallying in once they heard the music around campus.

After NileXNile’s performance, the first headlining act of the night, Rotundos took the stage.

Rotundos had the crowd moving with their

high-energy punk sound and even had listeners moshing to some of their songs. The band also played hits from their discography, including their song “Moving Day.”

The last headliners, rock band Beauty Filter, closed out the night with their set.

Since Beauty Filter is a student band, they had a lot of support from friends and family around campus who came out to see their first campus show.

Beauty Filter is made up of Matthew Poulton, firstyear in the College of Communications and bassist, Ethan Bailey, first-year in the College of Communications and drummer and Tom Oeffling, sophomore in the College of Education and vocalist and guitarist.

Bailey said that he was really happy with the turnout – both crowd and performance wise — at this year’s concert.

“I had a hard time on the first song due to the tem perature but after that, I warmed up and had a great time,” Bailey said.

Having seen these artists once before at Radio Rou lette, the crowd knew what to expect, while still be ing surprised at what each performer contributed this time around.

first year, I definitely didn’t picture playing at some thing school affiliated in my first year,” Poulton said.

Photos by Jack Belmont

Headliners for the event were selected based on judges' votes from Fall concert, Radio Roulette.

CROSSWORD Summer

Across

4. SZA and Keith Urban will be headlining this MKE summer event.

5. Cold dairy delight (two words).

7. Bugs with bright behinds.

8. Not to be worn with socks.

9. Trillions of these noisy insects will emerge this summer.

Down

1. Popular phrases in this summer sport: fore, birdie, hole-in-one.

2. All you need is a tent and a fire.

3. Red and green fruit typically cut in triangles.

4. Protects your skin from UV rays.

6. MKE beach that's just a bus ride away.

Across

4. SZA and Keith Urban will be headlining this MKE summer event

5. cold dairy delight (two words)

7 bugs with bright behinds

8. not to be worn with socks

9. trillions of these noisy insects will emerge this summer

Down

1. popular phrases in this summer sp hole-in-one

2. all you need is a tent and a fire

3 red and green fruit typically cut in t

4. protects your skin from UV rays

6. MKE beach that's just a bus ride aw

Comic by Adriana Vasquez Herrero

Senior Columns

CURRAN: Onto the next journey

By Patrick Curran patrick.curran@marquette.edu

Home. When I committed to Marquette, I knew I needed to find a home on campus.

Never did I think that it would be the second floor of Johnston Hall. A place that I remember touring in February 2019 as students worked on their stories and video edits. The place that I stopped in for a brief tour of during my junior year of high school eventually became the place where I found my sense of belonging at Marquette.

It is the place I met with my friends as we laughed until our stomach hurt. The place that I edited video packages with my friend, Caroline Bennett, until the wee hours of the morning. The place that I will look back on and remember as some of the best parts of my Marquette experience.

It took me a bit to find my way to my home on campus, but I am very thankful that I made it there. My first year of college was my first time being away from home, even though I only lived a little over an hour away.

By Richie Lyons richard.lyons@marquette.edu

Live news is stressful. I learned that on my first day volunteering as a production assistant at the Wire. I walked in and everything was on fire. They did not even know if they were going to be able to put on a show. I was asked to do the hardest job, teleprompter. All I had to do was turn a knob and follow what the anchors were saying. You would have thought I smoked a whole pack before with how much my hand was shaking. I made it through the show, and the next one, and the next

I was an anxious college student who was struggling to find a connection to the campus during the pandemic. My senior class was deeply affected by the COVID-19 restrictions, and we did not have the same college experience we were promised.

I lived in a double dorm room by myself as my assigned roommate decided to not come for the year and take classes remotely. I attended my classes and met up with the friends that I made in the dining hall.

Even though I am very grateful for those relationships that I still have to this day, I still wanted to build more connections on campus outside of the ones I had made. Finally, I took a leap of faith and decided to join The Marquette Wire as an Assistant Entertainment Producer for Marquette Lately.

I was connected with a family friend, Kate Hyland, and she persuaded me to apply for Marquette University Television. A month later, I was in the newsroom teaching myself the ins and outs of Adobe Premiere Pro as I worked on my first

video package.

As a sophomore, I tried my hardest to volunteer for every sports and news telecast even though I only had to be there for the entertainment show. Through doing this, I formed the relationships that I was longing for during my messy first year of college.

During my junior year, I became the Executive Entertainment Producer and worked closely with my assistant producers, Grace Lambertsen and Caroline Bennett, to push the boundaries of what Marquette Lately was the year prior.

My senior year at Marquette Television has been quite the ride. Last December, a handful of colleagues decided to leave – one by one – until it was just myself and my friend, Kristin Parisi left as the seniors on MUTV. We were left to pick up the pieces of an organization that had drastically changed in front of our eyes.

Three years later, I am sitting here trying to find the words about how to sum up an experience that has meant so much to me. There have been lots (I mean lots)

of ups and downs from my time at The Marquette Wire, but I would not trade it for the world.

The Wire gave me more than I could ever have expected. Who knew that a student media organization could have had such a lasting impact on my college experience.

The Wire gave me direction for my career, brought my creativity back,

LYONS: Just keep walking

one and so on. They never really get less stressful as there is something new every day.

I have been at the Wire for four years now. I started volunteering when I was a first-year and got hired as a production assistant the same year. I got promoted to production director when I was a junior. As a senior, I still fill the same role. Through those years I have gotten a lot of critiques and compliments. The one I hear the most is that I deal with stressful situations well. Producers always questioned how I

stayed so calm (Especially Tim Littau).

Every time the situation became stressful, I would think of a classic Irish quote written by Samuel Beckett “I can’t go on, I’ll go on.” No matter what happens you must go on. The next step might hurt, but you must keep walking so there’s no use in thinking about the pain. You just take the next step.

I have been thinking about my next step. I do not know where my foot will land, but now is the time to think about the footprints behind me. I have

done a lot of great work at the Wire and met a lot of great people.

To Julia Jarman, thank you for hiring me, starting the Marquette Filmmakers Association and starting Team Ghost.

To Mazie Baldus, thank you for being like a big sister to me. You technical directing for the first time in a year will always be my funniest memory at the Wire.

To Alex Rivera-Grant, thank you for taking that SPARK call during critiques.

To my production teams old and new – Ivy Wen, Mia Garcia-Morici, JJ Flippins,

and gave me some of my greatest friends.

I do not know what I will do next, but I know that I will take all the late-night editing sessions, frantic rehearsals and all the lessons with me forever. But the greatest lesson of all that the Wire taught me was that you will always find your home when you least expect it.

Luke McDonnell, Caroline Bennett, George Kane, Cindy Zhao and Ryan Murphy. You guys made every day special and always supported me. I wish all the best for you all. I know you will all go on and do special things. The Wire will always be special to me. I wish I had enough time to list all the amazing people I have met while working here. The Wire is what made Marquette home for me. I will always be grateful for my time here. I wish I could stop and stay here, but alas, I keep walking. I love yinz.

Patrick Curran (far left) served as co-general manager of MUTV.

Submitted by Patrick Curran

WOOLARD: Long live the trib!

By Megan Woolard megan.woolard@marquette.edu

As a senior in high school there was no world where I could see a future for myself that I’d actually enjoy. I moved across the country to Marquette not knowing if things would be better, but at least they would be different.

However, when I first came to Marquette I got into an abusive relationship. I had struggled with depression and PTSD prior to this but the fallout of that relationship brought levels of sadness, anger and pain that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. I spent so many hours crying, cursing out God and confronting uncomfortable truths in therapy. At the same time, I began to find comfort in writing articles for the Wire and enjoyed what I was learning in my classes.

My first summer in Milwaukee brought on a new feeling: happiness. It’s not like I wasn’t ever happy before, I just was genuinely starting ⁷to enjoy life consistently. I finally felt like the work I was doing in therapy, at the Wire and in school was starting to pay off.

My junior year I finally felt like I was asking questions of the world to deepen my understanding of both my experience and the experiences of people around me. Even then, I still struggled to find a balance between my

personal life, work at the Wire and school. I often joke that I have the most decorated academic transcript because there’s no grade I haven’t earned.

This past year I’ve been ready to move on from Marquette. I’ve explored both Milwaukee and Wisconsin as a whole. My literature classes have consistently challenged my worldview and expanded my definition of literature. I have bylines on more Marquette Wire articles than I ever thought I would write and somehow my team and I were able to pull together a newspaper every week.

I’ve become a die-hard Brewers fan, had more Pete’s Pops than anyone should and spent all my disposable income at Lilliput Records.

I think I’ve been to nearly every coffee shop and brewery in the city. I joined a sorority (something I never thought I’d do) and I was able to make a trip to see a game at Lambeau. I’ve fallen in love and made some of the best friends I’ve ever had.

I swear I’ve been to almost every concert venue in the city and practically lived at Fiserv and the Al McGuire Center during volleyball and basketball season.

As I wrap up my time at Marquette, I’m not sad to be moving on. I feel content knowing that my Marquette experience has been everything I would have dared to

wish for and then some. I’d like to thank anyone that has ever worked on The Marquette Tribune or bothered to read any of our work. It means the world to me.

To Jack, Sophia and Erin, thanks for making Late Night bearable this year. I couldn’t have done anything this year without you three.

To Hope, Patrick, Grace, Kristin and Julia, I’ll miss our Tuesday nights at Murph’s and all our other shenanigans.

To Izzy, thanks for battling it out with me through the

years. The best is still yet to come.

To Sotroz, our room in Wells Street Hall will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thanks for being a friend when I needed it the most.

To Randi, your friendship will forever be one of the greatest things I’ve gotten out of the Marquette Wire.

To Meg, thanks for always answering the phone. I don’t think I’d have made it to graduation without you.

To Emily, I’m glad the Wire allowed me to meet you. You’re forever my favorite.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all of my professors and advisors over the years. Marquette would be nothing without the work you do for students like me everyday. I’m thankful to have been the beneficiary of a transformative Marquette education.

Long live the Trib!

NELSON: Coming full circle

By Briana Nelson briana.nelson@marquette.edu

When choosing what college to go to, I had zero plans to attend Marquette. For one, I was ridiculously indecisive all throughout the process of picking a school. I still have a file in my notes folder on my phone, titled “Colleges!!!!” with a list of about 20 different schools I applied to, last edited on May 6, 2020. This was shortly before I graduated high school and ultimately decided with COVID-19, living at home and attending the university in my hometown was the best choice for my first year. Looking back, as cheesy as it might sound, I really don’t feel like the same person as my 18-year-old self.

As the summer after my first year approached, I knew that I wanted a fresh start. I had plans to attend Colorado State University, but something kept holding me back. Maybe it was my aunt, who is a proud Marquette alum, and her many dropped hints regarding how exciting Marquette is. Maybe it was the idea that Colorado held a lot of things I was ready to move on from. Maybe it

was the idea that a move could put me closer to my extended family, a group of people who I hadn’t ever lived close to but had always welcomed me with open arms. Towards the middle of summer in 2021, Marquette sent me one last pamphlet, and I took the leap.

My first year at Marquette was spent in Carpenter Tower, fans strategically placed around my bed to mimic A/C and homesickness hitting me like a train. I was miserable, taking upper-level science classes I had no business signing up for. It wasn’t until the end of sophomore year that I broke down and decided to do something that I enjoyed. That’s when I changed my major to journalism.

My junior year began, and for the first time since starting college, I was enjoying my classes. I applied to join the Marquette Wire as a copy editor. The copy chief at the time was Emily Reinhardt, and I remember being so nervous to do an interview with her. Now, I look back at that and can’t help but laugh, as in the

two years since she has become a main character in my absolute favorite memories of Marquette. I spent the following summer in D.C., falling in love with the world and life and friendships. I entered my senior year with a purpose, and the fall semester was a whirlwind of law school applications, nights spent curled up on the couch with friends and early mornings watching the sunrise paint my living room walls pink. This year is when I fell in love with the little moments at Marquette. The way the flowers seem to bloom overnight, the way the courtyard looks after it snows and there aren’t any footprints yet, the way Johnston Hall has become one of my favorite places to be.

The Wire is where I really found the “college experience.” Late nights spent watching episodes of “Maury” in between reads, endless giggles and inside jokes and Jimmy John’s orders. Now, as I continue to the next chapter, it still hasn’t really hit me that it’s almost over. I am forever grateful for everyone who has helped me get to where I am, and everyone who continues to support me every hour of every day. I decided to return to Colorado for law school, this time with a healed heart and

excitement instead of regret. It feels almost like a full circle moment, as this

Megan Woolard (right) served as Managing Editor of The Marquette Tribune for the past two years.

Submitted by Megan Woolard

Briana Nelson (middle) has been a copy editor for two years.

Submitted by Briana Nelson

BELL: Finding true north

By Kendal Bell kendal.bell@marquette.edu

As high school ended without a graduation, I felt lost and adrift in a sea of people who seemed to know exactly who they were and who they would become. My peers all sounded confident about their futures, while I was struggling to point in any direction. It felt like I was a compass with a needle spinning around and around, trying and failing to find North. I ended up choosing Marquette, completely unsure if it was the right decision.

You know the scenes in movies where there is a bustle of people moving at high speed, but there is a character in the middle who is frozen? That was how I felt the first few months. I called my mom constantly, and everyday, she would tell me to “just keep saying yes.” She encouraged me to say yes to plans with my dorm neighbors, to new experiences and to things that made me uncomfortable. Easy for her to say, but I tried. After every “yes,” no matter how uncomfortable it was or how much I didn’t want to go, I slowly felt like I might be okay. By the end of the year, I still had that sinking feeling of aimlessness, but I was armed with a group of friends and new hobbies. The spinning needle was starting to slow; I

By Serena Pace serena.pace@marquette.edu

My story at Marquette tumultuously began in the Spring of 2021. After COVID-19 delayed my plans to begin at another university, I reevaluated and applied to Marquette. Freshman year was hard, I lived alone and didn’t meet anybody.

I started my sophomore year in the same room, with the same company: myself. I’d never been left to my own devices before; I’d never been truly alone. It was suffocating and heavy.

One day in September 2021, I broke down. I left Wells Street Hall and began to wander. I sobbed as I made my way down Wisconsin Avenue. I sobbed as I traversed the streets of downtown Milwaukee with no destination, only desperation.

I found myself by the mast of the Milwaukee Art Museum, but the white wing-like structure wasn’t what had caught my eye, it was colors in the sky. There were bursts of yellows and oranges and blues and greens. As I made my way to Veterans Park, I realized what they were: kites. There were whales swimming amongst the

felt more steady. Before the beginning of sophomore year, my parents moved from Illinois to Georgia. My biggest support system was now a thousand miles farther away. I felt like any progress I had made was gone. I was longing for a home that didn’t really exist anymore, and “home” definitely wasn’t my little room in Wells St. Hall. If I didn’t have a home to start from, how was I supposed to get anywhere? Just when I felt like I was getting the hang of life, the needle picked up the pace again. But I started to lean more on my friendships, learning along the way that I wasn’t the only one who was unsure of themselves. Soon, it became easier to handle and maybe the needle wasn’t spinning as fast as it looked.

My next step was studying abroad. The distance to Georgia paled in comparison to the distance to London, but I was determined to make the absolute most of the three months I was there. I learned to be comfortable in my own company and actually enjoy it. The experience came at the perfect time and it gave me the perspective that I needed to continue on.

The rest of junior year bled into senior year. It was a jumble of exploring Milwaukee, classes,

basketball games and work. The needle wasn’t steady, but it started teetering between East and West. Surprise! It was another setback. An injury that needed surgery forced me to miss the first few weeks of spring semester. Not a big deal until one surgery turned into two, and two turned into three. What was initially supposed to be a minor bump in the road became missing six weeks of senior year and laying in a hospital bed on my 21st

birthday. It had the potential to make me miss out on yet another graduation. I was heartbroken, but it felt different this time. The sinking feeling I used to have when I hit a setback was replaced with an assurance that everything would work out the way it was meant to.

I’m graduating in a few weeks and that compass I’ve held onto still isn’t steady at North. It’s swaying back and forth, but it passes over North far more often than

PACE: Time to soar

clouds, hearts racing one another and children struggling to get their kites to catch wind. I was mesmerized by the playful togetherness and the whimsical collage drifting in the wind. I had stumbled upon the Frank Mots Annual Kite Festival. I picked a tree, somewhat secluded from the festival goers, and I watched. I stood as a solemn observer of the beauty unfolding above me. Somehow, some way, I felt a little better.

Sophomore year drifted on and suddenly I was a junior. I had friends and an educational path I was passionate about, but that September, I felt myself crumble. Feeling lost, I got into my car and started to drive with no destination, only desperation. I drove and cried and screamed to music until I saw something that silenced me: familiar colors in the sky. I let out a hysteric laugh as I realized how scheduled my mental breakdowns were. Once again, I positioned myself beneath my tree and bore witness to the Frank Mots Annual Kite Festival. The coincidence of the situation was enough to lift my spirits ever so slightly. Somehow, it was my

senior year. I felt unrecognizable from the Serena who wandered around the city. I was happy, confident and sure of my being. As the second weekend in September approached, I was prepared. I got into my car and had a destination: the Frank Mots Annual Kite Festival. As I walked through Veterans Park, I passed by my usual remote tree. I walked until I reached the Gift of Wings kite store, and I bought a kite. I’d never flown a kite before, but my fellow festival goers were ready and willing to offer support. When my kite caught wind and began to soar, I watched with bewilderment as my kite joined the whales and hearts and children’s kites.

The most valuable thing I have learned throughout the past 3.5 years is the power of making myself happy. People can be cruel, classes can be hard and the only consistent thing I have is myself. I have built my toolbox of tactics to fulfill myself and now, two weeks away from graduating college, I feel ready to soar.

it used to. I don’t think it will ever hit true North, but really what is life, if not the journey?

Mom and Dad, I’ll never be able to thank you enough for your constant support and advice, I love you.

And my friends at the Wire! Thank you for making saying “yes” to a job as designer one of the best ones! I’ll cherish the nights spent at the back table for a long time.

Serena Pace worked as the arts and entertainment designer.

Submitted by Serena Pace

Kendal Bell (left) worked as a designer for three straight years working on the MU Tribune and Journal.

Submitted by Kendal Bell