Marquette University

I will admit that the first thing that came to my mind about Marquette University is that they seem to frequently be in the basketball playoffs and this year had a particularly successful men's team. There was much more to learn about the 8000 undergraduates on campus in Milwaukee, Wisconsin!

Johnston Hall, home of the Diederich College of Communication

Marquette is one of the twenty-eight Jesuit Catholic colleges in the US. Jesuit colleges are located in urban areas to facilitate a connection with diverse communities and to provide meaningful opportunities for students interested in social justice and community service.  A Jesuit education means asking students to ponder why they think the way they think.  The university has seven undergraduate colleges - Arts and Sciences, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences and Nursing.  There is also a law and dental school for graduate students. When asked about the prevalence of religion on campus, our tour guide said that "religion on campus is proposed but not imposed." Students were enthused about their teachers and felt they had ready access to them.

Milwaukee is a moderately sized city with more going on that first meets the eye.  It is one of the cleanest cities I have ever seen.  Honestly, I kept looking for trash and could not find any. Marquette is located near the heart of the town and students seem to fit nicely into the landscape here, living off campus but nearby and obtaining part time employment and internships.  A mixture of old and new buildings, Marquette's grounds are a lovely combination of tree lined pathways with a major thoroughfare through campus.  A newer engineering building was fascinating.  It was built with as much of the mechanics and structural details exposed so students could learn from the building itself. 

The Admissions staff conceded that demonstrating your interested in Marquette is important. Most students are from Wisconsin and they are always interested in increasing their racial and geographic diversity.  It is important to note that the application deadline is early -  December 1st for everyone.  Notifications are sent starting in January.

Besides basketball players and Brewers fans, who might be interested in Marquette? If you want to get out of California for four years and experience a city in the heartland of America, you could not go wrong with the solid education and multiple majors afforded at Marquette.