During his sixth annual presidential address on Jan. 29, Marquette University President Michael R. Lovell announced the university will build a new home for the College of Business Administration and innovation leadership programs at the corner of 16th Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the former site of McCormick Hall, which was demolished last fall.
“Marquette Business has a long history of developing ethical, Jesuit-educated leaders who live and work in Milwaukee and the top financial hubs across the world,” President Lovell said. “Through innovative design features and flexible learning spaces, our newest academic facility will help foster creative thinking for students from all disciplines.”
In making the announcement to more than 400 people, Lovell lauded Marquette’s alumni, parents and friends for their passion and generosity. Led by Vice President for University Advancement Tim McMahon and Keyes Dean of Business Administration Dr. Joseph Daniels, Marquette’s fundraising team raised more than $44 million for the project in less than 18 months, including 12 gifts of more than $1 million. The $70-million building is being funded primarily through philanthropic support from alumni, parents and friends. Broad-based fundraising for this project will continue, with the desire to break ground in fall 2021.
Marquette’s newest academic building will anchor the west gateway to the heart of its urban campus, bringing together world-class faculty, students and industry leaders to build a talent pipeline for the region’s business community and advance economic development.
“Marquette Business is home to three of the university’s top 10 undergraduate majors, reflecting the growing demand for business leaders in our region,” Daniels said. “Our curriculum is infused with experiential learning opportunities, which is what our students and employers demand. This new facility will mirror our collaborative applied learning style and position us as a convener of important conversations on the future of business in our region.”
The facility will also house interdisciplinary innovation leadership programs that help develop leaders who mobilize others to think creatively, act boldly and deliver solutions. This dedicated innovation space builds on recent efforts to develop an inclusive culture of innovation across campus through research and programming in the Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship in the 707 Hub (home of the Kohler Center for Entrepreneurship and the Marquette Social Innovation Initiative), the Women’s Innovation Network, the Athletic and Human Performance Research Center, and many colleges.
One such innovation leadership program is the nationally acclaimed, interdisciplinary “Excellence in Leadership” (E-LEAD) program, created by Dr. Kristina Ropella, Opus Dean of the Opus College of Engineering. Students who take part in the three-year program learn how to lead oneself, lead with others and lead innovation.
