As a testament to the quality education provided by Marquette University High School, two anonymous alumni donors have pledged $100 million to expand educational opportunities for generations.
According to Tim Cigelske, Vice President of Communications and Marketing, the funds are designated to support scholarships and financial aid. This ensures that the school’s Catholic, Jesuit mission of forming men for others remains accessible to families across the Milwaukee region.
“This historic estate gift, consisting of two coordinated $50 million bequests from anonymous benefactors, represents the largest known philanthropic commitment to a single high school in Wisconsin history and will be the largest known donation ever made to a Catholic high school in the United States,” said Cigelske.
In the Jesuit tradition, Marquette University High School has educated and formed young men for more than 160 years. It is known for academic excellence; however, its commitment is to educating the whole person — the spiritual, emotional, intellectual, artistic, moral and physical.
MUHS President Fr. Michael J. Marco, SJ, explained that the legacy of the two benefactors will not rest solely in the dollars committed but in the lives that they will transform.
“Their generosity ensures that Marquette High’s commitment and Jesuit mission will continue to serve families in the Greater Milwaukee area,” he said.
The announcement comes as Fr. Marco concludes his 10-year tenure as president. His leadership saw the school’s recognition as a National Blue Ribbon School. The fund will provide a robust foundation for Fr. Marco’s successor, Fr. Daniel Kennedy, SJ, who assumed the presidency following the 2025-2026 school year.
The annual costs currently associated with educating a MUHS student are approximately $26,375. The school provides an automatic grant of $9,000 per student. About half of the student body receives additional financial assistance.
(Sponsored Content)
The scholarship legacy will address a critical financial aid need, ensuring that economic barriers won’t prevent families from accessing MUHS’s transformative Catholic education,
“Every year, I meet families who wonder whether a Marquette High education is within reach,” explained John Meuler, Director of Admissions. “This allows us to answer that question with even greater confidence, ensuring that a young man’s potential, not his family’s finances, determines whether he can call himself a Marquette High Hilltopper.”
MUHS Open House
October 11, 2026
Mass: 9 a.m.
Open House: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Marquette University High School
3401 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee
Open to current 6th, 7th and 8th grade boys and their families
Register at: www.muhs.edu/admissions/open-house
(Sponsored Content)
