United States
I graduated in 2015 from Marquette University with a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history, plus a minor in writing-intensive English.
During my senior year, I served as the assistant opinions editor and part-time columnist for the Marquette Tribune, Marquette's only student-run biweekly newspaper. This portfolio showcases my work during that time.
This past December, Autumn Jones of The Atlantic published "The New Brand of Jesuit Universities," which highlights the supposed tension between universities upholding their Jesuit identity while maintaining their appeal to prospective students amid changing times. Among her questions is whether Jesuit universities risk straying from their Catholic roots and their focus on Church doctrine.
The Marquette Wire: Spring 2015
Marquette Student Government started off this semester on a positive upswing. In bringing Growing Power produce to campus and establishing a student government with the Wisconsin Conservatory of Lifelong Learning, MUSG has provided greater outreach to the student body as well as the surrounding community.
Marquette Student Government, in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety, publicized Sip and Stroll for Safety, an event that invites students to join DPS officers on a walk around the Avenues West neighborhood during the evening hours.
Throughout the past several years, the First-Year Reading Program has been one of the main staples of New Student Orientation. The program acts almost like a rite of passage for incoming students, something that, whether we actually read the books or not, we had memories attached to.
After months of gathering feedback from students, staff and the surrounding community, University President Michael Lovell announced, in his presidential address, the intent to proceed with the creation of a university police department. The announcement followed recommendations posited by Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. L.
This school year, Catholic Relief Services, via the Campus Ambassador Program at Marquette, announced plans to include a greater selection of fair trade items on campus. As part of their mission, CRS has actively promoted the fair trade movement as a means of fulfilling the Catholic social teaching principle of serving and caring for the poor, a stance our Jesuit university upholds as well.
After running out of PrintWise money last semester, I resorted to adding MarquetteCASH to my ID card in order to cover printing costs for the remainder of the term. Of course, I didn't use all of my deposit on printing and, with my PrintWise allowance renewing this semester, I found myself with a good chunk of money left on my card.
Each August, Organization Fest helps kick off the semester with a fanfare as hundreds of student organizations line the Central Mall with information booths, handing out flyers and treats to passers-by in hopes of gaining new members. Its central location makes it hard to miss, and the vast outdoor space offers room for nearly every organization on campus to take part.
In October, my thoughts were steeped in issues of public safety, having spent the first part of the semester researching local crime activity and safety initiatives for another Journal story. Perhaps it was for that reason that a tweet from Marquette's Twitter account promoting a new app called BlueLight Safety immediately caught my eye.
In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, the wave of protests across North Africa and the Middle East beginning in late 2010, media outlets and scholars alike spotted a novelty: the use of social media as a tool in a time of social unrest.
The Marquette Wire: Fall 2014
From table tents in the Alumni Memorial Union to emails to professors announcing it in class, there are constant reminders for students to fill out their semester course evaluations. Hoping to reach total participation, some professors dedicate time from their class for students to complete their evaluations, and the university once again offers an iPad as a prize incentive for one lucky student.
Having just come back from Thanksgiving break and being oh-so-near to winter break, the holidays are fast approaching; a time highlighted by the appearance of string lights, warm drinks and yes, holiday shopping.
The City of Milwaukee recently approved plans to convert the historic Pabst Brewing Company building into housing for international college students. The building, which currently sits empty off 9 th St. and Juneau Ave., would possibly house international students from Marquette, Milwaukee Area Technical College, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and Concordia University Wisconsin.
Earlier this school year, Milwaukee Public Schools implemented universal free breakfast and lunch for its students in efforts to keep Milwaukee's children fed in a more streamlined manner. MPS said the meals would follow national health guidelines. Sure enough, the schools offer meals each week including portions of fruit, vegetables, grains, dairy and mostly lean meats.
After years of effort, students from the College of Engineering will finally get to see their satellite, Golden Eagle 1, go into orbit, with an expected launch of fall 2015. The launch is thanks to the NASA CubeSat Launch Initiative, a program through which students from universities across the nation participate in building satellites.
During a political science class I took a few semesters ago, my professor regularly tried to draw analogies between the subject matter and scenes from HBO's " The Wire ." Upon receiving silence and blank stares every time, she would ask incredulously, "Doesn't anyone watch 'The Wire' anymore?"
Whether creative writing can ever truly be taught is a major question among writers. The University of Iowa, home of the world-famous Writers' Workshop graduate program, states that "writing cannot be taught," but, "writers can be encouraged."
On Wednesday, campus residence halls became a candy haven for local Milwaukee children as Marquette's Residence Hall Association put on its 17 th annual HALLoween. The event offers a safe space in the community for local youth, led by student volunteers, to show off their costumes while trick-or-treating through the halls.
Imagine walking into your favorite coffee shop, laptop in tow, ready to hunker down for a caffeine-fueled study session, only to realize that you cannot find an open Wi-Fi network in the area. In fact, as you look around, you realize you are the only one with a laptop out, and there is a sign above the door pronouncing this café as now "screen-free."
If there is one word that can sum up the OK Go concert at the Turner Hall Ballroom last Friday, it is simply this: confetti. Lots and lots and lots of confetti. Known for its do-it-yourself approach both with songs and viral YouTube videos, OK Go brought much of the same spirit and creativity to their show.
The student body at Marquette continues to diversify with each incoming freshman class. Over a quarter of the class of 2018 is non-white, and it seems Marquette is increasingly stepping up to accommodate these student population changes. University departments, such as Campus Ministry, are visibly adapting to the evolving composition on campus.
The application cycle for Marquette's spring study abroad programs officially closed last Wednesday, resulting in a final applicant pool with a record high of 292 applicants and continuing the upward participation in the programs. For the majority of these applicants, whose acceptance letters will go out on Oct.
The impoverished situation of Milwaukee's black communities dates back to years of segregation in the city and limited access to adequate housing.
O'Donnell Park, located at the lakefront end of Wisconsin Avenue, is actually the top of a parking structure located on 910 E. Michigan Street. A clever example of urban green space, the structure offers 1,300 parking stalls in a high-traffic tourist zone, as well as a serene, grassy hangout nestled between the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Betty Brinn Children's Museum.
As an upperclassman living off-campus without a car, I find it hard keeping my kitchen stocked with fresh fruits and veggies. A trip to the grocery store requires 40 minutes of commuting to and from Pick 'n Save, and I am only able to carry so much-which, with my weak arms, is not much.
Without a doubt, President Lovell embraces the “We Are Marquette” philosophy, and runs with it—literally. This is a president who gladly posed for selfies at the Brew the very day that his presidency was announced. This is a president who invites students to join him on weekly runs or for a hot cookie in the dining halls. This is a president who seems truly invested in the school he is about to lead.
Last night, my friend and I stood on the corner of 16 th and Wells holding a Papa John's pizza in anticipation of a LIMO. Being in the center of campus, we thought flagging a LIMO down without calling would be easy enough.
Last August, journalist Shirin-Banou Barghi released a visual tribute to men killed by police officers within the past decade. The project, called "#LastWords," pairs a simple graphic with the victims' final words and a caption describing their final moments.
Every morning on my way to class, I walk past Ivy on Fourteenth, the new student apartment complex on the northwest corner of 14 th and Wells. From the moment it comes into my periphery until I arrive at class, I cannot stop thinking about it.
This summer, Milwaukee Public Schools announced that school breakfasts and lunches would be offered free of charge to all of its students, regardless of income level. This is a change from last year's program, in which free and reduced-priced lunches were offered only to students from low-income households.