In this issue...

FEATURE STORIES
Summer update from AD Larry Williams
Summer Break: Marquette Athletics Style

OTHER NEWS
Two Marquette Athletes received honors from BIG EAST
Where are they now?
2011-12 All-Academic Team Selections
2011-12 Annual Report
Blue & Gold Fund Auction - Pfister Hotel Rates

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Newsletter Archive
September 2010
December 2010
March 2011
June 2011
September 2011
December 2011
March 2011

Summer update from AD Larry Williams

Seven months in, and I couldn't be more excited about where Marquette Athletics can go. Much of my optimism is based on how impressed I have been with the former student-athletes that Marquette has launched into the world. There is a unique brilliance in all of them. Bright, but without pretentiousness. Driven, but respectful. With that rich history, we can do wonders.

So what have we been up to? Analyzing and planning. Through the fall we will be finalizing our five-year Strategic and Tactical Plan. While details are still being hammered out, the core theme will be a constant focus on the development of student-athletes, who are driven to bring about success. Elite, highly competitive athletics is a terrific platform on which we can develop those traits. Our relentless pursuit of success on the courts, fields and pitches, as well as in the classroom and community will be the measurables that we will look to in order to evaluate our efforts.

Much time has also been devoted to the platform on which our student-athletes compete; specifically, conference affiliation. There have been many comings and goings among conferences memberships. We still believe that the "new BIG EAST" is a fantastic spot for us to be. The league will announce its new commissioner by the end of this month, and then will immediately enter media rights negotiations. So things are looking more stable and I hope looking up. But know that because of the great work done to this point by all of you, Marquette is in a very good position no matter what the future holds.

Away from the office, I have been enjoying the warm Wisconsin summer and a number of the local customs - lots of golf, a little Summerfest and a local delicacy they call Spotted Cow. The one thing that maybe I shouldn't have undertaken was getting an English bulldog puppy. His name is Truman, and while he is a real cute little guy, my goodness he is a lot of work.

Thanks for all you have done for Marquette Athletics and please stay connected to a wonderful fraternity that continues to find the highest levels of success with the utmost integrity.

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Summer Break: More Student-Athletes Taking Advantage of Marquette Summer School Program

Practice, trainings, games, reviews--the demands of college-level athletics are many and intense. Add to that an 18-credit hour class schedule, and the prospect of success for student-athletes can seem rather daunting.

And yet, somehow, Marquette student-athletes do it. CNN recently highlighted the "great academic and athletic success (Marquette has) with its student-athletes," pointing out our 91 percent student-athlete graduation rate as compared to the 25 to 47 percent rate of some other Division I schools.

What's the secret? Marquette Athletics' Academic Services and Compliance departments provide a number of services designed to ensure student-athlete success in the classroom. Among them is the Summer Bridge Program which gives incoming student-athletes focused assistance while they take summer classes.

"We provide activities and learning experiences outside of the six credits the new student-athletes are taking," says Adrienne Ridgeway, Assistant Athletics Director - Academic Services/ Life Skills Coach. NCAA rules require that athletes choosing to come to summer school complete six credits. "We offer study-skills training, tutoring and orientation to Marquette activities."

The program has grown significantly over the years. This year, 33 incoming freshmen are participating in Summer Bridge. "This is our biggest group in the history of the freshman program," says Tom Ford, Associate Athletic Director - Academic Support.

Beyond academic assistance, participating student-athletes enjoy other benefits though the program including the opportunity to work out with coaches and teams before the season begins, meeting other incoming freshman on campus during the summer, and becoming oriented to balancing academic and athletic responsibilities.

After their freshman year, many student-athletes continue to take advantage of the summer offerings. Presently, roughly half--120 of 240 Marquette student-athletes--participate in the summer program. With the total number of athletes increasing to nearly 300 in the 2012-2013 academic year, Ford anticipates even more requests for summer classes next summer.

"In surveying students, they all agree it helps with their academic and athletic load during the year by giving them flexibility during the season," says Ford.

"It allows them to take 12 to 15 credits during the school year as opposed to 18 and still be able to graduate in four years," adds Katie Simet, Learning Specialist. "They can take courses in the summer that would be difficult to take during the academic year because of travel and missed days. We have also seen a growing number of students participate in a summer internship for credit, which is very difficult to manage during the academic year with the demands of their sport."

Marquette's growing Web-based curriculum offerings add another dimension of flexibility. "More students are taking advantage of the online courses available," says Ridgeway. "They can go home or to another city for an internship and earn credits to further their progress towards their degree."

This year, Marquette Athletics' summer school program is anticipated to cost around $510,000. This, like so many Athletics programs, is made possible by the generosity of our Blue & Gold fund benefactors.

NEWS:

Two Marquette Athletes received honors from BIG EAST

Danielle Carlson from women's volleyball and Kerry McBride from women's soccer were selected to receive the Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award from the BIG EAST.

The Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards are given to one student-athlete in each BIG EAST-sponsored sport based on academic credentials, athletic accolades or performances and volunteer service to the community.

Student-athletes who have attained junior academic standing and a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.00 are eligible. The winners are chosen by the BIG EAST Faculty Athletics Representative Council.

Below are all the athletes who received these honors for their respective sports.

2011-12 BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award Winners

Alyssa Beste: Joined accounting firm Ernst & Young- Cross Country
Dominick Rosario: Joined Deloitte Consulting in Harrisburg, PA - Cross Country
Patrick Keeley: Investment analyst at Elementum Advisors in Chicago - Cross Country
Blake Johnson: Pursuing his Masters in Structural Manufacturing Engineering at UWM- Cross Country
Keith Schueller: Pursuing Masters in Structural Engineering at Michigan- Cross Country
Peter Bolgert: At Princeton for PhD in Physics- Cross Country
Olivia Johnson: At University of Iowa for PhD in Accounting- Cross Country
Nick Szczech: At University of Texas for PhD in Sociology - Cross Country
Jon Kusowski: Completing his Masters in Environmental Engineering at Marquette - Track & Field
Calum Mallace:Drafted by the Montreal Impact (MLS) - Men's Soccer
Michael Alfano: Manager at Diversey Inc., Sturtevant, WI - Men's Soccer
Ciara Jones: Blue & Gold Fund Graduate Assistant at Marquette in the Sports Leadership program - Volleyball
Ashley Beyer: Professional volleyball player in Switzerland - Volleyball
Darius Johnson-Odom: Drafted 55th pick to the Dallas Mavericks and traded to the LA Lakers- Basketball
Jae Crowder: Drafted 34th pick to the Dallas Mavericks - Basketball
Natalie Kulla: Boeing Flight Operations in St. Louis, MO - Women's Soccer
Kerry McBride: Graduate school for Structural and Geotechnical Engineering while doing an internship with HNTB a civil engineering consulting firm. - Women's Soccer
Gillian Hush: Attending Marquette University Graduate program in Public Relations- Tennis
Tatiyiana McMorris: Graduate Assistant for Women's Basketball at St. Johns University - Women's basketball
Jasmine Collins: Sales - Prudential Financial Services in Milwaukee - Women's basketball
Courtney Weibel: Teacher and basketball coach in Rockton, Illinois (hometown) - Women's basketball

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2011-12 All-Academic Team Selections

Blue & Gold Fund Auction - Pfister Hotel Rates and Reminders

The Pfister is offering a special room rate of $129 for the night of the event.
Call (414) 935-5942 by August 14th and reference the Marquette Blue & Gold Fund Auction.

Special reminders
Cocktails, Hors d'oeuvres and Silent Auction - 6:00 pm
Dinner and Live Auction - 7:30 pm
The Pfister Hotel
424 E. Wisconsin Ave.
Milwaukee

Cost: $100 per person

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Compliance Corner: Who is a Representative of Athletics Interests?

You Are If:

YOU EVER were or currently are a member of any group which support specific athletic teams.

YOU EVER contributed to any Marquette University athletics program or team.

YOU EVER purchased season tickets for any sport.

YOU EVER participated as a Marquette varsity student-athlete or are a Marquette alum.

YOU EVER helped to arrange employment for enrolled student-athletes during the summer or semester break.

YOU HAVE EVER promoted any Marquette University athletics program.

According to NCAA rules, once an individual has been identified as an institutional representative of athletics interests, the individual retains that title FOR LIFE. Marquette is ultimately responsible for the acts of all representatives of athletics interests in relation to NCAA rules and regulations. So please, ASK BEFORE YOU ACT!