— May 12, 2008 —

Contents

  1. 2008 Commencement to take place May 18
  2. Ropella named “Woman of Influence” by Business Journal
  3. Join groundbreaking of the new Law School building with picnic, ceremony
  4. Faculty to pick up caps and gowns in AMU
  5. D2L unavailable May 14
  6. News Briefs begins weekly schedule next week
  7. Writing contest to honor 1212 building
  8. Schedule for new parking structure corrected
  9. Lot J closing permanently
  10. TIAA-CREF representatives available for financial counseling
  11. Marquette Interchange highlights for the week of May 12

 

1. 2008 Commencement to take place May 18

Andrew Natsios, distinguished professor in the practice of diplomacy at Georgetown University and the former administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, will be the Commencement speaker Sunday, May 18, at 9:30 a.m. at the Bradley Center, 1001 N. 4th St. More than 1,300 undergraduate students and nearly 600 graduate students will receive their diplomas. Graduating senior Anne Dwyer, international affairs major, is the student speaker.

For the convenience of those involved in Commencement, all campus parking lots and structures will be open throughout the weekend for free parking. Gates will be raised beginning mid-day Friday, May 16, and will remain up through Sunday. Two interchange detours may affect those traveling to campus. See the Interchange Highlights below for more information.

Natsios joined the faculty of the Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown in January 2006, following his tenure at USAID. An appointee of President George W. Bush, he served as USAID administrator from May 2001 to January 2006, managing the agency’s reconstruction programs in Afghanistan, Iran and the Sudan. He also served as the U.S. special presidential envoy to the Sudan from September 2006 to December 2007. Natsios had previously been director of USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance and assistant administrator for the Bureau for Food and Humanitarian Assistance.

Five additional individuals will receive honorary degrees, including Dr. Benjamin S. Carson, director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, who is sought out around the world for his expertise in separating conjoined twins and conducting brain surgery to control seizures. The other four receiving honorary degrees are: Andreas Delfs, music director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; Margaret Farrow, former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin and a Marquette alumna; Rev. John P. Foley, S.J., founding president of the Cristo Rey High School Network, a national association of Catholic, Jesuit college preparatory high schools; and Kate Huston, retired city librarian, City of Milwaukee.

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2. Ropella named “Woman of Influence” by Business Journal

Dr. Kristina Ropella, chair and professor of biomedical engineering, has been selected by The Business Journal as a 2008 Woman of Influence award winner in the "Inspiration" category.

In addition to her impact on more than two decades of undergraduate and graduate engineering students, Ropella was selected for her encouragement of girls in elementary and secondary schools to consider engineering as a career possibility. Ropella has helped the College of Engineering develop a “Women as Engineers” summer academy and encourages outreach to K-12 schools.

Earlier this year Ropella was named Wisconsin Professor of the Year in a program sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

Ropella will be honored by The Business Journal on Thursday, June 26, at the Midwest Airlines Center.

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3. Join groundbreaking of the new Law School building with picnic, ceremony

The entire campus community is invited to a free picnic lunch and groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of the new Law School building, Eckstein Hall, Thursday, May 22, at the future site of the facility on Tory Hill at 11th Street and Clybourn Street. Lunch will begin at 12:15 p.m., with the groundbreaking ceremony at 1:15 p.m. Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson of the Wisconsin Supreme Court and Chief Judge Frank H. Easterbrook of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit will give brief remarks.

RSVP through the Law School Web site by Monday, May 19, to ensure there’s a shovel for you. Contact University Special Events for any special needs.

“On behalf of the Law School community, I hope that all Marquette faculty, staff and students will join us to lend a hand for the ‘big dig’ celebration of the future Eckstein Hall,” said Law School Dean Joseph D. Kearney.

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4. Faculty to pick up caps and gowns in AMU

Graduation caps and gowns will be available for pick-up in AMU 227, tomorrow, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday, May 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Snacks and special gifts from the Marquette Alumni Association will also be provided in the second floor lobby.

5. D2L unavailable May 14

D2L, the university’s course management system, will be unavailable due to maintenance from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14.

6. News Briefs begins weekly schedule next week

Beginning next week, Monday, May 19, the News Briefs e-newsletter will begin its once-a-week summer publication schedule. The Thursday edition won’t return until fall semester. The deadline to submit articles for Monday publication remains at noon on Fridays.

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7. Writing contest to honor 1212 building

The campus community is invited to bid a farewell to the 1212 Building by entering an ode to the building in a writing contest. The finalists will have their ode (100 words or less) read during a brief presentation before the wrecking ball takes the first swing Friday, May 23, at 9 a.m. in Parent’s Park. References could include:

• The 1212 Building was built as a doctor’s clinic in the 1950s.
• It was acquired by the university on Halloween 1978.
• Less-recent Marquette tenants included the departments of public safety, athletics, public relations and special events and the ticket office.

Odes should be submitted to Stacy Magsamen, university advancement receptionist, by Thursday, May 15.

8. Schedule for new parking structure corrected

The Thursday, May 8, edition of News Briefs incorrectly stated that construction on a new parking structure on the Marquette campus would begin in June 2008.

According to Tom Ganey, university architect, the design and engineering phases of the project will get underway this summer, but actual construction is not expected to begin until 2009.

The parking structure will be on Clybourn Street, west of 13th Street. It will accommodate a minimum of 300 vehicles.

9. Lot J closing permanently

In preparation for the construction of the new law school, Lot J will close permanently beginning Friday, May 16. All Lot J parkers are being temporarily re-assigned to Lot F, 733 N. 12th St., for the summer.

With the law school ground-breaking Thursday, May 22, all Lot F (and previous Lot J) parkers will need to park in the Wells Street Structure for the day.

10. TIAA-CREF representatives available for financial counseling

TIAA-CREF consultants will be available for one-on-one financial counseling sessions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, Wednesday, May 14, and Thursday, May 15, in AMU 228.

Call 1-800-732-8353 to schedule an appointment.

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11. Marquette Interchange highlights for the week of May 12

Two freeway detours, from 11 p.m. Friday, May 16, until 6 p.m. Saturday, May 17, may affect those attending Commencement:
• Northbound I-43/94 will be closed from south of the Marquette Interchange to just north of the interchange. Traffic on northbound I-43/94 will exit and be detoured at Plankinton Avenue.

• The connector ramp from eastbound I-94/794 to northbound I-43 will be closed. Vehicles on eastbound I-94/794 wishing to connect with northbound I-43 will be detoured at the James Lovell exit.

The Marquette Interchange update Web site shows the detour routes to the Bradley Center and the U.S. Cellular Arena.

11th Street between Wisconsin and Tory Hill is restricted to a single lane on the right side of the road and will only be accessible from the west for most of the week.

For more information, visit the Marquette Interchange update Web site.

News Briefs is published for Marquette faculty and staff every Monday and Thursday, except during summer and academic breaks when only the Monday edition is published. The deadline for the Monday edition is noon Friday. The deadline for the Thursday edition is noon Wednesday. Highest priority notices as determined by university leadership are also sent periodically.

To comment, ask a question or submit news to share, e-mail, call 8-6712 or send your note in campus mail to News Briefs, Office of Marketing and Communication. Please review the submission guidelines before sending news items.