1. Scholarship donations in honor of Father Wild top $43 million

Future generations of Marquette students will benefit from donations totaling $43,692,623 for endowed scholarships given in honor of President Robert A. Wild, S.J., who will retire July 31. The scholarship amount was announced last week at a dinner honoring Father Wild that was attended by nearly 800 faculty, staff, alumni, friends and community leaders.

Julie Tolan, vice president for advancement, said current and past trustees of the university gave or pledged $31.4 million of the total and more than 2,300 individuals contributed. “The generosity of our benefactors will provide — in years to come — more than $2 million of annual financial assistance for Marquette students,” she said.

Tolan said Father Wild made increasing the university’s endowment for scholarships a priority during the past three years. In addition to the funds for endowed scholarships, she said the university also raised $9,359,429 in the past 18 months to address the immediate needs of Marquette students. “These funds helped us address the needs of our students the past two years, as the financial circumstances of families changed,” she said.

In the past 15 years Wild has raised more than $800 million for the university, including more than $200 million for scholarships and several eight-figure gifts that have accelerated campus construction projects, including new law (Eckstein Hall) and engineering buildings. In total, the university will have completed more than $375 million of construction, renovation and beautification projects during Wild’s presidency; those projects, including the Al McGuire Center, Raynor Library, School of Dentistry and Zilber Hall, also spurred economic development in the university’s near west side neighborhood.

During Wild’s tenure, undergraduate applications to Marquette increased fourfold, from approximately 5,000 applications in 1996 to nearly 22,000 for fall 2011. More than 90 percent of the university’s undergraduates receive financial aid.

Wild said he will take a year’s sabbatical following his retirement. He has a trip to Antarctica planned and will spend the spring 2012 semester in San Antonio participating in a theological, spiritual renewal program. After that, his plans are uncertain, although he assures those who ask that, “There’s no such thing as unemployment in the world of Jesuits.”

2. Registration deadline for Buzz’s BBQ is Wednesday

The registration deadline for the Texas-style BBQ hosted by Men’s Head Basketball Coach Buzz Williams is Wednesday, June 22. The event is Wednesday, June 29, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Central Mall. Cost is $10 per person for attendees age 5 and older.

Entering its fourth summer, the annual event features Williams and current and former Marquette players, games and a Texas-style BBQ dinner.

Register online.

3. D2L instructor training sessions to be held

Desire2Learn Introductory Instructor Training will be held in Raynor 320H through the Center for Teaching and Learning on Tuesday, June 28, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. A second session will be held Wednesday, July 27, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The training is for faculty who wish to incorporate D2L into their teaching. It provides an overview of the D2L tool set and is especially helpful for new and adjunct faculty and for faculty who wish to use more technology in their instruction.

Register online. Faculty who need help with D2L but cannot attend the scheduled sessions should contact the IT Services Help Desk at 8-7799.

4. 18th Street now two-way between Wisconsin and State

18th Street from Wisconsin Avenue to State Street has been converted to a two-way street after Marquette University Student Government and Marquette University asked the City of Milwaukee Department of Public Works to explore such a conversion. The change was made to improve traffic circulation and safety according to Clark Wantoch, Milwaukee Department of Public Works administration and transportation design manager, and in anticipation of the opening of Norris Park this fall, according to Rana Altenburg, vice president of public affairs.

Wantoch and Milwaukee 4th District alderman Robert Bauman met with MUSG in April to discuss traffic issues. For several years MUSG, in conjunction with the Office of Public Affairs, has worked to improve traffic conditions for drivers and pedestrians on the west end of campus.

5. Future Milwaukee applications due June 30

The Future Milwaukee Leadership Program is accepting applications through Thursday, June 30, for its 2011-12 class. Sessions will begin in September and run through May 2012, primarily from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. every other week on Monday evenings. Tuition for the 22-session program is $1,800, with limited financial aid available. Applications are available online.

Each year Future Milwaukee participants work in teams with area nonprofit organizations on major projects, ranging from fundraising initiatives to comprehensive marketing communication plans.

Since 1978, Future Milwaukee, which since 2005 has been housed in Marquette University’s College of Professional Studies, has been building a diverse group of ethically based leaders among all sectors of the Milwaukee community.

6. Compendium submission deadline is next week

Faculty and staff with professional accomplishments, such as publications, presentations and awards, should make sure they’re documented on the university’s Compendium online resource by Thursday, June 30.

Accomplishments that have occurred since November 2010 and weren’t included in the winter issue of Compendium will be used to compile the summer issue, which will be distributed in late August. These accomplishments are also posted on Marquette’s research Web page.

Compiling these faculty accomplishments is an excellent way to let the campus community know about the research taking place at Marquette and to allow fellow faculty to see opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration.

7. Submit wellness reward punch cards by June 30

Employees with completed punch cards for the Employee Wellness Program’s Wellness Rewards Program must be turned in by Thursday, June 30, to be eligible for the annual grand prize drawings. Prizes include a $100 Annex gift card, $75 Spirit Shop gift certificate, Helfaer Theatre season tickets, one-year membership to the Rec Center or Rec Plex, Haggerty Museum gift package, lunch at the Jesuit Residence and free meals from Sodexo.

Every time an employee attends a qualifying employee wellness program, he/she is eligible to receive a punch on a Wellness Rewards Card. Employees who complete a punch card with 10 punches earn a Wellness Reward Package and entry into an annual grand prize drawing, from participating partners.

Punch cards should be submitted to Mandi Richter, wellness coordinator, in Schroeder Complex 235. Punch cards with fewer than 10 punches can be kept to roll over for 2011-12 prizes.

Wellness Rewards Punch Cards are available at all qualifying employee wellness programs and from Richter.

8. TIAA-CREF consultants available for free financial counseling

TIAA-CREF representatives will be offering individual and confidential financial counseling sessions for faculty and staff Thursday, June 30, and Friday, July 1, from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. in AMU 231. Consultants will be available to discuss personal financial goals and how to reach them by investing in financial solutions such as mutual funds, brokerage, life insurance and annuities.

Schedule an appointment online, or call (800) 732-8353.

9. Gesu hosting blood drive next week

Church of the Gesu is holding a blood drive Monday, June 27, from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. in Father Herian Hall, in the lower level of Gesu Parish Center.

Online registration is available, but walk-ins are also welcome. For more information, e-mail Marcia Isherwood, Aurora parish nurse, or call 8-5288.