Office of Mission and Identity Services

Orientation

The Office of Mission and Identity co-sponsors the University's annual New Folks' Convocation for new employees, as well as briefer monthly mission orientations. Mission orientations also can be tailored to the needs of particular departments or student groups and are offered throughout the year.

Education

A wide array of educational programs on Jesuit education, Ignatian spirituality and related topics are available through the Office of Mission and Identity. In addition to single-session or ongoing educational workshops for individual departments, the Office also co-sponsors such programs as the Marquette Mission Seminar, the Vision and Mission Seminar, and the GROW with Marquette series on Leading, Supervising and Managing for Mission. Marquette participates annually in the Heartland Faculty Conversations and offers employees opportunities to connect with their colleagues at other Jesuit universities through professional gatherings of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and triannual Heartland-Delta meetings.

Retreats

Because reflection is such an important dimension of spiritual and intellectual growth, Marquette offers all full-time, non-faculty employees a retreat benefit, known as Spiritual Development Leave. The Office of Mission and Identity, along with University Ministry, can provide contact information for local retreat programs and facilities, for those employees looking for referrals . In addition, on-campus retreats or days of reflection are available for offices, departments, committees and other university employee groups by request.

Grant Programs

The Office is responsible for the coordination and distribution of several grants that support the religious character of the institution (Edward D. Simmons Religious Commitment Fund) and the promotion of diversity on campus, whether through curriculum development (Curriculum Enhancement Grants), extracurricular programming (Marquette Excellence in Diversity Grants) or visiting scholars (Metcalfe Chair).

Speakers and Events

Each year in February the Marquette community marks Mission Week, a university-wide celebration of our Jesuit heritage and character. Speakers, discussions, artistic exhibits, liturgies, reflection opportunities and social events punctuate this very full and exciting occasion.. In recent years, Mission Week has featured Lech Walesa, former President of Poland and Archbishop Desmond Mpilo Tutu as keynote speakers.

The Office is currently sponsoring a six-part lecture series on the contemporary Catholic Church, titled, "Gathering Points: Tracking the Spirit in Troubled Times." Often, our work is done in collaboration with other university departments and offices, as they strive to increase mission awareness and effectiveness in their own areas.

Outreach

Universities do not exist in isolation from the wider world, and Marquette is deeply involved in service on a local and international level. The Office of Mission and Identity supports the efforts University Colleges and Offices in the University as they share their knowledge and expertise with others, and learn from their lived experience