By Thomas Salinas

The Classics Club’s annual Valentine’s Day card sale may have come to an end Friday after the professor who started it plans to retire this year.

The sale began at Marquette 33 years ago. Patricia Marquardt, associate professor of Classics, started the sale in an attempt to promote classical language and as a fundraiser for the Classics Club. It evolved into a Marquette tradition for Classics Club students to create Valentine’s Day cards every year.

“Faculty come from across the campus every year and we were appreciated around campus,” Marquardt said. “It was something unique and fun.”

Marquardt taught classical language at Marquette for 37 years and will retire at the end of the semester.

“I just don’t have the energy like I used to,” Marquardt said. “I’m just tired and it’s time to go.”

Mark Hamilton, a member of Marquette’s National Classics Honor Society Eta Sigma Phi, said he hopes the Valentine’s tradition continues next year.

“We just need the man power to help create the cards,” Hamilton said. “It takes a long time to make all the cards but it’s a lot of fun.”

Classical language major, Kelsey Evans, a junior in the College of Arts & Sciences, echoed Hamilton and said the cards are challenging but rewarding. She also said Marquardt is someone who will be missed.

“Dr. Marquardt is a great teacher and she cares for her students,” Evans said. “She’s someone who goes out of her way to make personal connections and gets to know you.”

As for Marquardt, she said she hopes the tradition will continue but she will miss it.

“What I’m going to miss the most is working with the students,” Marquardt said.

Members of the Classical Club said they hope the Valentine’s Day card sale tradition continues in the future.