After 10 months of wearing blue and gold wing tip shoes to raise $1 million, College of Engineering Dean Stan Jaskolski is changing into running shoes of the same color until he can get that number to $8 million.

Ten months ago, an anonymous alumnus offered to donate $1 million to the College of Engineering if it could match the number within two years.

"It was a challenge grant," said Jon Jensen, associate dean for enrollment management in the College of Engineering.

When Jaskolski told his wife about the challenge, she offered to donate the first $1,000 on the condition Jaskolski wear blue and gold wing tips until the million dollars was raised, Jaskolski said.

Allen-Edmonds President and CEO John Stollenwerk, a Marquette alumnus, donated the pair of shoes for the cause, and Jaskolski agreed to wear the million-dollar shoes.

"I will do anything for Marquette and the students here," Jaskolski said.

In nine months, the college not only matched the $1 million, but also raised an additional $2 million to bring the total to $4 million.

The college hosted a ceremony to retire the wing tips Tuesday. At the ceremony, Stollenwerk took the Allen-Edmonds wing tips off Jaskolski's feet and put on a pair of blue and gold Puma running shoes, which Jaskolski will wear until the college can raise another $4 million.

Jaskolski said he wants to raise a total of $32 million for scholarships in the College of Engineering.

Stollenwerk changed the shoes while joking with Jaskolski and the audience.

"We had to buy two pairs of these shoes for the $8 million, because they won't last like Allen-Edmonds," Stollenwerk said.

Jaskolski also spoke fondly of the shoes, which he said he had even been wearing to bed.

"Oh, they're fantastic. I love them," Jaskolski said.

University President the Rev. Robert A. Wild spoke at the ceremony in a light-hearted manner.

"I have been to a lot of retirement parties," Wild said, "but never before have I been asked as president to attend a party to retire a pair of shoes."

Wild commended Jaskolski for his commitment to Marquette and the engineering students.

The million-dollar shoes will go on display on the second floor of Haggerty Hall, Wild said.

This article appeared in The Marquette Tribune on May 2 2005.