For some students, Marquette has been a part of their family for generations.
Emma Roffler, a junior in the College of Business Administration, had both her mother and father attend Marquette before her.
“Marquette is definitely something my parents value as they received a wonderful education here,” Roffler says in an email. “Part of their success is derived from the Jesuit education that they received here.”
Roffler’s parents have remained part of the Marquette community.
Roffler says her parents are still involved in the Marquette community and are on two committee groups for parents. Roffler says in an email.
Roffler says her father graduated in 1993 and her mother in 1994. Her mother and father met at Marquette.
“I chose to apply because they went here,” Roffler says in an email. “We had also visited multiple times during my childhood and more formally as I began to prepare for college applications.”
Roffler said that although her parents went to Marquette, it didn’t impact her decision to attend.
“Although my parents came to Marquette and I applied, they did not want to pressure me into a decision,” Roffler says in an email.
Monica Geiser, a graduate student in her fifth year in the department of physical therapy, has had 10 family members including herself attend Marquette.
“Growing up Marquette was a huge part of my family, and my parents definitely value Marquette and the education they received there,” Geiser says in an email.
Geiser says her great uncle Richard Moutvic, great uncle Tom Pekny, uncle Bill Reinhart, cousin Robin Reinhart, parents Chris and Mary Beth Geiser, aunt Jessica Geiser, uncle Andrew Geiser and his wife Heather Geiser all attended Marquette. Her sister also currently attends Marquette and is set to graduate in 2022.
Her parents graduated in 1990, her aunt in 1995, and her uncle Andrew and his wife Heather attended in 2003.
“My dad now works at Marquette in the Athletic Training Program since 2003,” Geiser says in an email.
Geiser says she started at Marquette in 2016 and graduated from the exercise science program in 2020 and is still enrolled in the physical therapy program working on her doctorate.
Gesier says that for her whole life she didn’t want to be a Marquette fan.
“My whole life I said I wanted to go out of state and get far away from my family and Marquette, I wanted to make my own story,” Geiser said in an email.
Geiser went on a tour of Marquette.
“My parents had me tour MU alone to remove their bias, and I fell in love with it,” Gesier says in an email. “While I do have all this family history at Marquette and it adds to my journey, I’ve been able to still make my own story and memories which I was worried about.”
Bridget Samuelson, a recent Marquette graduate, has generational ties to Marquette as well. Her grandma, grandpa, aunt and uncle all attended Marquette. In the 50s, her grandpa became the first of her family to attend Marquette, where he met her grandma.
“I would say that Marquette is definitely something that our family values and my uncle is probably the biggest Marquette fan that I’ve ever met,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson says her aunt’s nephew is also at Marquette now.
“Everyone in my family constantly wears Marquette gear and are big Marquette supporters,” Samuelson says. “I think definitely the family lives and breaths Marquette.”
Samuelson says that originally she did not want to go to Marquette at all.
“My grandma called every single day asking if I had applied, so I finally applied mostly to get her to stop calling and asking,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson said she took a tour of Marquette.
“I went out to visit Marquette in February after there had just been 20 inches of snow, and I loved it,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson said that originally she didn’t plan to attend Marquette.
“Marquette wasn’t originally on my list of schools to look at,” Samuelson says. “However, I’m the oldest of all my cousins on the Samuelson side, so now all my cousins who are younger than me have looked and applied to Marquette for college.”
Samuelson said she loves showing her family around campus.
“It was super fun to bring my aunt and uncle and even my grandparents up and show them around campus and to hear the stories of where things were, what buildings were the same, what buildings had changed, and just how different the campus feel was,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson said her family heritage is something that makes her proud.
“I think I was really proud to be in a place where members of my family has been before me, but making my own path,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson says she became a nursing student just like her aunt.
“I think it played a huge factor, knowing she had gone through the program, she really liked it, and was still in contact with the people she had gone to school with,” Samuelson says.
Samuelson said her family heritage is something that pushes her.
“I think I held myself to a higher standard knowing my grandparents had gone to school here, so I tried to make choices and be part of things that they would be proud of because it was something they held a lot of pride in,” Samuelson says.
Roffler says she was very proud to share a college and Marquette experience with her parents. “I think it is special to have this bond because they understand my experiences,” Roffler says in an email.
Geiser says she loves the fact that she’s had so many family members attend Marquette.
“I got to hear stories from times when the AMU (Alumni Memorial Union) didn’t exist to swapping stories about living in McCormick Hall and talking about what has changed,” Geiser says in an email.
Geiser said she has been a Marquette fan her entire life.
“Growing up a Marquette fan from birth I’ve learned to not like the color red and now at family gatherings, we have a nice crowd to support the blue and gold,” Geiser says in an email.
This story was written by Matthew Choate. He can be reached at [email protected].