Marquette is constructing a new Business Administration Building set to be completed in December 2022. The new building will cost $60 million and is a part of a larger $750 million Time to Rise fundraising campaign fully funded by donors that started in 2016.
According to the Time to Rise website, the campaign is “Guided by our mission, driven by our strategic plan and supported by the generosity of our larger family” and will “elevate Marquette through four objectives: Leadership, Excellence, Faith and Service.”
Tim Hanley, acting dean of the College of Business Administration, says he is excited about many of the new offerings that the building will have.
“We created a bold play. Marquette had to become more visible,” Hanley says. “Given the world we live in and the other ways people can skill themselves, we have to keep innovating and reinvest in new courses in fields … because that is where the future is. This is how we are going to attract those incredibly bright students.”
Laura Abing, senior communications specialist, says she is thrilled that the University is investing in its longevity.
“I take great pride in raising money for a stronger future at Marquette University. We have so many alumni to cultivate a sense of philanthropy to give back to the institution. Many are extremely successful and feel gratitude towards the university,” Abing says.
The new Business school will offer the latest technological advancements for students in education.
“We have been really thoughtful with how we use technology in our innovative spaces,” Hanley says. “The way we teach today is so different than when I was in college.”
One of these prominent spaces is the pitch pit on the second floor, a place where students can come to collaborate on ideas and devise ways to fund their businesses.
“If you and your friends have an idea for a new business venture, this space can help potentially fund those ideas. We are really excited because this space will look unlike any other classroom with creative sitting spaces that can easily be reconfigured,” Hanley says.
In addition to the Pitch Pit, there will be an event space that can also be reconfigured into smaller classrooms on the first floor.
“Supporters of the college are really excited and already looking to have citywide receptions for business leaders in our space,” Hanley says.
Utilizing building space in an innovative model, Hanley says, will foster a new era of student-run initiatives that have the potential to change the way people learn to be successful entrepreneurs.
Hanley says that over the past two to three years, a new precedent on “Innovation and Curriculum” has taken place on Marquette’s advisory councils. More opportunities through additional innovation leadership courses, where Engineering and Business students will collaborate together in “innovation classrooms” will also be created.
Owen Kattenbracker, a junior in the College of Business Administration, says he is looking forward to taking advantage of the new opportunities the business building will provide.
“It will be invigorating to utilize the spaces of a brand new building where they are investing in the future success of students,” Kattenbracker says. “These new courses and configurable spaces are unlike anything that is offered by colleges in the area.”
However, some students hope that with the completion of the Business Building, other colleges within the university will receive funding for new spaces on campus as well.
Maggie End, a sophomore in the College of Education, says she would like to see Marquette invest in other programs.
“I think they should allocate more resources to other colleges. I have friends in the nursing school that feel their building could definitely be improved,” End says
In addition to many of the innovative spaces and courses that will be offered, Marquette is now a nationally recognized sales center that gives students real-world experience and sets them apart from students across the country.
“We are the first Jesuit school in the United States to have such a sales center. This is going to allow us to grow our college,” Hanley says.
Hanley hopes that innovation can continue to happen long after he is done working at Marquette.
“I want to make sure that the new business school is being executed the best we can. Marquette designed this space with future stakeholders in mind. We want our community employers and organizations in our building constantly,” Hanley says.
With this mindset, Marquette is constantly looking to innovate.
“We are always trying to raise the bar and find new ways to reinvent ourselves,” Hanley says. “We wanted to build innovation into our offerings and how we design our spaces.”
This story was written by Max Pieper. He can be reached at [email protected].
