As prospective and incoming first-year students look forward to beginning their journeys at Marquette University, it’s essential that they receive a comprehensive look at the Marquette student experience.
The university has a host of great ways for students to get involved with during their time at Marquette. Some opportunities include such as joining student organizations, community engagement, job preparation opportunities and study abroad.
While it’s understandable that the university wants to highlight the best parts of Marquette to prospective students, whether on campus tours or in advertisements, it’s also important that there is transparency.
Students frequently talk about diversity of the student’s population along with crime and safety.
Unfortunately, incidents of crime on campus are not uncommon. This semester, there have been several shootings and robberies. Incoming and prospective students need to be aware and informed about the state of safety on campus.
Additionally, although there are different safety measures that already exist, such as the LIMO van services, BlueLight phones and safety alerts, these are sometimes unreliable.
There are also new safety measures being implemented, such as piloting secure access to Humphrey Hall.
Failing to be more transparent about crime on campus is a disservice to prospective and incoming students. Additionally, being realistic and honest about crime will be beneficial to students as they prepare to transition to life in Milwaukee.
Being honest about the diversity of the student population and overall student experience is also critical.
As of fall 2021, there are 5,212 white undergraduate students and 2,220 undergraduate students of color. Marquette is a predominantly white institution, and it’s important that this reality is communicated clearly to students. Diversity efforts at Marquette are improving, however. The Class of 2025 is the most diverse class, with 556 students of color out of 1,653 students.
Additionally, several student efforts have pushed for a better campus environment and opportunities for students.
Marquette is following through it made to the Black Student Council after Black students led a demonstration and demanded the university make changes in August 2020. Some of these include expanding the Urban Scholars program, hiring the first Black counselor to the Counseling Center and creating its first Black Living Learning Community in Carpenter Tower.
And recently, new Marquette University Student Government President Bridgeman Flowers and Executive Vice President Samari Price made history by becoming the first all-Black ticket to be elected.
Additionally, Marquette finally addressed one of the demands presented by the Native American Student Association in October 2020 to change the university seal design after years of faculty and student calling for Marquette to change it.
The university has also achieved emerging Hispanic Serving Institution status October 2021 because 15.4% of the student population identify as Hispanic or Latinx.
These are positive efforts, but there still have been recent instances of racism on campus.
In February 2021, a men’s lacrosse player was removed from the team after using racial slurs on social media. Three years earlier, Marquette students posted a photo with racial overtones: four white males posed, with one holding a gun and another holding a Black doll.
Being more honest with students before they come to campus can better prepare students, especially if their hometowns are starkly different from Milwaukee.
Prospective and first-year students should connect with current Marquette students in order to hear their perspectives and experiences. One place prospective students can do this is on the @marquetteu2026 Instagram page which is student-run and not affiliated with the university. On the page, there is a student takeover and advice videos for the class of 2026.
Students who are interested in coming to Marquette should do their research to ensure they get a clear picture of what to expect when they come on campus. And the university should work to give students an accurate picture of what life at Marquette can be.
Editorial topics by the Marquette Wire are decided at weekly meetings between members of the executive board. The editorial is crafted with leadership by the executive opinions editor. The executive board consists of the executive director of the Wire, managing editor of the Marquette Tribune, managing editor of the Marquette Journal, general manager of MUTV, general manager of MUR and ten additional top editors across the organization.
