When it comes to the decision to attend Marquette, a sibling bond can be a driving force.
Cosmo Hersch, a sophomore in the College of Communication, came to Milwaukee all the way from the West Coast.
“My sister went here, so I visited a couple of times, and I loved the campus,” Hersch said.
Hersch noted that his exposure to the campus from his sister’s attendance was how he heard about Marquette in the first place, and was a factor in his decision to come here.
For some, Marquette’s city environment could be intimidating, but with the comfort of family and familiarity, it can be exciting.
“It’s a college town environment, but across the freeway, you are in a city that has everything you could want,” Hersch said.
Hersch stated that without his sister coming to Marquette, it may have been a different scenario.
Considering over ¾ of Marquette is made up of students from Illinois and Wisconsin, students from anywhere else are in the minority. Although, there is a portion of students that are “legacy“ students, meaning that they had a sibling or parent attend Marquette. Some of whom may have extended beyond Wisconsin and Illinois residencies and been exposed to Marquette by family.
Liam Pyne, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences who is originally from Massachusetts said that his brother also attended Marquette.
“I went to a Jesuit high school, so I had heard about Marquette from a guidance counselor. But, my brother also attended here and graduated in the class of 2021, so that was really something that allowed me to see the campus,” Pyne said.
Pyne mentioned that his brother’s experience led him to be interested in Marquette and that the culture is different from his hometown.
“I don’t think it’s in any kind of problematic way, but it’s definitely a Midwest school,” Pyne said.
He also noted that it was more important for him to find the “right fit” and Marquette was that for him. Between the city atmosphere, friendly students and educational opportunities, Pyne said it was the right school for him.
“I was looking for a school in the city and it kind of checked off that box,” Pyne said.
Hersch being from California and Pyne from Massachusetts may have been a roadblock in them finding Marquette and choosing to attend, but their family connections led them here.
It can be noted that the total undergraduate population at Marquette is composed of 38.7% of students hailing from Illinois and 36.7% from Wisconsin.
“We recruit heavily in these two states, but each year we develop and update a recruitment plan that creates meaningful engagement opportunities with any student interested in pursuing their undergraduate education at Marquette University,” Brian Troyer, associate vice provost for enrollment and management and Dean of Undergraduate Admissions, said.
Marquette is predominantly attended by Wisconsin and Illinois residents, despite this, Troyer notes that the university makes a conscious effort to reach broadly in the recruitment process.
“Aligning our efforts within our mission is a first step, but utilizing a wealth of data and expertise that we have in admissions as another key component of our recruitment process. We recruit broadly (nationally and internationally), and aim to be as data-driven as possible,” Troyer said.
In recruitment, Troyer said that Marquette aims to uphold diversity and inclusion.
“There is a lot that can be said about how we prioritize diversity and inclusion at the forefront of our recruitment process. There are a number of strategic and mission-centered efforts that we have developed, sustained, and updated over the years to live out Marquette’s mission,” Troyer said.
This story was written by Grace Cady. She can be reached at [email protected].
